What's the general standard of player who reads Basschat?

[Marvin]

I'm crap. There you are, I said it

[lou24d53]

[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1426697716' post='2720972']
The problem I have, if it is a problem at all, is I have a good ear. Although this is great for beginning to learn and when I was a nipper, and means I can get a tune out of almost anything, it also means I've never really bothered to learn any theory- so, if I do decide to 'go for a wander' in a song, I don't have the knowledge to get back where I was!
[/quote]

Cameltoe has summed it up better than I. This has been me pretty much since I started playing!

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

The player I could've been , and the player I am . Good topic by Lou . I learned mainly unorthodox methods. I couldn't find a bass teacher initially. I phoned up a person advertising something in sounds magazine ' you don't need lessons for bass!' Yep I was told that, in the age of telephone calls.
I learned a few bits by a scale book, A few bits from American gutar books, Hot licks video eventually a proper tutor who got me unstuck from my plateau.

The main person who helped me was( and still is) ,a sh@t hot guitarist who I used to work with. Not in the same job, but in the same building.
One of my best friends. He used to either visit me once a week after work, show me some cool metal stuff to learn( plus some theory), I'd give him a 5'er and after I cooked him grub, we 'd be playing for hours. Sometimes it was in his house. Some people say you shouldn't take bass lessons from a guitarist.
He got me playing my first birthday gig at 30 in front of200 people, I did quite a few of those. Living in a big house with a big family meant that , I just learned root notes to begin with, and always had my stereo turned up high so I could hear the song I'm playing. Now of course, I turn down & listen for fills etc.

Trouble with my playing at the beginning ,is that I was either frightened of hitting the wrong notes( I am les Dawson),or I got excited about slapping and tapping and was trying to do too much. I was very tense( not in my personality). The body needs to be relaxed and with age and hindsight , I know it wasn't.
Then work,and a busy social life got in the way . Didn't start playing bass till late teens/early'20s.
Considering my age now,and what pt I could've done I should've beenn sight reading/ regular gigger/regular recordingetc. Instead, I'm just a hobbyist.

[Der JD]

I would consider myself a hobbyist at the intermediate level, though I do play every week in a band at a small church.

My story is similar to yours. I've been playing for about 25 years but there has been a few hiatuses (mainly from switching back and forth from bass to guitar). I've always had a good ear and I find it easy to learn songs that way. I always just memorized the basslines without really thinking about what I was playing in terms of key, note choice, what note I was playing, chords, etc.

I've known a small amount of theory but always had difficulty applying it until just recently. I always concentrated on shapes (especially scale shapes), which never really got me anywhere. Looking back, I think I reached a plateau when I was young and haven't made very many jumps from that plateau since. The jumps I have made have been small.

Just recently, I've started thinking about things differently. Thinking about playing in terms of intervals, chords, and chord tones has opened up a new world to me. Instead of just memorizing the bassline when learning a song or flying through scale patterns when improvising, I'm thinking "what's the chord progression, what are the chord tones, what key is this in, what scales fit?" Focusing on these things and knowing the intervals on the fretboard has helped me to better understand how to create more interesting basslines, know the notes on the fretboard, and be confident all over the fretboard. I still have a long way to go. These things only come with a ton of practice, but at least I'm moving on to a new level.

Sometimes you just need a fresh perspective when it comes to learning things. If your current ways aren't working you have to search for new ways. What works for one person may not work for another.

[KiOgon]

Me - hobbyist, amateur & has been, all rolled into one played since 1 was 14 so that's 50 years on & off, last gigged in '76 before a lot of you's was even a twinkle count me out on the technical stuff, I play by ear - can pick almost anything up after a listen & play along or three. I used to say it keeps my fingers moving & helps stop the arthritis from seizing me up, but lately it's getting harder - just a few minutes playing does me still love it though

[madshadows]

I'd class myself as a beginner still but I think I'm gradually improving

John

[stingrayPete1977]

Weekend warrior for me

[Oopsdabassist]

Def a bit of a weekend warrior me, been playing about 11 years, got into my 1st band after about 3 months, and was ok unless they changed key or summat nasty like adding an extra verse on the night. been in about 5 bands in that time just pub gigs and the odd festival. Almost always covers so easy to find and learn songs up front. The few originals songs I've had input have been fun to do, but baffling for me, knowing what works and what doesn't...and when to stop tinkering!!

I love playing but hate sitting at home on my own, so I'm incredibly lazy and usually learn songs 'just in time' for next rehearsal, plus there always seems to be something else that needs doing

All in all I love it and don't plan on stopping anytime this millenium!!

[spectoremg]

I have low standards which I consistently fail to live up to. I CAN however play the entire U2 back catalogue

[Marillionred]

Self-taught late-learner middle-aged Weekend Warrior here, all present and incorrect!

I enjoy posts from players of all levels of ability.
Vive la difference :-)

[Roger2611]

I look up to him and I look down on him...I know my place in the world!

I guess I am not bad, I can usually work out the bassline to anything I want to play, I have long since decided that Pino Paladino is a better player than me and trying to play exactly like him just ain't going to happen.

[paul h]

Been playing 25 years.

Still sh*t.

[Skol303]

I'm a hobbyist and really quite crap, playing-wise

Takes me multiple takes to 'nail' anything I choose to record. But I consider it all good practice.

"It's the journey not the destination".

...unless you're on a crowded EasyJet flight to Malaga. In which case the destination probably can't arrive soon enough.

Edited March 18, 2015 by Skol303

[Lord Sausage]

I am an absolute f***ing genius and modest to a fault!

[timmo]

I`m pretty awful to be honest

[lojo]

I'm pretty good at what I do, but what I do is play covers in mainly low end functions. I've no real desire to do anything other than hold down the low end and replicate classic bass parts (geek style) whilst playing in a band at lively parties.

[BILL POSTERS]

I been playing since 73, but have had long periods 'resting' one of them almost 15 years.

Its all relative though I reckon. I have never had a lesson, dont read books about it, know very little theory, dont read and dont have a very good ear. But I have met a good few Bass players who describe themselves as professionals that aint been all that, and have replaced one or two in bands and they haven't been missed. There have been periods where it was my only income, but I wasnt making much.

Rarely been to try out for bands without getting the gig. Never been kicked out or eased out due to not being up to the job. But to be honest I dont reckon I'm good.

I have been told I have a good feel for it, but I'm just winging it most of the time.

Edited March 18, 2015 by BILL POSTERS

[jezzaboy]

I don`t slap, pop or any of that stuff, not very technical either but have always played in covers bands when I want to. I play in an acdc tribute band and being Cliff Williams suits me down to the ground!

I wish I was a better player, as do most of us on here I imagine but I only play music I like, with people I like and the guys and gals I play with seem happy with what I do so, what the heck.

And I can also play most of the U2 tunes

Edited March 18, 2015 by jezzaboy

[lowdowner]

Great topic - i've thought about this in the past.

I've been playing for about 4 to 5 years, have gigged a bit, but also taken some break (18 months lately to learn to play drums which I'm jamming with a band at the moment with). I can read music and learn a bass line with a bit of effort (I can't just pick up and read a score without thinking and practicing, I can't just play along by ear).

I think that technical ability, and music theory understanding, are very different from musicality though. There have been some people who I've seen pick up and instrument and within a short period just sound... well.. musical. I don't think this is innate - I think it's about exposure to and feeling music and we can all do that with enough time and feeling.

I'd like to be 'good' at being musical (even if that's just basic bass lines) rather than being technical.

[brucew]

Good question, & probably a question that most of us have asked ourselves . . ' how good a bassist am i . . actually ' lve been gigging 34 years since i was 17, done a fair bit of dep work, my strong points are a decent ear, my experience & the ability to think on my feet. l would say im a 6 out of 10, taking 10 as being the world greatest player ! whoever that may be, l say this from being lucky enough to have played with a few pro's who had decent chart success. lts a good way gauge your ability if your ever lucky enough to find yourself in such company, but you have to be honest to yourself. Whilst on one a dep job l knew that the drummer (also a dep) probably found me a bit limited, body language etc, he was a very good session player & i felt he had to play to my limitations. Thats the only time i've felt like that, it was'nt very nice but l took it on the chin, don't get me wrong, he was friendly enough, we had good eye contact & it was a good gig, l kept it plain & simple all night, nothing off the cuff, would'nt want to play like that on a regular basis, all part ot the learnig curve i guess.

[Hobbayne]

Reasonably competent I suppose, but lazy. I rarely venture outside my comfort zone. I had to learn 'Get The Funk Out' recently and tied my fingers up in knots and ended up going for a lie down.

[Bassassin]

I dunno. How do you measure ability/competence?

I've been playing about 37 years, am completely self-taught, for about 90% of my musical life have played exclusively my own original compositions, broadly in the rock/metal/prog genres. but I've also played varied covers sets fairly well, I'm not much cop at slap because I haven't seriously played in that style for about 30 years, not great on fretless because I don't use it very often in my compositions, so I don't practice it.

I suppose I feel I could hold my own in most bands, playing most styles, given time & headspace to learn/rehearse a set. I'm a rubbish improviser but that's not a discipline that's been important in any of my musical endeavours. Given the opportunity I'd play full-time, but like most people life has tended to get in the way of the few opportunities that have come my way. For a couple of years in the mid 90s, I was in 2 bands & making a living (of sorts) from the covers gigs one of the bands was doing - that's the closest I realistically got.

These days my current band, which has existed since about 2000, is pretty much exclusively a recording project. I do miss playing live but am also appreciating the musical freedom of not having to compose/arrange music with a view to it being having to be performed in a specific & restrictive way.

But as for "how good am I?" - good enough to play what I want to play. Fortunately, it's not a competition!

Jon.

[Tullfan]

By far the best player in my house!


.....at the moment!
....Weekend Worrier !

Edited March 19, 2015 by Tullfan

[SimonEdward]

I think of me as a musician - with a day job. A little pretentious - perhaps but I know (low down) I'm an enthusiastic amateur.

This.
[quote name='lou24d53' timestamp='1426686039' post='2720763']
When I started, I never for a moment thought I would still be playing now that I am in my 40's. Basically, I never actually bothered to LEARN the bass. I picked up and tinkered to the extent that I taught myself shapes and patterns. I taught myself to play via muscle memory, which is exactly the same method I use today. I probably should feel an element of shame in that comment, but I can assure you I certainly do not lose sleep over it...

It's a hobby for me, one I thoroughly enjoy granted, but one where I know, accept and am content about my abilities and limitations.
[/quote]

And this.
[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1426689252' post='2720817']
All sorts. It is like any pyramid of ability. More people at the bottom, fewer at the top and a gradient in between. There are absolute ('I have had a bass three weeks; which end do I blow into') beginners through to major pros. The level of playing is equally varied. The art is to understand who has the most sensible and mature answers to any questions. Remember, good teachers are not necessarily great players and great players are not necessarily good teachers. What you get here is a wide variety of opinions and abilities and, by trawling through each thread, you get a concensus. It is always interesting to hear what people on here are doing but it is also important to recognise when what you are seeing is someone's party piece not their basic level of competence. In truth, there are plenty of people on here who are better than most of us and plenty who are worse. It doesn't matter.
[/quote]

This is me > http://infinitybass.com/faq/

[TimR]

A lot of playing is a confidence thing.

Couple that with a desire to improve and a willingness to put yourself into situations that will test you and you'll always be improving.

I've played some pretty horrendous bad notes in some pretty big venues. Nobody died.

"That which does not kill us makes us stronger."

.

Edited March 18, 2015 by TimR