Hey y'all, I've been lurking a while and thought I'd introduce myself. I always wanted to be a musician, but it didn't work out, so I started playing drums. 
I was a drummer for many years and ended up retiring from that for a variety of reasons. Pain in my hands was the biggest factor. Now in my early 50's I've been inspired to try bass. I miss playing music and since I no longer own a drum set, I thought what the heck.
It was a relatively small investment to get a starter bass and a small Fender Rumble amp. Thanks to Guitar Center's liberal return policy, I auditioned a number of basses at home before settling into short scale for the past year. It's a bit easier on my hands than 34" scale, but still not easy. I currently have a Gretsch Junior Jet and an Ibanez TMB30.
Because I work a lot of hours and I'm also finishing up a degree this summer, I haven't had a lot of time to practice and progress has been slow. A few months ago I bought The Beatles Complete Scores book and I've been learning songs as I find time. Macca has a wide variety of stuff ranging from easy to difficult and it's been a fun way to learn. Funny thing is I've never been a huge Beatles fan, but I've found that playing their songs makes me happy. As someone who struggles with anxiety and depression, that's huge. I caught myself smiling as I was able to stumble through "Here Comes the Sun" the first time.
Oh, fun fact, I got to meet Geddy Lee at a book signing. I was hoping a fist bump would transfer some of the magic, but I don't think that helped. He did offer some words of "encouragement" as you can see in his inscription in my book.
I was a drummer for many years and ended up retiring from that for a variety of reasons. Pain in my hands was the biggest factor. Now in my early 50's I've been inspired to try bass. I miss playing music and since I no longer own a drum set, I thought what the heck.It was a relatively small investment to get a starter bass and a small Fender Rumble amp. Thanks to Guitar Center's liberal return policy, I auditioned a number of basses at home before settling into short scale for the past year. It's a bit easier on my hands than 34" scale, but still not easy. I currently have a Gretsch Junior Jet and an Ibanez TMB30.
Because I work a lot of hours and I'm also finishing up a degree this summer, I haven't had a lot of time to practice and progress has been slow. A few months ago I bought The Beatles Complete Scores book and I've been learning songs as I find time. Macca has a wide variety of stuff ranging from easy to difficult and it's been a fun way to learn. Funny thing is I've never been a huge Beatles fan, but I've found that playing their songs makes me happy. As someone who struggles with anxiety and depression, that's huge. I caught myself smiling as I was able to stumble through "Here Comes the Sun" the first time.
Oh, fun fact, I got to meet Geddy Lee at a book signing. I was hoping a fist bump would transfer some of the magic, but I don't think that helped. He did offer some words of "encouragement" as you can see in his inscription in my book.
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