when are you most thankful to have your bass?

At gigs.

 

Almost all the time recently. When I got my first bass I couldn't stop playing, even though I didn't know much. Took lessons, but the teacher didn't teach me much(all he ever did was make me bring in CDs so he could write out tab for me...even though I could read bass clef poorly) so I stopped lessons and after that I sortof stopped playing, unless I jammed with my guitarist friend(some great jams) or I was feeling down. In June I got asked to help some friends throw together a jam set since the singer lost her voice...we didn't get a whole set together, but I guess that was my pseudo-audition and ever since then I have played at least once a day. It has really revitalised my playing and I've since gotten 2 more basses and my first one defretted. And I have them set up in such a way around the house that I don't have to go far to get one and practice. I play late at night, when I wake up, 5 minutes before I leave for class. Can't get enough of it now. My playing has improved and I'm just happy to be playing all the time now. Serenade in Silence Just before we recorded the take for this(at least the drum/bass take since I thought the guitarist should use a 12 string acoustic instead of her strat) the guitarist/singer asked me to play something an octave higher in the last chorus. I took it to mean a bass solo. Had no ideas for what to do, and before it would take me awhile to think of something, but I just played something and it worked perfectly. This story has no relevance to the original topic...but I just felt like sharing.

 

I actually like to escape to my closet (where my bass and amp reside) when the family is starting to nestle into bed. That way they can't say that I JUST play my bass and not spend quality time with them. Otherwise, I would come home from work - eat, watch tv, help w/homework, spend time with family, and then go to bed. This way, I at least have something of my own that I enjoy - I think of it as my own escape.

I just started bass this year (at age 40). I feel sometimes that I am too old to learn something like this - seems I'll be 60 by the time I get decent. But, I remember my best friend back in high school. His father started learning banjo in his 50s - and he was actually getting pretty good after a short time.

 

All the time.


Oh, and btw, you'll find you can get WICKED GOOD relationship
advice on TB by merely posting a 'Dear TB' thread in Off
Topic, and we won't hesitate to help you by dissecting
your clueless love life, suggesting herbal remedies and
providing individual psychotherapy.

TB is a great place!

 

Whenever I'm trying to establish a groove with the drummer. It would be terribly difficult without the bass.