I am giving up guitar and bass

[Ferryman_1957]

Old age is creeping up on me and I have found it increasingly difficult to play the guitar due to arthritis in my index finger. I changed to a short scale bass some years ago due to inability to stretch over a full scale bass, but even that can be challenging.

So I have decided to give both up. I have sold my Tele and will be donating my cheap Jagmaster and Jaguar short scale bass to a music charity that helps people who don't have access to expensive gear to play music (run by Richard Digance if any of you know that name).

Does that mean I have given in to old age and am hanging up my spurs? Hell no, I'm not dead yet. I have instead decide to focus purely on playing the Bass VI. It's the ideal instrument for me - easier to play than both a bass and guitar, yet it combines elements of both. It will take me in a new musical direction as well. I've just had it properly set up and it now plays really well. I'm still trying to sort out the sound as the pickups are a bit weak, but I am getting there.

One issue I have found (as well as old age) is that if I have too much gear I get stuck with "analysis paralysis". Which guitar to use, with which effects, with which amp model....and so on. So I am getting rid of lots of guitars and effects so that I have a more stripped down rig with just one guitar. Instead of wasting time deciding what to make music with, I will focus instead on making music. Let's hope it works........

[Greeny (No longer active)]

Kind of sad in one way, but positive in another. That you still have the desire to create is the main thing, and a plan to facilitate it. I'm probably not that far behind you in the scale of things, and I know for sure that I would make music even if I had to play a synth with my nose.

But we all know what a musical and production talent you are, and that part can't be lost or sold on eBay!

Onwards and upwards my friend.

[Ferryman_1957]

Thanks Tim. I've decided it's time to move on and do different things. I can't do what I did 10 years or so ago when I first came on this site.

I enjoy the production side of things and that can be done with arthitic fingers.....and even a nose!

[The Gobi Desert Canoe Club]

Had me worried for a minute, so glad to hear that you are continuing to make music. It is incredibly hard to know how your own music sounds when the hearing aids are cutting out or compensating for a particular frequency. I did give up for a while or to be more precise I gave up posting because I wasn't sure how bad or how good the finished product was. In the end I stopped feeling sorry for myself and started to work more with GarageBand using only the acoustic guitar as guide and a bit of background jangle. On a good day I still manage to play a bit of lead although it depends largely on what key i'm In. I also have about twenty stringed instruments hanging on the walls but I spend more time cleaning them than playing. Anyway looking forward to hearing some new stuff from you. Regards Willie

[Mike_S]

Damn, relieved to hear you have found a solution to still producing music. Was worried there for a second you had packed it in.

The great thing about this place is it's a music community first and foremost. It's not about trying to be music superstars. I find the best part about it is listening to the journey everyone is on musically, it's so interesting and great to hear. On top of this the stuff on here is wonderful to listen to, so creative and personal to the creator as nobody is tied down by management (I don't think) or marketing people. You get to hear humans just doing what they feel.

Long may it continue guys

[Ferryman_1957]

Thanks Willie and Mike. I've just spent a couple of hours trying to get some basic sounds right from the Bass VI - I get it sounding great under headphones but then it sounds awful on playback because I don't hear high frequencies without my hearing aids. So I have to make it muddy under headphones in the hope it's ok on playback. I think I'm getting there......

It has been quite a leap to accept that I can't do what I used to anymore. Off to listen to Willie's "Old man blues".......  

[Hilary]

Sounds like you are making the best of a not so great situation.

I like your positivity and I'm looking forward to hearing the new music that you make.

[64Guitars]

I get it sounding great under headphones but then it sounds awful on playback because I don't hear high frequencies without my hearing aids. So I have to make it muddy under headphones in the hope it's ok on playback.

Have you considered streaming your audio directly to your hearing aids? High-frequency response might not be great (it seems to roll off between 7.5 kHz and 9.5 kHz) but it might be better than what you're getting using headphones without the benefit of your hearing aids. And perhaps you can find one with better high-frequency response. Our ability to hear high frequencies is greatly reduced as we age anyway, even in people who don't have hearing problems. I had an audiogram when I was in my twenties and my hearing rolled off at about 16 kHz, if I recall correctly. I'm 63 now and I don't have any hearing problems, but I wouldn't be surprised if my hearing is now rolling off between 10 kHz and 12 kHz. It's to be expected at our age. The point is, you might find that streaming audio directly to your hearing aids is great, even if the high-frequency response spec of 7.5 kHz to 9.5 kHz doesn't seem very impressive. I mean, if you can't hear much above 10 kHz anyway, even with the benefit of your hearing aids, then streaming should be more than adequate. It's certainly worth looking into.

https://www.hearingaidknow.com/dont-dream-it-stream-it

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=hearing+aid+streaming&ia=web

https://pro.resound.com/en-us/products/hearing-aids/linx-quattro

[Kenneth]

So glad you are fighting back and are going to what you can musically. 
I can't tell you enough how thankful I am that you have selflessly listened and commented on my music over the years.  That has meant alot to me.
I want to say I  echo the thoughts Mike says above,.. superstar music is not important,  it's finding joy in creativity and sharing.
Even if you can't do what you did in the past, always consider me a fan of yours.

[Ferryman_1957]

Thanks Hilary and Kenneth, the support means a lot and I'll see what happens!

64G, two issues with streaming. Sadly my hearing aids don't support streaming to Android, only iPhone (I am an Apple refusenik). Also, the issue is more listening to the live sound while recording, so until my pedalboard and/or the BR800 become bluetooth compatible, I'm stuck with this issue. I should add, I don't have an amp, so all my playing and recording is done direct.