people who are self taught

[bassist 4 life]

Worked on tabs, watched lessons, and spent a looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooot of time on talkbass...

 

[Masturskate]

so basically i should watch instructional videos and read instructional books, play along while listening to CDs, come on here a lot, find some people to 'jam' with and then eventually, if i need them, get lessons?

 

[emblymouse]

That's all good advice for anyone I think. Don't assume you need to be 'taught'. Take charge of learning, seek advice on specific roadblocks as you come up against them but don't let anyone tell you how to play. Your 'bad habits' can actually be the seeds of your individual style.
You may decide you want to learn to sight read and really delve into music theory but you will doing it because it's where you're headed naturally.
I guess my whole point is that there are choices here and you are driving the bus, not Mel Bay.

 

[Chili]

That's all good advice for anyone I think. Don't assume you need to be 'taught'. Take charge of learning, seek advice on specific roadblocks as you come up against them but don't let anyone tell you how to play. Your 'bad habits' can actually be the seeds of your individual style.
You may decide you want to learn to sight read and really delve into music theory but you will doing it because it's where you're headed naturally.
I guess my whole point is that there are choices here and you are driving the bus, not Mel Bay.

very well sed, listen to this guy

 

[poptart]

Started playing drums at 13, got in a band at 14 and watched a series of rubbish bass players. I listened to lots of music and watched bands on TV and could hear the bass lines in my head whilst playing the drums.

Picked up bass after rehearsals and played what I heard using the techniques that I saw. Two years later got job in college indie/pop band and never looked back (apart from two years of going back to drums in my mid 20's). Have now played over two thousand gigs as a bass player in 20 years and am still learning