Get in a band of people that play their instruments better than you play bass. It will get you in shape in NO TIME. lol.
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How much should I focus on bass?
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
Doc - just don't go to the dark side and start flipping basses!
I think about this quote a lot. Not just for music either, just for life in general.
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Be diligent about keeping chops polished, and look for a band that needs a bass player.
Playing live music, other than church,is where you’re playing will griw and it drives you to be better.
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The trick (at least for me) was to find like souls and play with them on a regular basis just for the sheer enjoyment
of playing tunes that you wouldn't normally come across on a gig or local jam session. Just my take though, I retired from
my day gig so I could enjoy music more and life in general.
of playing tunes that you wouldn't normally come across on a gig or local jam session. Just my take though, I retired from
my day gig so I could enjoy music more and life in general.
I retired a short while ago. Before retiring, I took up classical guitar, which I've been playing now for four years. I took it up because many of the skills I have on bass would transfer. They did, but classical guitar is technically challenging in very different ways. I have recently resumed playing flute, too. As for bass, I have switched to playing only musical theater and jazz gigs. I started playing in a duo (on guitar and flute) -- all Latin American music. All of this is about following my musical heart instead of prioritizing getting as many gigs as possible or maximizing musical income. I think that if one has enough income in retirement to quit playing just for money, that's a good strategy to follow.
I'm 70.
I long ago made peace with the fact that I was a good player, but was never going to be one of those scarily, uber-talented guys. Because actually all the very notable players are just like NFL or MLB players or F1 drivers: Super rare, gifted by God with freakish capabilities beyond my skills. That's fine, a load off my shoulders, that weight of supposed and self-inflicted inadequacy that wasn't real to begin with.
I quit gigging 10 years ago and don't miss it. I stay interested and play around the house when the notion strikes me. I can go weeks without touching one. And I don't miss the single-minded and single-ended mania that consumed me for close to 40 years. And the musical world I walked in and worked in is essentially as gone as propeller airliners and steam trains.
I found I missed a lot and there's a whole world out there that cares nothing about music and musicians, and I'm catching up on a lot I missed out on. I have new interests that occupy mind these days, and if somehow anybody wanted me on a bandstand tonight, I'd hang up on them.
That's me. This age gives you lots of perspective with the thousands of miles behind us, and you will have to decide who you want to be at this point in our lives where time is becoming shorter
But you have to ask yourself if you're living to die, or dying to live.
I long ago made peace with the fact that I was a good player, but was never going to be one of those scarily, uber-talented guys. Because actually all the very notable players are just like NFL or MLB players or F1 drivers: Super rare, gifted by God with freakish capabilities beyond my skills. That's fine, a load off my shoulders, that weight of supposed and self-inflicted inadequacy that wasn't real to begin with.
I quit gigging 10 years ago and don't miss it. I stay interested and play around the house when the notion strikes me. I can go weeks without touching one. And I don't miss the single-minded and single-ended mania that consumed me for close to 40 years. And the musical world I walked in and worked in is essentially as gone as propeller airliners and steam trains.
I found I missed a lot and there's a whole world out there that cares nothing about music and musicians, and I'm catching up on a lot I missed out on. I have new interests that occupy mind these days, and if somehow anybody wanted me on a bandstand tonight, I'd hang up on them.
That's me. This age gives you lots of perspective with the thousands of miles behind us, and you will have to decide who you want to be at this point in our lives where time is becoming shorter
But you have to ask yourself if you're living to die, or dying to live.
Next month I will be retired a year. Boring as hell and the band recently broke up so I have barely even touched my bass. Good thing is, I no longer need to concentrate on just the music the band played and I'm now back to listening to and absorbing all the music I like. Which in turn helps me with my bass playing. I'm planning to form or join a band in 2026 but for now, I try to find other things to get into.
Bass flipping is like a sugar high, but sugar is much cheaper!
Oh, boy, I hear you with this. My home church is not one that is characterized by musical excellence which means I'm not a good fit there. Sorry, I can't just wing it and feel good about having done my best.
So I found another church whose music is characterized by excellence and I play there once a month.
Retirement is exactly the time to dive into the bass. I retired early at 53 and waited until I was 68 to pick bass up again, after putting my basses in storage 25 years prior. I never had this kind of time available when I played in my earlier days, started at 18. College studies did not allow much playing time. Then too many things like work and wife, job that involved lots of travel, prevented it. Plus I never had YouTube and the multitude of instructional videos that are currently available. I lack the base gifts (talent) so will never be great but have gotten much better than I ever thought I would be. Plus playing and learning keeps my brain from turning into mush. Will I ever be as good as I want to be? I hope not. It's all about trying to be better each day than I was the day before. And now fretless has opened up new possibilities and given me a taste of things I did not realize were available. The road is long. Don't pull off on the soft shoulder.
Whatever music interests you, play along with records or whatever and learn the parts and refine it down to your best. Look around for people that do what you enjoy and join them.
I think there are very few of us that are as good as we would like to be. In the human condition we strive for perfection, but rarely reach it.
The way I look at it life is like the chapter of a book and in each chapter you get to write a part of it. In retirement you get to write most of it. For me that was the exciting part of going into retirement.
Oh, I have no doubt you will get it figured out where things fit in your life.
I’ve found the same thing you’re describing, but from a different angle. My discovery with music is that my brain (or my ear) always outpaces my skill. I take a step forward in playing, but my ear immediately takes two. For a long time I thought I was getting worse because I kept hearing flaws that weren’t as obvious before. But when I look back at old recordings or videos, I can clearly see that I’ve improved.
So even if it sometimes feels like the finish line is moving further away, it’s actually proof that you’re still growing. The ear keeps raising the bar — and that’s what makes the journey worthwhile.
So even if it sometimes feels like the finish line is moving further away, it’s actually proof that you’re still growing. The ear keeps raising the bar — and that’s what makes the journey worthwhile.
I’m retired and until recently was putting MAJOR hours a day into playing and writing. And then I stopped. I now put most most of those hours into my physical, mental and spiritual health. And for me (and my relationship with my wife) it’s definitely been better. Good luck man 
Retired here. In one gigging band, subbing for another. Personally, I no longer "force myself" to improve, meaning I no longer have a practice/ study regimen. I play bass to the proficiency I've obtained over the years and chill about trying to get better.
Before improvement comes maintenance.
The fingers need servicing to maintain the suppleness needed in maintaining chops.
Chops need maintaining to allow for growth.
Growth needs maintaining to allow for increased technical challenges.
Technical challenges need to be maintained so that boredom is contained.
Once contained, the above neeeds to be maintained.
The remedy is a rotation of basses best suited to the types if music you enjoy and hope to enjoy.
Those basses need to be maintained which provides a side interest which will inspire their usage.
Recommend an allocation of time per day and with some equipment out of casses and ready at whim.
Works for me in my retirement, oh, joining a band is also a very good suggestion, as the interaction and song learning that comes from it, brings its own rewards. Keeps timing relevent too.
The fingers need servicing to maintain the suppleness needed in maintaining chops.
Chops need maintaining to allow for growth.
Growth needs maintaining to allow for increased technical challenges.
Technical challenges need to be maintained so that boredom is contained.
Once contained, the above neeeds to be maintained.
The remedy is a rotation of basses best suited to the types if music you enjoy and hope to enjoy.
Those basses need to be maintained which provides a side interest which will inspire their usage.
Recommend an allocation of time per day and with some equipment out of casses and ready at whim.
Works for me in my retirement, oh, joining a band is also a very good suggestion, as the interaction and song learning that comes from it, brings its own rewards. Keeps timing relevent too.
Retirement is a big grey area for us all. No one knows how they are going to cope with it/embrace it. I thought I was going to have so much time on my hands and started to think of other hobbies/activities to occupy that time beside playing bass. Turns out its not that way at all. That line about where did I used to find the time for work is true. Roll with it and you will be fine. Start a band if you really want to.
