Old Dogs New Tricks

So is 66 years old to old to learn to play a new musical instrument? I hope not! I took my first lesson on the bass guitar yesterday. I have been talking for some time with a bassist who plays in one of the bands that Lori and I dance to. He had been taking me to task for never having played the 'new' bass guitar I purchased 6 months or so ago. That bass is a 1960's vintage Fender Squire Bass Guitar I picked up from a fellow who had more need of some money than he did of the bass. I think I got a good deal. I had it appraised by a guitar store. They said I did not pay too much for it.

We exchanged phone numbers and promised to get in touch, because I need some basic instruction on the bass. I have been on line several times and there are several places there that indicate they will provide basic information, but in fact do not. Some are on line lesson sites for pay, and some actually don't have any bass information on them. Google is wonderful, but not always accurate.

We made arrangements to meet yesterday so he could help me get started. We spent about an hour and a half together. I played along to a Merle Haggard CD, with DW (the bassist) giving verbal clues. He did a good job of showing me the basics of two different styles of bass playing. There are hundreds of styles left to learn, I am sure.

We had a lot of fun, and I learned quite a bit. Playing bass is not nearly so intimidating now. Lori played her fiddle today while I worked on playing bass along with her. We stuck with the key of D, and I soon found that I needed to find still another way to play those basics I learned yesterday. I think I was 'getting it'... It is a blast to learn new things, especially with music.