How did you learn?

Gerry

Gerry

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I didn't think I needed lessons when I started playing 6 years ago as I was just killing time with a broken leg. The fact I'm here with you all shows how I feel about it now. So I met someone who said "not bad", but he could help me improove my playing but said I would have to be willing to start over since I have developed bad habbits with both hands! :oops: So now twice a week I'll be "learning properly" Gulp..(swallowing pride) whatever, I just want to play well. So I'm wondering, how did you learn?
 
I started playing bass about seven years ago.

I played the stuff from internet; tabs of songs I like. At a certain point I felt I wasn't progressing, so I took some lessons like three years ago. Awesome. I learned some basic exercises and some theory....................I definitely improved a lot since then. Hey, you can only gain knowledge and skills from learning from others right ??

Cheers. :D
 
I would offer that whether you learn the 'right' way or the 'wrong' way, you still learn the 'hard' way. There is no 'easy' way. There's no shame in starting over again. It mostly shows your commitment to doing something you love.

Your time was not wasted. Even though you'll be working a lot on retraining your hands, your ears will still work for you. They have likely learned a lot in six years. They will still help you along.

Technique will not just help you play better, but longer as well. Perhaps a lifetime. Musicians use their hands in ways that most people can't. Using the wrong technique can rob years of a musical life from you especially if you blow your tendons.

I started over again too. Now, forty years later, I'm still at it and going strong. I applaud your decision. See it through.

O
 
I started three and a half years ago with a teacher that more or less only played classical guitar. He taught the fundamentals and I played a lot of stuff from tabs and just playing with some friends. Nothing really seemed to develop and last year I joined an orchestra, necessitating my need to improve my sight reading. Earlier this year I played in a jazz group. My sight reading isn't great and nor is my improving, but you only learn by playing; so what you've learned may just be "poor" technique, but you've still learned a lot about music!
 
This is all very helpfull and encouraging. Fortunately, I'm not completely useless with a bass guitar but the main issues seem to be spreading out my fingers on the left hand (I tend to jump around a lot) this prevents me from playing as clean as I should, and alternating fingers on the right religiously to reduce effort and gain speed. So far I'm doing exercises for both. So for now I'll pass on the gig until I'm more comfortable and I'll be working hard.
 
Did the same thing Gerry.

I started out teaching myself learned it all the "wrong" way and then turned around and learned it all the "right" way. Go for it, its a hard thing to do but its worth it.
 
I've been playing for dacades, but now want to get some books. I learned by playing songs, but it would be great to learn some more formal stuff.
 
I learnt by working out basslines to songs (after I got adept at 'hearing' them) and practicing left hand technique from the start. I had a really duff bass so strong fingers and clean technique were the order of the day! I also had some great exposure to bassist music through a friend of mine and his incredibly musical family.

After I'd been playing for a few years I did a one day a week bass course at Basstech in London and didn't learn much, other than how to read music which I've since forgotten. However it did help me believe in myself more and that I was actually not a bad bassplayer so started looking for a band.

One of the things that really changed my playing and understanding was recording a cover version on a mates 4 track. At that point I had no concept of playing 'tight' and hearing that recording drove the point home :( So I focussed on locking in with the drums and concentrating on playing tight and 'the groove'.

G
 
Puh - I'm not sure WHY I learned bass.
I was about 14 years old i think - but there was no band in sight. I did it only because... i wanted somehow to. Listened a lot to RATM and maybe they were the cause. And because my whole family is rather unmusicallyformed I had to do some persuasion.

Then, when i got my bass, I was really keen in learning. Had one book and one friend playing bass (pretty bad) - he showed my rudiments in technique (~ 10mins) and the rest of the year i studied with my book.
Afterwarts I was able to play almost every lick in this book, plus almost any RATM Song and a lot of Mighty Mighty Bosstones-Songs. My slapping was okay but not sensational.
So I decided to go for a checkup, i.e. lessons for some time. My teacher told me that my technique is quite okay - some stuff in lefthand technique was straightened out and the rest was an excursus throughout music history (Beatles and CCR to Jamiroquai). I decided to quit after one year.
I joined a BigBand which forced me to read a lot of notes (yeah - in fact their songs were only available as sheet music ;) ) - I was able due to my lessons, but pretty bad at it - and still am.

And I think up to today, I think I'm still learning it ;)
Know rudiments in double thump, tapping (but i don't like it really) and chordplaying - and just now I'm trying to grow into those things.
 
boebl said:
Puh - I'm not sure WHY I learned bass.
I was about 14 years old i think - but there was no band in sight. I did it only because... i wanted somehow to. Listened a lot to RATM and maybe they were the cause. And because my whole family is rather unmusicallyformed I had to do some persuasion.

Then, when i got my bass, I was really keen in learning. Had one book and one friend playing bass (pretty bad) - he showed my rudiments in technique (~ 10mins) and the rest of the year i studied with my book.
Afterwarts I was able to play almost every lick in this book, plus almost any RATM Song and a lot of Mighty Mighty Bosstones-Songs. My slapping was okay but not sensational.
So I decided to go for a checkup, i.e. lessons for some time. My teacher told me that my technique is quite okay - some stuff in lefthand technique was straightened out and the rest was an excursus throughout music history (Beatles and CCR to Jamiroquai). I decided to quit after one year.
I joined a BigBand which forced me to read a lot of notes (yeah - in fact their songs were only available as sheet music ;) ) - I was able due to my lessons, but pretty bad at it - and still am.

And I think up to today, I think I'm still learning it ;)
Know rudiments in double thump, tapping (but i don't like it really) and chordplaying - and just now I'm trying to grow into those things.
Click to expand...
Being forced to sight read music is the only way to learn! I tried learning it by myself and there was no sentiment to play the rhythms totally correct... When a band is counting on you, you get your act together
 
I was given a homemade bass at 15, this was 1988 i think. I was into U2 then so everything I played was U2. Basically I played bass to the records of the bands I was into at the time. Lessons were out of the question! And that's how I kind of learned. Many years later I still learn stuff the same way. I don't have much technique really, I guess I'm just a standard/average bassist tho I do like playing slapping stuff at home just for pleasure and my neighbors delight!
Since the start bass has been my life really. And I have benefited so much from playing in gigging bands constantly since I was 17. I think this kind of experience is priceless.
One thing is certain. You never stop learning, ever!

Being into music is fantastic and no matter how good you play is irrelevant. If you enjoy it thats all that matters! :D
 
i picked up the guitar when i was 12, after 6 years of violin...i took like 4 lessons at school, then i started playing by myself listening to my favourite music. one year later some friends were in need of a bass player so i promptly sold the guitar and bought a 4 string Fernandes :D

as bigthumb73 said, being always in a band helped my playing a LOT, also because i've never taken a single bass lesson in my life (even if i know i would improve a lot knowing some techniques)..but for now the internet, the books, and my cds have done their job 8)
 
Oh yeah - Gerry Warwick.....forgot to say congrats on being open to taking some pointers and tuition. Hopefully you'll get even more out of your playing soon :)
 
I'm still learning. 7 years into it I've had no lessons, but I've figured out quite alot on my own. Although playing with other people helped me the most up until now.
 
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