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musical advice to your younger self

#281
Enjoy life, but use common sense.

If a new skill would improve your life in some way, learn it. Corollary: anything worth doing is worth doing well.

Accept (and embrace) the fact that your elders usually know what they're talking about; they have experience you haven't gained yet.

Never mistake fads for trends. Bell-bottoms may be cool today, bu blue jeans are forever ... and get better with age.

Don't become too fond of your beautiful hair. It's even more likely than your beautiful gf/bf to abandon you (or just stop looking good) someday.
 
#285
doug calkin said:
Don't turn down paying gigs because your not thrilled with the music, it's better than washing dishes
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Until you get in a band with a guy who’s always ducking out to chase drug dealers.
Or a bunch of bikers are looking for a guy in the band that ‘hooked up’ with one of their
‘old ladies’. Then there is the drunk guy slippin’, playing sloppy, outta’ time.
The lead singer coppin’ an attitude or alienating the audience, or just the classic “ You don’t
know anything about music because you like/don’t like some song/band/style”.
After a few of those characters, washing dishes doesn’t look so bad.
 
#286
Stay in orchestra and keep playing double bass. Dropped it in 8th grade Jr Hi because I was starting to play electric in bands. Biggest regret of my life, by far!Learn to play piano and learn to sing. I would have joined more choral groups. I can carry backups and know enough to hold parts, but not a strong lead singer.
 
#287
skygzr said:
I'm 60-ish, and I think a bunch of us are within a decade of that number. If you're younger, please enjoy yourself responsibly, and hopefully you'll join our club someday ;-)



The title says it all, what would you tell your younger self? Aside from "buy Apple stock when it was cheap" or "stay away from the blonde in the little black dress (yes, THAT one)".

I wish I had understood how to be a better singer back in the day. I wasn't any good at it till I was about forty and I rather enjoy it now. But maybe this is a skill that has to be earned an no amount of advice would have made any difference.

The other thing is: don't wait for permission to try something new. Actually this is a good thought to keep handy at any age.

Be healthy and safe, y'all.
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Practice reading music every day, start easy!

Practice singing every day.

Learn a second instrument that isn’t guitar.

Play your songs your way.

Pay someone to video or at least record your shows.

You sound better sober.
 
#288
Should I have a chance to do it all over again, the one thing I'd do is start on piano instead of guitar. Moving on to guitar and later bass would've probably been easier, at least from a theory perspective, and I would've gained musical dexterity in both hands. And I would be much more comfortable on keys than I am now (I picked it up 2 years ago).

Otherwise, I had the good judgement of staying away from that blonde in the little black dress, but fell short on judgement when it came to the 10-year older exotic-looking woman.

Same sting ;).
 
#289
This is a great idea for a thread.
The biggest regret I have (and many others I know will agree) is when we were in bands we got too fussy about having every little detail go a certain way. Big arguments over things that now seem ridiculously small. And too many great bands broken up because of it.
 
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#290
skygzr said:
I'm 60-ish, and I think a bunch of us are within a decade of that number. If you're younger, please enjoy yourself responsibly, and hopefully you'll join our club someday ;-)

The title says it all, what would you tell your younger self? Aside from "buy Apple stock when it was cheap" or "stay away from the blonde in the little black dress (yes, THAT one)".

Id've told me to get a stronger amp to start with. When I started I wasn't sure if I'd stay with bass, so I went with a little Univox bass head with matching 15" speaker. We're talking 15 - 20 watts. I was playing very hard rock & was daisy chaining LPB-1's along with my Super Fuzz just to hear anything! Tone was a luxury I didn't have! That & NEVER allow me to get into a financial bind where I had to sell equipment for pennies on the dollar of their worth! Once, and never again!
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#291
I started playing double bass in 1961, and played through college
(engineering degree on a music scholarship). My career was almost 38 years in state law enforcement. Through a variety of circum-stances I played in regional symphonies over 25 years, in a big band for 18 years, and 2 different 7-piece jazz-rock groups for a total of more than 30 years. In all that I got to play with some really big names, which I won't drop here. Today playing is the ONLY activity that doesn't cause some bad hand arthritis to flair up. My advice, to anyone, is work and practice hard, enjoy the music, and don't let dry spells discourage you.
 
#292
Y’know those people around you that keep telling you that you’ve got real talent? Listen to them. And stay the hell away from drugs!
Jerk

skygzr said:
I'm 60-ish, and I think a bunch of us are within a decade of that number. If you're younger, please enjoy yourself responsibly, and hopefully you'll join our club someday ;-)

The title says it all, what would you tell your younger self? Aside from "buy Apple stock when it was cheap" or "stay away from the blonde in the little black dress (yes, THAT one)".

I wish I had understood how to be a better singer back in the day. I wasn't any good at it till I was about forty and I rather enjoy it now. But maybe this is a skill that has to be earned an no amount of advice would have made any difference.

The other thing is: don't wait for permission to try something new. Actually this is a good thought to keep handy at any age.

Be healthy and safe, y'all.
Click to expand...
 
#293
1 Dont drop high school band (saxes) no matter the reason, you fool! (My band teacher tried to tell me, to no avail. )
2 Get a bass and ask your band teacher for good recommendations for an instructor.
3 Take choir while you're at it. Or join the church choir at least.

I put such things on hold for many years while pursuing a good job. While that has been rewarding in many ways and still is, I have come to look forward to and cherish every chance I get to perform music (whether a gig or practice) since taking it back up, about 25 years ago.
 
#295
skygzr said:
I'm 60-ish, and I think a bunch of us are within a decade of that number. If you're younger, please enjoy yourself responsibly, and hopefully you'll join our club someday ;-)

The title says it all, what would you tell your younger self? Aside from "buy Apple stock when it was cheap" or "stay away from the blonde in the little black dress (yes, THAT one)".

I wish I had understood how to be a better singer back in the day. I wasn't any good at it till I was about forty and I rather enjoy it now. But maybe this is a skill that has to be earned an no amount of advice would have made any difference.

The other thing is: don't wait for permission to try something new. Actually this is a good thought to keep handy at any age.

Be healthy and safe, y'all.
Click to expand...
Learn to read.
 
#297
Townsend said:
Well I wish I would have taken music more seriously and made it a bigger part of my life - I wish I could've made a career out of it - playing in bands, teaching, owning a music store, etc...Instead I went the route of trying to make money - and I still haven't made all that much. Now I believe more than ever that you should find a career doing what you love. If you can do that you'll make money. So in contrast to you J Wilson - I wish I would have spent MORE time with music! The grass is always greener??
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It can be greener . . . . but you need to make sure it's not because it's growing over a septic tank. I spent a lot of time at it, and ultimately it was soul-crushing and depressing in a lot of ways. I don't worry about it now as I've come out the other side and past is past. Only what I learned about myself is important, and what happened and why is ancient news from a different time in my life that is fortunately behind me now.
 
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#298
HG1180 said:
Well Im still young, you fellows have any advice for me before I turn the ripe old age of 20?
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Music is something you can do and enjoy all your life. Never stop learning, seeking to be the best you can be, not what other players can be. Play as much as you can, as long as you can.
Put God and your family first, and be Blessed with a long life of Contentment!!
 
#300
skygzr said:
I'm 60-ish, and I think a bunch of us are within a decade of that number. If you're younger, please enjoy yourself responsibly, and hopefully you'll join our club someday ;-)

The title says it all, what would you tell your younger self? Aside from "buy Apple stock when it was cheap" or "stay away from the blonde in the little black dress (yes, THAT one)".

I wish I had understood how to be a better singer back in the day. I wasn't any good at it till I was about forty and I rather enjoy it now. But maybe this is a skill that has to be earned an no amount of advice would have made any difference.

The other thing is: don't wait for permission to try something new. Actually this is a good thought to keep handy at any age.

Be healthy and safe, y'all.
Click to expand...

Practice more, drink less would be my advice to my younger self.
 

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