First classical lesson…

[Burns-bass]

Lot to take in over an hour. Apparently I’m doing everything wrong but we can now make it all right.

 

I’ve started 2025 in the mood for some self improvement and this is a good start.

[Hellzero]

That's, hélas, quite typical to make everything wrong compared to the classical way, which is certainly the best one: you can't go wrong with 4 centuries of knowledge.

 

That said you are right about taking classical lessons. 👍

[Burns-bass]

1 minute ago, Hellzero said:

That's, hélas, quite typical to make everything wrong compared to the classical way, which is certainly the best one: you can't go wrong with 4 centuries of knowledge.

 

That said you are right about taking classical lessons. 👍

 

I'm being a little dramatic. The teacher was really positive and friendly and didn't tell me I was doing things wrong, just that there were improvements we could make. 

 

[Staggering on]

Good for you, you will be amazed at how much you don't know and if you're like me you will learn things that will improve all your playing. After about 65 years of playing guitar, banjo, EB, EUB and finally double bass I started weekly lessons 2 1/2 years ago at age 75. I am still struggling with the bow but I'm getting better and have been playing concerts with my teacher's youth orchestra where most of the kids are too small for bass and cello. If you are lucky you might get into a string group, I have played many types of music but being in an orchestra or string ensemble is a totally different experience...go for it and good luck.😊

Edited January 9 by Staggering on

[Burns-bass]

24 minutes ago, Staggering on said:

Good for you, you will be amazed at how much you don't know and if you're like me you will learn things that will improve all your playing. After about 65 years of playing guitar, banjo, EB, EUB and finally double bass I started weekly lessons 2 1/2 years ago at age 75. I am still struggling with the bow but I'm getting better and have been playing concerts with my teacher's youth orchestra where most of the kids are too small for bass and cello. If you are lucky you might get into a string group, I have played many types of music but being in an orchestra or string ensemble is a totally different experience...go for it and good luck.😊

 

This is great. I was inspired by my kids who enter ever new situation enthusiastically and with no negative feelings or preconceptions. That's how I'm trying to be with this and it was a lot of fun.

 

I volunteer with a charity and some of the evidence they produced is that you should always be open to learning new things and challenging your body and brain – just like you are, and hopefully I am, too. Be great to hear more of your experiences as I hopefully progress.

[DS287]

I’m in Bristol as well - just interested in who is your teacher? I could do with a few classical lessons too! 

[Burns-bass]

Just popped you through a message.

[knirirr]

Enjoy! I got to grade 5 and found the lessons very helpful overall, even though I'm not playing classical right now. I hope it's similarly useful for you.

[Burns-bass]

It’s very hard to get a good sound and I’m working hard to improve my technique. My tendency is to do too much and so I’m doing 2 x 20 minute practices a day which is helping me to reduce (but not remove) potential frustration. 

[Hellzero]

Welcome to the club, when I started piano, I was sometimes playing 8 hours a day, which resulted in a superb tendonitis on the right arm forcing me to stop playing during 6 months... Well done.

[philparker]

On 12/01/2025 at 19:00, Burns-bass said:

It’s very hard to get a good sound and I’m working hard to improve my technique. My tendency is to do too much and so I’m doing 2 x 20 minute practices a day which is helping me to reduce (but not remove) potential frustration. 

 

That's a sensible approach - classical study on the DB can be quite physical as well as frustrating and you won't see the results as quickly as some other instruments. It is easy to keep repeating a study and get worse until you take a break. I could easily practise for 2 hours without rest on the classical guitar, but with DB I did as many stints as I could of 20-40 minutes, depending on the discipline, as I could. Sometimes, if you have a lesson for about 60-90 minutes, on your own - it is exhausting mentally as well as physically!

 

Sometimes recording yourself can help, at least for the future. I recently listened to some old recordings of myself studying for an exam (before deleting them, cleaning up my computer) and whilst I couldn't hear the improvement at the time, I certainly could compared to later times.

 

Keep up the good work and it will pay off in the long run.

[Burns-bass]

4 hours ago, philparker said:

 

That's a sensible approach - classical study on the DB can be quite physical as well as frustrating and you won't see the results as quickly as some other instruments. It is easy to keep repeating a study and get worse until you take a break. I could easily practise for 2 hours without rest on the classical guitar, but with DB I did as many stints as I could of 20-40 minutes, depending on the discipline, as I could. Sometimes, if you have a lesson for about 60-90 minutes, on your own - it is exhausting mentally as well as physically!

 

Sometimes recording yourself can help, at least for the future. I recently listened to some old recordings of myself studying for an exam (before deleting them, cleaning up my computer) and whilst I couldn't hear the improvement at the time, I certainly could compared to later times.

 

Keep up the good work and it will pay off in the long run.

Excellent advice, thanks. I used to be a teacher so I’m trying to both remember my advice and follow it myself.