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Is it harder to develop/improve technique at 40

#61
I've been playing guitar for over 50 years and took up bass about 25 years ago so can't really comment on that as most of the motor skills needed were already developed. I did take up drums late beginning at age 64. I am now 70 and my drum skills have developed more than I ever thought possible when I started and I am still advancing with no noticeable signs of decline. Unbelievably, my guitar skills have also progressed greatly in the last couple of years. I am now capable of doing complex fingerpicking that I couldn't fathom even a few years ago. So it is possible with the desire and regular practice to keep developing new physical/mental skills at an advanced age.
 
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#64
At seventy-three, I find I have lost speed. But to compensate for that I find that I no longer particularly care to play music in which great speed is required. For me now, it's more about rhythm and note choice.

I also appear to be on the opposite side of the fence from @two fingers: since retiring in August I have lost thirty pounds. All of my old clothes fit too loosely now.

I *have* noticed, as I age, that I am less tolerant of weight. I'm sure there are exercises that can help counter that.
 
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#65
mr_musica said:
I'm not there yet, but kinda getting close.

But has anyone had experience or know the intricacies of trying to develop or impprove stuff like speed or agility if you feel you are not quite great at it?

Like athletes, they can't be as fast or agile beyond some age (for some is 30, for others 35 and some really remarkable still are greatly capable around 40, depending on the sport).

Do you think some techniques become really hard to impprove or impossible maybe, beyond a certain age?
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Nah, it's just practice. I don't think we do anything on the bass that's as demanding as a world class athlete.

Maybe you'd pick it up faster when younger, but I think a lot of that would be that when you're younger you're likely to have more time and energy available for this. But I don't see any impediments to picking up a technique other than physical impediments (e.g. if you actually developed arthritis in your 40s that might impede you?)

I'm actually a much better guitar player now than I was 20 years ago. Because I started taking it more seriously and practicing more a few years ago.
 
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#66
The biggest liability that I see after 30+ years on the instrument is the difficulty of UN-learning bad habits.

Sometimes I walk into my kitchen and reach for the light switch - but I'm reaching for where it was at a house I sold in 2012.

My current house, and the house I lived in from 2013 to 2020 had the light switch to the left of the doorway - but I still find myself reaching to the right of the door. Every time I do, I'm thinking "Pavlov would have a field-day with YOU, dummy..."

I find myself getting in similar "ruts" on bass, and am doing my best to keep listening and reacting to the music, rather than relying on patterns and muscle-memory.
 
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#67
GretschWretch said:
At seventy-three, I find I have lost speed. But to compensate for that I find that I no longer particularly care to play music in which great speed is required. For me now, it's more about rhythm and note choice.

I also appear to be on the opposite side of the fence from @two fingers: since retiring in August I have lost thirty pounds. All of my old clothes fit too loosely now.

I *have* noticed, as I age, that I am less tolerant of weight. I'm sure there are exercises that can help counter that.
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When to not play is priceless experience.
 
#68
i can't do certain tricks like i did as a younger player, but i've still managed to make some progress. also, at 72, i find that practicing does the most good...so in a sense = nothing has changed! :D

"i may not be as fast as i used to be, but i'm not as slow as i once was." J.S.Carter
 
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#69
Something to think about. You may feel you are progressing better but the best meter is playing with others and/or recording yourself and asking others to honestly critique you

Me I play a lot of other instruments

At this age of 55 compared to maybe 10 years ago -

Music theory -- much better. Doing faux-chestra projects. Also more far out avant garde projects
Bass technique virtuosity (not saying I am a virtuoso -- has plateaued maybe even gone down
Bass endurance (playing really long sets). -- not as great and I do not know if will get better
Arco bass upright -- improved, well I never really did much until about 2 years ago
Guitar -- slowed down
Drums -- not better. I cannot do good triplets on the bass drum anymore, left hand is not as good, brush work not great. I cannot get any better at this point but I also have not been playing less
Saxophone and woodwinds-- i have improved here but my volume has reduced. I also started adding baritone sax to my sax instrumentation. Also started flute again
Piano -- theory is better, chops slower not as crisp. I forgot half or maybe more than half of the chord voicings I know and finding it hard to relearn. Fingers are stiffer and my stretch is not as wide
 
#70
mr_musica said:
I'm not there yet, but kinda getting close.

But has anyone had experience or know the intricacies of trying to develop or impprove stuff like speed or agility if you feel you are not quite great at it?

Like athletes, they can't be as fast or agile beyond some age (for some is 30, for others 35 and some really remarkable still are greatly capable around 40, depending on the sport).

Do you think some techniques become really hard to impprove or impossible maybe, beyond a certain age?
Click to expand...
It's a bit harder because of pesky things like work getting in the way, but there's nothing stopping you from achieving virtuoso technique after 40.
 
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#72
No.
mr_musica said:
I'm not there yet, but kinda getting close.

But has anyone had experience or know the intricacies of trying to develop or impprove stuff like speed or agility if you feel you are not quite great at it?

Like athletes, they can't be as fast or agile beyond some age (for some is 30, for others 35 and some really remarkable still are greatly capable around 40, depending on the sport).

Do you think some techniques become really hard to impprove or impossible maybe, beyond a certain age?
Click to expand...
 
#74
mr_musica said:
I'm not there yet, but kinda getting close.

But has anyone had experience or know the intricacies of trying to develop or impprove stuff like speed or agility if you feel you are not quite great at it?

Like athletes, they can't be as fast or agile beyond some age (for some is 30, for others 35 and some really remarkable still are greatly capable around 40, depending on the sport).

Do you think some techniques become really hard to impprove or impossible maybe, beyond a certain age?
Click to expand...

I've been playing bass for a long time (since a teenager) but not really doing so in a band until 2016 (where I was already the singer, but our bassist had to go, so I picked up double duty) and I was 38-39 at the time. I've picked up so many skills since then, and the reason is practice.

While it might be harder to motivate yourself to do more or new things as you get older (due to one of the processes that happen mentally as your brain ages) the basics never change. Practice / effort in > Skill and technique out. You might have to force yourself as you age, but personally, I've never been a better bassist than I am right now, and that's due to practice, writing, and shows.
 
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#76
smeet said:
Muscular strength is not really much of an issue with electric bass. I’m 60, and my technique continues to get better. Not necessarily in the simple “I can play faster” way, but I’m smoother and phrase better. My touch is lighter and more refined, as is my ear (even though I’ve lost some hearing).

Time will catch up with us all, but at 40, you probably have at least 20 more years of potential improvement ahead of you, as long as you’re smart about it. Don’t try to use brute strength to play and you should be fine.
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Dude, you’re 60?!

I would’ve guessed late 40’s.

Bravo sir :thumbsup:
 
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#77
mr_musica said:
Do you think some techniques become really hard to impprove or impossible maybe, beyond a certain age?
Click to expand...

Only if you make hard. Ever notice how some old people are active and mentally sharp while others are melting like a pumpkin on the curb circa November 8th?

So yeah, you might not want to try out for the nearest NFL franchise, but if you can articulate your fingers there is hope as far as bass technique goes. Cheers!
 
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#78
At 67, I see two things:

No real physical/capability changes, but I do find it harder to let everything else go for a while and be totally in the moment when I'm strapped in.

And second, at this age, I have a lot of things I tried and discarded as wrong or dead ends, and the things I kept are tested keepers, i.e., I have a much better sense of what to do . . . . and NOT to do.

Also, at this age, I'm a pretty good me as a player. I'm not bothered that I'll never be as good as _________________ or ____________ot______________ . I've been in the engine room for more than a few bands, and I always got them to where they were going, and that's enough accomplishment to satisfy, and bury those nagging what-ifs and coulda-beens.
 

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