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Middle aged learner


Little Dragon

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Good evening, LD, and ...

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Plenty to read and amuse you here, and lots to learn and share. I, too, am a Grandad, and am still learning each and every day. It's true, it's never too late, but that's no reason for waiting around. Whatever it is, just do it..!

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Try and find some other people to play with, you will be amazed how fast you will come on once you start fitting in as part of the whole picture as it were. You will also find that some songs are stupidly simple for the bass and they can help with the basics such as consistency and finger strength. Most of all just have fun!

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Hello Little Dragon, and welcome to BassChat, from South Wales

I started playing as a young-ish guy. But I stopped playing for over 20 years - so it was like starting again from scratch, it really was
My 2nd spell of playing started as a middle aged bloke too.... and I'm enjoying it now more than ever :)

Good luck with it - stick at it, and just practice whenever you possibly can
Cheers

Marc

EDIT: Your progress might sometimes feel a bit slow, but there are times when you suddenly realise you have turned a corner
It's often difficult to assess how much progress you're making, but I'd suggest maybe taking just a lesson or two to help you on your way

Edited by Marc S
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17 hours ago, Little Dragon said:

Hello from Geordieland. Just learning to play despite being a Granddad. Been told it's never too late.......

go for it, mister. I have small children; I'll be very much middle aged before I get to do much with my bass, so you're not alone. 

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get yourself to an open mic night and take your bass. I guarantee you'll be the only bass player there, even if you don't play firs time. People will talk to you. Girls will swoon** etc

I got chatting to someone and we ended  up picking a tune on the night each time, looking it up on our phones and doing the best we could with it there and then. A huge rush, and totally legal.   

 

 

** possibly

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Hey I was 57 when I started, n that wor 6 year ago come next Michaelmas. Not a problem.  Make allowances for yourself learning a bit more slowly, but if you ain't got arthritis there's nothing else to hold you back. Talking of which, be kind to your back.  Buy a lightweight bass, ditto amp:  my 500w 210 cab weighs so little I have to weigh it down with beer glasses to stop it blowing away.   And discover Scott's Bass Lessons and Talkingbass.net as the teaching is top notch and far cheaper than 121 learning.  And start playing with others as soon as you can.

There, my two penn'orth from an ol 'un, so just you pay heed young lad...

Edited by lownote12
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I agree with Lownote12, it does take more time and don't beat yourself up because things don't happens straight away. I have just bought a Fender Aerodyne mostly because it's so light! I also wholly agree that playing with other people makes a huge difference but the best advice you'll get on here is persevere, just keep going, you'll feel some days that you just can't do it or you'll watch a video of some virtuoso and it'll make you want to give up. DON'T give up. I've been playing for 28 years and I'm now 54 and I'm only just feeling like I have a playing style that I'm happy with but I've had a gas the whole time. Just keep playing.

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9 minutes ago, lownote12 said:

Hey I was 57 when I started. Not a problem.  Make allowances for yourself learning a bit more slowly, but if you ain't got arthritis there's nothing else to hold you back. Be kind to your back.  Buy a lightweight bass, ditto amp:  my 500w 210 cab weighs so little I have to weigh it down with beer glasses to stop it blowing away.   And discover Scott's Bass Lessons and Talkingbass.net as the teaching is top notch and far cheaper than 121 learning.  And start playing with others as soon as you can.

There, my two penn'orth from an ol 'un, so just you pay heed young lad...

Good answer, and good point re the lightweight equipment....
It may not feel heavy now, but in a few years... it will do ;)

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As far as learning goes, this may sound a bit mad but you should try to join a band as soon as possible. It's the quickest way to learn an instrument. If everyone in the band is better than you (not always a given, actually!) then you tend to play up to their level very quickly, and learn much more quickly than sitting at home practising. You're not only learning the bass, but how to play with other musicians and how to do gigs. Getting out there and doing it isn't practising, you're already flying!

Edited by discreet
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Cheers everybody. Don't think I would subject any members of the public to my playing just yet! As far as equipment, I have 2 basses, a Lindo and a Black Knight and a small practice amp for now (will have to learn a bit more about amps before buying anything bigger). I have found a bass teacher and have another lesson tomorrow.

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On 11/21/2017 at 19:18, Little Dragon said:

...Just learning to play despite being a Granddad. Been told it's never too late.......

 

Being a granddad is just another reason to give it a go.

It's a great thing to jam with your grandkids.  We have two that have shown interest in keyboards, ukulele, guitar and drums.

The eldest got into ukulele because of Jack's interest and then he took it up at school.  Being the class clown, it is good that he has it as a productive outlet for his 'enthusiasm'.  The newest arrivals, the twins, are  a bit young yet but I am sure we have scope for a Proclaimers' tribute act down the line.

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17 hours ago, discreet said:

As far as learning goes, this may sound a bit mad but you should try to join a band as soon as possible. It's the quickest way to learn an instrument. If everyone in the band is better than you (not always a given, actually!) then you tend to play up to their level very quickly, and learn much more quickly than sitting at home practising. You're not only learning the bass, but how to play with other musicians and how to do gigs. Getting out there and doing it isn't practising, you're already flying!

Discreet is quite right in what he says here.
You may see it as a sort of "throwing yourself in at the deep end" - but you'll learn that bit more quickly.
If you don't feel you want to join a band as such, just yet - try going along to an open-mic night
If it makes you feel a little more comfortable, let other musicians know you haven't been playing too long,
and ask if you can jump in on some of the songs with easier arrangements / structure....

As Tontee says - you have a bass collection already... so you're a fully immersed BC member ;)

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12 hours ago, Little Dragon said:

Cheers everybody. Don't think I would subject any members of the public to my playing just yet! As far as equipment, I have 2 basses, a Lindo and a Black Knight and a small practice amp for now (will have to learn a bit more about amps before buying anything bigger). I have found a bass teacher and have another lesson tomorrow.

you'd be surprised what OM night attendees will tolerate and still cheer wildly

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