B2B Alumni Check-In

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There are many of us - myself included - who have completed (and grown from) our BassBuzz experiences. Many - again myself included - have moved (not on, but) “forward”, and as such do not post or visit the forum as much as we use to.

Think of this as a “Good Thing” (as @Vik and @joergkutter would say) because our moving forward can help to provide a smooth Segway for the newer and upcoming bass players to experience the excitement of learning a new instrument much the same way I did when I was a “Newbie”…

Ii really do appreciate seeing post topics looking for “Missing” members, so maybe having an “Alumni Check-In” thread might be a good place for those of us (myself included) who only stop by to check in every now and then.

At least with a topic just for that, we could simply make one forum entry with an update on what’s going on… Hell, maybe some of us are doing live gigs or something!!:smiley:

Anyway, thanks for hearing me through… As for hat I’ve been up to… Well, I’m working on several projects both on bass and guitar. My bass mentor is keeping me busy and focused. My latest cover focused on timing slides for Come Together by The Beatles. A great learning experience… Oh, sorry @terb for not posting in your covers thread…:disappointed_relieved:

Keep on Thumpin’!
Lanny Out…

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Hey man, good to hear from you!

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Good to hear from you @Lanny
Sounds stupid I suppose but I have always looked up to you @PamPurrs @howard @eric.kiser @JerryP @terb @joergkutter and a few more who my memory fail me for guidance and sensible suggestions to problems.
This thread is a great idea

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Probably because we’re kind of a cohort, we all joined at about the same time and still hang out here :slight_smile:

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it’s never too late :grin: but it’s not a problem at all anyway

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I’ll keep that in mind for myself, thanks @terb for the reminder.

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Same here, their postings are a gold mine on this forum.

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Good thread idea, @Lanny . . . glad to hear from you! . . . . :slight_smile:

Cheers
Joe

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Great to hear from you @Lanny. We miss you here, but I’m glad you’re doing well.

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Good to hear from you @Lanny Lanny! Being an ardent Beatles fan, that was an awesome cover performance and video production.

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Totally agree with @Mac…
It is “Good to hear from you Lanny @Lanny
Sounds stupid I suppose but I have always looked up to you @PamPurrs @howard @eric.kiser @JerryP @terb @joergkutter and a few more who my memory fail me for guidance and sensible suggestions to problems. This thread is a great idea.”

Like Lanny @Lanny I am moving forward, working on “Leveling Up My Ear” with another online instructor…although I have to finish B2B (on Module 14, Lesson 3 today).

Hope all are safe & well.

JD

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I that the one with Luke at Become a Bassist? I’ll be interested to hear how you like that course.

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Yes @PamPurrs. I started it this past weekend. I will let you know in a few weeks.

Might be too advanced for me right now, but I HAVE TO get there eventually, otherwise I will be stuck with TABs until (if ever) I learn to read sheet music.

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@JDDaniel I watched his masterclass video last week and came very close to signing up for that course, interested to hear what you think after completing it.

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IMO the sooner you can ween off of tab and play from music sheets (or by ear) the better.

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Yeah, wish I would have thought about that BEFORE I asked for TAB books for Christmas, to which my sweet wife made happen. :man_facepalming:

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While I understand yours and others “moving on” bit, I never saw BassBuzz as a companion forum to the course, but rather the other way around. A community which also has a course available.

A forum is only as rich as the variety of members it has. I mean, how much value can a forum really have if it’s only inhabited by beginners (other than human value)?

I tried several other bass forums and communities, but never really felt at home like I feel in here, and I can assure you it’s one of the only non-toxic bass-related forums out there.

I’m not trying to convince any of you to stay, but rather to give you something to think about. Of course leaving is your prerogative, and “warning” us is not even your obligation. So, for that, I thank you!

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I agree 1,000% @gcancella!

I have moved on to other courses as well, specifically the many advanced courses available on TalkingBass. I consider myself an intermediate bass player, but I stay here to help beginners when I can, absorb knowledge from others, and basically because this forum makes me feel at home.
I do frequent the TalkingBass Study Group on Facebook, but it’s nowhere near as warm and comforting as the B2B Forum.
So the point is, go out there and take some advanced courses after you’ve completed B2B, but stay tethered to this forum.

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Especially if you have advanced courses to recommend to the rest of us! :wink:

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Not sure why this short-lived and long-dormant thread never took off, but…

I “graduated” a year ago (April 12, 2023). I wasn’t sure what my next step should be, but I knew what it shouldn’t: I’m a hardware & software geek, and I knew that if I got distracted with GAS purchases and recording apps and pedals etc. that my progress would come to a standstill.

So I bought myself a nice bass as a graduation present to replace the loaner that took me through the course (documented somewhere in another thread here), added it to the modest practice amp I bought at the beginning of the course, put my blinders on, and just focused on playing.

Going back and repeating various B2B modules and regularly checking in on Josh’s YT channel have both been extremely helpful. So has @gio 's recent “Blues Jam Simulator” ( THE BLUES JAM SIMULATOR! - Blues Vid Supplement ) .

Exploring other on-line instructors has been very valuable: Mark at TalkingBass, Luke at BecomeABassist, and Rich at Brown’sTone all provide unique and professional approaches to different bass topics. Jamming twice a month with my guitar-playing friends has been extremely valuable, and all of us are noticing how much faster we are picking up new songs and how much more willing we are to tackle new material outside of what was once a very narrow comfort zone.

To the point where I am finally comfortable loosening up on some of my self-imposed restrictions. In the past week, my Rumble 40 has gained a brand new sibling: an Ampeg RB-210 (motto: “More than I need & better than I deserve”).

It came from Sweetwater along with my first pedal–the obligatory Zoom B1X Four. And I finally started exploring the topic of digital recording. My existing knowledgebase revolved around 4-track reel-to-reel tape recorders and analog mixers, so I wasn’t even familiar with current audio-specific vocabulary and acronyms, never mind products and techniques.

My first stop was @pampurrs and @john_e 's “How to record yourself” videos here ( Pam and John's "How To Record Yourself" Parts 1 & 2 (Audio & Video) ) . What a fantastic intro to the topic! You guys have shaved days if not weeks from the learning process. Thank you so much for putting this together. (And @pampurrs, I’m so sorry to hear about your continuing health battles. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody fight back quite so hard.)

Thanks to @lanny for posting this check-in thread, and for his other helpful posts over the years. (And for indulging my borderline delirious ICU texts during a medical detour last September. :face_with_spiral_eyes:)

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