How long did it take you?

[TheReceder]

I started playing in 1974, and was playing in bars two years later in the 9th Grade.

I'm still not "good", but think that over time you have a max number of mistakes that you make. I figure in about 15 more years I'll be done making stupid mistakes and be "Good".

I can fool the average person into thinking that I'm a "good" musician, but those that are "good" know I'm just screwing around with a bass.

 

[Max Bogosity]

I was a bad guitar player for years before I joined a band doing 50’s covers. It quickly became obvious that I wasn’t even up to Chuck Berry or Luther Perkins standard on lead guitar, and we needed a bass player, so I officially became a bass player before I even had a bass.

Pretty much every bass line in every popular song from the 50’s was just root-five or R-3-5-6, so I didn’t have to worry much about *what* to play, just *how* to play, and quickly became if not good, at least adequate to the repertoire. I think I was getting paid within a month or two of first picking up a bass.

 

[brianrost]

The real limiting factor for me was finding other musicians to play with. I bought my first BG in 1973 while in the Army and I should have spent every spare moment hanging around at the base rec centers looking for people to jam with. The main base in Seoul, Korea had Ampeg amps, some guitars and drums. The air base in Osan, Korea even had a B3!! By the time I found out about that I was ready to ship out.

When I got back to the USA in 1977 I ran into a harmonica player at a blues show and we became friends. I started jamming with him and some guitarists and drummers he knew. The guitar players showed me some bass lines and I was off to the races. That was less than a year after I got back.

2 years after I got back, my college roommate was a banjo player so we picked bluegrass all the time. I saw an ad for a bluegrass band needing a bass player and both of us got into the band. I played my first paying gig...$30 split 4 ways plus free pitchers of beer all night.

It was about four years later...mid 1980s...when I lucked into working with full-time pros in Boston. That was when I really learned how to play.

So the dirty secret is you must locate other musicians to start jamming. That's when you'll start making real progress. Once you've learned a handful of songs, some basic blues based rock tunes you're good to go. If you apply yourself you could be jamming in two or three months and playing gigs a month or two later.

 

[Basshappi]

I started playing with others right away and we played our first gig about 2 months later.

 

[gregbackstrom]

My "senior-story" is similar to several in this thread. I started playing rhythm guitar in a band during the summer of '67. Our guitar player's dad managed us and almost from the start, we were booked most weekends for high school dances and other "casuals." A few months after we started, our bass player had to quit and sell his gear to pay for damage he did to his father's truck. Since I was the least essential instrument in the band, the other members asked me to play bass. I was already a big McCartney and Bruce fan, so I agreed without much fuss.

I don't really remember when I transitioned from "what the hell am I supposed to do with this thing" to feeling okay about my playing, but it wasn't a long time. In the beginning, popular songs were simpler and all of us were learning-while-earning and getting better. As the songs got more complex, our skills grew. By high school, I was also playing in pep bands (and percussion in concert band). After a year in college as a music major, I joined a cover band and played on the road (US, Canada, Mexico) for 12 years. Eventually I quit, got married, finished college, got a real job, and kept playing. Now I'm a few years away from retirement and I'm playing in four bands (funk-fusion, jazz-blues, alt.Oktoberfest, and "life-teen" worship). I'm still learning and working on my chops, but I'm pretty comfortable in my own skin now.

 

[jamro217]

I'll let you know if and when it ever happens.

 

[hintz]

Most kids back then played an instrument from an early age.

Yes, I am well aware of this. My point is most people won't get "Jaco great" on bass in less than a decade without some prior musical background, that and his father was a singer so he was surrounded by music which also helps.

It's not impossible to reach those levels that quickly without previous music experience, but I have no doubt that it gave him an edge on his peers. It meant that he mostly needed to work on his chops and technique by the time he switched to bass. I on the other hand did the complete opposite, getting my chops together before gaining my knowledge(that and learning keys, drums after bass). I think Jaco might be a bad example for this particular thread just because of how exceptionally great he was.

 

[SmokinJoe992]

I first picked up a bass--my first instrument ever--almost exactly six months ago. So far I can really only answer the first question, all of the rest are "hasn't happened yet"...

Question 1 was "How long was it from when you first started playing an instrument until you were regularly playing with others?"

My son is a pretty decent guitarist, and that's why I started playing was so I could accompany him. It took me probably 3 months before we tried playing something together and another couple weeks after that before it sounded OK.

People ask me if I play bass and my answer is "I'm learning." I hope someday I'll get to the point of being comfortable saying "yes" to that, even though I will obviously always still be learning.

I think for me, the more interesting question is "when did you fall in love with it and decide you were probably going to try to stay with it forever?"

That took about 2 months. Just absolutely loving it, wish I had more time to practice every day.

Unbelievable. I started playing for the exact same reason. My son started playing guitar at 11 and by 13 he was getting pretty good. I started playing bass when he was 15, and he is probably the biggest reason I progressed as quickly as I did. We played together often from the moment I started and we still do now that he is 18. He was actually on stage and played with me when I played some of my first shows. He is old enough now to think it is not cool to play with Dad in public, but we still play together often at home. He will never admit that I am starting to get good.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

Yes, I am well aware of this. My point is most people won't get "Jaco great" on bass in less than a decade without some prior musical background, that and his father was a singer so he was surrounded by music which also helps.

It's not impossible to reach those levels that quickly without previous music experience, but I have no doubt that it gave him an edge on his peers. It meant that he mostly needed to work on his chops and technique by the time he switched to bass. I on the other hand did the complete opposite, getting my chops together before gaining my knowledge(that and learning keys, drums after bass). I think Jaco might be a bad example for this particular thread just because of how exceptionally great he was.

Yeah he was a musical genius, plain and simple, regardless of how ended up that way.

 

[dkelley]

good is relative... in my case, I started bass in grade 8 band, never picked one up before, didn't know how to play or how many strings it had or how they were tuned.... BUT I was already a highly trained musician on violin and piano (my mum was a pianist and music teacher, and I was in private violin lessons since age 5).

So first day I played, I figured out how to play written bass music from ear and by reading the notes sort of and making sense of it from quick studying that I was playing the same concert notes as other instruments.

By end of grade 8 I was playing in the final concert in a jazz festival (Remember, 13 year old noobies mostly) and got props from the adjudicator.

So I thought I Was pretty good.

I was 13 frickin years old LoL (in other words, I had NO clue of the real world, and so my feelings of good I was were completely unrealistic)

I sucked - but I had huge advantages from music training before that got me making music quickly on the new instrument, and I was sight reading and playing half decently after a while.

It went to my head - I thought I was better than I was, and didn't try as hard as I should to improve for a while.

Then when I got out of that small pond (where I was a relatively big fish), and played with pro musicians in real gigs and rehearsals, I started to learn how good I wasn't LoL.

Since then I've constantly worked hard, methodically, and worked to master more and more of the instrument, and push myself into new uncomfortable territory when I start to get complacent.

I'm 50 now, and I have a TON to learn... I got ok-ish good really fast due to my prior knowledge, but REALLY good? hirable good? probably after playing for a total of maybe 7 years, by the time I was 20 and going to music school and playing in real paying bands outside of that environment.

 

[B-Mac]

I have always been curious about this. You will rather frequently see a thread from someone just beginning to play an instrument in which they ask the question "How long does it take to get good". The post is often met with multiple replies that all basically boil down to some version of "it depends". We all know that "it depends" is the correct answer, but I am not sure it is usually very helpful. With all that being said I would like to ask the question in a different way. How long did it take you to get good? How long was it from when you first started playing an instrument until you were regularly playing with others? How long until you joined your first band or music group? How long until you played your first gig? How long until you felt like you were competent or at least felt comfortable referring to yourself as a bass player or (insert instrument) player, or musician?
To get things started I have been playing bass for a little over 3 years. I joined my first band about 4 months after I started playing. It was a rock originals/cover band that was apparently very desperate for a bass player. Three bands later I played my first real gig one year and three months after I started playing. After two years I began to feel comfortable referring to myself as a bass player and musician. I still do not feel like I am very good, but I get better every day.

If you're gigging and getting paid then you're a bass player/musician.

 

[I-play-bass]

If by "good" you mean bare-minimum competent to play most things I personally find enjoyable at this current moment?

Maybe two or three years?

I ain't no world-beater, but I am passable, I think.

 

[bobba66]

I was pretty good in '83 and I worked myoff to get there. Now, I'm horrible.

 

[B-Mac]

I have always been curious about this. You will rather frequently see a thread from someone just beginning to play an instrument in which they ask the question "How long does it take to get good". The post is often met with multiple replies that all basically boil down to some version of "it depends". We all know that "it depends" is the correct answer, but I am not sure it is usually very helpful. With all that being said I would like to ask the question in a different way. How long did it take you to get good? How long was it from when you first started playing an instrument until you were regularly playing with others? How long until you joined your first band or music group? How long until you played your first gig? How long until you felt like you were competent or at least felt comfortable referring to yourself as a bass player or (insert instrument) player, or musician?
To get things started I have been playing bass for a little over 3 years. I joined my first band about 4 months after I started playing. It was a rock originals/cover band that was apparently very desperate for a bass player. Three bands later I played my first real gig one year and three months after I started playing. After two years I began to feel comfortable referring to myself as a bass player and musician. I still do not feel like I am very good, but I get better every day.

...then there are some people that are just naturals...I hate those people...

 

[Nev375]

Depends on who's judging me and how much they had to drink.

Judging myself is pointless as I have simultaneously high and low self esteem regarding my playing.

 

[DrayMiles]

It depended on what style I was playing...

When I was playing Rock and Heavy Metal a la ACDC, KISS, OZZY, Nazareth, April Wine I felt I was good. I was 12 - 14...

When I was playing Funk, R&B, a la Rick James, Prince, Cameo, Slave, I thought I was ok...

When I was playing Big Band music in 87 a la Thad Jones, etc... I was ok..

When I was playing behind Jeff Beck, Jack Bruce, Pete Brown, Peter Green, Boyz II Men, the Goats and Cypress
Hill, I thought I was good...

When I discovered Hank Williams, Bocephus, Waylon Jennings and Patsy Cline (2008 - 2012) and started playing that music, I knew I was ok...

My point is

When Gerald Veasley, said I could play... That was around 1991. When Alison Krauss's bassist and main songwriter John Pennell said I could play that was around 87 and we're friends today...

I'm currently studying with Rufus Reid and he said ...

"We've reached a major milestone in your playing..."

"You've ALMOST got it together."

Despite all of the records and sessions and the thumbs up from Jack Bruce and Boz Burrell... I know I don't have it together... Yet.

But I'll jump into any situation and know I won't make a complete fool of myself.

 

[mambo4]

first picked up my instrument to first paid gig : 11 years
first took it seriously to paid gig : 6 years
first took it seriously to confident enough to hold my own : 12 years

wasn't my primary focus most of the time.

 

[Nashrakh]

It took me only about a year of owning an electric bass before I started playing with others. But I'd say it took me about ten years before I felt like I was truly competent on it.

Same for me. Joined my first band after a year of playing, though that was more out of shyness than a lack of skill if my audition experience was anything to go by.

The biggest boost to my playing was when I auditioned for a big band and I had to learn how to sightread asap. That really forced me to get my act together.

 

[lfmn16]

I have always felt like telling a beginner that it is going to take you 10,000 hours to get good at your instrument is not very helpful.

I don't think anyone ever said it takes 10,000 hours to get good. There is a difference between being good and mastering the instrument, in my opinion anyway. I know plenty of good and competent musicians that I would never consider masters of their instruments.

Even so, the 10,000 is complete BS anyway. There are so many variables that any kind of number is useless. Most important, how much natural talent do you have? What age did you start? Do you have a musical family? Did you take lessons? Do you know the difference between practicing and playing? Do you have encouragement? Do you have other people to play with? etc., etc., etc.

As I've posted previously, I know a guy who put in the time, took lessons, studied videos, practiced religiously, but just didn't have that spark that allows some people to actually make music. He played the notes adequately, but just never really had "it" whatever "it" is. He could have practiced for 10,000,000 hours and never mastered the bass.

 

[TexasEdition]

It took me about 2 months before I was jamming with others. I feel like I am already out playing them and looking to step up to a better group.