KingMacca Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Started playing bass last year after having a go on a very old Fender Jazz and found I loved it to bits. I'm 34 and have not played anything other than computer based stuff on Amiga's etc back in my teens. Naturally the missus says it's a midlife crisis but nothing ventured n that. So after playing the Fender in my parents house, I went in to work the next day and stopped in at cash converters on the way. I bought a Yamaha rbx 374 that they had on the wall and went in to work, by the time I got home after work I'd organised 4 other work colleagues 'who sort of played a bit in my teens' or 'haven't played in over 20 years' to go to a rehearsal room near by in 2 days time. We learned Dakota - Stereophonics and Wishing Well - Free, turned up and played them absolutely terribly for about 4 hours but had loads of fun. We carried on rehearsing every week, bought better gear and eventually a few months of generally just having a great time in the rehearsal room and jamming, getting drunk, blowing off work stress - other people in work basically organised a function room for us in a nice pub and invited themselves along to see what we had been up to for months! Someone filmed the gig on their mobile and I've put the video's on youtube for other members of the band and work peeps that couldn't make it to see - I've linked the playlist of the ones that got filmed - what do you guys think of my playing? Any tips/advice for me to use/learn from? There's a stack of mistakes(especially mine in The Seeker where my brain just switched off!) but we pulled it off and the 50+ people seemed to genuinely enjoy it [url="http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvo1OCAVgr0hM-Xs3N5JY9yU2eO-__Rjq"]http://www.youtube.c...5JY9yU2eO-__Rjq[/url] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFUygkQowio&list=PLvo1OCAVgr0hM-Xs3N5JY9yU2eO-__Rjq&index=1[/media] All feedback welcome cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 That's really good man! I think you should be very pleased with yourself. Salut! Although your missus needs a little re-education if she thinks 34 is mid-life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raymondo Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Hey well done! sounds good to me.. keep on keepin on as the song says! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 The thing that comes across is that you all want to be there and are enjoying yourselves which is very important. The audience reaction was good so nothing to worry about there. Its obvious you've all put the work in and seeing as it was your first ever gig, I think it was great. Enjoy your band and mates, and best of luck for the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Stu Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Nice one - really, I hope you keep it going. For future ref; it's only a midlife crisis if you're 10 years older than you are, you also buy - or consider buying - a Harley (& I don't mean Benton) take up jogging and grow a beard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdowner Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Your first gig is a gas isn't it? You'll probably never forget it. Go you! Keep it up.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iconic Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Great storey, thanks for sharing that. .....Yamaha RBX374, cracking 1st bass sir! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Admiral Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 [quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1357661111' post='1926227'] Nice one - really, I hope you keep it going. For future ref; it's only a midlife crisis if you're 10 years older than you are, you also buy - or consider buying - a Harley (& I don't mean Benton) take up jogging and grow a beard. [/quote] Bugger........ I've got 2 from your 4 there, and I joined the gym recently too. No danger on the Harley front though...ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oopsdabassist Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 HA! my bass career also started as a 'mid life' thing, albeit at 43 +several for Yamaha basses, I have 2 now and they are the best things in my armoury, better IMO than my Fender Jazz. You guys sound great, fairplay to you all! ooh just listened to some of your other songs on You tube.....Times Like These...well played sir! I introduced that song to an old band and none of em could get that 7/8 time sig nailed Welcome to basschat, post often, and the more random you are..the better you will fit in lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 welcome to the world of bass guitar Someone who bumped into my wife a few years back joked with her that I was having a midlife crisis due to purchasing a rickenbacker, she replied, if thats all he's going to do he can buy 4 ! Better to take up bass than buy a sports car and get a 20 something girlfriend eh ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 (edited) Hey lojo that was my mid-life crisis, at 39, and did include 23 yr-old girlfriend & sports car, as well as tattoos, ear-pierced, and ulcer. Only the tatts and ulcer remain To the OP, great re finding the bass is something that you love. it`s always good to learn a few and get out there, I find it a much better way to really get into the instrument. And yes, you`re far too young for a mid-life crisis. Edited January 9, 2013 by Lozz196 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1357726020' post='1927168'] Only the tatts and ulcer remain [/quote] That might be a good book title, for a book detailing this often visited path by many mid lifers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingMacca Posted January 9, 2013 Author Share Posted January 9, 2013 Thanks for watching and the feedback chaps! We're all loving it big time. I think we stretch what little talent we have quite well - we're in the "next new songs" phase at the minute which is a right pain when there's 5 of you and you all have different backgrounds and tastes(as I'm sure you're probably aware of!) Any advice on what I should do next to progress as a bass player? My current practice routine is currently based around the bass guitar exercises for dummies book(yeah I know), but it's pretty decent content wise. I've also ordered the MarloweDK slap bass dvd as I've watched a few of his lessons on youtube and they're pretty decent. I've not had any lessons but I have jammed with family members who are muso's with over *a lot* of experience amongst them and been given tips and good advice. I learn a lot every time I jam with any of those guys as my game has go up so much lol. In practise I'm currently just running scales, patterns to play in scale over chord tones, scale runs etc, ear training, warmups and learning new songs and blasting through some that I like. My goal is to be competent at playing songs that I play in the band, but also when I'm jamming with the band, family or friends I want to be able to keep up and even lead the jam where possible. I've found that nothing is as good as getting out there and playing with better musicians, but are there any good "must have" skills/resources that would really help? I've got plenty of time to learn [quote name='Oopsdabassist' timestamp='1357722562' post='1927102'] ooh just listened to some of your other songs on You tube.....Times Like These...well played sir! I introduced that song to an old band and none of em could get that 7/8 time sig nailed [/quote] hehe it's a good tune to play. It's only tricky the first 2-3 times you attempt to play the intro together, but it does click eventually and is actually not that bad once you've nailed it. Only 2 parts of the song are 7/8, the intro and bridge part after 2nd chorus, rest is 4/4 - so it's like 'let's just make it through to normal time again' when you're in 7/8 timing. We do cheat slightly, the drummer is meant to play an off time hit in the 7/8 timing, that was killing us, so he doesn't play it but you can hardly tell. You can hear my oldest brother at the end of that video - he gigged that song for a long time - say "it's actually a really hard song to play that" - whooop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted January 9, 2013 Share Posted January 9, 2013 Enjoy mate. Looks like fun to me and that's what counts. Try Youtube for bass learning. It has some great quick and easy tips to improve your technique, style and general pick up of bad habits that we all seem to get. LOL Mid-life is now 50 ish from what i'm told so you are just a young whipper snapper in my book. All the very best with the band Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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