How long did it take you?

[PennyroyalWe]

About a year after I started up with lessons, which wasn’t until about 3 years after I started playing the bass. That’s about how long it took to really understand the bass’s harmonic, as well as rhythmic, role and how to execute it. Before then I was mostly just following out a guitarist’s hands or tabs.

 

[Ric5]

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.

I got good in a few years … I was in a band before I knew how to play, but my good back then is not that good by my current standards … Getting better is a life long journey

 

[Groove Doctor]

You'll never be good until you become serious

^ This.

Not serious = 2 steps forward, 1 step back. Yo-Yo-ing, not making traction.

Serious = 2 steps forward, 3 steps forward, etc. It snowballs, see small improvements every day.

 

[jerry]

I was in a band even before I had a bass. I've always played with others and the "good" goal post is always moving.

 

[TrevorOfDoom]

I played saxophone all through middle and high school, so when I picked up the bass just out of high school, I already had good meter and could play a bit.
That said, I still don't think i'm all that great.


Reminds me of a joke:
a reporter was interviewing a 93 yr old cellist, asking him why, after almost a hundred years of playing, the cellist still practiced every day. "Because", he replied, "I think I'm finally starting to see some progress."

 

[logdrum]

Still not there. Pablo Casals is the cellist that saw some improvements after 9 decades and he practiced everyday. If he barely improved, where does that put me?

Reminds me of a joke:
a reporter was interviewing a 93 yr old cellist, asking him why, after almost a hundred years of playing, the cellist still practiced every day. "Because", he replied, "I think I'm finally starting to see some progress."

 

[Thumpin6string]

I started when I was 16, I'm 61 now and I'm not good yet.

 

[Nephilymbass]

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.

Ive been playing bass since 94 and as someone who’s been playing 25 years It might come as a surprise coming from me that I don’t really think it’s as much about how long you’ve played, I think it’s more about how much you push yourself to get better.

 

[dramatwist]

Depends on who you ask. I started playing bass at 13 and I'm almost 80 now... I don't think I'm "there" yet. We are are own worst critics, I suppose...

 

[glocke1]

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.

How long to get good? Well, lets say after 30 years of playing (with breaks of a few years in now and than to deal with "life" )I don't think I am good yet.

How long did it take me to get competent enough to get to the point where people didn't mind playing with me? I'd say 3-4 years.

Probably took me longer than a lot of people to reach a competency level where people wanted to play with me as I had some disadvantages and hurdles to overcome in those early years.

First gig was probably was probably some backyard party in that time frame..First "real" gig was sometime years later when I was in college in Missoula.

First real band was an original band at that point of time in Missoula also.

Today people seem to enjoy my playing, but I personally don't feel like I'm all that good or as good as I could/should be. I have a horrible time remembering changes to tunes for one thing, so often times need to rely on an iPad..Thats gotten better over the years though. Secondly there are some things I just struggle way too much on, such as soloing through a given set of changes. People will complement me on solos I do, but I listen back to them and find them cringeworthy too much of the time.
In any case safe to say that in the past I used to look at all this as sort of a race, and at this point now just view it as a journey.

I don't play out or with people as much as I feel I should be for whatever reason, but I think that's more because people probably find me aloof or distant and are put off by that..

 

[nilorius]

I will reply ina different way. From the first day i started to play bass i have learnd each minute, hour i'v played and i am growing a little every day i take my bass and play. I play more than 20 years and today also play to get up a little in some way.

 

[IamGroot]

I played average until I enrolled in an excellent community college jazz curriculum. They kicked my ass for 3 years, but I emerged a serious player getting all the work I could handle. The last year I was gigging jazz 3 to 4 nights a week in restaurants plus a steady paying church gig and occasional rock/blues events.

 

[210superair]

Depends on who you ask. I started playing bass at 13 and I'm almost 80 now... I don't think I'm "there" yet. We are are own worst critics, I suppose...

If you're not, you're doing it wrong imho. Any artist worth his salt is always his own worst critic. As far as playing, I echo what Lennon said: "I'm not a musician, I'm an artist. You can give me a tuba and I'll get something out of it...", and as far as the how long question, I'll echo my buddy Jerry Glassel that was the best musician I ever met: "How long to get good? You've taken the first steps on a journey that never ends. Think of it like that...."

I can't imagine saying "Whew! I'm good now! Next hobby!!!!!

 

[GreyBeard]

It took me about 2 yrs to get to the point where I was good enough to play in a band. I practiced all the time and I was a music major in college at the time. 1 year in I was recruited to play bass in the college jazz band which is where I learned how to read bass music. 2nd year in I was asked to go on summer tour with a local band that did mainly Chicago and BS&T covers. But, my situation was pretty intense and I really lived with the instrument for a while. Your mileage may vary.

 

[LowRick]

3 weeks.

No joke. i bought my bass, started practicing and was asked by my sisters friend to play on sunday in a "church for bikers" service of the CMA. so after 3 weeks, being very, very anctious, i did and people told me i was very, very good

 

[Eilif]

I achieved some level of competency in about 3 years with each type of bass.

I came to electric bass via upright which I started in 3rd grade. The benefit of such approach is that you have some instruction, impetus to practice and you are performing within a few months. I estimate it wasnt until about 6th-7th grade though that I was playing music that anyone would hear without cringing a bit, though that's the nature of elementary school orchestra.

I picked up electric bass in in 6th grade playing in a school band. Because of my upright training I was probably good enough to play in a basic rock band from the get-go. However, it was probably around 9th grade that I was comfortable on the instrument.

Played electric bass for church and youth group in high school, but it wasn't until college that I began to join independent bands and do music on my own terms. I do wish I'd started a band in high school. it was an imposing idea back then, but knowing what I know now, I had the skills, knew other musicians and gigs weren't even that hard to come by. All this to say, practice and start performing (or at least jamming) with others ASAP.

 

[SmokinJoe992]

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.

When you got good is a subjective question, and is understandably hard to answer. That was kind of my point. I was hoping everyone would focus on the objective questions in my post How long until you started playing with others? How long until you joined a band? How long until you played your first gig?etc.

 

[LowRick]

When you got good is a subjective question, and is understandably hard to answer. That was kind of my point. I was hoping everyone would focus on the objective questions in my post How long until you started playing with others? How long until you joined a band? How long until you played your first gig?etc.

This is also depending on many things. Who are you playing with or for and what are they expecting. From experience i'd say play with others ASAP. can't start soon enough. The drive and growing into it together with others or being coached by more experienced mucisians was my main motivation to practice every day. That and a healthy love for music.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

25 years in, studies in music college and so on.....still need alot of practice....I mean.....alot.

Played everything from jazz to latin to rock to metal to hip hop to country to top 40.....

My last very humbling experience, playing with a pick for "real" after over 25 years of only fingerstyle. Smash to the ground I go. Woodshed time!!!!

It's a never ending quest. If you think you don't need to practice....you should quit cuz you're full of yourself.

 

[SmokinJoe992]

Ive been playing bass since 94 and as someone who’s been playing 25 years It might come as a surprise coming from me that I don’t really think it’s as much about how long you’ve played, I think it’s more about how much you push yourself to get better.

Could not agree with this more. I have seen plenty of musicians who say they have 30 years of experience playing, but seem like its more like 3 years x 10. That is why I have always been tempted to say "I just started yesterday" when someone asks my how long I have been playing.