I'd say 6 or 7 about myself. Sitting with better musicians than myself though, allows me to learn and improve and makes me look like an above 7 bass player!!!
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How good are you at bass? (read 1st post before voting)
- Thread starter DanielleMuscato
- Start date
Interesting that teaching = 10.
Based on the old adage here-
If you can't do the work, you supervise.
If you can't supervise, you manage
If you can't manage, you engineer
If you can't engineer, you teach
So, if you can't 'play'...you teach.
I agree with Brad's analysis.
Music is an art, not a science.
Don't underestimate the power of one's ears/God-given ability/creativity vs. one's formal education.
Based on the old adage here-
If you can't do the work, you supervise.
If you can't supervise, you manage
If you can't manage, you engineer
If you can't engineer, you teach
So, if you can't 'play'...you teach.
I agree with Brad's analysis.
Music is an art, not a science.
Don't underestimate the power of one's ears/God-given ability/creativity vs. one's formal education.
"You've been playing for a good while, taken a number of lessons, can play some more complex basslines and perhaps know some chord theory in addition to scales and modes and can read sheet music, but not sight-read at tempo. You know enough songs start-to-finish to play a decent set of covers and are familiar enough with the fretboard to figure out most any classic rock song you hear, but not at the point of faster jazz or prog stuff.
"
I don't fully qualify, but I bolded the major reasons I feel I fall more into the Intermediate 5 category.
"
I don't fully qualify, but I bolded the major reasons I feel I fall more into the Intermediate 5 category.
Same here. No offense.
I had formal training on trumpet through high school. No formal training on bass. Don't have to read anything more complicated than a chord chart on most gigs. Probably know several thousand songs from memory and can play them immediately, in any key... and not just the bass lines. I have the entire arrangements stored in my head.
So where would that fit on that list?
Sightreading and charting may come in handy for some musical jobs but they're hardly a barometer for how "good" someone is on bass IMO.
I make enough to cover the toys... and I have lots of toys
+1 Don't get me wrong. I am not one of those guys who thinks reading isn't important because it is. I don't have to read in my circle so I don't read very well. I can play over charts but actual notation will slow me way down. I think most gigs rely on the musicians being able to learn super fast and retain it, have good instincts, have some basic chord familiarity and a good attitude towards what helps and supports the tune. Of course some jobs require that you read and thats cool. The more you know the better. But most gigs just need you to be versitile, supportive and a quick study. IMHO. I would love to be a great reader because it's another tool in the bag and that may lead to different opportunities.
I would be about a 6- been playing for 25+years but only recently taken lessons in sightreading- I have a bit more time to practice now and am happy with my technique but would like to be better, just for the hell of it.
Bob
Bob
I'd say I'm a 4. I've been taking lessons for about 3 months now, and taught myself before that. I'm currently learning how to sightread in my lessons. I'm getting there, its just taking me a bit of time at the moment, slowly but surely. I had a moment of enlightenment the other day with my theory. Something just clicked and the sheet music made much more sense! 
Doin' ok with scales, but I need to learn a few more.
Doin' ok with scales, but I need to learn a few more.
I looked back at my whole career in music not just my current bass level and gave myself an 8. Been there, done that, have the t-shirt from playing a lot of Blues bars thru studio work and teaching. I only wish the t-shirts still fit. 
I rated myself a 6 even though 5 (as defined) more properly describes my bass playing reality. I can play just about anything a standard pop/funk/rock band needs and can even flow into the jazz/fusion/prog arenas. - so a 5-1/2 is more appropriate, so I rounded up.
Over the last decade I have kept my chops in shape but focused on bigger picture areas like writing, arranging and producing. So I can write, arrange (for all instruments in a symphonic orchestra), improvise, site-read (although that is rusty and I probably cannot site read a complex chart up to tempo right now) and use the music theory education that I have acquired both through school and self-study.
Over the last decade I have kept my chops in shape but focused on bigger picture areas like writing, arranging and producing. So I can write, arrange (for all instruments in a symphonic orchestra), improvise, site-read (although that is rusty and I probably cannot site read a complex chart up to tempo right now) and use the music theory education that I have acquired both through school and self-study.
UGH!!!!! The bassline that doesn't exist!!!!! Roger Glover plays 8ths on the root while Richie Blackmore plays the famous riff on 6 string GUITAR!
I'd say I'm a 7 or 8 regarding my skills, but only a 3-4 regarding reading music and knowledge of theory.
I have played for about 18 years. I play as a hobby and to make some pretty good extra cheddar. My current band is solely a cover band. I have been in original outfits. I have very little desire to donate substantial time to learning more theory. I am very confident in my playing ability and have a well trained ear but again, reading music and in-depth theory is where I lack substantially.
RE: the poll, I chose a 6. I averaged out, and took the liberty to "round up" a point based on my playing ability.
I have played for about 18 years. I play as a hobby and to make some pretty good extra cheddar. My current band is solely a cover band. I have been in original outfits. I have very little desire to donate substantial time to learning more theory. I am very confident in my playing ability and have a well trained ear but again, reading music and in-depth theory is where I lack substantially.
RE: the poll, I chose a 6. I averaged out, and took the liberty to "round up" a point based on my playing ability.
- Jun 19, 2004
- 4,782
- 83
- 42
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist, Schroeder Cabinets
I meant the roots of the power chords (the quarter note part)... you know, the part every girl who says, "I can play bass!" plays when she asks to see your instrument after a gig
- Jun 19, 2004
- 4,782
- 83
- 42
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist, Schroeder Cabinets
Again though, everybody, this poll is not about how successful you are as a musician... it's about how much formal training you have... although I would like to see a how the correlation between this poll and the "How much % of your income comes from bass?" thread would look...
i voted 6. i have a strong knowledge of music theory from 3 years of piano lessons, 2 years of bass lesson, theory classes in high school and college and jazz improvisation classes with don byron(former downbeat mag musician of the year). on that note, i still cant comfortably sight read on the bass, and for this reason on the scale i fall short of a 7. i voted 6 but i would say that my groove and improv playing are two things i am not at all modest about for my age and would probabaly be at a 7+ in them for multiple musical genres.
i gave myself a seven which i didn't think i'd rank myself that high, but judging by your description i'm up there i'm a year away from two music degrees, one in bass and one in music composition, so my theory is decent, my sight reading has gotten much much better in the past couple years and the bit of session work i do hasn't killed me
rock on.
topher.
i'm a year away from two music degrees, one in bass and one in music composition, so my theory is decent, my sight reading has gotten much much better in the past couple years and the bit of session work i do hasn't killed me rock on.
topher.
After Dave's update I would like to add my pedigree. Instruments for which I have formal training include:
From Grade 4 to the present, some form of music training has been a part of my everyday life. Through high school I was in multiple ensembles (symphonic and concert orchestra, marching band, jazz band, small combo, even a little experimental string jazz band called 'studio strings').
Unfortunately for me I was not really mature enough as a younger man for the higher-level stuff to really sunk in. But in the last few years I have been reacquainting myself with the stuff I now know I missed out on.
No slam meant by this comment, but it is funny to me how playing trumpet seems to imply that you are musically educated.
- Piano
- Violin
- String Bass
- Electric Bass
- Trombone
From Grade 4 to the present, some form of music training has been a part of my everyday life. Through high school I was in multiple ensembles (symphonic and concert orchestra, marching band, jazz band, small combo, even a little experimental string jazz band called 'studio strings').
Unfortunately for me I was not really mature enough as a younger man for the higher-level stuff to really sunk in. But in the last few years I have been reacquainting myself with the stuff I now know I missed out on.
No slam meant by this comment, but it is funny to me how playing trumpet seems to imply that you are musically educated.
- Jun 19, 2004
- 4,782
- 83
- 42
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist, Schroeder Cabinets
tZer, these days, not a lot of people start the trumpet unless they are in middle-school band. It made sense to me. I played clarinet in middle-school band, too... I could actually sight-read on that as well as I can on bass, but not anymore (haven't done it in a decade).
