at the end of every year i do a self-evaluation on my progress. i take a look at my notebooks and each month's goal sheets that i write up. it's interesting to see where i was pointed a year previously and whether or not i stayed on course, drifted due to lack of focus or intentionally, and where i ended up. sometimes i'm surprised at either how astute i was in choosing a direction at the beginning of the year or how i was able to stay focused enough to stay on task all year. go me.
this past year was good, for the most part. about half way through the year i was all about bass... again. i pretty much have not played guitar in 7 months or so but that's completely fine, i guess. i've learned a lot through studying bass, how it functions and how it fits within music. i've developed a whole new understanding of the instrument and appreciation for the good bassists out there.
though pretty much all of the music theory i've learned has been through the context of guitar, the basics apply everywhere. i was able to ingest basslines much easier, faster, and better and see how they supported and enhanced songs with the knowledge i have learned. that's a satisfying feeling for sure. when learning a new song i'd take a step back and say "well of course that's the bassline... it makes perfect sense". and it always does. the trick is, though, to be able to write a bassline that makes perfect sense... that's a tall order but it's totally achievable.
i've been putting so much time in on the bass that i've begun developing my own style. i know it doesn't sound like much but it's feels significant. for the most part when you're learning you're mimicking other players. you learn a song and play it like they do, and that's certainly not a bad thing. you learn a lot of technique that way. but at some point you've absorbed enough out there that certain things speak to you louder than others and they start expressing themselves in your playing. that is the beginnings of your own brand. i started realizing it a few months ago and it feels really good. it's something you can lean into and consciously develop further.
side note: it's funny how i used to pride myself on the callouses on my fretting hand, especially those from bending notes. now my left hand is buttery soft... but i have a sweet callous on my right thumb. yes, thumb... for i am a thumby bassist.
