What do you wish-that-you-knew what-you-know-now, when you were younger?

[Grimalkin]

Always try and play with musicians that are more accomplished than you. The Beatles would not have been the band they were, without two great songwriters trying to out-do each other. There is a thing called healthy competition, a driver.

[T-Bay]

11 minutes ago, Grimalkin said:

Always try and play with musicians that are more accomplished than you. The Beatles would not have been the band they were, without two great songwriters trying to out-do each other. There is a thing called healthy competition, a driver.

I have always been the least experienced musician in every band I have played in. It has been the driving force for me to improve throughout. I might not be the best so I made sure I made up for it by practicing harder, being more organised and generally putting more effort in than the rest of the band. If I hadn’t had that driving force to be better and better I don’t think I would have been half as dedicated. I can only begin to dream what it must have like to have been a pair as talented as those two in a band.

[Grimalkin]

5 hours ago, T-Bay said:

I have always been the least experienced musician in every band I have played in. It has been the driving force for me to improve throughout. I might not be the best so I made sure I made up for it by practicing harder, being more organised and generally putting more effort in than the rest of the band. If I hadn’t had that driving force to be better and better I don’t think I would have been half as dedicated. I can only begin to dream what it must have like to have been a pair as talented as those two in a band.

 

“Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the overcompensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand.”

Aldous Huxley - Brave New World.

 

Nothing comes for nothing. True happiness has to be worked for. 

[Tim2291]

Learn how to structure practice, and then...

 

Practice, practice, practice and then practice some more! 

 

Don't do things because they're "cool" or "uncool". 

 

Practice again, and then when you're done practicing... practice some more.

 

Take risks.

 

Surround yourself with people who are better than you!

 

Practice again.

[SamIAm]

Finish what you start!

 

I started a medical degree (In 1982) , but after three years thought it was not for me and left to work in IT.

 

I am now a critical care nurse and really wish I'd slogged through the med degree, even if I didn't use it till recently.

 

S'manth x

[Ralf1e]

When an older brother puts you down because he is threatened by your good looks and great voice. Don't give up and move on.

Then learn everything Victor Wooton knows 🤣

[ezbass]

Bass is where it's at, don't bother with the skinny stringed thing.

 

Buy Apple and Amazon shares!

 

Don't start smoking.

 

Be more self confident, you're better than you think, at everything.

 

Don't buy that first Skoda 101, it's crap!

 

Become an educator sooner.

[Rich]

To my teenage me:

• Don't be such a horrid little **** to your parents, they are fabulous people and are doing their best. Cherish them, respect them, above all be their friend. They aren't immortal.
• Learn to play the piano in the front room. 
• Work harder at school and stop pi55ing about so much.
• When John Bosley starts pushing you around, put a stop to it immediately. Otherwise he will make 18 months of your life a misery, and when you reach your fifties you will still hate his guts and want to beat him to within an inch of his life.
• For god's sake talk Mark out of buying that motorbike. He will be killed on it, and it will devastate you.

To young bassist me:

• Learn to read.
• Yes, slap is great fun and you'll get quite good at it, but it's not the be all and end all. Work on other things too.
• What you DON'T play is just as important as what you DO play.
• Learn. To. Read.
• You will get an opportunity to do session work in London. GRAB IT. Don't faff about indecisively.
• Buy the pre-EB Stingray you will see advertised for £250.
• Also, buy as many all-original vintage Fenders as you can, and keep them safe. They will be a great pension plan.
• Did I say 'learn to read'?

 

Edited October 19, 2022 by Rich

[Ralf1e]

3 minutes ago, Rich said:

To my teenage me:

• Don't be such a horrid little **** to your parents, they are fabulous people and are doing their best. Cherish them, respect them, above all be their friend. They aren't immortal.
• Learn to play the piano in the front room. 
• Work harder at school and stop pi55ing about so much.
• When John Bosley starts pushing you around, put a stop to it immediately. Otherwise he will make 18 months of your life a misery, and when you reach your fifties you will still hate his guts and want to beat him to within an inch of his life.
• For god's sake talk Mark out of buying that motorbike. He will be killed on it, and it will devastate you.

To young bassist me:

• Learn to read.
• Yes, slap is great fun and you'll get quite good at it, but it's not the be all and end all. Work on other things too.
• What you DON'T play is just as important as what you DO play.
• Learn. To. Read.
• You will get an opportunity to do session work in London. GRAB IT. Don't craddock about indecisively.
• Buy the pre-EB Stingray you will see advertised for £250.
• Also, buy as many all-original vintage Fenders as you can, and keep them safe. They will be a great pension plan.
• Did I say 'learn to read'?

 

All Cows Eat Grass. Every Good Boy Deserves Favour Great now at 69 years young I have to jumble all that up and learn to play the notes as I read it.

OOOPS lol

[Ralf1e]

25 minutes ago, Ralf1e said:

All Cows Eat Grass. Every Good Boy Deserves Favour Great now at 69 years young I have to jumble all that up and learn to play the notes as I read it.

OOOPS lol

Thanks for the laugh. I may never be an accomplished bass player but I play rhythms with my fingers some of them quite complex. I basically drum the bass with my finger tips sometimes hard but mostly soft TURNED UP LOUD 😀

[bass_dinger]

Bands are not permanent.

Be polite to the people who remain in the band that you have left - one day, one of them will remember your ability and your manners, and ask you to join another band.

You will learn something from every playing situation.  

You won't learn everything from one single playing situation.

Get a setup on your new guitar or bass

Don't get a second a setup on your guitar or bass - learn to do it yourself.

Change your guitar strings before they break.

Play gently and let the amp do the work when it comes to volume. 

Get a case.

Get the best cables that you can afford. 

Put all your kit in an equipment case.

stickers on a case (or instrument) may make it look as if one is a widely travelled and broadly experienced musician- but playing well is what actually demonstrates one's experience. 

 

Learn to read the dots. It's a lot quicker to play something from reading it.

Learn to read chord charts- it's a lot quicker that reading the dots, if the dots are not available. 

Learn to play by ear - it's a lot quicker etc...

Learn to play by watching the guitarists hand position. 

Understand that there is more than one way to learn and play music.

 

Learn from more experienced musicians. 

Once one becomes a more experienced musician, be polite and approachable to those musicians who are less experienced. 

 

One does not have to join a band to help them out  - some bands are beyond help.

 

Unless your dad is Paul Reed Smith, George Lowden, or Paul McCartney, your first instrument has more sentimental value than musical value. Take a photo of it, pop it in a scrapbook, and get rid of the instrument, to make space for something better.

 

 

[Frank Blank]

If it moves f*** it.

If it doesn't move, f*** it 'til it does.

[GremlinAndy]

This is, in part something I know now, but didn’t.   …But it’s also about technology moving along.

I used to have to learn everything by lifting the arm of the record player back to repeat a section of music, back in the late 70’s when I took up bass.   I had to listen to both the record, through speakers, and the bass plugged in.   Which wasn’t fun for my loved ones I’m sure.

 

Roll on to now, and I’m practicing to my favourite tunes through headphones …silently (for the neighbours), listening to the perfect balance of original track on iPad, mixed with an awesome tone through pedals and with cab simulation.  I’m able to A-B the hard sections, slow them down but keep them in tune…

My 17 year old self would have thought this was impossible witchcraft.

basically I’m saying I wish my 17 Y.O. self had had access to a Darkglass Elements.

 

I’m might have been more competent! (Probably not).  😜