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Question for bassists (actually, ALL musicians)
Posted on 3/3/26 at 10:59 am
Posted on 3/3/26 at 10:59 am
I’m retired now and also a widower. My doctor suggested that I pick up a hobby. I don’t have the patience to fish anymore and my back informed me that golf is not an option!
The biggest regret in my life was (until now) not learning to play an instrument. So now that I do have time, I decided that I will learn to play the bass! It’s been 3 months now and I’m actually enjoying it. My bass is a Squirer Jazz Bass. I’m taking weekly lessons.
My question? How long did it take for you to actually think “Hey, I think I’m competent enough to call myself an actual player now?”
The biggest regret in my life was (until now) not learning to play an instrument. So now that I do have time, I decided that I will learn to play the bass! It’s been 3 months now and I’m actually enjoying it. My bass is a Squirer Jazz Bass. I’m taking weekly lessons.
My question? How long did it take for you to actually think “Hey, I think I’m competent enough to call myself an actual player now?”
9
Posted on 3/3/26 at 11:13 am to Uatu
Well, I only hung out with musicians forever (a - not very good at that - drummer).
Then, I started playing bad, bad guitar about 25 years ago. Now, I play piano pretty horrifically.
#ButIenjoyit
Then, I started playing bad, bad guitar about 25 years ago. Now, I play piano pretty horrifically.
#ButIenjoyit
Posted on 3/3/26 at 11:14 am to Uatu
quote:
My question? How long did it take for you to actually think “Hey, I think I’m competent enough to call myself an actual player now?”
50 years of guitar and I say I'm still learning.
I started learning to fingerpick a few years ago and I get a lot of compliments around the guitar shops now, but to me, there's still too much that I can't do, that I really want to.
That's fine though, it's the journey and not the destination that counts. Just enjoy it and keep learning.
Posted on 3/3/26 at 12:02 pm to Uatu
quote:
How long did it take for you to actually think “Hey, I think I’m competent enough to call myself an actual player now?”
After about 6 months of weekly lessons and daily practice of the guitar, I found myself playing in a high school band with seniors who had played for years, while I was only a freshman. Although, I was relegated to bass. I wasn't near good enough to front as a straight up guitar player at the time, and the bass lines weren't too complicated, but I never fricked up, and that was really the important part.
I did grow up with a piano in the house, and played woodwinds in middle school band, so I wasn't a complete newbie to music, but new to the instrument.
This post was edited on 3/3/26 at 4:06 pm
Posted on 3/3/26 at 12:35 pm to Uatu
Interesting question because I was so young that I thought of myself as a player long before I was. Give yourself a goal. Pick a favorite song, one with a bit of difficulty, learn it start to finish, keep playing along with it until you nail it every time, and call yourself a player. Then, pick another song.
Posted on 3/3/26 at 1:16 pm to Uatu
Not to discourage, but years. It really depends on the time you put into it. Your learning will ramp up when you start playing with others. I would try to work on getting to that point as soon as you can. Don't wait until you've mastered that intro to Hysteria by Muse or learned a bunch of complex stuff. As soon as you can get though some basic three chord rock and blues songs, find a group of folks to play with. Learn the 1-4-5 blues. It is the easiest thing to learn on bass and it gets you into about a million songs.
Posted on 3/5/26 at 1:50 am to wareaglepete
quote:
Don't wait until you've mastered that intro to Hysteria by Muse or learned a bunch of complex stuff.
Playing Hysteria by Muse is so easy that an 11 year old can do it.
Posted on 3/5/26 at 11:08 pm to Uatu
Congrats dude! It’s never too late. I don’t know if there is a technical definition of what a player is. I would imagine if you could play a few songs with a full band without messing up that would qualify. But who really cares though? The most important thing is that you’re enjoying it.
Posted on 3/5/26 at 11:58 pm to TTB
Appreciate all the replies! My teacher, Dave, is a saint, and so patient with guiding me through the process. His main peccadillo, tho, is refusing to even mention the idea of using tabs. Now that I’m starting Month 4, I’m beginning to tackle walking bass lines. My first song was “Stand by Me” and I’m currently working on “Can’t Get Next To You”!
Here’s the song that, when I can actually play it, is the reason why I wanted to learn the bass in the first place:
George Duke, “T-Jam”
Here’s the song that, when I can actually play it, is the reason why I wanted to learn the bass in the first place:
George Duke, “T-Jam”
Posted on 3/6/26 at 3:33 pm to Uatu
It’s not the months or years,
It’s the minutes.
It’s the minutes.
Posted on 3/6/26 at 3:55 pm to Uatu
pete is right, the best, fastest way to improve your skills is to play with others
i was in a “serious” band in college, but even then i felt like i made way too many mistakes to consider myself “good”
plunked around at home occasionally for the next 40 years, never really feeling like i was capable of getting better, until i hooked up with some gifted friends who needed a bassist
After dozens of actual paying gigs in front of real audiences, and many hours of rehearsals, all of a sudden i feel like a legit musician for the first time in my life
i was in a “serious” band in college, but even then i felt like i made way too many mistakes to consider myself “good”
plunked around at home occasionally for the next 40 years, never really feeling like i was capable of getting better, until i hooked up with some gifted friends who needed a bassist
After dozens of actual paying gigs in front of real audiences, and many hours of rehearsals, all of a sudden i feel like a legit musician for the first time in my life
Posted on 3/7/26 at 7:06 pm to FearlessFreep
quote:
pete is right, the best, fastest way to improve your skills is to play with others
And it’s more than just getting better. It’s a blast! Bass player not meant to play by self.
(Unless woman gone out of town)
Posted on 3/9/26 at 10:41 am to Uatu
If you're taking lessons and practicing on your own, you'll be able to hold it down on easy stuff within 6 months. I've been playing almost 30 years now, and the key is to never stop learning. You're either developing technique or expanding your brain (learning the fretboard, understanding odd times, etc).
Bass is 100% feel and time. If you have any friends that play, pick 15-20 easy songs and jam with them. If not, one of my favorite things to do on a Friday night is to crack a cold one, put on a youtube list of 90s rock/alternative, and just play along with whatever comes on.
There is no better time in the history of humanity to start playing an instrument with the increased accessibility of good quality gear and free knowledge/videos.
Bass is 100% feel and time. If you have any friends that play, pick 15-20 easy songs and jam with them. If not, one of my favorite things to do on a Friday night is to crack a cold one, put on a youtube list of 90s rock/alternative, and just play along with whatever comes on.
There is no better time in the history of humanity to start playing an instrument with the increased accessibility of good quality gear and free knowledge/videos.
Posted on 3/9/26 at 1:15 pm to Uatu
quote:
My question? How long did it take for you to actually think “Hey, I think I’m competent enough to call myself an actual player now?”
I played for several years when I was younger (trombone) and thought I was pretty good for a few of those years.
Then we had a kid come into the school who was a damned prodigy and I was content to realize HE was the player; I was doing it more as a hobby.
But that's the attitude of a teenager. As an adult, I think you're a player when you're willing to dedicate your time and energy to improving.
When I retire I'm thinking of learning something like guitar or fiddle. I've got a ways to go before I hit that age though.
Posted on 3/9/26 at 8:07 pm to FearlessFreep
quote:
pete is right, the best, fastest way to improve your skills is to play with others
i was in a “serious” band in college, but even then i felt like i made way too many mistakes to consider myself “good”
This is a great point.
Once I felt like I hit a stagnation in my learning, thought I was as good as I was ever going to get, I was invited to join a band with some musicians a lot better than me. Being in a room with them for hours at a time, writing and rehearsing, and playing live around Athens, absolutely pushed me to be better than what I thought my ceiling was. I had played in bands before, but I was usually the best person in the room. When I got to join a band where I was the shittiest person in the room, it really improved my skills exponentially.
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