Why not relax?

[Dr. Cheese]

As I age and see more heroes and icons pass away, two things become apparent to me: most were not much older than me; and every last one of them made their mark while young. As an older guy who has played forever, but has gotten serious around 55, I cannot help but think that I am too old to ever become a legitimate shredder, and I simply do not believe I am that gifted. If I had great talent, it would have come out, given the amount I played.

My point is that I just find myself being more chill about my lessons and study. I suspect I will never be more that a church bassist except for an occasional gig elsewhere. I want to get better, but I am not going anywhere like a young player with ambition.

I also am really starting to feel goofy about buying more gear. I already know I have to cut back and reduce because my kids are in school, I also have no desire to pile up gear that is half used that my family then needs to sell after I die (one daughter is actually expressing more interest in bass, so maybe she will use my gear.)

Oh well, just some thoughts on my mind.

 

[Samatza]

Yeah it’s sometimes the realisation that we are getting older and won’t make the cover of a magazine however we need to really look at our own vision of success.

When I was young I did my first real gig at about age 11. I realised that music makes people happy and that it makes me happy too. Almost 50 years later and thousands of gigs am I still making people happy? Sure thing!

So I feel blessed to have a great family, great friends and the ability to bring happiness to others, that’s success in itself. When we’re gone all we leave behind are memories, hopefully the memories are of happiness and good times and people reflect on the positive attributes of what you did.

You are already successful, you just need to realise that you’ve achieved so much in your own special way. Rock on Doc, you’re still a young man!

 

[Malcolm35]

Never wanted to be a professional musician. The life style does not fit what I wanted to do with my life. Plus every musician I knew had a day job. So I did my day job and enjoyed gigging and playing at church each Wednesday and Sunday.

We did things like opening the Gilmer Yambree and were the closing act for the Mineola Iron Horse day for 20 years. Usually had another two or three gigs during the month so we were busy, but relaxed.

Never was a note for note guy, loved jamming, and our town had jamming on the square each Saturday. Show up find a chair and have fun, if you had that Saturday open. If not no one was keeping a roster.

After we could hold our own and get asked back the only practicing was with songs that were coming up Sunday or for a specific gig.

My playing was relaxed and I have fond memories of that time. .

 

[bassdude51]

I'm with ya, Dr. Cheese. I turned 69 and I can see "The Reaper" off in the horizen. I've accumulated all the basses and bass equipment that I ever wanted and now at my age, I'm finding my desire to play the bass is greatly waning. In fact, I spend more time assembling bass guitars and modding them than playing them.

I'm happy that you get to play live in church. That's a nice experience!

As for getting "good", whatever that means, back in the early 80s when I took bass lessons from an aged and seasoned jazz bassist, he told me that a good bassist is "one that can stay in time with the music and make all of the chord changes." That was great encouragement to me because I'm a class "C" bass player.

I always enjoy your threads and posts, Dr. Cheese!

 

[bholder]

I played my first gigs around 13, but I decided fairly early that the "rock star" path wasn't the way for me. (Seeing what happened to such a large percentage of people who tried, including my brother, chewed up and spit out). Now that I'm winding down my career (39+ years) as a programmer, I can look at music as a full time avocation, but only because I can now afford to not make any money at it! (Takes the pressure off, lol.)

In spite of some idle dreaming on my part, I always knew I'd never be more than "don't quit your day job" at music, because I simply wasn't dedicated enough (nor had confidence enough) to get good enough to make a living.

 

[oldandbold]

I feel ya' Doc. I picked up my bass at 68.
Realistically what were my goals?
First it was to learn and enjoy myself. Check, still learning, always will be, and I enjoy my minor achievements.
Second goal was to be able to play with others and do a couple of gigs. Still working on that one. I keep myself motivated and practice everyday to make some headway to that goal, will I make it?, only the Lord knows.
' The journey is better than the Inn.'
As older players we should be enjoying our journey, celebrating our small steps, making daily progress, and always keeping our eyes on "the prize."

 

[dreamadream99]

Success is relative.
True success isn’t measured in terms of money or popularity.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

Some great feedback to the OP that I wholeheartedly agree with.

Just relax and enjoy what you've got. Like many others I can remember playing music with friends in high school and thinking we were bound for glory. It takes a more adult reflection to realize those bands were really not that good, regardless of what we thought at the time.

I'm a pessimist by nature, so I never entertained any thoughts that I would find fame, riches, and the adoration of millions of fans. My dad was always a musician so I saw the more realistic side of this music game, haul your gear, set it up, share some happiness for a few hours with your crowd, tear down the gear, haul it home and use the $$ for some more gear Rinse and repeat.

I have a successful 30+ year marriage, 3 awesome kids, a job that pays me well enough to have a decent life, and enough music have fun. That's what it's about for me.

My KISS collection will take more time to unload than my music gear.

 

[wraub]

I started with one bass a long time ago, and played only that bass for years. Gradually, I acquired others. I've toured, played on both coasts, recorded in a couple NYC studios, met celebrities... and, I'm still just a guy who plays bass at home after I get home from my day job.
I have no illusions about my chances at "fame", and, tbh, I don't really want that, never did. I've observed too much of that side to ever want to fully dive in.

I like to make music, and I hope to be doing that for a long time to come, but tomorrow isn't promised today. So, I make music today, and hope it gets heard by more than myself, and others enjoy it... this is my motivation in the first place.
I have all the gear I really need for this, and have no GAS at all.

I'm playing one bass more all the time and finding new things that it can do. I create as and when I do, and I live as cleanly as possible for me. I am always trying to improve in all areas though, never complacent about it.
This life thing is all too short, and acquisitions can be nice, but as long as the creativity is there, I'll always write music, and, as long as I can do it, I'll always play bass. I only need one for that.

Just create and be as happy as possible. Not always easy these days, but the alternatives are worse.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I started with one bass a long time ago, and played only that bass for years. Gradually, I acquired others. I've toured, played on both coasts, recorded in a couple NYC studios, met celebrities... and, I'm still just a guy who plays bass at home after I get home from my day job.
I have no illusions about my chances at "fame", and, tbh, I don't really want that, never did. I've observed too much of that side to ever want to fully dive in.

I like to make music, and I hope to be doing that for a long time to come, but tomorrow isn't promised today. So, I make music today, and hope it gets heard by more than myself, and others enjoy it... this is my motivation in the first place.
I have all the gear I really need for this, and have no GAS at all.

I'm playing one bass more all the time and finding new things that it can do. I create as and when I do, and I live as cleanly as possible for me. I am always trying to improve in all areas though, never complacent about it.
This life thing is all too short, and acquisitions can be nice, but as long as the creativity is there, I'll always write music, and, as long as I can do it, I'll always play bass. I only need one for that.

Just create and be as happy as possible. Not always easy these days, but the alternatives are worse.

I am thinking about bass because I think I have been thinking about bass too much, if that makes sense. Bass is a hobby I really enjoy, but it is indeed a hobby. It is not my career or vocation. It is also not where I am most gifted. I need to recalibrate and put music in its place. I believe I will enjoy it much more if I do that.

 

[Rock Salad]

First off: Doc, you are a shredder

Relaxing, your chops will settle in and become second nature more. Your tone of expression will become more conversational and relevant to your listeners. People around town will notice and your reputation as a bad ass will grow.

 

[wraub]

Respectfully, maybe you're not thinking about bass too much... maybe you're thinking about basses too much.

I get that, and, I've been guilty of the same before. Notably, at these times I bought more and, tbh, created less successfully. After such a period is when it hit me that, the merry go round of acquisition wasn't for me... imo I was enjoying the having more than the using.
I would still play with enjoyment, and nothing's wrong with that, but the creative engagement wasn't the same for me as when it was more about the creativity than the cravings. It's part of why my active 5 string basses have been cased for a while, to just explore the maximum potential one relatively basic instrument can inspire from me.
My realization was, "I'd rather be a "better" player than have a "better" bass".


I know you are a player, I've seen your vids , maybe it's just a question of a different "bass focus"?

You said this, "My point is that I just find myself being more chill about my lessons and study. I suspect I will never be more that a church bassist except for an occasional gig elsewhere. I want to get better, but I am not going anywhere like a young player with ambition."

What's wrong with being a church bass player with ambition?
If your goals are to play bass in your church, better, then I'd advise choosing the one bass that you think would best serve your needs in that capacity, and then only play everything you play on that one bass. All the time, that one, and no thought of others. Church music or not. Plugged in and not, just internalize the parts, relax, and externalize the playing with minimal thought... Minimize gear looking, focus on your real abilities and any possible issues (with you or the bass), and focus on those, and the music. Only. Don't think about the gear sitting unused, it'll be there. Just, one bass, music, and focus. TBH, this helped me avoid quitting bass at one point.


For me, this mindset creates a place where, not as into the distractions of different instruments or tones and searching through knobs and controls or catalogs and websites, I just... play the music. Almost a Zen state, where it's just there, even when it's not there... it's just becoming what it is. To me, this served to help me learn in a different way from the previous methods of rote repetition and surface level inspection.
...I don't know, but it's working for me.

I realized a while back exactly what I really "need to have" to make (most of) the music I hear in my head, and what I lack I can usually fake pretty well with what I have, so, I'm content with learning, and, hopefully growing, every day.
I'm trying... (at least I'm getting better at faking it).



edit- reading back I think I've been of little help.

I am thinking about bass because I think I have been thinking about bass too much, if that makes sense. Bass is a hobby I really enjoy, but it is indeed a hobby. It is not my career or vocation. It is also not where I am most gifted. I need to recalibrate and put music in its place. I believe I will enjoy it much more if I do that.

 

[filmtex]

Success is relative.
True success isn’t measured in terms of money or popularity.

I had a drummer roommate waaaaay back when I started playing bass who had a small plaque on his wall. It simply said: Success is living your life in your own way." Been doing my best to do that ever since and at 67 count my self pretty successful. I have very few regrets and plenty to be thankful for. I still play as many gigs as I can, five at least this month, and am finally building the recording studio I've wanted since as long as I can remember......

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Respectfully, maybe you're not thinking about bass too much... maybe you're thinking about basses too much.

I get that, and, I've been guilty of the same before. Notably, at these times I bought more and, tbh, created less successfully. After such a period is when it hit me that, the merry go round of acquisition wasn't for me... imo I was enjoying the having more than the using.
I would still play with enjoyment, and nothing's wrong with that, but the creative engagement wasn't the same for me as when it was more about the creativity than the cravings. It's part of why my active 5 string basses have been cased for a while, to just explore the maximum potential one relatively basic instrument can inspire from me.
My realization was, "I'd rather be a "better" player than have a "better" bass".


I know you are a player, I've seen your vids , maybe it's just a question of a different "bass focus"?

You said this, "My point is that I just find myself being more chill about my lessons and study. I suspect I will never be more that a church bassist except for an occasional gig elsewhere. I want to get better, but I am not going anywhere like a young player with ambition."

What's wrong with being a church bass player with ambition?
If your goals are to play bass in your church, better, then I'd advise choosing the one bass that you think would best serve your needs in that capacity, and then only play everything you play on that one bass. All the time, that one, and no thought of others. Church music or not. Plugged in and not, just internalize the parts, relax, and externalize the playing with minimal thought... Minimize gear looking, focus on your real abilities and any possible issues (with you or the bass), and focus on those, and the music. Only. Don't think about the gear sitting unused, it'll be there. Just, one bass, music, and focus. TBH, this helped me avoid quitting bass at one point.


For me, this attitude creates a place where, not as into the distractions of different instruments or tones and searching through knobs and controls or catalogs and websites, I just... play the music. Almost a Zen state, where it's just there, even when it's not there... it's just becoming what it is. To me, this served to help me learn in a different way from the previous methods of rote repetition and surface level inspection.
...I don't know, but it's working for me.

I realized a while back exactly what I really "need to have" to make (most of) the music I hear in my head, and what I lack I can usually fake pretty well with what I have, so, I'm content with learning, and, hopefully growing, every day.
I'm trying... (at least I'm getting better at faking it).

I agree that I worry about gear way too much, but I have honestly had to come to terms with the likelihood that my chops will probably not reach the level I would like. For example, I can play Jaco’s River People at maybe 80-85% of the tempo of the original. When I try to play at tempo, I give out in a minute or 90 seconds. Still, being able to comfortably at 80% of Jaco’s tempo is respectable, but my ego would love to see me be great.

As for playing only one bass, I think that makes a great deal of sense. Just about every player I really love had an extended period of focusing on one bass only.

 

[JRA]

Why not relax?
exactly! i see it as rhetorical. and there's no better alternative.

but TBH: i get really excited thinking about living long enough to play gigs again!

 

[JoshS]

Was this keeping you up at 3am, Doc?

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Was this keeping you up at 3am, Doc?

I had a bit of a SNAFU with assignments I gave in my online classes that I have been sorting out.

 

[JoshS]

I had a bit of a SNAFU with assignments I gave in my online classes that I have been sorting out.

Got it.
I have far less skill, talent, and experience than you, probably similar goals, and potentially a similar life expectancy given my cancer history. I don't have any input, but I have had similar thoughts. It doesn't keep me up at night because other things (like yourself, work) does.

 

[Killing Floor]

Music is a gift and there is a lot more to enjoy. So enjoy.
And if you are fortunate enough to share that gift in the form of recordings, church, concerts, seedy bar gigs, all the better.
But like any other aspect of your success, set your goals within reach. You have to "reach" to improve but there's already a Sklar and a Jaco and a Wooten and so on. So do what you need to do in manageable steps and don't compare to others. Anyone can improve, well, everyone but the Houston Texans.

 

[bass12]

I agree that I worry about gear way too much, but I have honestly had to come to terms with the likelihood that my chops will probably not reach the level I would like. For example, I can play Jaco’s River People at maybe 80-85% of the tempo of the original. When I try to play at tempo, I give out in a minute or 90 seconds. Still, being able to comfortably at 80% of Jaco’s tempo is respectable, but my ego would love to see me be great.

As for playing only one bass, I think that makes a great deal of sense. Just about every player I really love had an extended period of focusing on one bass only.

I once played “Teen Town” for a jury exam. I was not up to speed then and I have never nailed that tune the way it should be nailed. I realized a while back, however, that I’m just not a Jaco-type player. And speed is not something that comes easily to me nor is it something I’m particularly driven to improve. I’m not a great soloist and my chops aren’t going to blow anyone’s mind. But I listen well and I can make things work in a band setting. Right now I’m just enjoying refining the basics of good time and accuracy (a never ending pursuit I should think) and getting better on upright.

I think it‘s important to figure out what kind of player you really are at heart and to accept that - and then run with it. A lot of my bass heroes, it turns out, are not shredders.