Bass playing stages; i wrote this beleive or not
The stages of the non-schooled rock bass player (meaning bass was probably your first instrument or you had no formal musical training prior to picking up the bass).
BABY STAGE
You could only fret with one or two fingers and you picked with your thumb.
You could only play root notes and that is still hard to do.
BEGINNING STAGE
You either figeured out 5ths and octaves or had someone show you those.
You start to experiment with not just playing the root notes.
You can play songs with just the root notes but it takes some effort.
Usually in this stage you either start picking with your index finger or you decide to use a pick (whichever is easier).
IDOL or IDLE STAGE (POST BEGGINNING)
You learn arpeggios and simple walking lines.
You can play 12 bar blues with your friends.
You start idolizing bassists who can play a lot of notes.
If you pick with fingers, you start incorporating the middle finger.
If you listen to hard rock/metal, you listened to Metallica, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and/or Guns and Roses.
If you listen to clasic rock then you listened to Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, the Who and/or Pink Floyd.
If you listen to punk then you listend to Green Day, Dead Kennedy's, X, Firehose, Operation Ivy and/or Rancid.
If you listened to 90's modern rock and grunge then you listened to Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine, Sound Garden and/or Jane's Addiction.
INTERMEDIATE STAGE
You can play the songs from some of your idols.... and songs you can jam with your friends
Iron Man, Rock 'n' Roll, Black Dog, Day Tripper, Money, Fire, Hey Joe, Basket Case, When I Come Around, etc.
By this time, you should be learning scales and how the chords work with the basslines.
LESSONS AND/OR SCHOOL STAGE
There is that point in your life where you decide or someone suggests that you take lessons. to get better. You start taking private lessons and/or you may also be taking music classes at school.
You're probably watching, borrowing or buying instructional videos, books, or tapes/CD's to improve your skills. During this time you get introduced to many of the great bassists.
PROGREESIVE or SHOW-OFF STAGE
You get into progressive rock or jazz or other complicated music.
Usually in this stage you are listening to Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Clark, James Jamerson, Rush, Yes, Primus, etc.
You get obsessed with playing the most notes you can.
If you are in a band, you try to write the most showy basslines to show off your skill.
SLAP/FUNK/DISCO STAGE
Sooner or later you will discover that many of the best basslines came from disco and funk.
You will learn about slapping. (if you are a strong rhythmic player slapping/popping will come to you quickly... for those of you not so rhythmically inclined will find it frustrating and choose to avoid it).
You will learn that not all funk consists of slapping and popping.
ADVANCED STAGE
You are very good at playing bass in your style or in multiple styles.
At this stage you:
can improvise
can solo
understand music theory, harmony and composition
are a good walker
can do fills with ease
can hold your own with other good players
On a scale from 1 to 10, you are a 7 or 8.
I DON'T NEED TO PRACTICE AS MUCH
This is the stage you feel you're good and you don't need to practice as much. You usually have other things to do, get distracted, or even stop playing. You usually don't realize that you are losing your skill.
Something drastic needs to happen so you can snap out of this stage (blow an audition, get kicked out of the band, sobering up, etc....). Unfortunately, this stage can come about anytime in a bassist's life; however, some lucky bassists will never have this stage.
PROFESSIONAL OR MATURITY STAGE
you've been through it all and you know you have to practice religiously to keep your skills up. Practices and rehearsals are taken seriously and you know your place in the band or studio.
This is the stage when you realize that you do what the music calls for and not what your ego wants.
By this stage you should have learned how to deal with people in a mature and professional way (whether you like them or not). You should have learned by now to not shoot yourself in the foot by controlling your mouth and controlling your actions. You should know to never say anything negative publicly because it will only come back to haunt you later on.
On a scale from 1 to 10, you are higher than an 8.
BABY STAGE
You could only fret with one or two fingers and you picked with your thumb.
You could only play root notes and that is still hard to do.
BEGINNING STAGE
You either figeured out 5ths and octaves or had someone show you those.
You start to experiment with not just playing the root notes.
You can play songs with just the root notes but it takes some effort.
Usually in this stage you either start picking with your index finger or you decide to use a pick (whichever is easier).
IDOL or IDLE STAGE (POST BEGGINNING)
You learn arpeggios and simple walking lines.
You can play 12 bar blues with your friends.
You start idolizing bassists who can play a lot of notes.
If you pick with fingers, you start incorporating the middle finger.
If you listen to hard rock/metal, you listened to Metallica, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and/or Guns and Roses.
If you listen to clasic rock then you listened to Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, the Who and/or Pink Floyd.
If you listen to punk then you listend to Green Day, Dead Kennedy's, X, Firehose, Operation Ivy and/or Rancid.
If you listened to 90's modern rock and grunge then you listened to Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine, Sound Garden and/or Jane's Addiction.
INTERMEDIATE STAGE
You can play the songs from some of your idols.... and songs you can jam with your friends
Iron Man, Rock 'n' Roll, Black Dog, Day Tripper, Money, Fire, Hey Joe, Basket Case, When I Come Around, etc.
By this time, you should be learning scales and how the chords work with the basslines.
LESSONS AND/OR SCHOOL STAGE
There is that point in your life where you decide or someone suggests that you take lessons. to get better. You start taking private lessons and/or you may also be taking music classes at school.
You're probably watching, borrowing or buying instructional videos, books, or tapes/CD's to improve your skills. During this time you get introduced to many of the great bassists.
PROGREESIVE or SHOW-OFF STAGE
You get into progressive rock or jazz or other complicated music.
Usually in this stage you are listening to Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Clark, James Jamerson, Rush, Yes, Primus, etc.
You get obsessed with playing the most notes you can.
If you are in a band, you try to write the most showy basslines to show off your skill.
SLAP/FUNK/DISCO STAGE
Sooner or later you will discover that many of the best basslines came from disco and funk.
You will learn about slapping. (if you are a strong rhythmic player slapping/popping will come to you quickly... for those of you not so rhythmically inclined will find it frustrating and choose to avoid it).
You will learn that not all funk consists of slapping and popping.
ADVANCED STAGE
You are very good at playing bass in your style or in multiple styles.
At this stage you:
can improvise
can solo
understand music theory, harmony and composition
are a good walker
can do fills with ease
can hold your own with other good players
On a scale from 1 to 10, you are a 7 or 8.
I DON'T NEED TO PRACTICE AS MUCH
This is the stage you feel you're good and you don't need to practice as much. You usually have other things to do, get distracted, or even stop playing. You usually don't realize that you are losing your skill.
Something drastic needs to happen so you can snap out of this stage (blow an audition, get kicked out of the band, sobering up, etc....). Unfortunately, this stage can come about anytime in a bassist's life; however, some lucky bassists will never have this stage.
PROFESSIONAL OR MATURITY STAGE
you've been through it all and you know you have to practice religiously to keep your skills up. Practices and rehearsals are taken seriously and you know your place in the band or studio.
This is the stage when you realize that you do what the music calls for and not what your ego wants.
By this stage you should have learned how to deal with people in a mature and professional way (whether you like them or not). You should have learned by now to not shoot yourself in the foot by controlling your mouth and controlling your actions. You should know to never say anything negative publicly because it will only come back to haunt you later on.
On a scale from 1 to 10, you are higher than an 8.