Bass Guitar Learning Curve advice

wrongeneration · 01-10-2015, 10:28 AM

So I bought a bass guitar about 4 years ago, at the time it was only a cheapo beginners bass, and I learnt how to get a few tunes out of it, I loved playing blues bass guitar lines, like 5 bar blues and walking blues etc.

But the problem is after about 4 months of practicing properly (playing at least a couple of hours a week) after a while I stopped playing regularly and only played when the mood arises, often I would go for whole months without practicing. But I would then have bursts of playing it regularly and then not at all.

This inconsistency in practicing means I'm not as good as someone who's been practicing properly for four years although I can play along to certain songs like Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit and Devo - Mongoloid, but I'm trying to learn The Jam - Down in the Tube Station and Talking Heads - Psycho killer which I'm finding rather difficult.

Recently though I bought myself a better quality guitar and amp, a Fender jazz bass and 75w Fender amp to be precise, to incentivise me to continue playing, which it has done somewhat but I don't want the interest to disappear again.
I was wondering at what stage on the learning curve did it fall into place for some of you and how can I retain the interest in continuing to learn.

~~Lord Larehip~~ · 01-11-2015, 11:41 AM

Find people to play with.

wrongeneration · 01-12-2015, 03:29 AM

I did for a while but had to move to a new area.

boogie monk · 01-12-2015, 10:44 AM

I think it depends on how you're learning. If you're just learning songs, then all you can play are the songs you know.

If you learn the rudiments like scales, chords, and memorizing the fretboard you'll have a lot more fun once you get everything.

When you learn the building blocks you can build whatever you want. You can jam, you can play along, you can learn songs much easier. It's like if you learn to draw Dilbert, you can only ever draw Dilbert. If you learn the mechanics and basics of drawing you can draw what you want.

But your question was "How long?" and my answer would be "One year of practicing rudiments regularly."

01-10-2015, 10:28 AM	#1 (permalink)
wrongeneration Groupie Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Deeside, North Wales, UK Posts: 9	Bass Guitar Learning Curve advice So I bought a bass guitar about 4 years ago, at the time it was only a cheapo beginners bass, and I learnt how to get a few tunes out of it, I loved playing blues bass guitar lines, like 5 bar blues and walking blues etc. But the problem is after about 4 months of practicing properly (playing at least a couple of hours a week) after a while I stopped playing regularly and only played when the mood arises, often I would go for whole months without practicing. But I would then have bursts of playing it regularly and then not at all. This inconsistency in practicing means I'm not as good as someone who's been practicing properly for four years although I can play along to certain songs like Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit and Devo - Mongoloid, but I'm trying to learn The Jam - Down in the Tube Station and Talking Heads - Psycho killer which I'm finding rather difficult. Recently though I bought myself a better quality guitar and amp, a Fender jazz bass and 75w Fender amp to be precise, to incentivise me to continue playing, which it has done somewhat but I don't want the interest to disappear again. I was wondering at what stage on the learning curve did it fall into place for some of you and how can I retain the interest in continuing to learn.

01-11-2015, 11:41 AM	#2 (permalink)
~~Lord Larehip~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 899	Find people to play with.

01-12-2015, 03:29 AM	#3 (permalink)
wrongeneration Groupie Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Deeside, North Wales, UK Posts: 9	I did for a while but had to move to a new area.

01-12-2015, 10:44 AM	#4 (permalink)
boogie monk Groupie Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Canader Posts: 1	I think it depends on how you're learning. If you're just learning songs, then all you can play are the songs you know. If you learn the rudiments like scales, chords, and memorizing the fretboard you'll have a lot more fun once you get everything. When you learn the building blocks you can build whatever you want. You can jam, you can play along, you can learn songs much easier. It's like if you learn to draw Dilbert, you can only ever draw Dilbert. If you learn the mechanics and basics of drawing you can draw what you want. But your question was "How long?" and my answer would be "One year of practicing rudiments regularly."