How good are you at bass? (read 1st post before voting)

[thehangingmist]

me at 5 too according to the first post

 

[Frankjohnson]

I would have to say 4.5

not formally trained - not really too much per se in theory, play 5-7 sets of solid music, can pick up MUCH on the fly, it might not actually be "right' but will absolutely work. have been working woth beginners to learn "to a point" and then pushing them to someone where they can learn theory and save themselfs from the turbulant dead end i seeth in.

Seriously - i think I can do justice to some basic materials......and have groove/feel. Lots of heart and even some (dare i say it....I DO - I DO......) Chops. the differences is, I recognize this is where I am, and I am content for now - but will move to the next level at some point.

Its not that I don't want to - its a time and dedication issue.

 

[chaunceytoben]

After carefully reading the scale I gave myself a 4, which surprised me a bit. My initial reaction before reading the scale description was 2, 'cause I really don't think I'm very good. I can play a few songs all the way through (though The Trooper is the only one I'd consider the least bit difficult), and I can read sheet music, so that put me past 3, but I can't play by ear worth a damn (and at 42, I probably never will), don't know much theory at all, and don't know enough material to do a set of covers, so 5 is still beyond me. I'm working on it, though.

wow, +1. Besides knowing the Trooper that is the exact same as me...

 

[Jeremy Crockett]

Hmm... a bell curve.

 

[spindizzy]

Statistically a bell curve yes based on the phrasing of the question and the criteria of the answer. Surveys are fun but remember they only say what they try to say and that is not necessarily a truth.

I think the OP has provided a reasonable question and a criteria that forced this old dog to put himself at a 6 despite my deep conviction that musically, intellectually and from a pure technique viewpoint I am significantly higher than that. However I must, like many older players who had most of thier musical education decades ago and due to there being no need to keep them up to snuff because we were not pursuing music as our main "bread winner", admit to several "rusty skills". I believe at least one other respondent had a similar sentiment.

I think if the question and the criteria were different and put more emphasis on musical skills outside of the more academic applications or instructional abilities, I would have been more comfortable putting myself at a higher rating. All in all though this sort a comparison to others is not my personal style as I have made a life's work out of simply trying to be my best.

Maybe a poll like "on a scale of 1 to 10 just how bad ass are you?" Of course for that one I predict less of a bell curve.

Very interesting post...kudos.

Spin

 

[sleepy_monkey]

The problem is that you can get really far with only ear training without having formal music training. It kinda kills the whole rating system. I am a 3 (as far as theory/reading goes) but also a 6 (as far as hearing, improvising goes). On a good day I could be a seven. It's just not as easy as picking a number. If I had to I would say 5 is fair, but someone classically trained who would pick 5 would disagree.

+1

 

[EADG mx]

Is this thread a joke?

There's no way to judge what a "perfect" or "proper" player should be because everyone's standards are different.

Furthermore there's no such thing as a "perfect" player since everyone has room to grow.

 

[vision]

According to this system I would say I'm an 8...I have a degree in jazz studies (bass) from University of Michigan, and I also have years of classical piano training. I am a music director who often writes out full band arrangements.

But none of that really means anything, because I know plenty of cats (some who make their living playing bass) that can play circles around me that haven't had any lessons or any formal training at all.

 

[E2daGGurl]

I think I'm clearly an intermediate by your definitions - although no lessons on bass (just on other instruments). I cannot sight read on bass at tempo, which is frustrating and that's what I'm working on this summer. I want to be able to transpose as a I go (keywise), as well, which I can do on keyboard but not bass.

I can cover lots of songs, I've had lots of formal music training, and used to give lessons - but not on bass.

It's cool we have 30 pro-level/college instructor level folks here. It's nice you made the college instructors "10" instead of the pro-level session players. ...to me they are both 10's.

 

[E2daGGurl]

Is this thread a joke?

There's no way to judge what a "perfect" or "proper" player should be because everyone's standards are different.

Furthermore there's no such thing as a "perfect" player since everyone has room to grow.

Why do you assume a poll or survey is about judging? Sounds like that's your issue.

It's just a survey - the OP laid out some reasonable criteria for a poll. We could debate the criteria into next week if we wanted.

Nothing in the poll says 10 is perfect - just more experienced and more recognized, occupationally, as a bassist.

I think it's very interesting to know and helps me understand talkbass better, which would, to me, be the whole point.

I like that the poll isn't completely just "rate yourself as a badass bass player," I find that sort of thing very tiresome (just as I find people extolling one great bass player over another or saying they don't dig some bass player just because they think someone else wants to hear that).

We all have our own tastes, for sure. There's no requirement to pay attention to this survey, of course. Everyone wants to be a 10, eh?

 

[BassyBill]

I think Dave's actually posted some well thought out, sensible criteria here, covering the range of skills a player might acquire. I think people who have said that you don't need all of these skills to be a competent player are missing the point a little.

I'd rate myself as a 6 going on 7 based on these criteria. I feel like one of those folks who should actually be way better because I've been playing for 30 years, but haven't worked hard at practice for a long time really, to my lasting shame.

 

[crazyguy832]

According to that scale, I'm about a 6...

I'd only consider myself a 3 specifically with bass, though...

 

[StevenO]

Well...


I'm part 1: "...you have no formal or informal training..."

I'm part 5: "...You've been playing for a good while...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'm part 7..."You can arrange for a band, perhaps for horns as well...Improvisation is second nature to you. You can transcribe bass lines if you take your time and can sight-read walking lines without any trouble. You know what voice leading...[is] and how to use [it]."


I voted myself a 5.

 

[DanielleMuscato]

Thanks, E2daG and bill. I certainly am not trying to judge anyone with this thread, and like I said, this has nothing to do with money or making a living playing bass. I was simply curious as to where the members of this forum stand, on a technical/education level only.

There are other threads asking about what percentage of your income comes from playing bass, etc. I am well aware that they do not necessarily go together - I myself am a full-time muso, and rated myself a 6. If you want to talk about making money playing music, or groove/feel, etc, there are other threads in other forums for that. This poll is about how educated you are, nothing more and nothing less, and I apologize if anyone is offended by this - you're free not to participate if that's how you feel

 

[DudeistMonk]

I would say I'm a 4 or a 5, I can do everything on 5 except my ear is pretty cruddy right now, I know when something I'm playing sounds good and doesn't, and when I'm noodling by ear stuff seems to magically resolve to the root when I decide to stop, but don't ask me to transcribe anything or tell you what the guitarist is playing....ugh I hate transcribing but I need to do a lot more of it.

I also grasp a good amount of theory but need a lot more practice to be able use some of it in a practical situation. I also think I've been selling my abilities short for a long time now, since I still haven't joined a band (working on that now), and I think thats been holding me back. I'm the kind of person who wouldn't join a band until I was a 9, if it wasn't for the fact that its slowing down my progress so much.

 

[SpectorBass308]

As in 1 being the guy from fall out boy and 12 being Victor Wooten?

 

[downneck]

5 for most things (jazz, covers, etc.), some 6/7ish qualities within the realm of my own material...

 

[McThumpin]

I was simply curious as to where the members of this forum stand, on a technical/education level only.

Right. Based on the criteria, the title of this poll/thread should really be "how technically educated are you at bass?" In which case I'm pushing a 6 on a good day. But I'm a solid 9 on the badass bass player scale! (gotta leave a little room for improvement ) Self-taught to boot.

 

[RoscoeKay'54]

i rated my self about a 7 or 8. My immediate goal is to be able to read anything that's put in front of me, play around town and be respected by the musicians of my choosing. I am currently playing around town and am reaching my goal slowly but surely. But for me personally, I feel that education is the way for me to fill the gaps of information that i'm missing and not to mention the experience of being immersed in the music from a formal education side. having a professor critique my playing and also help me dig into new musical ideas.

I think it all depends how far you want to take your playing and what makes you happy. some guys aren't really interested in theory and that's cool they just want to rock out! but for others its the playing and the theory and how they can apply that theory which makes them happy. Either way as long as your making "music" is important. Musicality, whether it be metal, rock, hip hop, or jazz as long as its musical.

If you guys interested check our bands link below:

Link Removed (media section for tunes, check the intro on the link)

Google Gerry williams Band. should be the the myspace

...Enjoy, and keep jammin' guys!!!

 

[seanm]

What I am interested in knowing is....is this poll outcome relative to the length of how long a given person has been playing.

No. As many have mentioned, a lot of professional musicians will never get past 5 or 6 on this poll. While music college students will rate high.