Stoatbringer Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Hi... I'm getting on a bit (49!) and a few years ago suffered a brain aneurysm which left me with a few memory problems. Anyways.. it was suggested to me that I take up an instrument to help my brain and help stave off possible dementia and after a few weeks of thinking about it I've decided to take up the bass. Anyone got any advice on how to get started? Are there any good bass teachers in the Bromsgrove/Worcestershire are? I was looking to get a Steinberger XT-2. Is it a sensible enough choice for a first instrument? What are the chances of scoring one second hand and where should I be looking for one? Is a small practice amp going to be all I need for a while or do I load up a combo amp on my credit card? Are there any other "must have" items I need to budget for? Any help or advice would be gratefully appreciated. Any abuse and wragging will also be welcome as long as it's funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Lessons, at least to start with are a great idea. Maybe have a look on the music teachers UK website for one near to you. One of my students is 79, so proof that you're never too old. He loves his lessons and playing stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 I didn't start on bass till I was 40 so why not? You can pick up a lot online. Avoid the YouTube show-offs, stick with the likes of [url="http://www.scottsbasslessons.com/"]Scott Devine[/url]. [url="http://www.studybass.com/"]Study Bass[/url] is good if you want to learn the theory too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coilte Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 I agree with ambient about getting a teacher and about never being too old to learn. A teacher will get you off to a good start. Otherwise it is hard for a beginner to know where to start. One thing I'd advise you not to neglect is good (as in [u]safe) [/u] technique. This will enable you to not only play to the best of your potential, but to do so with minimum chances of injury. Here is a link from "Talkbass" with lots of information for beginners. Best of luck with it. https://www.talkbass.com/threads/how-to-get-started.1098564/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twincam Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 I think it's a great idea to take up the bass. No lessons in my view needed although it does take longer to learn and its harder depending on how musical you are and how well/fast you learn, but it may be of benefit to you get your brain really working. There's YouTube vids, online info, books, basschat etc etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coilte Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 (edited) [quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1471974779' post='3117408'] There's YouTube vids, [/quote] The set back with You Tube as far as a complete beginner is concerned is that there are very few lessons that work chronologically, i.e. start basic and build from there. Most You Tube lessons are "one offs" because nothing comes before or after. A beginner is inclined to pick a clip he likes and then later on, find that he can't go any further, because he has not done the ground work first. You Tube, while it has it's uses, does not give a complete beginner any guidance on where to start or how to progress. It is simply a lottery...jump in anywhere ( a lot of times a beginner will jump in way out of his/her depth) and hope for the best. Not a good way to start IMO. OP for great chronological lessons, go to the study guide here, and start at the beginning. http://www.studybass.com/study-guide/ Edited August 23, 2016 by Coilte Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 If you have chosen the bass from all the possible instruments then your brain is working just fine, good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josie Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Good for you Stoat, and welcome! It's never too late - I started at 59. My teacher is planning to start classes specifically for older learners. I would advise finding a good teacher, he or she will structure your learning, and encourage you and keep you motivated through the slumps that happen to all of us. Also, get a bass guitar you really love, even if you have to stretch your budget. You won't be able to walk into a random guitar shop and shred, but hold a few, cuddle them, sit with them in your lap and feel if they fit your body, stand with them on a strap and feel if they balance. See the thread on buying your first bass: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/8009-buying-your-first-bass/ Do go for second hand, if possible with good advice, and a small practice amp will be plenty. The early stages of learning and practicing require a lot of repetition, which will help bed things into your memory. Try playing along with songs you know well, that will be another support framework. Stick to slow ones though and very simplified versions of the basslines - look up the chord progressions and do no more than a few root notes to start with. Once those are bedded in, add a few 5ths, and gradually build up when the foundations are solid. Best wishes on your journey! Let us know how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinnyman Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 I started 7 years ago at the tender age of 51 with no prior musical knowledge. I'm now in my second band and whilst I always loved music, I've found that playing an instrument has given me a completely new perspective. Along with everyone else, I'd strongly recommend a teacher. I started with a very simple book that explained all the bits of the instrument and showed me how to play a major scale so that when I went to my first lesson I at least knew how to make a noise. A practise amp will do fine and I'd suggest getting hold of a decent budget bass to get you started and then get something you really like once you've proved to yourself that you're going to stick with it. The Steinberger is a great little bass but it's a bit idiosyncratic and I found the absence of a headstock really off putting - my concern is that you'd get used to not having one and then find it hard to adjust to a "normal" bass. But there are loads of really good budget basses out there and the Steinberger is certainly one of them. If you get a fraction of the satisfaction that I've had form playing a bass, you'll love it. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1471973349' post='3117389'] I didn't start on bass till I was 40 so why not? You can pick up a lot online. Avoid the YouTube show-offs, stick with the likes of [url="http://www.scottsbasslessons.com/"]Scott Devine[/url]. [url="http://www.studybass.com/"]Study Bass[/url] is good if you want to learn the theory too. [/quote] There's clearly no hope for me. I started at 50. JapanAxe is right on the money. The SBL academy video lessons are good and worth the investment. Their forum (campus) is full of Scott adoration and teens. I keep clear of there these days, but the videos are useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoatbringer Posted August 24, 2016 Author Share Posted August 24, 2016 [quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1471977403' post='3117437'] If you have chosen the bass from all the possible instruments then your brain is working just fine, good luck [/quote] Saw Japan in the 80s. Mick Karn was playing a Steinberger and looked cool as feck. I guess that image stayed with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 Started on my 49th birthday using 'Crash Course In Bass' by Basschatter Stuart Clayton. Like all the best tuition books, it makes NO assumptions about your musical ability or knowledge, and simply takes you step by step from your first notes to some reasonably advanced stuff. I really would not start with a Steinberger, no matter how cool it looks! As a complete beginner you will be spending a lot of time playing while sitting down, and that is not a good lap bass. Plenty of time to buy one later, but I recommend starting on something far more conventional. The default option is a Fender Precision or a copy of one or a cheap copy of a copy of one. Someone will be along in a minute to recommend a Fender Jazz instead. I don't agree but it doesn't matter - they're both great designs which will be more than enough to get you started. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorR Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 (edited) Yes, a Steinberger is cool as hell but not necessarily comfy to play. A Precision or Jazz type copy plus a small bass practice amp combo should be sufficient to get you started. On, and a good tuner like a "Snark" (yes, really Google it) or Polytune clip on tuner. Some systemic beginner lesson in whatever form would be good to help you get the basics under your fingers would be god too. I came across this online a while back. Probably a bit old fashioned in the YouTube age but it covers many basics... [url="http://www.wheatsbassbook.com"]http://www.wheatsbassbook.com[/url] Edited August 24, 2016 by TrevorR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 [size=3]Jack's point is very valid. I would further add that if most of your playing will be in the sitting position, then a Precision is definitely preferable to a Jazz.[/size] [size=3]Best of luck with it and hope it helps in your recovery.[/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 [quote name='Stoatbringer' timestamp='1471972625' post='3117380'] Hi... I'm getting on a bit (49!) and a few years ago suffered a brain aneurysm which left me with a few memory problems. Anyways.. it was suggested to me that I take up an instrument to help my brain and help stave off possible dementia and after a few weeks of thinking about it I've decided to take up the bass. Anyone got any advice on how to get started? Are there any good bass teachers in the Bromsgrove/Worcestershire are? I was looking to get a Steinberger XT-2. Is it a sensible enough choice for a first instrument? What are the chances of scoring one second hand and where should I be looking for one? Is a small practice amp going to be all I need for a while or do I load up a combo amp on my credit card? Are there any other "must have" items I need to budget for? Any help or advice would be gratefully appreciated. Any abuse and wragging will also be welcome as long as it's funny. [/quote] Welcome Stoatbringer! Great name. I returned to bass late in life having flirted with it in my youth. You might find that posting this in the Introduction section may help. I got my Steiny XT25 for about two hundred and fifty quid from Digital Village's (now defunct) website a couple of years ago. They dropped their price to match Thomann's price online. I had a 12 watt Marshall bass practice combi but never thought much of it. For another hundred and sixty quid I got a new 65 watt Laney combo with a 12 inch speaker. I would recommend no less than that wattage even if you never take your guitar out of the bedroom. There are some frighteningly powerful compact combis out there that would outperform mine and all. Oh, get a tuner that you can plug in line and learn to tune up silently. You will be making enough of a row at first without persecuting everyone around you whilst tuning up. Heeheehee, good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 [quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1471975519' post='3117417'] The set back with You Tube as far as a complete beginner is concerned is that there are very few lessons that work chronologically, i.e. start basic and build from there. [/quote] That's a good point. For myself, I had a head start in my twenties so take my following comment from that standpoint. In addition, having difficulties with authority figures I can't really get on too well with tutors. It would take a really special one for me to feel comfortable. Yooboob is excellent for getting ideas however. People unashamedly show how good or bad they are so you can learn from the mistakes of others just as well as by making your own. Sometimes you get isolated bass tracks of well known arrangements that give an insight to ensemble playing that is hard to appreciate otherwise. The free taster lessons as you say are not part of a structured curriculum (until you subscribe paid or otherwise) but they can be educational just the same if you stretch yourself. My eyesight has deteriorated to the point where I can study tab or dots given a lot of time to do so but I can't sight read so I use my time to suit me rather than lock into a schedule of lessons. I am not recommending the "grasshopper" approach you understand, merely saying that it is a means to make progress in the direction I want to go more easily. I would say that with a view to recovering from memory problems structured lessons are highly suitable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 [quote name='Skinnyman' timestamp='1472023293' post='3117675'] The Steinberger is a great little bass but it's a bit idiosyncratic and I found the absence of a headstock really off putting - my concern is that you'd get used to not having one and then find it hard to adjust to a "normal" bass. [/quote] I have little difficulty in switching back and forth between headless and standard. You get used to it and adapt. As Josie said however, Try some different instruments out on a strap if you can before you decide. Neck dive can be an issue with many instruments so choose a body shape that works well for your posture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoatbringer Posted August 29, 2016 Author Share Posted August 29, 2016 Thanks for all the advice..... I'm about to go pickup a Squire bass and practice amp. A gig bag and a snark tuner, lead and a strap is on order. Also booked up for some lessons starting Friday. I'll give it ten weeks of lessons and see if I either catch the bug or not. If I do then I'll invest in some better kit. If not then I'll try something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 I'll give my usual, cheery, encouragement, then... It's the first forty years that are the hardest, after which things tend, sometimes, to get (slightly...) better. I doubt you'll be [i]needing [/i]'better' gear at all, still less after only 10 weeks (but it's not a bad idea to be interested in different stuff...). Anyway, by then, you'll already be in two bands..! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coilte Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 I always thought that "the bug" came first, [u]THEN[/u] you went and bought a bass. Ten weeks should be just enough to get you past knowing how to name the different parts of the bass. Anyway, hope it works out for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoatbringer Posted August 29, 2016 Author Share Posted August 29, 2016 One question for the floor..... I've just picked up an amp (free from an old friend). It is a Linebacker L30. Unfortunately while in storage two of the knobs have snapped off (volume and bass). Are there people out there that can fix these things - hopefully fairly cheaply? I looked online for spare parts and couldn't find anything promising. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoatbringer Posted August 29, 2016 Author Share Posted August 29, 2016 [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1472480456' post='3121434'] I'll give my usual, cheery, encouragement, then... It's the first forty years that are the hardest, after which things tend, sometimes, to get (slightly...) better. I doubt you'll be [i]needing [/i]'better' gear at all, still less after only 10 weeks (but it's not a bad idea to be interested in different stuff...). Anyway, by then, you'll already be in two bands..! [/quote] New gear will be on the cards sometime soon. I only have a small car and after 1 hour of bass ownership I'm already growling about it not fitting in the bloody boot of my car. A future Steinberger purchase is looking more on the cards now if only for it's compact size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 [quote name='Stoatbringer' timestamp='1472486583' post='3121495'] New gear will be on the cards sometime soon. I only have a small car and after 1 hour of bass ownership I'm already growling about it not fitting in the bloody boot of my car. A future Steinberger purchase is looking more on the cards now if only for it's compact size. [/quote] Wrong choice of car, perhaps..? How about behind the front seats..? Covered over with a blanket, if it needs 'hiding' (or an old pair of grubby overalls; less 'inviting'... ) Be warned, though, to stay away from the DB section here. They can be slightly more bulky than your current instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted August 29, 2016 Share Posted August 29, 2016 [quote name='Stoatbringer' timestamp='1472486462' post='3121493'] One question for the floor..... I've just picked up an amp (free from an old friend). It is a Linebacker L30. Unfortunately while in storage two of the knobs have snapped off (volume and bass). Are there people out there that can fix these things - hopefully fairly cheaply? I looked online for spare parts and couldn't find anything promising. [/quote] Just use pliers. [size=4] [/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoatbringer Posted August 29, 2016 Author Share Posted August 29, 2016 [quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1472497837' post='3121624'] Just use pliers. [/quote] Long nosed pliers are currently in use. Found a local amp repair service and have emailed them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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