I don't remember the first video I watched but I remember thinking that you were one of the most unique, creative, and gifted bassists I have ever heard. I'm a drummer so bass has always been something I'm tuned into. Do you ever miss playing live or with other musicians? I'm old school so playing live feels like something I have to do to feel gratified.
Dude, this almost made me cry.. All that hard work, all that time practicing. I was introduced to you through Davie, but I stayed because of your amazing videos, bass solos and you just being a down to Earth dude although your skill levels are out of the world. So glad you found your place, and I honestly wish you all the best in life! Cheers, here's to the next million subscribers 🍻
After playing bass since February 1970, yes, 53 years, finding you on TH-cam made me feel the way I felt the first time I heard Stanley Clarke, then Jaco, then Victor. After all this time, I now realize that any instrument is only limited by the player. Thx Charles.
I went to Berklee summer of 2015 and I also had lessons from Jim! I remember back then he brought you out to play bass for some of us bassists and I was blown away! I found your youtube channel shortly after that and since then I have been telling people you are one of the best (in my opinion) bass players. It's so great to see how far you've come and to see you get the recognition you deserve.
You’ve got a world-class channel. And I get the feeling you are just getting started here. As your journey shows, "It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll." 1 million subs is a LOT more subs than most famous bands have. Congratulations!
@@electricant55 they're qualities or virtues. Like you don't call a patient dog talented, or a dedicated mother talented. They are relatively common traits that when nurtured correctly form the basis of being good at different things.
@@electricant55 that's because they're doctors, firemen, artists, builders, architects, physicists etc and not just bassists. People who excel are everywhere. That's not even to mention the millions of people who do have positive traits but didn't have a supportive or healthy upbringing.
I’m a guitarist, not a bassist, but I really appreciate masterful musicianship such as yours in any form. I am one of those that found you from Davie504 and I’m glad he did. You deserve all of your success.
@@NicoleVanderwyst I’m not sure a I understand what you mean. I do own a bass, I mess around on. I’m just not amazing like Charles or Davie. I can just play pretty simple bass lines like Billie Jean, stuff like that.
This is a story about hard work, but what David504 did was also amazing! Instead of seeing another great bass player as a competitor, he kicked off Charles' career, and in the end, there is certainly room for both! That is real love of the instrument they both have dedicated their lives to!
@@jonbongjovi1869 I know you didn't mean it in any negative way, I just hate to call someone a 'nobody' unless they are full of themselves or a jerk that is 'not so well known'. There are lots of good people that fall in to the category of 'not so well known', but definitely are not 'nobodies'. Actually as I think about it more, generally speaking a 'nobody' is exclusively a word with negative connotations. I think 'unknown', 'under exposed', 'under appreciated', 'deserving of recognition', and the like are the words you were looking for. Peace.
To be fair, were it not for Devon540, Charles could have very well died in obscurity with very little to show for all his hard work and dedication. Take a moment to consider how many Charles Berthouds there could be in the world right now, not to mention the past, who haven't been and probably won't be quite as lucky. At the end of the day, without luck (or connections), skill can mean nothing.
"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." ~Seneca This is one of the finest examples of that I've ever seen. Thank you so much for sharing your story.
@@AcousticOlli Sure, as far as his playing skill. As far as reaching 1M followers? He caught what some would call a lucky break, when Davie singled him out. The point is, that wasn't luck -- that was being prepared, being open to opportunity, and recognizing it as such so as to capitalize on it. Similarly, many people might say he was lucky to get into Berklee. The point of the quote is that what most people perceive is luck usually isn't just luck. Another version: "Fortune favors the prepared mind."
@@Darrel_Owen Actually, it (and J's comment too) was in reply to someone else who had missed the point and apparently deleted their comment after my reply. Thanks for your support!
Much like the golfer Gary Player, who said, after someone mentioned a lucky bunker shot....' You know it's funny, the harder i practice , the luckier i seem to get .
As a piano major feeling stuck in music school, this video was one big, big, BIG timely reminder to me, and the fact that it was from someone else who didn’t grow up in a music family, with no head starts in life, who knew the ins and outs of how hard it is to be in the music field, in music school, how many hours of practice, the pressure of juggling academics + practicing + regular shows outside of university, social and family life, and even jobs. I’ve been losing focus from my craft lately, my passion for the piano has been waning, which is why I ended up on drums and bass channels like Davie’s, and eventually yours, and then further down, this particular video. And then I came across what your Bass teacher said about focus and being able to tell what you’ve worked on, are working on, and will work on yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It just kind of gave me an idea on how to approach my repertoire and now I don’t feel as stuck anymore. Coupled with how everything else in this video is a reminder to not just lose focus, but to even more so never lose perseverance. I started piano at the age of 3 because…Asian parents, but never persevered. As a child, all I wanted to do was go out and play, and as a teenager, was questioning and wrongfully rebelling against the upbringing of the typical Asian household. If I had practiced instead of wasting my life away out of focus, who knows how far I could have gone now. And if I wasted my life away NOW, then 15 more years down the line I would probably also look back and regret how I didn’t start persevering now, in the present. Thank you for this inspiring video, Sir Charles! Wishing you all the best in your endeavors and congratulations on your continuous growth! 🎉 You deserve it! (Sorry for the long comment lol I’ve never felt this touched by a video in a while)
Very interresting comment. I concur as someone who loves music, loves practicing, but has also no familial musical background - except a solid taste for listening to various types of music - and learned her first instrument in the very traditionnal way. I've also almost lost the interest because of the very strict ways of learning at music schools, which are very outdated, at least in France, and the goal is openly to form musician out of those who can actually get into the mould ( + the fact that the vast majority of students comes from upper class families, where practicing music is less a passion than something almost unavoidable. I'm not one of thos, I started as an adult, and I've chosen a non popular instrument in the first place, so... I was the outsider in any possible way, but I had to get into the same mould as the children, same teaching, same examinations, same restricted time, when I needed to work full time to pay my rent and eat!) So I decided to learn piano through other ways, and... it works better for me to do it at my own pace. The day when I decided to learn seriously piano, all alone, I also started to write daily on a small notebook my practice, what I've listened ( CD, Online, concerts, whatever), practical videos, anything basiscally, related to music. Just to keep track of the progress. So I'll be able to really have a precise idea of my progress after a year. This is something very simple, but I was never told to do so at the music school, I couldn't really see my progress week fter week, and started thinking I had no progress anymore ( and I do the same for language learning, actually) Nice to learn that the love for your instrument is back! ❤
Wow, same here, been playing the bass for about 3 years now but never really put effort into it, if I tried to make the effort to do some more excercises and be more consistent maybe I would be way better now but well, I cant change the past so I'm looking forward to stop wasting my time and start making progress. Thank you for your comment!
Great points, especially with Jim's comment. It's highly accurate and generalizable to all of learning as a concept known as 'meta-cognition', basically being focused and knowing what you're learning, when/how, touching base with what's being learned through self-check ins and self-quizzing (or with a mentor). It's been an approach that has made me feel able to learn literally any skill without getting to overwhelmed and keeping focused- small unit of success measurements and keeping yourself on track. Really wish there were more mentors and teachers like Jim out there, imagine if this was actually being properly applied in schools? Maybe we would have a lot more passionate and motivated people coming out of education systems and of course the results would speak for themselves in any field. You're so right about perseverance though, I feel it's the hardest part and you can't directly teach that, I think it only comes when you have a personal 'why' for whatever you're doing which is so hard these days because we all want to make a living and preserve our livelihood but that isn't a real 'why'- it's a necessary aspect of living. I think mentors are crucial for this to help inspire us even when we don't know yet what our 'why' is, just progressing and trusting the process often works when you're really loving what you do and feel motivated and passionate from encouragement and inspiration. Doors open up because people see that and it's rare (and you often end up inspiring others in the process too!)
i've spent my life trying to find a way to be able to support myself so i could do my music without the pressure of having to depend on it for a living - the old adage - don't make your passion your job, lest you grow to hate it. well, that hasn't worked and i'm just older and not any closer - if anything, further away as life constantly throws poo in one's path and one starts to have more regrets than dreams. And yes, to be honest, when you look around and see so much talent - and young talent - you begin to feel there just isn't a place for you anymore. maybe some people reading this can relate and realize DON"T DO THAT! don't make my mistake
I don't normally get super excited when people hit 1M, but this made me give an audible reaction. Congrats man, you deserved this. in fact, you deserve way more subs!
This is such a good video in so many ways: 1) it’s interesting to hear the backstory 2) It’s great for amateur musicians to see that a virtuoso isn’t someone “better than you” but simply someone that has made it their career and dedicated themselves to it. 3) Charles is a lovely bloke. 4) Absolutely enormous respect to Davie for elevating and supporting Charles instead of seeing him as a rival or something. Awesome. Keep bassing for us, from a very happy amateur bassist who loves to see you play!
um, I don't see how this doesn't show that virtuoso's aren't "better than me". This guy was better at three years in than most bass players I know. They say hard work beats talent, and thats true, unless talent works hard. If someone is more talented than you, and also as dedicated as you, you will never touch them, no matter how hard you try.
@@Jeremy-hx7zj True, his low point was high point of most. People who say talent doesn't make a difference just don't want to accept the fact that is makes a huge difference. Talented people spend massive amounts of time on something because they are driven to keep growing and not because the need to do it. People aren't born equal. That's why there is a scale for IQ and if you are accepted to Berkley you are already at that higher scale. I just accept it and continue to progress without being troubled by it. That doesn't take away the fact that he definitely worked to get where he is at now.
@@Jeremy-hx7zj i mean most people get that good at 3 years and if not maybe in 5 provided you play 5+hours a day. now ichika that's a different story dude is a god in just over 5 years
This honestly inspires way more than before because this really does show that skill isn’t instant it’s gradual. Thank you so much for what you’ve done and keep up the good work!
5:38 "If you can't tell me what you're going to work on tomorrow, what you worked on today, and what you practiced yesterday, you're just not focused! And we have to be focused!!" motivation🔥
Dude, right? Fuck, that put me and my “Just Learning By Ear And Winging Everything Else” ass in place. He’s totally right. Focus. Organize. Learn. Progress. Repeat.
I love that you are humble; and to tell you the truth, as a 27 year bass player- you are probably the most skilled and interesting player i have EVER heard. Congratulations on your success, you deserve it :)
"Comparison is the thief of joy". Focus on your own journey, and don't compare yourself with everyone else. No matter how good you become, there will always be someone out there who is better than you, but that's ok. Enjoying music and developing at your own pace is the most important.
@@hyper-sloth Thanks. Another thing I like to tell myself is that instead of having discipline, I'm being patient with myself. Right now I'm actually revisiting songs on guitar I had to give up on in 2016 when I was starting out, and I'm actually able to play them now. Yes, I am a bit lazy, and I could have practiced a lot more, but I didn't give up entirely.
I was one of the many davie504 recommended . Man it’s inspiring. And …. You are a nice guy . Thanks for hard work . I love to watch your videos and listen to incredible bass . Although I never played bass . Thanks one more time
I had friends show me davie504 but it was shortly after that I discovered Charles, not sure if it was through davie or not. I switched to Charles almost immediately. I like his professionalism and not so goofy attitude. More suits my nature I guess.
I'm a lifelong musician, 2 recording deals, I play several instruments including bass, or i thought I did. I've never seen anyone play a bass like you. You really are an inspiration. I don't play bass much, only for certain recordings but you really make me wanna learn more now. This story really moved me. I've been putting off recording some songs I've been working on for years but that's changing and thank you for telling us about your journey. Your the best bass player I've ever seen !
I gave up playing bass about 20 years ago.. I like watching your performances but this video about your journey inspired me to start playing again. Keep tapping and slapping like there's no tomorrow Charles!
I'm not a musician, but you inspire me. This may sound silly, but when I first discovered your music several months ago, it seemed to have a very positive, very beautiful undertone that persisted no matter what you were playing. I had never had that sense before, so I tried listening to other artists playing the same pieces and that unmistakable tone was only in your renditions, even when you were playing the same notes at the same tempo. I can only conclude that you yourself have a joyful approach to life that communicates itself through your music. I listen to you as an antidote to humanity's evils and a confirmation that life is, despite all the insanity, fundamentally good. A million TH-cam subscribers is only the beginning of what will undoubtedly be a spectacular career. The world needs you.
You definitely make a difference in people's lives, CB. I stopped playing 30+ years ago because though I was paying the bills by performing, I personally thought I had no talent. So I sold all my gear, moved back to my hometown, got good paying Factory job. I missed playing music so much that just in order to be able to function, I had to stop listening to music altogether. That worked for a little while, but then I started hearing jazz compositions, bass riffs, drum parts, in my head and visualizing where each note was on my mental fretboard. But I held firm and never bought or touched a bass guitar. Then about a year ago I found your TH-cam channel as well as a few others, and the walls started to crumble. Music and bass was suddenly on my mind 24/7. So I bought a bass and keyboard and started noodling around. Then I pulled out my music theory and jazz ed books from college. Noodling became daily practice and now, at age 57, I am determined to apply my mind, my diabetic arthritic hands, and my ears to becoming the bassist and musician that I always wanted to be. So yes, you inspire people and show them a new way to approach the instrument. I truly appreciate the hard work and gifts that you share with us all. Thanks 🙏🏼
Probably you never thought having a fan in Ecuador 🇪🇨, just wanted to let you know that your content and your abilities for playing bass are not from this world, I bet you are one of the best bassists around the globe, keep it up Charles! Cheers 🥂
One thing I love about this so much is that the more high-quality hours you put into focused practice, the better you get. You see it in the examples that Gladwell has looked at in Outliers, and you see it in all areas of life. Much deserved success, you're a master of BASS, keep up the phenomenal work 🙏
Congratulations. Many see the musician after he's finished, they can't imagine the dedication, what 20 thousand hours of studies are to get where you've arrived. This video is an inspiration to so many musicians.
Thank you for your inspiration started playing musical instruments at the age of 70 and the Bass has become a big part of my life now have a you tube channel writing songs doing covers etc the last 10 years have been a fantastic musical journey and I think it is keeping me alive play every day at the age of 80 just letting people know it is never to late to learn a musical instrument but the younger you are the better love and peace to you all
Two of my favorite quotes come to mind while watching this: “Practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect” and “Don’t practice until you can play it right, practice until you can’t play it wrong”
Mad respect to you and to Davie504. I bought a bass just the other day because you guys. I’ve been jamming Hard to Concentrate by RHCP. Nothing feels better than laying a bass down that grooves well with the drums. Thanks for letting me get that feeling back. And congrats on the milestone!
I am 58 and started playing the bass during the pandemic. According to my estimates, I have logged about 800 hours. So 19,200 more to go. I'll be about 80 years old when I get to your level.
Dude. I'm a music teacher (mainly youth) and this video is solid gold for the up and coming students of the world. I'd be curious to hear more about those years and experiences that prompted the "aha" moment as a youth.
This is my FAVORITE Charles video yet. My son has just started learning bass because of your videos and seeing you be so transparent about the journey is very inspiring. Thank you!!
I've been playing bass for about 3 years, starting at the end of 7th grade. It started off as a way to make learning guitar easier, but it ended up being something that I have such a passion for and appreciate so much. It transformed the way I listen to things, listening to every part of a song rather than "just the vocals" or skipping an instrumental because it's "boring." This video, showing all of your progress and dedication, made me so glad I started playing and showed me how much just playing can get you. Your amazing skill and work ethic is incredibly motivating, and it inspires me to be better every time I watch your videos. Thank you for being such an inspiration and never stop playing!
Wow! What an interesting and heartfelt video! Dear Charles: For the people who feel like throwing away their bass after hearing you, Someone that I know said «The only musician you should worry being better than, is the one you were yesterday».
I can't tell you how awesome you are! I've been playing bass about a year now, on my dad's washburn, and I'm starting to look for my own bass, thanks mostly to you. You were the 2nd bass channel I discovered, and I've got to say you're probably the best. You're freaking amazing, and there are sometimes it's like oh god how will ever get there? And hey, I might not. I may still become a good player, and it's really just a side hobby, and probably will be. I might make a few bucks off it, but I don't plan on turning it into a full career. I will if ever get as good as you, which probably won't ever happen, but who knows, you've been playing for almost as long as I've been alive. I just want to say thanks man. You're in my top 3 for my favorite bassists, with Victor Wooten and Cliff Burton, and I'd just like to say thanks
I'm glad I watched this. I gained a lot of respect for you, man. I've been playing bass for 35 years, and I saw you as some rich, smug freak that "just got lucky" to be playing so well, not realizing just how hard you worked to be that freak that could play so well. I too, was one of those that was in the "throw my basses out" group, but watching this made me realise that I had no one but myself to blame for not being the player I could be. I was lazy. Didn't practice as much as I should. I couldn't afford Berklee, though I toured the facilities, and was in the process of going. Just couldn't afford Berklee, or Boston. But I owe you an apology. You deserve all the success and praise you get. You've worked for it. And I am truly sorry for thinking so little of you.
I've met a few gifted people in my life. All of them said many people don't really understand why they are so good at the things they do. While yes, they can process and comprehend things much, MUCH quicker than us, they put in a LOT of effort to really ripen their talents. Many people are also born with a talent or two, but they never ripen them because they never bother reinforcing their skills. I used to always think think that gifted people were gifted because they were lucky. That's only partially true. He told me something along the lines of, "A lot of people hate me because they assume I don't have to put in a lot of effort to be just as good as them. The thing most people don't know is that the only thing I do is practice and practice." When he said that, I thought about the stuff I was good at but never pursued it. When I took coding in both high school and university, I was consistently at the top of the class and solving problems much faster than everyone else, even people that had a bit of a coding background. But did I ever really study it? Outside of textbooks and the minimum for the class, nope. I never really felt in love with it. But then I got introduced to FL Studio and Ableton Live. I don't really understand much of what I'm doing even after a year of experimenting, but I love it so, so much, and I have so much more fun with it than I did coding.
@@Minuey Good stuff. I come from a musically inclined family. I always thought I might have a slight advantage over a lot of other people. Then, I thought, "playing musical instruments is a skill. NOT a talent, which implies some innate "gift". Anyone can be as "talented" as they want, as long as they put in the work to develop the "skill"." And THAT is where everything went pear-shaped. I couldn't rest on my laurels and be a "gifted" musician anymore. If I had practiced even 30 minutes every day for the last 35 years.....who knows? Maybe I'd be as good as this guy. Doubtful, but maybe. There's also the "luck" factor. My parents never discouraged me from playing music, but they never bought me basses. They couldn't afford to send me to Berklee. So, naturally, anyone with nice gear, and a degree from Berklee was an undeserving, rich, lucky bastard. When I finally watched this video, it opened my eyes and really humbled me. This guy put in the work. He DESERVES all the success he gets. I have become much more grateful for the gear I have, and a lot happier with who I am and where I am in my musical "career". I've got no one but myself to blame for not being better than I am.
Same boat here, man. Been drumming for almost 18 years. I seemed to have a knack for it early on, plus I immediately joined the school band and started playing with others every day. I improved a TON in those first few years, but after high school I stopped practicing entirely. Every time I sat down at the kit I just kinda screwed around, never played exercises, and never kept track of my progress. I feel like I haven't reached my potential and I'm almost bitter about how quickly I progressed early on. Anyway, it's never too late.
Winston's dead is actually a pretty great line, I loled in real life rather than internally, good big belly laugh. Cool to see how d504 notice brought you into the public eye
Hah, I actually remember him first appearing on Davie's channel. Wow, this guy really hustled for years, and I appreciate the honesty, vulnerability, and motivation in this video. This guy deserves every bit of success he gets.
I started playing music when I was introduced to bass 10 years ago and over time, because I wasn’t in a band I kind of lost my love for it. I didn’t think it could be the solo instrument that it clearly can be. I ended up stopping playing for years until my brother told me about a bass battle I would enjoy on TH-cam. Seeing you guys play so well got me to pick it back up and then watching your videos got me inspired to learn new techniques. My playing has gotten a lot better since then and if it hadn’t have been for your videos I might not have ended up returning to it. You deserve more than 1 million subscribers and I’m sure your channel will keep growing. I’m glad I was here for this milestone though.
The secret of playing an instrument good is revealed: Practice, practice, practice. Improvise, play with others, play with playback songs, practice slow, practice fast. No one gets there without practice, but people still seem to think some people are just natural born Wunderkinder. Thanks for showing all of this Charles and congrats of course!
but i find everyone practices UNINTELLIGENTLY. everyone COPYCATS tradition, which isn't good nor productive. EX: they tell kids to VIEW MUSIC AS WORK INSTEAD OF PLAY. That's insane right there. EX: I got my first drumkit 3 years ago.....and couldn't set it up where I live.....so I kept it set up INSIDE my awesome van (!) and i modded it up so I could set it up outdoors ANYWHERE (!) and practice outdoors in awesome weather! (I was worried about annoying ppl outdoors of course, cuz solo drum practice doesn't sound that listenable onpaper!) FIRST DAY I owned my first drumkit, I MADE $$$$ FROM STRANGERS, cuz i set up at the edge of a Home Depot parking lot, so I could watch traffic while learning drums! EVERYONE WENT NUTS just to see a guy on the side of a road ("Lot Rock" is the genre for playing parking lots, ha ha) with a TINY Ludwig Jr drumkit he'd decorated wild! Every car honks or cheers or films etc! THAT'S how ya do it! DRUMMING "EXPERTS" TELL ALL NEW DRUMMERS TO START SLOW blah blah. I DID THE PRECISE OPPOSITE: DAY ONE, I went nuts and every day I focused on FUN and pushing myself, no matter how sloppy it was. (Logically, i'd simply get tighter every day no matter what, so MAY AS WELL HAVE NON-STOP FUN!) ALL the "experts" say my way can't work, but so far, all of them THIN I'm a very schooled drummer who has been playing forever! I'm still sloppy (cuz i can't practice often), but you can already SEE I'M FAR BEYOND MOST DRUMMERS! th-cam.com/video/ObyRwdr55Gc/w-d-xo.html
I'm not a musician, but virtuosity in any field is magnificent. Whether mechanical or musical, the best is a great pleasure to watch. Keep up the great "work".
I've been playing bass for 41 years. I have progressed. I now use two fingers when fingerstyling, and have once played a Chilli Peppers song at a gig using something called "slap" I think. Over the years I reckon I practiced at least 8 seconds a day (on average). So I too am living proof that if you put in the hours (or seconds) you can improve. 😂 Love the channel - keep inspiring us!
2 years later and almost 2 million subscribers now. Keep it up, Charles! Finding your channel today made me pick up my guitar again, so thanks for putting me back on track!
Big congrats Charles. I searched you out literally seconds after you first appeared as the "pro" on Davies video.i haven't missed a single video since. I'm not a bass player, and have 0 musical talent, but watching you amazes and inspires me. I'll be here still when you hit 10 million!
Holy shit that is inspiring. There is so much life behind that, I wasn't expecting that. So much things lived, so much experiences lived. Thank you Charles
Here's to a billion! Thank you Charles for everything you've done for the bass community, you have been an inspiration for every single one of us! 🤘 🤘 🤘
Dude... you're incredibly talented, and more importantly, very likable. And... you're a dedicated, hard worker. Congrats. You're one of the best I've ever seen. You will have the torch passed. Wooten to you. No joke.
I'm one of those who have discovered you through Davie's battles, and i'm so glad of it! I'm glad you got that little extra help that started to make you more and more visible to everyone. 1M subscribers? That means that there are still Billions on earth who are missing some good BASS in their lives!
I found you from the Davie video's I didn't realize you were just starting off then. I'm mainly an electric player for church but bass is my favorite to play. You have really inspired me to step up my bass game. Thank you for devoting so much to making bass stand out.
Dude, you’re the real MVP. I’m actually a guitar player who’s started playing bass about 2 years ago. Your videos inspire the hell out of me. Thanks for the great content and keep up the good work. You’ll hit a billion subscribers sooner than you think :)
Charles, you are an inspiration to us all! You even had my daughter plucking away at my bass the other day, trying to “be cool like Charles”. Keep it up, man…we love you!
This is tremendous! As a father with adult children who are all very musical over the years, it’s great to see your progression! In a world with many amazing musicians, we mostly only get to appreciate the end results - but seeing your journey in this way is so powerful and certainly inspiring to so many. It helps imagine where you’ll be in another decade! Fantastic!
Why have I found this channel just now? I'm not a musician but I love music. I love to listen to guitars, piano, sax, etc. I didn't know bass can be played like this. I began to like listening to it. Glad to find this channel. Definitely will watch every video. Thanks for persevering through time and sharing your gift to us. Enjoy your videos and sharing them.
You sir are no doubt one of TH-cam‘s finest musicians. Davie‘s playing never convinced me completely, but I have to thank him so much for bringing you to our attention. You deserve every last bit of this and even more. Your dedication has payed off and I really wish I just had a tenth of it. Keep it up, we enjoy it very much! :)
what's sad, is that TH-cam STILL puts their fingers on the scales and Recommendations aren't always based on MERIT. ex: My YT channels got POPULAR IMMEDIATELY (to my shock!) and then ONE DAY YT PULLED THE PLUG ON ALL OF IT (bc many of my videos exposed govt corruption or Giuliani scandals, so he had his attys threaten YT). Everyone says I'm a genius musician, but ANYTHING I post on YT gets Shadowbanned automatically, sigh.
Wow!!! Jim’s advice is just so solid, honest, to the point, and absolutely correct. One of the most important things any serious musician needs to hear, “focus” what you did yesterday, what you’re doing today, and what are you doing tomorrow. Best advice!! Thank you for sharing Charles, you continually inspire me with all of your hard work and amazing talents. Rock on 🤘!!!!
Watching your tubes has inspired me to start learning to play the Bass at the ripe old age of 61. I have always loved the bass and finally decided to do something about it. My first axe is a Fender Aerodyne Jazz Bass.
This is really powerful. I've been a DJ now for just over two years. The lessons here should apply to any skill, certainly including DJ'ing, but I also have a bass that's been collecting dust and has never been restrung. I've slowly been thinking about getting into music production instead of just spinning tracks, and I think it's finally time to pick the bass back up, restring it, and get to work. It'd be really cool to record my own bass lines to layer into some electronic music.
Well deserved. You're a great personality, and I love the jokes and acting in your clips. And as you say .. you've kept the music front and centre. You're always so damn *musical*, and some of the pieces you play are just utterly sublime. Often I listen with my eyes closed as I just want to experience the music and nothing else.
It is always a tip of an iceberg what we see... Huge respect not just for the out-of-this-world skills but mainly for your work ethic, down-to-earth attitude and inspirational journey. You're the BASS, dude! All the best & keep slappin' & tappin' that thing!
CHARLES, MAN, this progress of yours, truly commendable, thanks to you i picked up the bass, years ago i used to be a guitarrist, i used to overlook bassist and their functions in a piece of music and their potential to even solo crazy notes with different techniques, i used fingerstyle for the most part, so learning the ways of the bass was fairly simple, but still, mastering it…slapping, tapping, Synchronizing everything with your drummer, i still have some work left, but thanks to you man, i’m a happy and proud bassist that is indeed VERY happy to make music!
Definitely inspired me. Been a musician, violinist, since I could walk. Switched to viola later on then picked up bass in highschool. After college tho work got super involved, then life, then family, then a child but listening to your videos makes me want to pick up my bass and just remember that I'm not good enough to play what you just did. Thank you
Congrats, Charles! I'm a guitarist who follows Sylvester Stallone, and when he said to follow you, I happily listened. I appreciate your work and want you to know that you inspire even us evil axe players. #VictorWooten4Life 🤘 Hmm, I wonder what happened to Davie503???
What an inspiring video man. Everyone just posts their success. You we're so honest here, much respect man. It helps us all artists and musicians to hear a story this honest. Thank you Charles. Keep on being such a great bassist, and person!!
I am very inspired by you & your actions. Here are just a few of the things I’ve noticed. You are mild mannered. You don’t use bad language, that is a huge plus. You are clean cut without any body or face piercings, that is a huge win.
You inspired me to start playing piano!! I know that doesn't seem like it would make sense, but I enjoy your encouragement and enthusiasm for playing an instrument! You've spoken a lot about just doing it and practicing really hard.
The first time I heard of you was several years ago when I came across your Danny Boy cover on Piccolo bass. I showed my mom cuz it's her favorite song and she cried. I still listen to it fairly often. Keep it up man
You are the perfect example of why people shouldn't be demotivated when they're watching insanely good musicians, and instead, should be inspired. You weren't even an exceptional bassist during the entire first 12 years of your playing (based on the old videos you showed). 12 years is a loooong time and at that point you were just about as good as an above average street musician. But you didn't stop, you kept learning and practicing. And here you are - quite possibly the most technically proficient and melodically entertaining bassist on TH-cam, right now. Here you are playing Victor's hardest solos - while talking and without even breaking a sweat. Doing runs and creating pieces that most musicians could only dream of playing. Not because you were "talented", or "gifted".... but because of all the hard work and discipline you put into your craft. Now, THAT is inspirational. Cheers!
Thank you so much for 1 million subscribers! When did you subscribe/what was the first video of mine you ever watched? 🤔👇🏻
Bruh
The first video I watched was your solo of „Colors of the Wind“.
It was your If Bach was a metal bassist. Your videos keep me playing bass. It’s always fun to see the content you come up with, keep at it!
I don't remember the first video I watched but I remember thinking that you were one of the most unique, creative, and gifted bassists I have ever heard. I'm a drummer so bass has always been something I'm tuned into. Do you ever miss playing live or with other musicians? I'm old school so playing live feels like something I have to do to feel gratified.
W
Dude, this almost made me cry.. All that hard work, all that time practicing. I was introduced to you through Davie, but I stayed because of your amazing videos, bass solos and you just being a down to Earth dude although your skill levels are out of the world. So glad you found your place, and I honestly wish you all the best in life! Cheers, here's to the next million subscribers 🍻
Same!
Same 👍
You think youre the only one?
and please, dont ever stole my line again
Same
I couldn't say it better :)
“And now… Winston’s dead!” 😂🤣
Your humor and musicianship are on point!
Congratulations, you deserve it.
"How'd you get so good"
"Practice"
"Natural talent you say"
"No, practice...a lot of practice"
"Talent. Dang, wish i could do that."
Exactly. There is no better explanation for how to get good, than this video .
What's is say in the Bible...? Oh yeah-
"There are none so blind as those who will not see..."
To be fair to get to Charles’ level you’ll need both. Without some natural talent no amount of practise will have you playing at this level
Not just practice, but years of private lessons.
@@TedBarton91 literally wrong, that's the whole point
After playing bass since February 1970, yes, 53 years, finding you on TH-cam made me feel the way I felt the first time I heard Stanley Clarke, then Jaco, then Victor. After all this time, I now realize that any instrument is only limited by the player. Thx Charles.
I went to Berklee summer of 2015 and I also had lessons from Jim! I remember back then he brought you out to play bass for some of us bassists and I was blown away! I found your youtube channel shortly after that and since then I have been telling people you are one of the best (in my opinion) bass players. It's so great to see how far you've come and to see you get the recognition you deserve.
Dang youtube really brings people together.
You’ve got a world-class channel. And I get the feeling you are just getting started here. As your journey shows, "It's a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll." 1 million subs is a LOT more subs than most famous bands have. Congratulations!
He is also a far better bass player than most of those famous bands.
@@wowkiller9 Indeed
@@wowkiller9 Agreed.
Let us call people like him hardworking, persevering, dedicated and patient before we call them gifted or talented.
That's so true there's no such thing as a gift or talent yes you can be those things but not without actually trying
You think perseverance and patience aren’t talents?
@@electricant55 they're qualities or virtues. Like you don't call a patient dog talented, or a dedicated mother talented. They are relatively common traits that when nurtured correctly form the basis of being good at different things.
@@BlueZirnitra if they were relatively common we'd see people like him all the time, wouldn't you say?
@@electricant55 that's because they're doctors, firemen, artists, builders, architects, physicists etc and not just bassists. People who excel are everywhere. That's not even to mention the millions of people who do have positive traits but didn't have a supportive or healthy upbringing.
I’m a guitarist, not a bassist, but I really appreciate masterful musicianship such as yours in any form. I am one of those that found you from Davie504 and I’m glad he did. You deserve all of your success.
Same here! Thanks definitely not Davie...
You can play a guitar like an acoustic bass
@@NicoleVanderwyst I’m not sure a I understand what you mean. I do own a bass, I mess around on. I’m just not amazing like Charles or Davie. I can just play pretty simple bass lines like Billie Jean, stuff like that.
@@tridoc99 well you can do acoustic bass solos on acoustic guitar
@@tridoc99 c
'More Love' by Victor Wooten! That piece doesn't get enough recognition so it's awesome to hear you play it at the start. Congrats on 1M bro!!! 💪
Really wish you had time to make more videos too, Zander.
Love your melodic and calming plays.
This is a story about hard work, but what David504 did was also amazing! Instead of seeing another great bass player as a competitor, he kicked off Charles' career, and in the end, there is certainly room for both! That is real love of the instrument they both have dedicated their lives to!
ALL of these musicians should PAY IT FORWARD, from Rick Beato to Mary Spender.
ALL of them should occasionally promote NEW nobodies.
@@jonbongjovi1869 I know you didn't mean it in any negative way, I just hate to call someone a 'nobody' unless they are full of themselves or a jerk that is 'not so well known'. There are lots of good people that fall in to the category of 'not so well known', but definitely are not 'nobodies'. Actually as I think about it more, generally speaking a 'nobody' is exclusively a word with negative connotations. I think 'unknown', 'under exposed', 'under appreciated', 'deserving of recognition', and the like are the words you were looking for. Peace.
I’d love to see collaboration… these guys are genius and im grateful for them, yes!❤
To be fair, were it not for Devon540, Charles could have very well died in obscurity with very little to show for all his hard work and dedication.
Take a moment to consider how many Charles Berthouds there could be in the world right now, not to mention the past, who haven't been and probably won't be quite as lucky.
At the end of the day, without luck (or connections), skill can mean nothing.
"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." ~Seneca
This is one of the finest examples of that I've ever seen. Thank you so much for sharing your story.
@@AcousticOlli It's still relevant here, preparation is the hard work
@@AcousticOlli Sure, as far as his playing skill. As far as reaching 1M followers? He caught what some would call a lucky break, when Davie singled him out. The point is, that wasn't luck -- that was being prepared, being open to opportunity, and recognizing it as such so as to capitalize on it. Similarly, many people might say he was lucky to get into Berklee.
The point of the quote is that what most people perceive is luck usually isn't just luck.
Another version: "Fortune favors the prepared mind."
That's the exact quote that comes to mind, and I love how you elaborated in response to J. Spot on. Great comment.
@@Darrel_Owen Actually, it (and J's comment too) was in reply to someone else who had missed the point and apparently deleted their comment after my reply. Thanks for your support!
Much like the golfer Gary Player, who said, after someone mentioned a lucky bunker shot....' You know it's funny, the harder i practice , the luckier i seem to get .
As a piano major feeling stuck in music school, this video was one big, big, BIG timely reminder to me, and the fact that it was from someone else who didn’t grow up in a music family, with no head starts in life, who knew the ins and outs of how hard it is to be in the music field, in music school, how many hours of practice, the pressure of juggling academics + practicing + regular shows outside of university, social and family life, and even jobs.
I’ve been losing focus from my craft lately, my passion for the piano has been waning, which is why I ended up on drums and bass channels like Davie’s, and eventually yours, and then further down, this particular video. And then I came across what your Bass teacher said about focus and being able to tell what you’ve worked on, are working on, and will work on yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It just kind of gave me an idea on how to approach my repertoire and now I don’t feel as stuck anymore.
Coupled with how everything else in this video is a reminder to not just lose focus, but to even more so never lose perseverance. I started piano at the age of 3 because…Asian parents, but never persevered. As a child, all I wanted to do was go out and play, and as a teenager, was questioning and wrongfully rebelling against the upbringing of the typical Asian household.
If I had practiced instead of wasting my life away out of focus, who knows how far I could have gone now. And if I wasted my life away NOW, then 15 more years down the line I would probably also look back and regret how I didn’t start persevering now, in the present.
Thank you for this inspiring video, Sir Charles! Wishing you all the best in your endeavors and congratulations on your continuous growth! 🎉 You deserve it!
(Sorry for the long comment lol I’ve never felt this touched by a video in a while)
Very interresting comment. I concur as someone who loves music, loves practicing, but has also no familial musical background - except a solid taste for listening to various types of music - and learned her first instrument in the very traditionnal way.
I've also almost lost the interest because of the very strict ways of learning at music schools, which are very outdated, at least in France, and the goal is openly to form musician out of those who can actually get into the mould ( + the fact that the vast majority of students comes from upper class families, where practicing music is less a passion than something almost unavoidable. I'm not one of thos, I started as an adult, and I've chosen a non popular instrument in the first place, so... I was the outsider in any possible way, but I had to get into the same mould as the children, same teaching, same examinations, same restricted time, when I needed to work full time to pay my rent and eat!)
So I decided to learn piano through other ways, and... it works better for me to do it at my own pace. The day when I decided to learn seriously piano, all alone, I also started to write daily on a small notebook my practice, what I've listened ( CD, Online, concerts, whatever), practical videos, anything basiscally, related to music. Just to keep track of the progress. So I'll be able to really have a precise idea of my progress after a year. This is something very simple, but I was never told to do so at the music school, I couldn't really see my progress week fter week, and started thinking I had no progress anymore ( and I do the same for language learning, actually)
Nice to learn that the love for your instrument is back! ❤
Wow, same here, been playing the bass for about 3 years now but never really put effort into it, if I tried to make the effort to do some more excercises and be more consistent maybe I would be way better now but well, I cant change the past so I'm looking forward to stop wasting my time and start making progress.
Thank you for your comment!
Great points, especially with Jim's comment. It's highly accurate and generalizable to all of learning as a concept known as 'meta-cognition', basically being focused and knowing what you're learning, when/how, touching base with what's being learned through self-check ins and self-quizzing (or with a mentor). It's been an approach that has made me feel able to learn literally any skill without getting to overwhelmed and keeping focused- small unit of success measurements and keeping yourself on track. Really wish there were more mentors and teachers like Jim out there, imagine if this was actually being properly applied in schools? Maybe we would have a lot more passionate and motivated people coming out of education systems and of course the results would speak for themselves in any field.
You're so right about perseverance though, I feel it's the hardest part and you can't directly teach that, I think it only comes when you have a personal 'why' for whatever you're doing which is so hard these days because we all want to make a living and preserve our livelihood but that isn't a real 'why'- it's a necessary aspect of living. I think mentors are crucial for this to help inspire us even when we don't know yet what our 'why' is, just progressing and trusting the process often works when you're really loving what you do and feel motivated and passionate from encouragement and inspiration. Doors open up because people see that and it's rare (and you often end up inspiring others in the process too!)
Charles inspires me a lot but also thanks for this comment bro…it really hit me
i've spent my life trying to find a way to be able to support myself so i could do my music without the pressure of having to depend on it for a living - the old adage - don't make your passion your job, lest you grow to hate it. well, that hasn't worked and i'm just older and not any closer - if anything, further away as life constantly throws poo in one's path and one starts to have more regrets than dreams. And yes, to be honest, when you look around and see so much talent - and young talent - you begin to feel there just isn't a place for you anymore.
maybe some people reading this can relate and realize DON"T DO THAT! don't make my mistake
I don't normally get super excited when people hit 1M, but this made me give an audible reaction. Congrats man, you deserved this. in fact, you deserve way more subs!
Let's push Charlie to 10 million sub club.
Same feeling, man.
This is such a good video in so many ways:
1) it’s interesting to hear the backstory
2) It’s great for amateur musicians to see that a virtuoso isn’t someone “better than you” but simply someone that has made it their career and dedicated themselves to it.
3) Charles is a lovely bloke.
4) Absolutely enormous respect to Davie for elevating and supporting Charles instead of seeing him as a rival or something. Awesome.
Keep bassing for us, from a very happy amateur bassist who loves to see you play!
For sure, got a whole new respect for Davie.
um, I don't see how this doesn't show that virtuoso's aren't "better than me". This guy was better at three years in than most bass players I know. They say hard work beats talent, and thats true, unless talent works hard. If someone is more talented than you, and also as dedicated as you, you will never touch them, no matter how hard you try.
@@Jeremy-hx7zj True, his low point was high point of most. People who say talent doesn't make a difference just don't want to accept the fact that is makes a huge difference. Talented people spend massive amounts of time on something because they are driven to keep growing and not because the need to do it. People aren't born equal. That's why there is a scale for IQ and if you are accepted to Berkley you are already at that higher scale. I just accept it and continue to progress without being troubled by it. That doesn't take away the fact that he definitely worked to get where he is at now.
@@Jeremy-hx7zj i mean most people get that good at 3 years and if not maybe in 5 provided you play 5+hours a day. now ichika that's a different story dude is a god in just over 5 years
Here’s to a million more, Charles!!!! 🙌🤟🤟🤟🎉🎉🎉
Working on it!!
Winston is dead😕
Good for you Charles. You deserve all the success for your hard work.
Congratulations, you're a master and totally deserve all the good stuff.
Thank you!
@@CharlesBerthoud I have a challenge for you
(Still congrats)
This honestly inspires way more than before because this really does show that skill isn’t instant it’s gradual. Thank you so much for what you’ve done and keep up the good work!
5:38 "If you can't tell me what you're going to work on tomorrow,
what you worked on today, and what you practiced yesterday,
you're just not focused! And we have to be focused!!"
motivation🔥
Which is why my tea making skills are legendary.
Dude, right? Fuck, that put me and my “Just Learning By Ear And Winging Everything Else” ass in place. He’s totally right. Focus. Organize. Learn. Progress. Repeat.
I love that you are humble; and to tell you the truth, as a 27 year bass player- you are probably the most skilled and interesting player i have EVER heard. Congratulations on your success, you deserve it :)
"Comparison is the thief of joy". Focus on your own journey, and don't compare yourself with everyone else. No matter how good you become, there will always be someone out there who is better than you, but that's ok. Enjoying music and developing at your own pace is the most important.
Still, you might be saying this to the one that has no one better than him.. 🤷♂
AMEN! I need that to be my mantra, brother
@@hyper-sloth Thanks. Another thing I like to tell myself is that instead of having discipline, I'm being patient with myself. Right now I'm actually revisiting songs on guitar I had to give up on in 2016 when I was starting out, and I'm actually able to play them now. Yes, I am a bit lazy, and I could have practiced a lot more, but I didn't give up entirely.
I thought it was "expectation is the thief of joy"
I was one of the many davie504 recommended . Man it’s inspiring. And …. You are a nice guy . Thanks for hard work . I love to watch your videos and listen to incredible bass . Although I never played bass . Thanks one more time
I had friends show me davie504 but it was shortly after that I discovered Charles, not sure if it was through davie or not. I switched to Charles almost immediately. I like his professionalism and not so goofy attitude. More suits my nature I guess.
@@iloveska1 You're dead to me now! j/k ;-)
I'm so glad Davie shined the spotlight on you. You're an absolute beast of a player who deserves the world.
I'm a lifelong musician, 2 recording deals, I play several instruments including bass, or i thought I did. I've never seen anyone play a bass like you. You really are an inspiration. I don't play bass much, only for certain recordings but you really make me wanna learn more now. This story really moved me. I've been putting off recording some songs I've been working on for years but that's changing and thank you for telling us about your journey. Your the best bass player I've ever seen !
Congrats on 1 Million! What an achievement! Congrats Charles, be sure to enjoy every minute of it!
Charlie is *that good* it won't be long now til we see 1 billion
I gave up playing bass about 20 years ago.. I like watching your performances but this video about your journey inspired me to start playing again. Keep tapping and slapping like there's no tomorrow Charles!
_You didn't "give up". You only took a little break. Period._
I think the Eagles said something like this when they got back together for the Hell Freezes Over tour... How is it going? Still playing?
I'm not a musician, but you inspire me. This may sound silly, but when I first discovered your music several months ago, it seemed to have a very positive, very beautiful undertone that persisted no matter what you were playing. I had never had that sense before, so I tried listening to other artists playing the same pieces and that unmistakable tone was only in your renditions, even when you were playing the same notes at the same tempo. I can only conclude that you yourself have a joyful approach to life that communicates itself through your music. I listen to you as an antidote to humanity's evils and a confirmation that life is, despite all the insanity, fundamentally good. A million TH-cam subscribers is only the beginning of what will undoubtedly be a spectacular career. The world needs you.
Beautiful words ❤
You definitely make a difference in people's lives, CB. I stopped playing 30+ years ago because though I was paying the bills by performing, I personally thought I had no talent. So I sold all my gear, moved back to my hometown, got good paying Factory job. I missed playing music so much that just in order to be able to function, I had to stop listening to music altogether. That worked for a little while, but then I started hearing jazz compositions, bass riffs, drum parts, in my head and visualizing where each note was on my mental fretboard. But I held firm and never bought or touched a bass guitar. Then about a year ago I found your TH-cam channel as well as a few others, and the walls started to crumble. Music and bass was suddenly on my mind 24/7.
So I bought a bass and keyboard and started noodling around. Then I pulled out my music theory and jazz ed books from college. Noodling became daily practice and now, at age 57, I am determined to apply my mind, my diabetic arthritic hands, and my ears to becoming the bassist and musician that I always wanted to be.
So yes, you inspire people and show them a new way to approach the instrument. I truly appreciate the hard work and gifts that you share with us all. Thanks 🙏🏼
Probably you never thought having a fan in Ecuador 🇪🇨, just wanted to let you know that your content and your abilities for playing bass are not from this world, I bet you are one of the best bassists around the globe, keep it up Charles! Cheers 🥂
One thing I love about this so much is that the more high-quality hours you put into focused practice, the better you get. You see it in the examples that Gladwell has looked at in Outliers, and you see it in all areas of life. Much deserved success, you're a master of BASS, keep up the phenomenal work 🙏
More than deserved 1M subs. Congrats, Charles!!
Thank you!
Congratulations. Many see the musician after he's finished, they can't imagine the dedication, what 20 thousand hours of studies are to get where you've arrived. This video is an inspiration to so many musicians.
Thank you for your inspiration started playing musical instruments at the age of 70 and the Bass has become a big part of my life now have a you tube channel writing songs doing covers etc the last 10 years have been a fantastic musical journey and I think it is keeping me alive play every day at the age of 80 just letting people know it is never to late to learn a musical instrument but the younger you are the better love and peace to you all
Can you start posting too?
@@Oboendband You can hear my music under EclecticAL York on You Tube
Maximum respect for you !
@photag216 You are probably much better than you think keep on playing and check out as many sources as you can
Your example is so amazing
Two of my favorite quotes come to mind while watching this: “Practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect” and “Don’t practice until you can play it right, practice until you can’t play it wrong”
Love the progress shown. Congrats Charles!
Thanks!
I know one thing I love it when you play the fretless bass it makes my heart stop and I love that could you do more please
I'm like so proud of this guy. I found his channel when he was at 200k subs, and I've been following him ever since. Congrats man. You deserve it
Mad respect to you and to Davie504. I bought a bass just the other day because you guys. I’ve been jamming Hard to Concentrate by RHCP. Nothing feels better than laying a bass down that grooves well with the drums. Thanks for letting me get that feeling back. And congrats on the milestone!
One of the coolest Peppers songs of all
How's your playing going?
I am 58 and started playing the bass during the pandemic. According to my estimates, I have logged about 800 hours. So 19,200 more to go. I'll be about 80 years old when I get to your level.
Picking up my bass again after about 2 years. Watched this while my finger tips recover. Such an inspiration man. Thanks!
Dude. I'm a music teacher (mainly youth) and this video is solid gold for the up and coming students of the world. I'd be curious to hear more about those years and experiences that prompted the "aha" moment as a youth.
Awesome man! Congrats. Well deserved
Howboutcha Hank! I’m subbed to your channel! Really cool seeing you here :)
This is my FAVORITE Charles video yet. My son has just started learning bass because of your videos and seeing you be so transparent about the journey is very inspiring. Thank you!!
I've been playing bass for about 3 years, starting at the end of 7th grade. It started off as a way to make learning guitar easier, but it ended up being something that I have such a passion for and appreciate so much. It transformed the way I listen to things, listening to every part of a song rather than "just the vocals" or skipping an instrumental because it's "boring." This video, showing all of your progress and dedication, made me so glad I started playing and showed me how much just playing can get you. Your amazing skill and work ethic is incredibly motivating, and it inspires me to be better every time I watch your videos. Thank you for being such an inspiration and never stop playing!
Davie Stallone killed me! Way to go! You are a real inspiration!
Wow! What an interesting and heartfelt video! Dear Charles: For the people who feel like throwing away their bass after hearing you, Someone that I know said «The only musician you should worry being better than, is the one you were yesterday».
That is some wisdom that most every musician I have known could use, especially me!
Well deserved. Congrats dude!
I can't tell you how awesome you are! I've been playing bass about a year now, on my dad's washburn, and I'm starting to look for my own bass, thanks mostly to you. You were the 2nd bass channel I discovered, and I've got to say you're probably the best. You're freaking amazing, and there are sometimes it's like oh god how will ever get there? And hey, I might not. I may still become a good player, and it's really just a side hobby, and probably will be. I might make a few bucks off it, but I don't plan on turning it into a full career. I will if ever get as good as you, which probably won't ever happen, but who knows, you've been playing for almost as long as I've been alive. I just want to say thanks man. You're in my top 3 for my favorite bassists, with Victor Wooten and Cliff Burton, and I'd just like to say thanks
I'm coming up to 7 months as a bass player and you've inspired me to try harder. Thank you.
Keep it up man
Keep going! Bass is the heart of music. At least an hour a day and improvement is inevitable
I'm glad I watched this. I gained a lot of respect for you, man. I've been playing bass for 35 years, and I saw you as some rich, smug freak that "just got lucky" to be playing so well, not realizing just how hard you worked to be that freak that could play so well. I too, was one of those that was in the "throw my basses out" group, but watching this made me realise that I had no one but myself to blame for not being the player I could be. I was lazy. Didn't practice as much as I should. I couldn't afford Berklee, though I toured the facilities, and was in the process of going. Just couldn't afford Berklee, or Boston. But I owe you an apology. You deserve all the success and praise you get. You've worked for it. And I am truly sorry for thinking so little of you.
how humble you must be to feel the need to apologize to someone you never harmed. i aspire to be like you in that aspect. much kudos to you
@@therealjibrano Thank you! I really appreciate the kind words.
I've met a few gifted people in my life. All of them said many people don't really understand why they are so good at the things they do. While yes, they can process and comprehend things much, MUCH quicker than us, they put in a LOT of effort to really ripen their talents. Many people are also born with a talent or two, but they never ripen them because they never bother reinforcing their skills.
I used to always think think that gifted people were gifted because they were lucky. That's only partially true. He told me something along the lines of, "A lot of people hate me because they assume I don't have to put in a lot of effort to be just as good as them. The thing most people don't know is that the only thing I do is practice and practice."
When he said that, I thought about the stuff I was good at but never pursued it. When I took coding in both high school and university, I was consistently at the top of the class and solving problems much faster than everyone else, even people that had a bit of a coding background. But did I ever really study it? Outside of textbooks and the minimum for the class, nope. I never really felt in love with it. But then I got introduced to FL Studio and Ableton Live. I don't really understand much of what I'm doing even after a year of experimenting, but I love it so, so much, and I have so much more fun with it than I did coding.
@@Minuey Good stuff. I come from a musically inclined family. I always thought I might have a slight advantage over a lot of other people. Then, I thought, "playing musical instruments is a skill. NOT a talent, which implies some innate "gift". Anyone can be as "talented" as they want, as long as they put in the work to develop the "skill"." And THAT is where everything went pear-shaped. I couldn't rest on my laurels and be a "gifted" musician anymore. If I had practiced even 30 minutes every day for the last 35 years.....who knows? Maybe I'd be as good as this guy. Doubtful, but maybe. There's also the "luck" factor. My parents never discouraged me from playing music, but they never bought me basses. They couldn't afford to send me to Berklee. So, naturally, anyone with nice gear, and a degree from Berklee was an undeserving, rich, lucky bastard. When I finally watched this video, it opened my eyes and really humbled me. This guy put in the work. He DESERVES all the success he gets. I have become much more grateful for the gear I have, and a lot happier with who I am and where I am in my musical "career". I've got no one but myself to blame for not being better than I am.
Same boat here, man. Been drumming for almost 18 years. I seemed to have a knack for it early on, plus I immediately joined the school band and started playing with others every day. I improved a TON in those first few years, but after high school I stopped practicing entirely. Every time I sat down at the kit I just kinda screwed around, never played exercises, and never kept track of my progress. I feel like I haven't reached my potential and I'm almost bitter about how quickly I progressed early on. Anyway, it's never too late.
Well-deserved, been there since 3k subs or something :D Keep it up!
Yep
Such joyous humour from the start
Loved it
Winston's dead is actually a pretty great line, I loled in real life rather than internally, good big belly laugh. Cool to see how d504 notice brought you into the public eye
Well done mate, congratulations!
Hah, I actually remember him first appearing on Davie's channel. Wow, this guy really hustled for years, and I appreciate the honesty, vulnerability, and motivation in this video. This guy deserves every bit of success he gets.
I started playing music when I was introduced to bass 10 years ago and over time, because I wasn’t in a band I kind of lost my love for it. I didn’t think it could be the solo instrument that it clearly can be. I ended up stopping playing for years until my brother told me about a bass battle I would enjoy on TH-cam. Seeing you guys play so well got me to pick it back up and then watching your videos got me inspired to learn new techniques. My playing has gotten a lot better since then and if it hadn’t have been for your videos I might not have ended up returning to it. You deserve more than 1 million subscribers and I’m sure your channel will keep growing. I’m glad I was here for this milestone though.
I remember first commenting on one of your videos back when you had 6k subs. Congrats bruv!
Stay healthy and cheers from Philippines.
The secret of playing an instrument good is revealed: Practice, practice, practice. Improvise, play with others, play with playback songs, practice slow, practice fast. No one gets there without practice, but people still seem to think some people are just natural born Wunderkinder. Thanks for showing all of this Charles and congrats of course!
but i find everyone practices UNINTELLIGENTLY.
everyone COPYCATS tradition, which isn't good nor productive.
EX:
they tell kids to VIEW MUSIC AS WORK INSTEAD OF PLAY.
That's insane right there.
EX:
I got my first drumkit 3 years ago.....and couldn't set it up where I live.....so I kept it set up INSIDE my awesome van (!) and i modded it up so I could set it up outdoors ANYWHERE (!) and practice outdoors in awesome weather! (I was worried about annoying ppl outdoors of course, cuz solo drum practice doesn't sound that listenable onpaper!)
FIRST DAY I owned my first drumkit, I MADE $$$$ FROM STRANGERS, cuz i set up at the edge of a Home Depot parking lot, so I could watch traffic while learning drums!
EVERYONE WENT NUTS just to see a guy on the side of a road ("Lot Rock" is the genre for playing parking lots, ha ha) with a TINY Ludwig Jr drumkit he'd decorated wild! Every car honks or cheers or films etc!
THAT'S how ya do it!
DRUMMING "EXPERTS" TELL ALL NEW DRUMMERS TO START SLOW blah blah.
I DID THE PRECISE OPPOSITE: DAY ONE, I went nuts and every day I focused on FUN and pushing myself, no matter how sloppy it was. (Logically, i'd simply get tighter every day no matter what, so MAY AS WELL HAVE NON-STOP FUN!)
ALL the "experts" say my way can't work, but so far, all of them THIN I'm a very schooled drummer who has been playing forever!
I'm still sloppy (cuz i can't practice often), but you can already SEE I'M FAR BEYOND MOST DRUMMERS!
th-cam.com/video/ObyRwdr55Gc/w-d-xo.html
I'm not a musician, but virtuosity in any field is magnificent. Whether mechanical or musical, the best is a great pleasure to watch. Keep up the great "work".
I've been playing bass for 41 years. I have progressed. I now use two fingers when fingerstyling, and have once played a Chilli Peppers song at a gig using something called "slap" I think. Over the years I reckon I practiced at least 8 seconds a day (on average). So I too am living proof that if you put in the hours (or seconds) you can improve. 😂 Love the channel - keep inspiring us!
2 years later and almost 2 million subscribers now. Keep it up, Charles! Finding your channel today made me pick up my guitar again, so thanks for putting me back on track!
Big congrats Charles. I searched you out literally seconds after you first appeared as the "pro" on Davies video.i haven't missed a single video since.
I'm not a bass player, and have 0 musical talent, but watching you amazes and inspires me.
I'll be here still when you hit 10 million!
Same!
Same!
Now and again when you dive into the rabbit hole of YT suggestions you find a gem 💎. +1 sub my man, really heartfelt and honest vid.
Holy shit that is inspiring. There is so much life behind that, I wasn't expecting that. So much things lived, so much experiences lived. Thank you Charles
So nice to see and hear authentic people like this . Unlike so many in the mainstream music industry who sell out .
It is very apparent how hard you’ve worked, and very entertaining to us who have discovered your channel. Thank you, and congratulations!
This is all well deserved. The level of skills you possess is insane. Truly inspiring.
You are the reason why , i play bass again. You are my top #1 bassist ❤
Here's to a billion! Thank you Charles for everything you've done for the bass community, you have been an inspiration for every single one of us! 🤘 🤘 🤘
Dude... you're incredibly talented, and more importantly, very likable. And... you're a dedicated, hard worker. Congrats. You're one of the best I've ever seen. You will have the torch passed. Wooten to you. No joke.
I'm one of those who have discovered you through Davie's battles, and i'm so glad of it! I'm glad you got that little extra help that started to make you more and more visible to everyone. 1M subscribers? That means that there are still Billions on earth who are missing some good BASS in their lives!
I found you from the Davie video's I didn't realize you were just starting off then. I'm mainly an electric player for church but bass is my favorite to play. You have really inspired me to step up my bass game. Thank you for devoting so much to making bass stand out.
Dude, you’re the real MVP. I’m actually a guitar player who’s started playing bass about 2 years ago. Your videos inspire the hell out of me. Thanks for the great content and keep up the good work. You’ll hit a billion subscribers sooner than you think :)
Charles, you are an inspiration to us all! You even had my daughter plucking away at my bass the other day, trying to “be cool like Charles”. Keep it up, man…we love you!
This is tremendous! As a father with adult children who are all very musical over the years, it’s great to see your progression! In a world with many amazing musicians, we mostly only get to appreciate the end results - but seeing your journey in this way is so powerful and certainly inspiring to so many. It helps imagine where you’ll be in another decade! Fantastic!
Why have I found this channel just now? I'm not a musician but I love music. I love to listen to guitars, piano, sax, etc. I didn't know bass can be played like this. I began to like listening to it. Glad to find this channel. Definitely will watch every video. Thanks for persevering through time and sharing your gift to us. Enjoy your videos and sharing them.
That’s a tremendous journey - thank you so much for sharing. The underling lesson though is - practice, learn, and play. Play A LOT!
You sir are no doubt one of TH-cam‘s finest musicians. Davie‘s playing never convinced me completely, but I have to thank him so much for bringing you to our attention. You deserve every last bit of this and even more. Your dedication has payed off and I really wish I just had a tenth of it. Keep it up, we enjoy it very much! :)
what's sad, is that TH-cam STILL puts their fingers on the scales and Recommendations aren't always based on MERIT.
ex:
My YT channels got POPULAR IMMEDIATELY (to my shock!) and then ONE DAY YT PULLED THE PLUG ON ALL OF IT (bc many of my videos exposed govt corruption or Giuliani scandals, so he had his attys threaten YT).
Everyone says I'm a genius musician, but ANYTHING I post on YT gets Shadowbanned automatically, sigh.
Wow!!! Jim’s advice is just so solid, honest, to the point, and absolutely correct. One of the most important things any serious musician needs to hear, “focus” what you did yesterday, what you’re doing today, and what are you doing tomorrow. Best advice!! Thank you for sharing Charles, you continually inspire me with all of your hard work and amazing talents. Rock on 🤘!!!!
Checkout Jim Stinnett’s Daily Practice For Bass series
@@peterkelly8357 thank you! What a great recommendation. I didn’t even realize this existed. 👍👍
Watching your tubes has inspired me to start learning to play the Bass at the ripe old age of 61. I have always loved the bass and finally decided to do something about it. My first axe is a Fender Aerodyne Jazz Bass.
This is really powerful. I've been a DJ now for just over two years. The lessons here should apply to any skill, certainly including DJ'ing, but I also have a bass that's been collecting dust and has never been restrung. I've slowly been thinking about getting into music production instead of just spinning tracks, and I think it's finally time to pick the bass back up, restring it, and get to work. It'd be really cool to record my own bass lines to layer into some electronic music.
This was by far the most inspirational and motivating thing you have ever done
Well deserved. You're a great personality, and I love the jokes and acting in your clips. And as you say .. you've kept the music front and centre. You're always so damn *musical*, and some of the pieces you play are just utterly sublime. Often I listen with my eyes closed as I just want to experience the music and nothing else.
You ARE one of the best people (not to mention BASS PLAYER) ON TH-cam Charles. Respect most high to you!
It is always a tip of an iceberg what we see... Huge respect not just for the out-of-this-world skills but mainly for your work ethic, down-to-earth attitude and inspirational journey. You're the BASS, dude! All the best & keep slappin' & tappin' that thing!
CHARLES, MAN, this progress of yours, truly commendable, thanks to you i picked up the bass, years ago i used to be a guitarrist, i used to overlook bassist and their functions in a piece of music and their potential to even solo crazy notes with different techniques, i used fingerstyle for the most part, so learning the ways of the bass was fairly simple, but still, mastering it…slapping, tapping, Synchronizing everything with your drummer, i still have some work left, but thanks to you man, i’m a happy and proud bassist that is indeed VERY happy to make music!
Now that's a incredible journey Charles, can't wait to see what the future holds for you, congrats on the 1 millionth 👍🏆.
Definitely inspired me. Been a musician, violinist, since I could walk. Switched to viola later on then picked up bass in highschool. After college tho work got super involved, then life, then family, then a child but listening to your videos makes me want to pick up my bass and just remember that I'm not good enough to play what you just did. Thank you
Congrats, Charles! I'm a guitarist who follows Sylvester Stallone, and when he said to follow you, I happily listened. I appreciate your work and want you to know that you inspire even us evil axe players. #VictorWooten4Life 🤘
Hmm, I wonder what happened to Davie503???
Bro, you’re such an inspiration. I related to what you had to say, it’s awesome to see you thrive!
What an inspiring video man. Everyone just posts their success. You we're so honest here, much respect man. It helps us all artists and musicians to hear a story this honest. Thank you Charles. Keep on being such a great bassist, and person!!
I am very inspired by you & your actions. Here are just a few of the things I’ve noticed. You are mild mannered. You don’t use bad language, that is a huge plus. You are clean cut without any body or face piercings, that is a huge win.
As a drummer of many genres, bassists like you sir are rare and gents of your humility are a song breed.
You inspired me to start playing piano!! I know that doesn't seem like it would make sense, but I enjoy your encouragement and enthusiasm for playing an instrument! You've spoken a lot about just doing it and practicing really hard.
Im a long time follower of davie then you came to the scene, im so proud that i both see you grow. Both great musician. Long live!
Congratulations on those million plus subscribers and I count myself fortunate to be one of them. Keep on keeping on Charles.
The first time I heard of you was several years ago when I came across your Danny Boy cover on Piccolo bass. I showed my mom cuz it's her favorite song and she cried. I still listen to it fairly often. Keep it up man
Great to see how far you've come. Inspired Bassists from all over
You are the perfect example of why people shouldn't be demotivated when they're watching insanely good musicians, and instead, should be inspired.
You weren't even an exceptional bassist during the entire first 12 years of your playing (based on the old videos you showed). 12 years is a loooong time and at that point you were just about as good as an above average street musician.
But you didn't stop, you kept learning and practicing. And here you are - quite possibly the most technically proficient and melodically entertaining bassist on TH-cam, right now.
Here you are playing Victor's hardest solos - while talking and without even breaking a sweat. Doing runs and creating pieces that most musicians could only dream of playing.
Not because you were "talented", or "gifted".... but because of all the hard work and discipline you put into your craft. Now, THAT is inspirational.
Cheers!
This makes me appreciate Charles that much more. He worked for what he accomplished, bravo!