Disheartened at lack of progress

[brianrost]

I'm middle aged and on my last lesson the tutor quipped he teaches an 11 year old who picks up things faster than me, which has further damaged my confidence.

Of course an 11 year old picks up things faster. That's just how human brains work, we learn fastest when still in childhood. Many people don't really start learning until they start playing with others. That was certainly true for me.

Maybe practice more than an hour a day?

As far as "stuff you should have down by now", give us some examples. When I'm learning something new, it's not until months later that it's truly sunken in. Yes, I try to get it right during practice but I don't expect it to still be perfect the next day.

 

[BassBrass]

Take a break from tutoring and get your head- IN. TO. THE. MUSIC.

this 100% time too learn bass limes off songs only for fun, and if you have the money, get a beat buddy and a digital recorder and start arranging beats and recording bass lines or song bass lines.

Teachers need something normal to teach (a pedagogy) and there's infinite ways to enjoy and participate in music.
You May be a dummy at what this teacher teaches, (I know I am at some skills) but the "best in the world" at something else, without the self consciousness of some Method, what you enjoy can be obvious. Then go back and learn some stuff. I was "paper trained" at the music academy. do I use it? Not today, today I'll be in Corel Paintshop Pro.

 

[Honkey tonk]

Have a go at learning through different or multiple mediums

 

[drumvsbass]

I'm middle aged and on my last lesson the tutor quipped he teaches an 11 year old who picks up things faster than me

Then your tutor is a prick. Find someone else who has your best interest. Not just taking your $$$.

 

[emal]

You've already gotten awesome advice here, but this really speaks to me. I am NOT GOOD at any of my interests, I am not looking for pity, its just the facts. I love to draw comics, but I am mediocre at best, I love playing goalie in ball hockey, again I am mediocre, I LOVE playing bass, and yup, you guessed it I am mediocre! But maybe it's my punk attitude but I said F-it! If i wan to do those things, I am doing it! I recorded an EP, I played Sold out shows, I jammed with some of my best friends, and still jam with a drummer buddy of mine. I suck at covers, but have fun playing parts of them, what helped me get a bit better, was writing my own songs. I just put what I felt together. My drummer who is a Dany Carey worshipper is freaked out because the song we are writing now in in 11-16, don't know how i did it, don't care, it sounds cool! I am 42, and while i would LOVE to get better and better, I am trying to enjoy the journey and soak in the joy it brings me. I coached little dudes in ball hockey, and it broke my heart to see the pressure put on them to "perform". The important part is to have FUN, the rest follows, and I am pretty sure you are MUCH better than you give yourself credit for...sorry for the rant, too much coffee!

 

[ahbradot]

Find someone slightly more advanced than you to jam with. Play “smoke on the water”, “green onions”, etc. Play along with recordings. Use YouTube also. Find a bass guitar you’re proud of and have it setup with low action. Immerse yourself with everything music. Find the love, passion and some small challenges that are achievable.

 

[Thundertips]

Hi, I've been taking bass lessons 2 years, and tbh I'm just not making the progress I'd hoped for. Practicing about an hour a day, yet I struggle with simple things I should have down by now, and learning anything new seems to take an age.

Wondering if I'm just not cut out for it, but I really WANT to play well. I'm middle aged and on my last lesson the tutor quipped he teaches an 11 year old who picks up things faster than me, which has further damaged my confidence.

I don't know whether I should just give up and pack it in, find a new tutor, or just come to terms with my own mediocrity. I'm pretty disappointed in myself right now.
Advice welcome!

The best way to practice is with a Band, trying to learn songs. That's the way I learned. I had to learn fast or I would've been fired. By the way, the teacher shouldn't have said that. I'm self taught, never taken lessons.

 

[Willie5String]

Felix my man, I totally feel you! I have been working on sight reading for a year now.

With respect to the "tutor", I see a lot of commentary here about him/her, I can't speak to that, other than it helps to be clear in understanding what your goals in music are.

Do you want to be able to:
-Improvise your own bass lines (music theory is needed here)
-Play stuff off of records (ear training is needed here)
-Learn riffs others are playing (this may be where a teacher comes in )

In my personal sight reading journey, I have been at a plateau for 3 months, I’m just not getting better.

The real frustrating part of treading water is not being able to put a finger on why.

I think in my own case it’s related to notes having to be processed, rather than notes going from my eyes to my hands (ie muscle memory).

I have chosen to dissect what I’m doing and working on bits and pieces to try to help myself. Now, I practice scales, I bought a book that is just rhythms without notes, I play things that are easier a higher speeds and I developed an exercise that works on knowledge of notes on the neck.

Guess what I am saying is try to figure out what is holding you back, break that thing into smaller pieces and work on those things. Maybe concentrate on musicianship (theory, note recognition, sight reading, etc), rather than riffs?

Don’t give up! Even a mediocre bass player is better than someone who is non-musical.

Heck there is a group on talk bass called the Mediocre Bassist Club, I could certainly be a charter member and I have been playing for 40 years.

 

[Jazz Ad]

It's normal for an 11yo to learn faster than you.
Change teacher and find yourself another musician, preferably a drummer of the same age to practice together.

 

[Tim Schnautz]

"I'm middle aged and on my last lesson the tutor quipped he teaches an 11 year old who picks up things faster than me, which has further damaged my confidence..."

Tell your teacher what he can do with himself. and get someone else. If your teacher is degrading you then they're not much of a person let alone a tutor.

What are you wanting to achieve? A friend of mine plays bass. one note to the bar. He's total goal is to sit with some pickers and carry the bottom note. and thats it.
who would you want to play like?

 

[coyote1]

Hi, I've been taking bass lessons 2 years, and tbh I'm just not making the progress I'd hoped for. Practicing about an hour a day, yet I struggle with simple things I should have down by now, and learning anything new seems to take an age.

Wondering if I'm just not cut out for it, but I really WANT to play well. I'm middle aged and on my last lesson the tutor quipped he teaches an 11 year old who picks up things faster than me, which has further damaged my confidence.

I don't know whether I should just give up and pack it in, find a new tutor, or just come to terms with my own mediocrity. I'm pretty disappointed in myself right now.
Advice welcome!

Question: who is directing the educational process? You, or the ‘tutor’?

I ask that because I’ve seen, more times than I can count, folks say “just show me how to blahblahblah”. And then they do it mechanically, and when the next song comes along that has the same basic structures as the previous song they cannot make the leap and figure it out for themselves because they have been insisting on the “just show me this” shortcut.

So then. Perhaps if you truly wish to learn this instrument, you would consider ground-up music lessons rather than just a ‘tutor’. Now if you really don’t want to put in that effort that’s understandable! We all need to make choices, to prioritize the facets of our lives.

 

[Felix 2021]

It's normal for an 11yo to learn faster than you.
Change teacher and find yourself another musician, preferably a drummer of the same age to practice together.

I hear you mate, problem is we've been in lockdown for months in UK, as soon as they "let us out" am gonna try and connect at least with a drummer to get that experience.

 

[Felix 2021]

Question: who is directing the educational process? You, or the ‘tutor’?

I ask that because I’ve seen, more times than I can count, folks say “just show me how to blahblahblah”. And then they do it mechanically, and when the next song comes along that has the same basic structures as the previous song they cannot make the leap and figure it out for themselves because they have been insisting on the “just show me this” shortcut.

So then. Perhaps if you truly wish to learn this instrument, you would consider ground-up music lessons rather than just a ‘tutor’. Now if you really don’t want to put in that effort that’s understandable! We all need to make choices, to prioritize the facets of our lives.

The tutor has directed what we do all through, but it feels kinda haphazard and directionless at times. I'm willing to put the effort in, I try to do about 10hrs a week which is feasible around work/family etc.

 

[Felix 2021]

"I'm middle aged and on my last lesson the tutor quipped he teaches an 11 year old who picks up things faster than me, which has further damaged my confidence..."

What are you wanting to achieve? A friend of mine plays bass. one note to the bar. He's total goal is to sit with some pickers and carry the bottom note. and thats it.
who would you want to play like?

Good question, I'll never be a Jamerson or Wooten, but if I could match Trevor Bolder (Bowie's glam rock era bassist) I'd be happy with that.

 

[Medicine Man]

There are 11 year old prodigy types all over YouTube. Most of us make slow progress over a lifetime. If you enjoy playing and keep at it, you will eventually be great. If you cant find a better teacher there are a ton of self study materials around. Its not about how good you are, its about playing with your heart. Keep at it!

 

[bigthemat]

Want to add my two cents.

It can be hard to see progress when you compare it day to day. Think about weight loss, if you check the scale every day, you'll have low days, and high days. But, consistent work over a longer period of time, say, 6 months, you'll see how much progress has been made.

Think of it this way. Imagine you are in a very dark room or cave, where there is absolutely no light. If you light a single candle, you've increased the light by 100%. If you light a second candle, by 50%. 3rd candle is 25% and so on. With playing an instrument, that first candle is when you play your first note, you learn how to play the open E string. That's one candle. Then you learn more notes, or how to tune, etc. After a while, all those candles start to look the same, and you soon think you are not making any progress.

That said, sounds like your teacher is an ass. Yeah, an 11 year old can learn some new things faster than adults... like language. Kids that grow up in a multi-language household have no problem becoming bilingual because their brain is wired differently at a young age to learn language. As an adult, our brain is wired differently, and learning language is more of a challenge.

I'd shop around, find a teacher that you like and one that will encourage you, not make dump quips at your playing level.

But let me ask you this... do you like playing? Do you enjoy it? Don't worry about your progress or anything like that, just ask yourself, do you like playing the bass? My guess is yes, you do, otherwise you would have already quit. Remember why you are doing this, because you enjoy it and making music is a worthwhile pursuit.

Maybe take a break from lessons, and just jam along with your favorite tracks, or jam with some friends. I've found that playing with other (better) players has helped me become a better player.

 

[Felix 2021]

The teacher blows. Tell him you quit because you found an eleven year old teacher that is much better.

 

[Felix 2021]

Want to add my two cents.

It can be hard to see progress when you compare it day to day. Think about weight loss, if you check the scale every day, you'll have low days, and high days. But, consistent work over a longer period of time, say, 6 months, you'll see how much progress has been made.

Think of it this way. Imagine you are in a very dark room or cave, where there is absolutely no light. If you light a single candle, you've increased the light by 100%. If you light a second candle, by 50%. 3rd candle is 25% and so on. With playing an instrument, that first candle is when you play your first note, you learn how to play the open E string. That's one candle. Then you learn more notes, or how to tune, etc. After a while, all those candles start to look the same, and you soon think you are not making any progress.

That said, sounds like your teacher is an ass. Yeah, an 11 year old can learn some new things faster than adults... like language. Kids that grow up in a multi-language household have no problem becoming bilingual because their brain is wired differently at a young age to learn language. As an adult, our brain is wired differently, and learning language is more of a challenge.

I'd shop around, find a teacher that you like and one that will encourage you, not make dump quips at your playing level.

But let me ask you this... do you like playing? Do you enjoy it? Don't worry about your progress or anything like that, just ask yourself, do you like playing the bass? My guess is yes, you do, otherwise you would have already quit. Remember why you are doing this, because you enjoy it and making music is a worthwhile pursuit.

Maybe take a break from lessons, and just jam along with your favorite tracks, or jam with some friends. I've found that playing with other (better) players has helped me become a better player.

Thanks, good perspective!

 

[coyote1]

The tutor has directed what we do all through, but it feels kinda haphazard and directionless at times. I'm willing to put the effort in, I try to do about 10hrs a week which is feasible around work/family etc.

10 hours per week? That should be sufficient to make good progress if the teaching is good.

A better teacher seems to be in order here.

 

[John Webb]

A good teacher makes a huge difference. I've had 4 different teachers. The best player was by far the worst teacher. If your goal is to play out with others then that is the hard part, especially at this time.
Go out and meet folks in the local music scene and don't give up if you truly want to play.