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Happier than ever!

Dr. Cheese

Dr. Cheese

Supporting Member
Mar 3, 2004
57,283
120,412
Metro St. Louis
#1
I love my basses! Let me explain, some of you may have read posts where talked about my frustrations taking lessons. I feel like I have reached true clarity because I know now I am not a gifted musician who missed his calling; I am a history professor who happens to really love basses. Most important, my level of talent modest, not prodigious.

What does this have to do with basses? I had known intellectually for years that no bass I bought would suddenly make me great. That said, buying basses was a salve for my frustrated aspirations. Now that I truly know the basses were never the issue, I feel a lot more at peace with what I own. I have too many basses for a man who plays 2-3 songs at church twice a week (rehearsal and service,) but who cares? I have too many shirts, shoes, and pocket knives too!:)

I think for the first time ever, I have no guilt about what I own and that is a good thing.:bassist:
 
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#2
Dr. Cheese said:
I have too many basses for a man who plays 2-3 songs at church twice a week (rehearsal and service,) but who cares? I have to many shirts, shoes, and pocket knives too!:)
:bassist:
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22F3FF3C-B132-4C12-883F-52F44ED65387.jpeg
 
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#6
I also purchased new/additional basses with the intent of improving my sound. Once I purchased my two G&L’s the GAS that prompted me toward additional basses subsided. I was happy with what I had. I’d play other basses and feel no desire to add them.

I then became focused on making the most of my SBL (Scott’s Bass Lessons) subscription. I notice in my quest to improve I hit plateaus, then play something with ease that previously was a challenge.
 
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#7
One Way said:
I also purchased new/additional basses with the intent of improving my sound. Once I purchased my two G&L’s the GAS that prompted me toward additional basses subsided. I was happy with what I had. I’d play other basses and feel no desire to add them.

I then became focused on making the most of my SBL (Scott’s Bass Lessons) subscription. I notice in my quest to improve I hit plateaus, then play something with ease that previously was a challenge.
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Improving is less of an issue now that I recognize my heroes are musical geniuses and I am not. I am at peace making progress at my own pace.
 
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#9
Steve Eisenberg said:
I wish I had understood how unimportant new gear was at a much younger age. Focusing on learning, instead, has actually killed the G.A.S. for me. But I do agree that we don't need to feel guilty about what we own. Hard work should have it's rewards!
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I really wish I had focused on knowledge forty years earlier than I did. Knowing what I know now, I do not think I would have been Marcus Miller, Darryl Jones, or Victor Bailey, but I certainly could have gotten much more from my musical journey than I did.:)
 
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#10
Dr. Cheese said:
I really I had focused on knowledge forty years earlier than I did. Knowing what I know now, I do not think I would have been Marcus Miller, Darryl Jones, or Victor Bailey, but I certainly could have gotten much more from my musical journey than I did.:)
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I hear you. Better late than never! I sure have more patience now too...
 
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#12
For me it was the process of letting go of learning a bunch of stuff I never wanted to play in the first place. When I was younger, I heard everyone saying you must learn this and this and this style, and this and this bass part and follow this and that bassist. And you must learn it all inside out and upside down in order to be a truly rounded musician.

What took me all these years to learn was, many of those styles and bass parts suck :). Meaning, they either don't do anything for me or they even hurt my ears and tick me off :). So I don't want to listen to or play them anyway and I really never did. I won't name any names there for obvious reasons.

But basically, since I'm not a gigging musician, I don't have to learn music I don't like and don't want to listen to. So I only need to get good enough to play the type of music that I do like and do want to listen to.

I know that's kind of an old-guy "get off my lawn!" approach to music, but for me it's been really valuable. It has taken a lot of the grind out of playing because I'm much more economical in what I choose to do on the bass.

And that's starting to be reflected in my basses too. As my musical needs have gotten more economical, the basses I prefer are much more narrowed down now as well. I seem to be at a good stopping point with my current Fender shaped objects; any remaining GAS (which will surely return at some point) will probably still center around a similar FSO. Maybe a 5 string, or a fretless version of my L2K. But I don't see it going much beyond that anymore.

So that's one of the benefits of being old. Things tend to refine and get a little clearer as my body breaks down more and more, and time goes on.

L
 
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#13
Dr. Cheese said:
Most important, my level of talent modest, not prodigious.
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Agree with @GretschWretch -You're a lot better than you give yourself credit for.

Dr. Cheese said:
I have too many basses for a man who plays 2-3 songs at church twice a week (rehearsal and service,) but who cares? I have too many shirts, shoes, and pocket knives too!:)
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And, as far as I can tell, no serious vices that adversely impact your family finances. ;) You deserve to enjoy these.

Dr. Cheese said:
I think for the first time ever, I have no guilt about what I own and that is a good thing.:bassist:
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And you shouldn't. $0.02
Could you do more almsgiving during Lent? Well, couldn't we all?
But you are being you, which you need to do.

Dr. Cheese said:
Improving is less of an issue now that I recognize my heroes are musical geniuses and I am not. I am at peace making progress at my own pace.
Click to expand...

Thank you for this reminder. :)
 
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#16
Dr. Cheese said:
I love my basses! Let me explain, some of you may have read posts where talked about my frustrations taking lessons. I feel like I have reached true clarity because I know now I am not a gifted musician who missed his calling; I am a history professor who happens to really love basses. Most important, my level of talent modest, not prodigious.

What does this have to do with basses? I had known intellectually for years that no bass I bought would suddenly make me great. That said, buying basses was a salve for my frustrated aspirations. Now that I truly know the basses were never the issue, I feel a lot more at peace with what I own. I have too many basses for a man who plays 2-3 songs at church twice a week (rehearsal and service,) but who cares? I have too many shirts, shoes, and pocket knives too!:)

I think for the first time ever, I have no guilt about what I own and that is a good thing.:bassist:
Click to expand...
Doc, sounds like you've had a moment of enlightenment that will indeed allow you to "feel a lot at peace." I say that as someone who is in much the same position of recognizing the limits of how far his talents (in all things) can take him, especially in the time allotted!
 
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#19
matthewbrown said:
Doc, sounds like you've had a moment of enlightenment that will indeed allow you to "feel a lot at peace." I say that as someone who is in much the same position of recognizing the limits of how far his talents (in all things) can take him, especially in the time allotted!
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Embracing what is instead of fretting over what I think could have been is a great place to be.
 
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