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  • WARNING: ADHD hyperfocus induced rambling ahead!
    On Monday, I started an online course for learning to play electric bass. The pros are that I can fit this course anywhere I like into my daily schedule and learn however fast I want. It's five monthly payments (+ lifetime online access to all contents) and while some could do it in 3 months easily, I think I will take those 5 months and really try to be as good as I can. So far though, I am having a good time despite the occasional cramp in my wrists and fingers.

    Thing is, this isn't my first attempt at bass. My first interest in the instrument came up over 13 years ago, shortly before my 18th birthday. I got myself a Motörhead Best-of CD for dirt cheap and for the first time, I could hear the songs in great quality on my stereo. Lemmy's bass playing was clearly cutting through the mix and it was simply magic. That gnarly growling tone was fascinating. Around 21, I got my first bass and attempted to learn with YT videos. Years later, another one after having given up a few times more. And the final one around 2022, when post punk bass sounds made me fall in love with the instrument again... If you thought wetshaving is sometimes crazy with new acquisitions, you haven't seen musicians. So up until recently, I had 3 basses (and also two keyboards!) and could barely play anything. Doesn't really help that I have to play lefty basses due to an old injury and that's a little tricky. But at the end of the last year, right when I was watching some footage of a live concert of AC/DC with my parents, I decided to finally do it. If I'm counting right, it's now attempt number 8 or 9 at learning bass - but thanks to the enthusiastic presentation of the instructor and the flexible schedule, it finally doesn't feel like a chore anymore! I'm actually having fun. My goals aren't very high, but that actually takes off a lot of pressure as well.

    I also plan to get at least some basics on the keyboard down after the bass course is done and I am at least halfway decent at that. Just enough knowledge of the keys to be able to play a synthesizer one day, my other love besides the bass. There will surely be a break during the nursing exams period, but I am determined to finally become a real musician by the end of this year.

    Now I plan to donate/sell the old instruments I don't need anymore. My current bass is a beautiful petrol blue 5-string by Sire and it feels great. My end goal is to be able to play the Twin Peaks theme song someday, on all instruments heard (I recall that it isn't actually a bass but a baritone guitar that Angelo Badalamenti used, but thankfully there are enough tabs for bass covers out there!). And now that I mentioned Twin Peaks, RIP David Lynch. We shared not only a first name, but also a deep interest for all things weird, surreal and macabre. I plan to watch one of his movies this weekend.

    Likewise, I hope everyone of you around here will have an awesome weekend too! ✌🏻

    • Nice, I dabbled with bass in high school but it never really stuck. I hope you’re able to keep up with it!

      In my experience, stringing together non-zero days is the most important thing when learning a new skill.

      And yeah RIP David Lynch. I heard he passed from emphysema cause by smoking, which is a horrible way to go. I’m so grateful I quit smoking when I did.

      • I hope to make it last this time around, it actually feels way better now than every time I tried before. Happy to pick up another hobby besides wetshaving!

        You're right. My goal is minimum 10 minutes every day for the next weeks, which I currently am exceeding by far 👍🏻

        Yes, that's an awful death. He was a very strong smoker IIRC, usually seen with a cig on set. Great that you were able to quit! I still vape, but at least I was able to leave cigarettes, cigars and the like behind me.

  • No new job nor instrument skillz here, but: for some reason, I am subscribed to the Tatara newsletter.

    This is what they have as an illustration of wetshaving. Admittedly, the model looks better than djundjila, but tell me you've never held a DE razor without telling me you never held a DE razor!

16 comments