BILL POSTERS Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 (edited) [quote name='blue' timestamp='1426783000' post='2721931'] Is it harder to learn how to play rock & roll today then it was 50 years ago? Back in the 60s we were just a bunch of kids, we aquired guitars and basses and someone knew a few notes or chords, we learned from listening to 45 rpm records and built on that. It worked. Bluer [/quote] Probably, yes. Back then people didnt (usually) have formal lessons. Like you say, picked it up as they went along. So if you didnt have a natural aptitude, you soon lost interest, and didnt hang out with other musos, sold the Guitar or Bass or whatever and found something else to float yer boat. There are exceptions -The Strypes for example - but not many kids seem to want to play Rock n Roll now, three chords its too 'simple' and beneath them. All the lessons and technical know how seems to push them away from cheap guitars and old junk amps. Perhaps in a few years we will be back to something like Prog Rock superstars. Then somebody will re-discover Dr Feelgood and it will all go around again Only my opinion based on my experience mind, I'm sure others will disagree soon. Edited March 19, 2015 by BILL POSTERS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 [quote name='MarkW' timestamp='1426783505' post='2721938'] Once, in about 1990, I was kicked out of a band audition with the words "And don't come back until you can play" ringing in my ears. I haven't progressed much since then... [/quote] Something like that happened to me a few years ago. I found some better bands with people who could actually play drums properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Weekend warrior here and been doing it long and often enough to feel a certain amount of confidence in my playing ability. I'm not a particularly flash player and don't generally do solos. I can get around the fretboard pretty well though playing in a band. Whenever someone hands me a bass to try though I never really know what to play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlin Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Love Bass Chat and you all, I play real basic bass and its great, I just love to play these days I have done about three hundred gigs over the last two years,and still ( just about) love my bad .There are some fantastic players out here who have done there home work, I applaud you all ,my standard of playing not that great,but only I know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 (edited) I like compliments on my talent and abilities as much as the next guy.However, when they come from fans at shows, like most of you I take it with a grain of salt. After 45 years of playing, I know when I'm having a good night and I know even better when all cylinders are not running and I'm struggling. My point, receiving those; [i]" hey you sound great " [/i]from friends,family and punters is not always the best bench mark to gauge your ability. Blue Edited March 19, 2015 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 I find the term "weekend warrior" rather interesting since when I started gigging in the early 80s there were absolutely no weekend gigs available at all for local bands. The best you could hope for was a Friday night support slot with an avant-garde jazz band who had a residency, but otherwise gigs were strictly Monday to Thursdays as the pubs didn't need any incentive to get people in at the weekends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 (edited) [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1426799362' post='2722199'] I find the term "weekend warrior" rather interesting since when I started gigging in the early 80s there were absolutely no weekend gigs available at all for local bands. The best you could hope for was a Friday night support slot with an avant-garde jazz band who had a residency, but otherwise gigs were strictly Monday to Thursdays as the pubs didn't need any incentive to get people in at the weekends. [/quote] That sounds like it must be region or genre specific. For rock bands playing bars in the USA for as long as I can remember it's always been a Friday, Saturday and Sunday night game. Of course there are a few more week day opportunities in the Summer during fair and festival season. Now, remember I said at the bar band level. The regional and national touring acts seem to have plenty of week night shows. Blue Edited March 19, 2015 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 [quote name='lou24d53' timestamp='1426688490' post='2720802'] See, that comment above from CamdenRob surprises me also. I admit though, I am guilty of making incorrect judgements / guesses of what I 'assume' a users standard or level - call it what you want - to be based on the quality of the gear they display in the sig. So I'm seeing mentions of Wal and I automatically start thinking, "hmmm, must be a session player or semi-pro at least!"... [/quote] I think you might find that people with other professional jobs might end up with a bit more money to spend on a Wal than a pro.... Nout wrong with that either. Whats my level? I don't tend to play enough, just in my church band. I've been in other bands - want to find a bunch of folk to play with here too... I'm not some grand master of the bass... I don't know as much theory as most (but know a bit more than I let on) .... and never had a lesson in my life.... don't know many "classics" and have tended to play in originals projects most the time.... but at same time chuck me in a band with a drummer I know I can do ok and better than average as most my "learning" as playing live with folk rather than learning from books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyguts Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 <p>I started playing in 1985, I was 16; was in a band for a few years - did some gigs and had a lot of fun. All I knew was the shape of the blues scale and pretty much nothing else.</p> <p> </p> <p>From 1990 till about 2 years ago I didn't play. Recently I have been having some lessons and know a lot more stuff than I did, this doesn't mean I am a better player than I was 30 years ago. What I lack now is experience playing in a band - this I something that I hope to fix this year. However now I know enough to worry about the massive amount of stuff I don't know - does this make sense? There is a lot to be said for the ignorance of youth!</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <div style="left: -1000px; top: 8px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute;"> </div> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 I do alright. The rest of my current band haven't tried to replace me that I know of, and the last band I left got me a card and a bottle of bubbly after the last gig so I must be doing something right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 (edited) [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1426799362' post='2722199'] I find the term "weekend warrior" rather interesting since when I started gigging in the early 80s there were absolutely no weekend gigs available at all for local bands. The best you could hope for was a Friday night support slot with an avant-garde jazz band who had a residency, but otherwise gigs were strictly Monday to Thursdays as the pubs didn't need any incentive to get people in at the weekends. [/quote] There used to be a lot more mid week gigs back in the 80s and 90s. It's pretty much all Fri/Sat/Sun now Edited March 19, 2015 by Norris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard Smalls Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 30+ years for me... If I'd practised constantly I'd probably be pretty good, especially if I'd practised things that I'm weak at. However, being lazy, I practised what I could do and forgot about the rest. Luckily, I don't do covers as such, which means I don't have to try and play like Pino, or The Ox or whatever which means I've stuck with being lazy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 [quote name='grumpyguts' timestamp='1426806493' post='2722322'] <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <div style="left: -1000px; top: 8px; width: 1px; height: 1px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute;"> </div> [/quote] I find this really enlightening! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 [quote name='Leonard Smalls' timestamp='1426840459' post='2722443'] 30+ years for me... If I'd practised constantly I'd probably be pretty good, especially if I'd practised things that I'm weak at. However, being lazy, I practised what I could do and forgot about the rest. Luckily, I don't do covers as such, which means I don't have to try and play like Pino, or The Ox or whatever which means I've stuck with being lazy! [/quote] Your already pretty good... I just listened to your composition competetion entry, lovely tone and feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfretrock Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 [quote name='grumpyguts' timestamp='1426806493' post='2722322'] <p> </p> [/quote] I suspect this is the computer equivalent of an eighth rest, otherwise known as a non breaking space. I love HTML. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrenochrome Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I'm a weekend warrior/semi-pro player BUT I've never had a lesson (on bass or guitar), I have very sloppy technique, and I can't read bass clef very well. So in many ways I'm at a beginner level, even though I'm a confident alround musician and can play pick/fingerstyle/fretless/some tapping etc etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard Smalls Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1426840766' post='2722448'] Your already pretty good... I just listened to your composition competetion entry, lovely tone and feel. [/quote] Why thank you! But that's the Wal for you, it does it all by itself! (That's what my mother - a piano teacher - thought that electric instruments did) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzonaut Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I really like to read Basschat. You guys are great - and pretty funny. I don't comment a lot, actually almost never, but that's just me. I don't talk a lot in real life, so I don't around here neither. Anyway, I sporadically picked up my brothers bass in the 80ies whenever he wasn't looking, then eventually bought it off him. As I never bothered to take lessons or learn anything about muscic theroy and stuff, I'm pretty useless by any standard, but luckily I always found people who put up with my "playing". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairychris Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 I have no idea what I'm doing, but enjoy doing it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 [quote name='pfretrock' timestamp='1426842272' post='2722463'] I love HTML. [/quote] I preferred their early stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 [quote name='icastle' timestamp='1426730496' post='2721407'] I always know my parts, I'm always on time, I'm always equipped to do the job and I take quiet pleasure in getting things 'just right'. [/quote] This is what I aspire to. I'll never be Victor Wooten, and I wouldn't want to be! Pretty soon, I may not even be the best bass player in my house! My son is 17 and has a natural ear for music (which I like to think he inherited from me...!). He is predominantly a guitarist but has recently taken up bass too - he's good! Most of the time, I can play what I want and need to play - but of course I would like to be better. I just no longer have the time to practise and learn When I was 18 I used to play for 4-5 hours a day, and was a far better player than I am now, but I think my "taste" is more developed now so I know when [b][i]not[/i][/b] to play! I'm a hobbyist and will never be anything else (now). It suits me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Weekend warrior / semi-pro. I'm of moderate ability. I can't solo for toffee, and I'd last about five seconds on a jazz gig. Thankfully I'm blessed with a good ear hewn from years of playing and jamming with others without a musical note in sight (I'm not endorsing this approach, btw). All these years I've been driven by the desire to play the right bass part on songs I like, with people I like, in interesting places. I gave up on 'I simply [i]must [/i]crack this difficult lick' or 'How can I solo better?' when I was about 20. Again, this isn't an endorsement of my approach, more an explanation of it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyguts Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 HTML - Why did that happen? I find myself asking that question quite a lot as I get older! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1426854276' post='2722726']Thankfully I'm blessed with a good ear hewn from years of playing and jamming with others... [/quote] Yeah - like Mark Knopfler!! I'd say that puts you in a slightly different league to the rest of us mate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Geordie mafia innit, it's not what you know it's who you know.... yes, I'm joking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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