How much should I focus on bass?

[logdrum]

I took early retirement from my company and probably will take a few months to a year before getting back on the job market even though as per Fidelity I can retire now, I am not 60 yet.

I hear you. 2 weeks in I thought I'd be just deep into music but I think it will take a while to get out of work mode. I was in demanding high tech semi conductor industry and was working up to half the day during my last day. Did this for 25 years and at least 5 more years before that in software development.

I think based on what I know of you, you are mostly a musician at church (which you do quite well) and probably not a regular working cover band musician like so many of the TB members are? Do you compose? Why do you think you have to be more skilled than what you are now? Where do you think your self doubt comes from? And if you are still a year out of retirement, why are you worrying about it now?

For me there is no need to become more skilled in bass => BECAUSE

1- I consider myself in some ways a community musician and that community does not demand of me to be as virtuosic as what YouTubers bass experts peddle or show off. Just lowend support and groove that suits the level that these players have us well.

2- I also play with experimental free jazz community, who want to express fully but not be as acrobatic as those YouTube bassists. That music has very limited audience and in some ways we are just playing for ourselves.

So in both there is no pressure to be popular and all that's really needed is to enhance those communities

And on my personal solo side. It's just creating sound tracks, foux-chestra, faux film scores that I lay down on my DAW using sound libraires and my keyboards and other instruments. The only audience is me. Through experimentation, I discover new ideas and sounds.

I advice to look at youtube less - discover your own self (and your community) and not the marcuses, spauldings. navarros and SBLs of the internet.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Whatever makes you the happiest. I'm 60. I'm more into playing as much as I can to make myself smile.

I have a good friend who is 75. He plays some guitar, but now mostly sitar. He gigs that regularly.

 

[superiorpine]

First, congratulations. Not everyone makes it to retirement.

Second, bass (at least as I understand it) is a communal (community or group) endeavor. Practicing just to improve technique never worked for me. As others have stated, finding a group of like minded musicians is the best way to grow as a bass player. The better they are, the better you will be.

Third, studies on longevity and healthy aging all point to healthy social connections and family/community relationships. Based on your outgoing participation on this forum, you are predisposed to be good at connecting socially. Let your bass be your tool to enrich your life. Follow it where it takes you. Open up to new kinds of music. Practicing will have a new meaning if it enhances your social connections. And it will help you live longer too.

 

[TonyTonewood]

I'm 74, retired since 2010 and started trying bass in 2017 when a friend gave me a broken flea market Ibanez I soldered up with a hot nail.
With arthritis, tinnitus, trigger finger, carpal tunnel, hammer-toe, fake hip joint, no musical experience and no obvious talent at it except I can usually keep the beat, it's my favorite therapy and I crave it if I can't do it.
I can't read music, never learned the keyboard, never took a lesson and TAB is my pal. I never practice and never did, circle of 5ths is Sanskrit to me.
Once I learned the simplest scales, crudest box patterns, the I-IV-V 12-bar blues pattern and how to use a tuner I was set for life. Of course I ain't got no band and have never played with anyone except the drum tracks on my Roland student amp--I call him Roland my drummer.
My set is maybe 20 minutes long and consists mostly of mashups and improv noodling based on the 1st 5 chapters of my beginning text book Progressive Bass--Turner & White. And easy riffs from YouTube.
When they got to 16th notes, syncopation etc I said no thanks, over my talent level.
And I can play Song of Joy and Love Me Tender if I'm staring at the TABs. Usually I need to stare at the fretboard. And most of Morning Has Broken-- 3/4 time therefore tricky.
So I'm a legend only in my own room or head and my playing at family events etc is wildly unpopular. But what care I, tra la, tra la, it makes me happy. It sounds plenty good enough for me.
The thought that I could ever play an instrument at all, even badly, was beyond my ken and, considering the innings of strikes against me, a small miracle. I play for the joy. Today is all I've got. But ain't it the life?

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

Last Monday I played with a 6 piece variety band. Tuesday I turned 70 (and installed a new preamp in one of my basses). Friday I played in a Punk/Funk/Metal/Reggae/Soul trio (from The Meters to Sabbath to Donovan to Doors). Saturday I spent a couple of hours hosting a fellow TBer (@who) playing various basses from my herd. Turns out I really don't have time for a day job anymore! Embrace the bass, Doc!

BBB

 

[Wasnex]

I will be retired this time next year. For quite a while, I looked forward to retirement so I could focus on improving as a bassist. I am will continue to study and practice, but I am starting to think I should downgrade studying’s importance because I fear I will never be as good as I would like to be and I may not have enough life left to really do anything with increased skill.

IMHO, This is a crock of .

Think about it like a journey rather than trying to reach a destination. You will get as good as you can, and hopefully have some fun along the way.

There is nothing that says you have to practice bass or even own a bass. Study and practice bass if it suits you...or log off of TB, sell all of your bass gear, and do something totally different.

The closest thing of have to passion is riding my mountain bikes. I am not particularly good at it and never will be. But that doesn't stop me from trying to get better. It's not a competition.

I pretty much retired from playing bass in 2008. But I still pick up a bass almost every day. Lately I have been working up fast swing pieces on my NS Design EU6. I cycle back and fourth between Oleo, Giant Steps, and Cherokee. I'll never be able to walk these as fast as the jazz greats, much less solo at light speed. Doesn't matter. It's not a competition and I am getting better.

A few days ago I felt like playing Stella by Starlight. It's been awhile, so I had to relearn how to play it well.

 

[roccobass]

Get out there and enjoy playing with others while you still have the energy and before arthritis or some other "itus" takes you out of the game. Have the grandest time doing what you love. Enjoy and happy retirement.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

IMHO, This is a crock of .

Think about it like a journey rather than trying to reach a destination. You will get as good as you can, and hopefully have some fun along the way.

There is nothing that says you have to practice bass or even own a bass. Study and practice bass if it suits you...or log off of TB, sell all of your bass gear, and do something totally different.

The closest thing of have to passion is riding my mountain bikes. I am not particularly good at it and never will be. But that doesn't stop me from trying to get better. It's not a competition.

I pretty much retired from playing bass in 2008. But I still pick up a bass almost every day. Lately I have been working up fast swing pieces on my NS Design EU6. I cycle back and fourth between Oleo, Giant Steps, and Cherokee. I'll never be able to walk these as fast as the jazz greats, much less solo at light speed. Doesn't matter. It's not a competition and I am getting better.

A few days ago I felt like playing Stella by Starlight. It's been awhile, so I had to relearn how to play it well.

It may not be a competition, but I am competitive.

 

[bassbrad]

@Dr. Cheese follow your bliss and always keep joy in your pursuits. Retirement may allow you to play more so find a like minded group and keep at it.
Like many I have spent a lifetime with music as a main pursuit and plan to keep on with that.

 

[Alexis Duntov]

I would love to join a band. I currently play at church, but a lot of church dynamics have made it less fulfilling in recent years.

I would join a band. Church band has its own agenda. Find a group of people who you like to play with (preferably more advanced than you) and meet every week. Make a list of songs you know and ones you want to learn. Move songs from the “want to learn” column to the “songs I know” column. Add more songs. Rinse and repeat. You may have to be the band leader and offer to schedule the rehearsals (maybe even pay for the space yourself). Do these things and you will improve and feel more confident as a musician. And ultimately play gigs that are just for the music, not for church.

 

[Kansas]

Grand dad bands... they are everywhere these days!. When I was young you only saw old musicians occasionally at Moose Lodges and Polka Dances

 

[scubaduba]

I will be retired this time next year. For quite a while, I looked forward to retirement so I could focus on improving as a bassist. I am will continue to study and practice, but I am starting to think I should downgrade studying’s importance because I fear I will never be as good as I would like to be and I may not have enough life left to really do anything with increased skill.

Nonsense. Striving to be better is good for the mind and soul.

 

[Bassic_desires]

Are you sure that you will stay retired? I've already failed retirement about five times.

 

[Pings Bass]

for me I can't imagine not focusing on music. I'm not great at bass, nor will I ever be, but I'm good enough to commune with other humans through music. That is a piece of divinity I cannot quit.

 

[singlemalt]

pulling the plug is kind of freaky. So take it slow.

Figure out healthcare, and then take care of your health. Exercise everyday. At least an hour brisk walking, and some flexibility and strength training.

With your busy head, yoga could be a huge help.
Yoga with Adriene

There’s a reason she has 13 million subscribers on YouTube. Free, at home, dress any way you want.

Get a nice routine going and just enjoy the days.

I took up guitar and I’m really enjoying it. It’s really cool to play an instrument with lots of harmonic flavors. And it’s a new challenge. It’s done wonders for my ears.

I’m starting to figure out GarageBand and recording stuff just for fun. Just about any multi fx unit will have a usb interface, a Mac or iPad, and headphones, and off ya go.

Remember, retirement can flow with the seasons. Have a routine for crappy weather and the nice weather.

Mostly, relax and enjoy. It’s harder than you think.

 

[Pep]

Thanks for giving me some incentive, Doc, I haven't been practicing anything much since my scary surgery last fall, and some subsequent hand issues, just started loosening up my fingers again recently. Hasn't all disappeared quite yet!

You’re on my prayer list “bholder” for a quick and complete recovery.

 

[Sean150]

What would you do if you were as good as you strive to be with all your practice. If there is a goal, like writing your own music in the style of your favourite bassist, then do that. If you just want to be able to play the most technical bass lines ever written, keep practicing that, because there will always be one more and it’s carried you this far. Based on the videos you post you wouldn’t have any problem if you found a group to play with. I get the impression you would regret backing off.

 

[Akami]

How much should I focus on bass?​

Just exactly as much as you want to.

 

[SunByrne]

I’m with @Wasnex on this one—that seems like nonsense to me.

Don’t want to keep playing bass in your retirement? Then… don’t. Change your mind later? Great, no worries, pick it back up. It’s retirement. Do what suits you—that’s kind of the point.

I honestly used to think I’d never retire. In my line of work it’s not uncommon for people to work all the way up until the end, and I always figured I’d be one of them. Not anymore. Heck, if I won the lottery I’d retire… well, not immediately but in the next few years (and would be dramatically spinning things down over those few years).

Now I’d love to have more hours in the day that I can use to play bass or piano or compose or.. not. I’m sure when I retire I’ll have days where I pretty much don’t do much of anything. Wow that sounds good. I expect that I will make music a major part of my day most days, but on days I don’t feel like it, I just… won’t. Seems to me that’s what retirement is all about.

 

[djmay]

No one is as good as they want to be. You probably notice your improvement when you place something that you have not played in awhile. Celebrate the progress.

I resumed bass playing 3 years after my retirement in 2018, after 16 years of no playing. Four years later, I am happy with the progress, although I am not where I want to be. I play in a big band, which is very enjoyable.