Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
What have you learned from Talk Bass?
- Thread starter GregT
- Start date
Years ago I vowed to never join or post on another forum again. After enough trolling, flaming, elitists, egomaniacs, and ***holes I decided that nothing positive could ever happen in a forum.
When I picked up the bass I started reading and learning as much as I could. So many of my google searches took me here, where I kept finding insightful, intelligent, respectful discussions. People were actually making suggestions and helping people solve problems instead of screaming NEWB and bragging about how awesome they were. After a few months of reading I took the plunge and joined in, made a few posts, even used the classifieds. And it was great.
What I learned from Talkbass is that forums can actually be helpful (mind blown). And once I figured that out, I was able to learn all kinds of cool stuff from TB and the community. I don't know if it's this forum, or bass players in general, but most everyone is pretty cool and tries to bring good stuff to the table to share with their fellow bass enthusiasts. Plus, as mentioned above. Most bands have 2 guitarists who are always talking about some nonsense, but bass players are so isolated. It's great to have a place to bounce ideas and get feedback. Especially by people who understand the bass (almost every piece of advice my guitarists have given me is basically crap).
When I picked up the bass I started reading and learning as much as I could. So many of my google searches took me here, where I kept finding insightful, intelligent, respectful discussions. People were actually making suggestions and helping people solve problems instead of screaming NEWB and bragging about how awesome they were. After a few months of reading I took the plunge and joined in, made a few posts, even used the classifieds. And it was great.
What I learned from Talkbass is that forums can actually be helpful (mind blown). And once I figured that out, I was able to learn all kinds of cool stuff from TB and the community. I don't know if it's this forum, or bass players in general, but most everyone is pretty cool and tries to bring good stuff to the table to share with their fellow bass enthusiasts. Plus, as mentioned above. Most bands have 2 guitarists who are always talking about some nonsense, but bass players are so isolated. It's great to have a place to bounce ideas and get feedback. Especially by people who understand the bass (almost every piece of advice my guitarists have given me is basically crap).
Nice list so far.
Here's my top 10 (as of now... I haven't been around long):
1. Everything you think you know about bass amplification is wrong.
2. Bassists know that there is no "right" bass gear, but other musicians do not. Expect to be judged by the ill-informed.
3. Having said that... P-bass.
4. New gear won't make you better, but that doesn't mean you can't occasionally have fun with new toys.
5. No one cares that the guitarist is dating your ex. Seriously.
6. Finding the right people to play with is apparently very hard for musicians at every level in every style, which is reassuring.
7. I'm not alone in having eclectic musical tastes, which is also reassuring.
8. Lessons, lessons, lessons.
9. Practice, practice, practice.
10. Bassists rock.
Here's my top 10 (as of now... I haven't been around long):
1. Everything you think you know about bass amplification is wrong.
2. Bassists know that there is no "right" bass gear, but other musicians do not. Expect to be judged by the ill-informed.
3. Having said that... P-bass.
4. New gear won't make you better, but that doesn't mean you can't occasionally have fun with new toys.
5. No one cares that the guitarist is dating your ex. Seriously.
6. Finding the right people to play with is apparently very hard for musicians at every level in every style, which is reassuring.
7. I'm not alone in having eclectic musical tastes, which is also reassuring.
8. Lessons, lessons, lessons.
9. Practice, practice, practice.
10. Bassists rock.
There are many benefits to TalkBass, but the best to me is that my assumptions are challenged. Just one example: I once gave credence to the amp underpowering myth (i.e. distortion is harmful at any volume level), but was quickly corrected by the amp forum experts. It's also nice to know that I'm not the only one who's observed that tonewoods don't always produce a specific predictable tone.
On the downside: I have learned that some people care WAY too much about what other people play. It's perfectly fine to dislike relics/imports/boutiques/extended range basses/whatever, but it's childish and vapid to insult those instruments or those who play them. Props to the mods for cleaning up wasted bandwidth as best they can.
This is the second most important thing I've learned on TalkBass. But hey, there are far worse ways to spend my money.
On the downside: I have learned that some people care WAY too much about what other people play. It's perfectly fine to dislike relics/imports/boutiques/extended range basses/whatever, but it's childish and vapid to insult those instruments or those who play them. Props to the mods for cleaning up wasted bandwidth as best they can.
This is the second most important thing I've learned on TalkBass. But hey, there are far worse ways to spend my money.
I have never picked up a bass in my life, I don't have a friend to take with me to check one out and needed advice on getting a first bass.
I cant judge what feels good to me, and if I found the best player ever built of the model I was looking at I wouldn't know it. Everyone gave me good advice I am not going to spend a lot of money on a bass for now. I am going to get a Squire cv p bass used, find a squire cv j bass used work with both of them and find out what really fits me.
I am very pleased with the advice I got, and thankfull.
I cant judge what feels good to me, and if I found the best player ever built of the model I was looking at I wouldn't know it. Everyone gave me good advice I am not going to spend a lot of money on a bass for now. I am going to get a Squire cv p bass used, find a squire cv j bass used work with both of them and find out what really fits me.
I am very pleased with the advice I got, and thankfull.
I've found out on talkbass that you don't necessarily need to pay for lessons or advice from pro's. They're giving all kinds of great info on posted vids and tb threads. They'll eventually wise up, so get it while you can.
I've learned about the huge increase in boutique bass builders over the last decade.
I've found out about these weird get togethers, where all the bassists show off their instruments, and rudely play over each other.
I've learned about the huge increase in boutique bass builders over the last decade.
I've found out about these weird get togethers, where all the bassists show off their instruments, and rudely play over each other.
In Great Britain I knew that a "tort" is an action that is wrong but can be dealt with in a civil court rather than a criminal court.
Here on talkbass "tort" is never wrong, particularly if a rosewood fretboard is involved...
Here on talkbass "tort" is never wrong, particularly if a rosewood fretboard is involved...
DiabolusInMusic
Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism
My Top 10:
1. Good bass tone is in the ear of the beholder.
2. With that said, mixing cabs is a bad idea 99% of the time.
3. Thou shalt never criticize anyone playing a P-bass with flats through an Ampeg without expecting to incur the wrath.
4. The percentage of people who understand Ohm's Law is small.
5. "Upgrading" an instrument typically downgrades its value.
6. I know I should spend more time practicing, but what if I miss a good post?
7. JimmyM is usually right, even though it's painful to admit sometimes.
8. Debating for 50 thread pages on alder vs. maple vs. ash seemed like an important issue at the time...
9. ... until someone posted a recording of the 3 on which few could tell the difference.
10. TalkBass has cost me $thousands, and yet I keep coming back for more!
Don't I feel special
But I've basically learned everything I know about the instrument from Talkbass. Except how to tune, and where to plug in, i was competent enough to figure that out in the first two years I was playing without TB. And on a bigger scale, I feel my involvement in TB has taught me to be much more open-minded, even if it's to a bunch of hunks of wood and metal.
tip, watch the movie Fargo. It can be done
There is nothing which cannot be learned on TB.
THIS!
And.....
That nobody seems to know the best bass for metal.
That JimmyM. is a V.I.P. on Talk Bass.
That the people on here are extremely helpful and friendly.
