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What's Your Biggest Playing Handicap?

#41
Letting me convince myself that i cant do something. Thats why i started so late-at age 56. i loved the bass my intire life but thought i couldnt it. i am finding out that i can do it .But getting that years of lack of convidence out of my head is hard . ihave been playing now for a little over a year and have 20 songs down pat and played my first little gig a week or so ago. so i am really trying to overcome my handicap. i have notice that it hard to find people to play with when your just getting going at my age.... but that wont stop me. i will play someday at the House of blues,sitting in with a bluse band---my dream... So to answer the OP's question -I am my handicap
 
#42
I have 3:

1) Love for my son. As a working, full-time single parent of a 7 y.o. boy, I don't want to miss out on quality time together "because I have gigs / practice".

2) Picking up a bass and 'shedding' is not rewarding to me, but performing live and providing entertainment is very much so.

3) I want to own and operate one of those upright standup bull fiddle things and don't have one yet.
 
#45
My main problem is concentration issues when learning a new song.
Also, my pinky is still too weak to fret some notes fast enough and I have this weird situation with my middle finger. I don't know if there's something wrong with my tendons but it just functions really stiffly. It becomes especially clear with this exercise here Invalid Link Removed The part where I have to fret the upper string with my middle and ring fingers just takes a real amount of effort
 
#47
nutso42 said:
What do you find is your biggest problem in trying to play, and how did you (or how are you TRYING to) overcome it?
Click to expand...

Short fingers. :bawl:

I can't stretch them from the first to the third unless I use index @ fret 1, middle @ fret 2, and pinky @ fret 3. Basically I have to hop my fingers or slide them. Even on guitar I can only stretch index, middle, ring @ frets 1, 2, 3 respectively. Curse these Hobbit fingers! :mad:
 
#48
Gawd! I thought I was doing OK until I read this thread and realized I have many of the issues already listed. I must REALLY suck!

One major problem I have that I didn't see mentioned so far is 'squeaking' the strings with my left hand. I've tried lifting my fingers straight up and gently, but when I play something fast I still get that annoying string noise. Using flats might help, but it's just my lack of technique.
 
#52
Playing with a pick, never liked it or really tried it. Just naturally played with my fingers and have no issues. I sometimes wish I knew how to play with a pick though because I like the tone sometimes.
 
#53
Both my hands have weird playing positions.

On my picking hand, my thumb and index finger hold the pick while my pinky wraps around the corner of the bridge and my middle and ring fingers rest lightly on the base of the strings.


On my fretting hand, my fingers don't lay flat against the fret board,they kinda arch up and spread while my thumb is pressed against the back of the neck.

Both positions put strain on my wrist and tendons when playing long or hard, but I can't play any other way.
 
#54
REAPER52 said:
Letting me convince myself that i cant do something. Thats why i started so late-at age 56. i loved the bass my intire life but thought i couldnt it. i am finding out that i can do it .But getting that years of lack of convidence out of my head is hard . ihave been playing now for a little over a year and have 20 songs down pat and played my first little gig a week or so ago. so i am really trying to overcome my handicap. i have notice that it hard to find people to play with when your just getting going at my age.... but that wont stop me. i will play someday at the House of blues,sitting in with a bluse band---my dream... So to answer the OP's question -I am my handicap
Click to expand...

On blues jam, the answer is simple - Just Do It!

Search for threads on Open Jams and follow advice contained....and learn the I-IV-V song structure language (e.g., from the 5....quick 4.....6 2 4 turnarounds, etc.) also learn 8 bar (Key to the Highway) and 16 bar structures (e.g., SRV Tin Pan Alley).
 
#56
- Sight reading
- Consistent 16th notes over a longer duration
- Can't write songs all by myself worth anything
- I found out I prefer my middle finger when plucking because the index has more attack to it... it's not really bugging me because I'm not the high speed shredder but you know, it may become a bad habit someday
 
#57
I hate when I lose feeliing in my hands. MS sucks.
I end up looking at my fretting fingers so I'm sure where I'm playing and then my plucking hand gets sloppy. Dark stages also cut down on how well I can see the neck positions at times so, I'm considering glow dots or LEDs.
I also catch myself playing 6 string (guitar, not bass) too often when I'm rehearsing instead of grabbing a bass.
 
#59
REAPER52 said:
Letting me convince myself that i cant do something. Thats why i started so late-at age 56. i loved the bass my intire life but thought i couldnt it. i am finding out that i can do it .But getting that years of lack of convidence out of my head is hard . ihave been playing now for a little over a year and have 20 songs down pat and played my first little gig a week or so ago. so i am really trying to overcome my handicap. i have notice that it hard to find people to play with when your just getting going at my age.... but that wont stop me. i will play someday at the House of blues,sitting in with a bluse band---my dream... So to answer the OP's question -I am my handicap
Click to expand...

I know how you feel REAPER52! I started bass 6 years ago at age 62. If you read the ads on craigslist it seems they mostly have age requirements far younger. But when I felt ready to play with other people I found it relatively easy to find a band(and I found it on craigslist). It helps that bassists are less plentiful, and it helps that more and more middle-aged and older people are getting into or getting back into music.

I too have dreams of playing particular places - even at my age. Hang onto your dreams, who knows, some day they might come true. The more you play - with others or by yourself - the more confidence you will have in your playing. Don't let self-doubt stop you. Don't pay attention to those self-disparaging thoughts and just get in there and play every day! Put in the time with the bass and you will eventually play like you want to.

It helps if you can find a good teacher - they can impact your learning curve significantly. They can show you so much right now that might take you (or me) a long time to figure out by ourselves.
 

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