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I am sick of redundancy.

#101
dalkowski said:
To the OP, what follows is meant to be constructive, not to rip you.

The expiration date on "I've always been a bad speller" is fast approaching, if it hasn't already passed. Unless you are dyslexic or have an LD or other impairment (and if I missed that in the thread, please forgive me), there's nothing to stop you lmproving your spelling, grammar and overall writing skills except lack of effort. If you can learn to play bass better, you can learn to write better. Lose your excuses now, because they are liabilities—worse than worthless—when you're an adult.

No one's asking you to be the next Hemingway (that guy had so many demons, you don't WANT to be the next Hemingway). But good writing still matters in the big world. How do I know?

For one thing, my wife has worked in Human Resources for more than 20 years. Numerous times, she's told me how she's rejected job applicants because of poor writing skills. We're talking college-educated people here. If it's between you and another guy for a job (remember, they're scarce), don't you want to have every advantage?

You're 17. That's awesome; you have SO many opportunities ahead of you, including lots that you don't even know about yet. I wish you success in whatever you do.

PS: Re Wobble Man's remark about "internet guidance counselors," many if not all of the participants in this thread are wise (really) adults whose remarks are based on their first-hand knowledge and experience. Some are, have been, or will be parents of 17-y.o. sons at a similar crossroads. Some of us have been that young man. There may be some ball-busting going on, but I don't believe for a moment that anyone participating in this discussion wants to see the OP piss away his time or money. TB is a brotherhood that way.

PPS: +1 to Bongo 5 or Brubaker Brute
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My daughter's only 15, but I feel we're on the right track when she rags on me for using abbreviations when I text her.
 
#104
Schools that come to mind are East Tennessee State, that is the school that Allison Krauss and the Union Station went to. There is Middle Tennessee State, they have a great program, I understand that the music eng. dept is fantastic. Then there is Belmont in Nashville, though I am not sure there is a program there for bass players.
 
#105
Entomology, and take music classes/lessons on the side. Get a restaurant job instead of running up student loans, the right place can pay the bills and you will meet lots of musicians there to add some edge to the band you started with people in your music classes.

Look for a cheap but quality used bass that you can later resell for what you paid, because your roommate in college will get drunk and fall on your expensive bass. Also his buddy will show everyone how loud your amp is when you are gone so don't go overboard there either.

When you get the job go out and spray for bugs in the day, then you will have great money for great gear and to finance a worry free run at a music career.

The people who say that desperation breeds success are forgetting that sometimes it doesn't....
 
#107
entomology?

so it's either basses or bugs, huh?

not much to add, you've gotten enough abuse over your spelling (not "too much", just "enough" :)) but the actual question you asked bears more scrutiny:

those "boring" or "redundant" instruments are so popular because they're successful designs; they sound good and are appropriate for lots of music styles.

a wacky or exotic instrument might end up being a limiting factor down the road.
 
#109
SlapBass1440 said:
I am not going there yet I graduated a year early out of High school and I just wanted to get a degree in music I have been playing instruments since I was a kid I know tons of music theory, I was in my High schools advanced orchestra and Jazz band, So if this institute is only going to teach me what I already know. Then what college should I go to for a REAL career in music? -specifically bass guitar- By the way thanks for the eye opener guy s greatly appreciate it. Also the reason why I was looking for a new bass/ professional level/ was because the bass is have ow if a piece of **** it is an LTD J-205 and it sounds like crap. I have been saving money for better bass since I was a freshman . So now since the bass situation is out of the way. I think it is time for me to seriously go look and find a college that is right for me and has my best interests at hand.
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I also graduated a year early (last June) at 16. I haven't done much but get a job teaching bass and guitar and work on some works of my own. I've also really increased my solo classical guitar playing.

I'm of the opinion that a degree in bass guitar won't do you a lot of good. Think about it. Where would you go to apply for a job with a degree? Everywhere that needs a bassist will hire someone without a degree. Bands, cruise ships, theater, jazz ensembles etc. Orchestras use double bassists. The only thing I can see doing with a degree in the bass guitar is teaching music, and even then why wouldn't you go for an education degree?
 
#110
Gotta be honest...I've worked side by side with music school graduates making the same pay I made, even though I didn't continue formal education with music past high school aside from taking lessons off Dave LaRue for 3 years in the 90's. It's something you have to absolutely do for the love of music, because there's no guaranteed financial reward for high grades.
 
#111
SlapBass1440 said:
trying to live the dream
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About this: what's your dream, actually? To be a great bass player? To be a famous player? To earn a living from music? To go to college?

The very best musician I know was playing a little harmonica around blues bands at your age. Fifteen years later he's toured the world playing most of the instruments in blues and folk bands, singing and writing songs. Fifteen years though! And so playing for hours each day. That's how he learned to play. "Living the dream" is a phrase used by kids on those TV talent shows who expect to get famous in three weeks after miming a bit in their bedrooms.

The advice on this thread is priceless, though I'm sure it's hard to take. Buy a bass you can afford. If you can go to college without crazy debt, pick the best college you can get into. But practice, improve your reading and your theory. Listen to music. And practice.

See you in fifteen years!
 
#112
Ospery I am not looking for a break or fame. But just to be in the music industry, I have been looking at Berklee's music business program. Also my father told me Full sail University would be more pointed to the direction that I am going. I am looking to be a studio musician. I do play other instruments as well as the bass guitar, I compose music, right it, I love doing what I do and that's making music. Now that is what I mean by living the dream. I love bass I love music. Music production and music business are what I am now looking into now for career paths. Now with the bass thing I chose a carvin SB5000 great bass, found one in a local music store here in Louisville KY. Thanks everyone for helping another fellow bass player. SERIOUSLY, THANK YOU I WAS ABOUT TO **** UP MY LIFE WITH OUT EVEN KNOWING IT!!!!!!! But if music doesn't work out I am going to go to biology or entomology. But a little about my musical background I started playing drums at the age of 2 and went on from there guitar, violin, trumpet, cello, upright bass, bass guitar, and piano. I practice about 6 to 8 hours a day and do nothing but theory and music comp and right music. When I was little music really helped me mentally and physically it helped me coop with the fact that I was abused at elementary school sexually verbally and all that other jazz, people have told me all my life that I couldn't do something I couldn't be who I want to become and I have this internal drive to prove those ****ers wrong. That's why I want to do music and make it apart of my life but I know and understand that it might not work out to how I plan it. That is why I have a back up plan.
 
#115
SlapBass1440 said:
Ospery I am not looking for a break or fame. But just to be in the music industry, I have been looking at Berklee's music business program. Also my father told me Full sail University would be more pointed to the direction that I am going. I am looking to be a studio musician. I do play other instruments as well as the bass guitar, I compose music, right it, I love doing what I do and that's making music. Now that is what I mean by living the dream. I love bass I love music. Music production and music business are what I am now looking into now for career paths. Now with the bass thing I chose a carvin SB5000 great bass, found one in a local music store here in Louisville KY. Thanks everyone for helping another fellow bass player. SERIOUSLY, THANK YOU I WAS ABOUT TO **** UP MY LIFE WITH OUT EVEN KNOWING IT!!!!!!! But if music doesn't work out I am going to go to biology or entomology. But a little about my musical background I started playing drums at the age of 2 and went on from there guitar, violin, trumpet, cello, upright bass, bass guitar, and piano. I practice about 6 to 8 hours a day and do nothing but theory and music comp and right music. When I was little music really helped me mentally and physically it helped me coop with the fact that I was abused at elementary school sexually verbally and all that other jazz, people have told me all my life that I couldn't do something I couldn't be who I want to become and I have this internal drive to prove those ****ers wrong. That's why I want to do music and make it apart of my life but I know and understand that it might not work out to how I plan it. That is why I have a back up plan.
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Seriously dude.. As has been already mentioned here ad nauseum. If you intend to go ANYWHERE. Take 3hrs a week away from practice and take an English writing and grammar class at a local CC.

Without the ability to communicate clearly, effectively in wrtten form your potential of reaching any of your goals will be severely hamstrung.

You will never graduate if they don't accept you.
 
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#116
SB5000 is a nice bass.

Sadly, if you major in ANY science field, you're going to have to spend a LOT of your time studying. I don't think there's a whole lot out there unless you have a graduate degree, job-wise, I could easily be mistaken.

Please, listen to everything that's been said here, since the TB'ers don't have a vested interest in your life going either well or poorly, the advice is meant to give you the best opportunity.
 
#117
Kawai-chang said:
SB5000 is a nice bass.

Sadly, if you major in ANY science field, you're going to have to spend a LOT of your time studying. I don't think there's a whole lot out there unless you have a graduate degree, job-wise, I could easily be mistaken.

Please, listen to everything that's been said here, since the TB'ers don't have a vested interest in your life going either well or poorly, the advice is meant to give you the best opportunity.
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I've been in the learning business myself for pretty much my entire adult life so my .02 on higher education:

About the only fields of study that have an actual ROI are work-oriented specialties like business, law and medicine. If you're going to spend the multiple 10's of thousands to go through college, I'd concentrate only on fields like those.

Most other subjects are professional and intended only to prepare you for extremely specialized occupations like teaching, research and literally becoming a celebrity.

Bottom line, the chances of making decent living (and paying off your student loans) with professional subjects like liberal arts or the hard sciences are about as good as becoming a celebrity (1 plus 8 billion zeros to 1). Computing science (my field) is a little better among these, but it's in very strong decline due to the extreme specialization that's happening in the job industry. So, in my view, these are best studied in a manner that doesn't cost money (self study or hobby).

If you're actually going to go college and want to make a living with what you actually were trained to do there, study business (eg. get an MBA), law or medicine.

That's basically the situation as I see it. At the undergraduate level it's a lot freer in terms of the value of any particular major, but it's a good idea to study something that prepares you for something like business administration and similar.

Oh, and never, ever go to college to study music if you want to do it for a living.

LS
 
#118
Aww. I'm sad because I was going to suggest a Reverend Mercalli 5 but am too late. :bawl:
Reverend look like lovely instruments that you don't see often enough. Reasonably priced, too. Played a friend's Dub King a little while ago and wished it was mine. :bassist:
 

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