… and what are you doing to overcome it?

By Jon Liebman
June 30, 2023

I’ve seen a lot of people who’ve always wanted to learn to play an instrument, but never got very far with it.

It’s sad for me to think of someone going through their entire life without ever experiencing the joy and the pleasure of making music, mostly because it’s often a lot more attainable than people think.

The reasons for putting it off are pretty universal:

“I’m too old.”

“It’s too late for me.”

“My old body’s not what it used to be.”

The list goes on…

But what if they discovered that it’s still possible to make music, in spite of all that stuff? 

Imagine what their lives could look like if they were able to play their favorite music and relive those years when that music meant so much to them.

Good news!

I see it every day. People with arthritis, tendonitis, sore muscles, achy bones… you name it, realizing that playing bass doesn’t have to put a lot of undue stress and strain on their bodies. 

In fact, in most cases, even a super simple bass line can make the music – and the musician – feel great.

Retired, not retired – it doesn’t matter

There’s another very common reason we’ve all heard for not learning to play an instrument: 

“I’m too busy.”

There’s always something going on, something we need to do today, this week, this month, this year…

It doesn’t matter if you’re still working or if you’re retired. In fact, most retired people I’ve talked to tell me they’re actually busier now that they’re retired than they were when they were working!

The point is, if someone really wants to learn to play bass, they can almost always make the time and find a way.

Here’s how Rob did it

I had a very uplifting conversation recently with Rob Walker, published as this week’s FBPO interview. Rob is an Arizona business professional who works in sales and marketing. 

Rob has always loved music, particularly classic rock. While the demands of his job made it challenging for him to pursue his passion for music, he was determined to make it happen nonetheless.

Rob learned about my bass lessons after purchasing my Bass Aerobics book. Soon after that, he joined the Bottom Line Club membership. Rob found himself more determined than ever to learn bass, and he wasn’t going to let anything stop him.

Given the demands on his time, Rob needed to find a way to learn quickly and efficiently.

Don’t save it up for the weekend

“You’ve got to get into some instruction,” Rob advises other bass-playing wannabes. “That will really cut the corners quickly. You’ll feel confident about what you’re doing.”

Rob quickly discovered that one of the most important things he could do to advance quickly and steadily was to make practice part of his daily routine, rather than saving it up for whenever he found a hole in his schedule.

“You gotta put time in,” Rob says. “Don’t wait until the weekend to work on your bass. That’s a seven-day gap. You gotta do a little bit every day. Thirty minutes would be probably good, maybe more if you have the time.”

My teacher used to tell me the same thing. Even if you only have a few minutes, make a point of playing something on the bass. Even if you just play a few scales or do some simple dexterity exercises, it’s better than letting a whole day go by without playing at all.

“Keep those fingers nimble,” Rob says. “Challenge yourself.”

Imagine what it could look like for you

Learning to play bass can open up all kinds of opportunities, whether it’s playing in a band, learning to read music (finally!), or just sitting at home enjoying your alone time as you dig into your music theory lessons.

Rob applies much of what he’s learned to his church gig, as well as his own group, Walkerson. He’s growth as a bass player has catapulted him to new levels he’d never even imagined. 

Confronting and conquering the excuses for not learning bass is perhaps one of the best decisions he’s ever made.

One more bit of advice from Rob: “Sign up with Jon Liebman, darn it!” he says, totally unprompted.

How about you?

What’s holding you back from learning bass? How much more time are you willing to let go by until you finally make the commitment to get good at playing an instrument?

Now’s the time to get started, and I can help. Join over 130,000 people who’ve learned bass from me by giving the Bottom Line Club a try. 

As I always say, you’re never too old and it’s never too late to experience the joy and the pleasure of making music. Join the Bottom Line Club now.