A year and a half ago I never touched a bass.
I can now play loads of songs I couldn’t before that time (loads more I can’t, but that’s the “carrot” to keep going).
A year and a half and a day ago I didn’t even know I wanted to do this.
I am crazy happy with my progress.
I’ve been playing sax for 10 years and trumpet before that and suck crazy bad still at sax.
This bass journey is a wonderful thing for what I can do, not what I can’t (I have sax for that).
Dang! She’s not even old enough to know how stinkin’ cool she is!
That laugh at the end is priceless.
She is definitely at adult level of skill, so I agree that she could be labelled a prodigy. However, I don’t think she has any mythical powers (not that you said that). Looking in the room she is in for this video and other videos, I’m guessing she has grown up with musicians and that makes a big difference (also worked for Victor Wooten). I also wouldn’t be surprised if she had extensive private lessons. I wish my kids would embrace music, but they only seem to want to play video games (though they probably get that from me!).
BTW, Ellen, the girl in the video, is 9 years old and has only been playing bass for 16 months… Very impressive for sure and also shows how much more advanced the learning speed is when you are younger. It’s great to see her ability and even greater to see how much fun she has playing.
Yep …this. Ever seen a 10 year old learning to ski? By day 3 or 4 they are nudging towards the black runs. They bounce and (generally) don’t have the fear (of failing/getting hurt) that adults have.
A very few people do have that extra talent for playing instruments or understanding music in general. I have seen similar age kids shredding the guitar on a level that is waaaaay beyond my skills. Most professional musicians are very talented too.
Ellen Alaverdyan is a 9 years old bass player from Las Vegas, Nevada.
Started playing the bass in April 2020.
The journey continues …
Wow. That’s a great video. If you haven’t watched it, her father knows Victor Wooten and used Victor’s ideas on how to teach music with her since she was born.
Not round here. By 10 years old they’re already on the freestyle /race team and will be kicking your ass 
Man I wish I’d have grown up in a ski town like these guys/girls.
Brain plasticity is a wonderful thing. I miss it.
. I just love watching kids ski - fearless!
It’s not all bad news, there is still hope for us. This guys is very interesting. Using Failures, Movement & Balance to Learn Faster - Huberman Lab
Does he share those idea anywhere?
Yes in the video I posted a few posts back.
https://forum.bassbuzz.com/t/no-more-excuses/23566/11?u=ruknrole
It’s not a matter of “can’t “, however a person with large hands has an easier time generally speaking.
On the other hand, small hands have an advantage on the high end of the finger board.
Thanks @munhallc just watched that. Interesting stuff. I read his book a while back (The Music Lesson) and he has some inciteful ideas about how we teach music.
That was great!
I’ve been off the track for over a month due to renos and visitors but that was a good boost to inspire a return.
Ellen is fun to watch
Yes. He talks about it pretty regularly.
It’s his whole idea about learning music like language. It’s a beautiful idea, but like most beautiful ideas, it’s not very practical for the vast majority of people.
(4290) Music as a Language: Victor Wooten at TEDxGabriolaIsland - YouTube
It’s easy to talk like Victor when your are on that side of musicianship.
And I think that side of musicianship is very hard to come by when you start at 50-whatever and have a job and family etc vs. all day and night to play and exchange ideas with other players.
