HowieBass Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 According to this BBC News story http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-29117849 only 5% of children are playing electric bass, bottom of the list of instruments; even less popular than percussion at 6%, electric guitar at 13% and drums at 14%! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 (edited) Probably should be grateful that some of them are learning a proper instrument at all and not simply aspiring to being rich and famous for no discernable reason. And as there were 700,000 births in the UK last year, 5% is a very significant number! Edited September 15, 2014 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyfisher Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 I would have guessed it was less than 5% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 No surprise really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 (edited) I would imagine that far fewer kids are taking up any instrument these days as the vast majority of modern music isn't played on live instruments... Edited September 15, 2014 by CamdenRob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblueplanet Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 I would imagine the bass is the least likely instrument a school would invest in so it's no surprise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuNkShUi Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 Is that 5% of the total number of children? Or 5% of the children who play music, play bass? Im guessing its 5% of the children who play a musical instrument, play bass? Not overly surprised at that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 Looking at my diary..... there are too many bass players out there already!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coilte Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 (edited) [quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1410779698' post='2552930'] , electric guitar at 13% [/quote] I'm sure some of this percentage will transfer over to bass because they think it is "easier"...after all.. only four strings...generally !! Edited September 15, 2014 by Coilte Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 [i]Only[/i] 1 in 20... actually, I think that's a fairly healthy proportion myself! Seems fairly comparable to when I first picked up a bass in the late 80s. I had 20+ friends and I was the only bass player amongst them. There are perhaps even more distractions around today - certainly more avenues for getting involved in music - and perhaps more competition for picking up a guitar from aspects of music such as DJing and software-based songwriting. So yeah, 5% sounds healthy to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted September 15, 2014 Author Share Posted September 15, 2014 [quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1410780659' post='2552953'] Is that 5% of the total number of children? Or 5% of the children who play music, play bass? Im guessing its 5% of the children who play a musical instrument, play bass? Not overly surprised at that. [/quote] It's not overly clear according to the story but I think it's 5% of those who play any instrument at all; so there are nearly three times as many young drummers as there are bass players. We have been warned... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfretrock Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 [quote] Keyboard 30% Piano 28% Electric Guitar 13% Bass Guitar 5% [/quote] Ideal ratios for future Lynyrd Sknyrd-Thin Lizzie-Wishbone Ash-Iron Maiden, I'd say. It's those keyboards that worry me! But seroiusly, is it possible to get a reasonably priced good quality short scale bass? Nowt worse to put a beginner off than a bad instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fretbuzz Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 A guy bought a 3/4 off me last week to give to his 8 year old step daughter who was using his bass so that's one more bass player :-) my kid hung it around his neck Christmas Day 2012 and that was it...he is a drummer though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 innit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 Perhaps it's because on most modern recordings, it's been reduced to a dull, lifeless thump with no definition. Maybe less are taking it up, as they probably can't hear it, and don't know what it actually does! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBus Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 [quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1410783196' post='2553011'] Perhaps it's because on most modern recordings, it's been reduced to a dull, lifeless thump with no definition. [/quote] Ah, a P bass with flats on. Scuse me while I just duck below this wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 It's not really that surprising though, is it? The electric bass still has a sense of 'demotion' about it, especially with high school age kids.It's still often seen as the easy option for those that suck at guitar, especially with those who are interested in rock and pop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 I'm not really surprised by this either But then, if 90% of kids learned the bass - there'd be too many around, wouldn't there? I wonder what the percentage has been over the years? Similar I guess..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 Don't encourage them. The lack of bass players means that an old fart with minimal technical ability like myself can still find places in exciting bands! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1410785188' post='2553049'] Don't encourage them. The lack of bass players means that an old fart with minimal technical ability like myself can still find places in exciting bands! [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fumps Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 So the BBC have confirmed that the kids playing bass will be very bloody busy later in life. Jammy buggers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Coffee Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 (edited) I started my older son at the age of 7 Bought him a Westfield junior bass and let him get on with it. He took a week to play the riff of smoke on the water. This august past he was playing double bass in a huge orchestra at the Menin gate in Belgium for the world war 1 centenary and is at college studying it now too. Who'd want to play guitar or keys with lots of strings when you can shake the earth just fine with four, or five as he is now on to. Other son is drums mad and he is only three.... Edited September 15, 2014 by bassman344 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 [quote name='bassman344' timestamp='1410801182' post='2553328'] I started my older son at the age of 7 Bought him a Westfield junior bass and let him get on with it. He took a week to play the riff of smoke on the water. This august past he was playing double bass in a huge orchestra at the Menin gate in Belgium for the world war 1 centenary and is at college studying it now too. Who'd want to play guitar or keys with lots of strings when you can shake the earth just fine with four, or five as he is now on to. Other son is drums mad and he is only three.... [/quote] Blimey, that's an age gap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBunny Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 [quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1410779698' post='2552930'] According to this BBC News story [url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-29117849"]http://www.bbc.co.uk...cation-29117849[/url] only 5% of children are playing electric bass, bottom of the list of instruments; even less popular than percussion at 6%, electric guitar at 13% and drums at 14%! [/quote] Ah but the BBC haven't given the full picture. The full article, as printed in a number of todays papers, shows the situation in 1999 as well. Then the number of kids playing electric bass was 0%, so the figures are an improvement. Wish i could find the whole chart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnm93 Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 I think we should seek out these 5%ers and take them to gigs. Without their parents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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