Introduce Yourself! (2018-2022)

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Hello folks,

New guy here. I’ve got moderate experience playing bass, but not a lot of folks to jam with these days… self isolating in a small Colorado mountain town. I’ve still got internet and plenty of time, so here I am. And yes, it has still been snowing, and well below freezing temps overnight , so I’m not feeling the get outside vibe right now.

I’ve been noodling around the last few days, and watching a lot of YouTube videos. Josh helped me with Cissy Strut, and I got hooked on his style and production quality. I’d really like to up my skill set.

I’ve got no work until June, and even that might be a stretch. I’m a full time, year round flyfishing guide and captain. Fresh and saltwater.

Tourism is huge business in the Gunnison/Crested Butte área of Colorado, and I don’t think people will be traveling here for quite a while. Who knows? Just be safe and take of yourselves.

I’m ready to commit some time to really improve my game. See you on the forums. As Bob Weir posted the other day on Facebook, “Stay inside, play Dead!”

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Welcome! Fire On The Mountain has been one of my favorite songs to play along to recently. I’m was wondering if you have any recommendations for other good Dead songs with beginner/intermediate basslines? I’ve always been a much bigger Phish fan, but I enjoy some dead. Playing bass with the sound of Jerry playing over me is just too much fun.

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Welcome @TeeWhyDee and @Moose_Hofer!

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Cool. I’m not sure how many jam band fans are on here, but at least I’m not alone!

Phish is right there for me too, but the Dead tunes always find more guitar playing buddies around campfires and jam sessions. Phil Lesh and Mike Gordon were two of the inspirations for me to buy my first bass. And, the increasing ticket prices, travel time, etc.
It’s been as much phun playing as riding the rail.

Anyway, how’s your skill set? Can you follow along with a chord chart? Rukind forums have a lot of deadheads posting solid music tabs, chords, instructions. Beware of a lot of other tab out there… half right or wrong key. How are your ears for listening and picking up notes/chords? Mine are not that great. Often I’m one step off the key without some serious listening, practice, or help.

Fire has kept me busy for over 20 years. Scarlet is really not any harder, but a little more difficult for me to explain, and I have recently been trying to get this tune gig worthy. I could send you some notes as I have— like a pic or PDF—but I don’t really have a tab creator or the link.

If you can play roots without getting worried or distracted be getting too busy then here are a couple. I know it’s been a long post.

I Know You Rider— 1,4,5 tune in G Major scale. Starting on the 5 (D chord), and kinda played in reverse. 5,4,1. So, D, C and G. There’s a change to the 6th in each verse (F). You’ll hear it coming in the vocals too. “Gonna mis your baby…” “My mind was wandering…” etc. In some versions it becomes a Phil Bomb to nail that F as the song progresses. I’d try the Europe ‘72 version.

Ripple— any acoustic version. Most chords online are good for this one. Get the lyrics it will help.

JGB— They Love Each Other. G on the E string 3rd fret is home…with octave at the D string 5th fret. Most of the tune is G,C with some F changes/small walk. F, F#, G.

I think all of these are in the first position Money Notes as Josh calls them. Hit me up if this is confusing.

Peace out.

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As a 52 year old I had never picked up a musical instrument, never mind got a tune from one until today! The Covid-19 lockdown meant I needed something to occupy my time and learning to play an instrument has always been on my bucket list. As an ageing rocker who could listen to Iron Maiden and especially Steve Harris all day, I settled on the Bass (neighbours hate drums apparently, sorry Nico) My only concern was that I wasn’t sure if my desire/ability would be enough to ensure my Bass wasn’t just an expensive ornament​:flushed: I shouldn’t have worried!! After some online research I found BassBuzz and after reaching lesson 4, I know I have made the right choice, both with instrument and teacher. I started today and I’m already keeping up and playing along (actually playing!!!). Don’t get me wrong I know it will take a lot of time and dedication to be somewhere half decent, but I’m on my way. I absolutely love the course and how Josh explains everything to absolute beginners like me. It’s easy to understand and with some practice suddenly I’m actually producing decent sounds from my Bass. I look forward to carrying on tomorrow and the next day etc. I just wish I’d done this years ago. Much love and respect to all you musicians out there :grinning::musical_note::notes:

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For all you newcomers out there . . . :slight_smile:

Please take a moment to add your data here: Bassbuzz Demographics (a poll)

All best, Joe

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Welcome aboard, @pmacthejag . . . :slight_smile:

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Welcome @pmacthejag!

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Welcome @dcsidpa, glad you’re back on the bass!

Welcome Kerry @dolphan81! You’ll be able to handle most classic rock that comes your way by the end of the course. :slight_smile:

Welcome to the forum and the course @TeeWhyDee!

And welcome @Moose_Hofer, hope you get a little warmth outside soon!

Welcome @pmacthejag, glad you’re enjoying the course!

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Well, I have been hanging around the forum for a few months now and figured I should go ahead and introduce myself. I am 53 years old and have always loved music but never learned to play an instrument. I was always into sports when I was younger and never had the time. I now have three boys of my own who also played sports all year round. I’m down to one who is still in school and playing sports, so I suddenly have some free time. I decided a couple months ago to get a bass and learn to play. I believe I just started module nine and have been having a lot of fun. I have a buddy at work who gets together with a few guys each month to play music. He found out I have been learning the bass and keeps asking me to play with them… I’m not to that point yet, but have set a goal to play well enough by the end of the year to give it a try.

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@Buzzjr Welcome to BassBuzz!

I have a daughter that played softball year round for over a decade. I can’t imagine trying to keep up with three kids doing it at the same time.

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Thanks @eric.kiser. Yes it was a busy time but I enjoyed it.

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Welcome! I’m glad to see a lot of other 5 stringers joining the forum.

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Welcome @Buzzjr!

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I’m a bass loving happily married Grandfather, this year is My Sgt. Peppers birthday. Seems only yesterday that I was singing that song in the school playground, shite time flies.

Sir Paul being the first bass player that like I’m sure many of us first heard. However it was Jack Bruce that got me feeling the bass, him and Ginger Baker, what an ear opener, they had a guitarist playing with them, alas I can never remember their names. I think another bass could have saved the band. TFIC

My plan to start the course on the 1st of April has been scuppered waiting for a Bass to arrive or a set of Machine heads. Snail mail got my books from the US of A to Scotland on B-Day. I’m glad that I discovered the forum, it was the decider on buying the course. Reading of everyone’s progress or not. The support if not. “Show us your bass” gets me thinking my Fender Jazz Blacktop should be there, I do have a picture… but. My amp is in Germany until June 6th. The bass is in Russia.

However my wife Shirley has got me a bare asse’d 60w Redsub from an English company Gear 4 Music, on 24hr delivery. It sits at my feet, alongside my Pearl drum throne thanks @JoshFossgreen and what is keeping me sane is the book that I think @PamPurrs recommended “Music Theory for the Bass Player”, a great read. I finally got a set of machine heads so I’ve assembled some parts and got started on the 13th of April.

I bake sourdough bread, have a flock of rescue hens, we bred Boxers, of which we have three and one Jack Russell. I make Buddhist Shrines, meditation & yoga furniture. I also make bass bodies out of interesting (to me) pieces of wood and repair the odd bass that comes my way. I also facilitate builds in my workshop. The the last projects a J bass on a P body, an Abba Malsberg tribute Star guitar, two lap dulcimers, and three Strum Stick. Watching someone build an instrument and play their first note. The look on their faces, best described as a “Stupid Grin”. Yup life is good.

Jamie

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Welcome!

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Welcome! I think you’ll enjoy it here

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Welcome @Jamietashi!

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How can you forget Eric Clapton!! :smile:

Welcome to the forum @Jamietashi. Loads of good people here for conversation or support.

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Hey guys. 45 yo complete musical newbie here (apart from saxophone in HS a million years ago) but I just impulse bought a bass and kit from Craigslist, signed up for the B2B course, and I’m 2 lessons in.

I’m retiring from the military this year (and getting a job in the “real world” for the first time… but I know I’m going to have some extra time on my hands compared to what I’m used to. I love music (jazz, blues, rock, funk, etc)… and it turns out the stuff I love all has the same thing in common: awesome bass lines. Took me about 25 years to deduce that. I’m slow sometimes. My taste is eclectic but the common thread is definitely bass… Why else would I be so enamored of Superstition and Sir Duke and also love Sara Bareilles’s left hand on Love Song? And speaking of hands, mine are apparently tiny and inflexible, so I’m trying not to get frustrated already!

I think I may have gotten a great deal on that Craigslist bass setup… in fact so good I’m wondering if the guy I got it from is doing alright?.. I don’t want to take advantage. I’ll post the details in the gear forum and get your collective take on it.

On to lesson 3…

Ken

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