Finished B2B, except the slap module and Billie %#$€ Jean!
Played in front of the public twice in my covers band (also think it was a major achievement that we weathered the loss our our guitarist early summer - musical differences - and found a great replacement in Sept)
Learnt and recorded 110 covers (I’ve basically been posting 2 a week, plus some bonus tracks. It’s been a great learning experience and I listen to songs in a completely different way now.
Only had three songs (so far) blocked by YouTube for copy-write issues
I’ve started to find basses I like (the Dingwall, my Hohner Professional, the pink Ibanez EHB1000S) and those I don’t (Spector, I’m talking about you…)
2025 Goals:
Play in public again, and again, and again!
Get the covers band to a set list of 30 songs
Keep up the personal covers cadence
Learn Billie Jean
Complete the slap module
Stretch myself with a couple of the more approachable Duran2 songs
Buy a p bass (but not a Fender)
Buy some basses to trade, to help fund the habit!!
Since there’s no datestamps on the lesson comments it is hard to tell for sure, but it sure seems like people have been asking for these for almost as long as the course has existed. And still @JoshFossgreen is holding out on us.
This issue is compounded by the fact that i don’t really know anyone in this area. I did briefly play with a guy from work (six string guitar) and his g/f on vocals. It was fun to play with someone else, but he preferred his acoustic guitar, and well, it just wasn’t heavy enough for me. They do some open mic stuff occasionally, it would have been good experience for me. I just had this mental image of me stood on stage with them looking bored with the music we were playing
I do have a friend locally who plays guitar, but actually getting her to pick the damn thing up is frustratingly difficult.
A couple of other things that might be worth considering are a finding local musicians page on Facebook and / or looking at Bandmix. I used both to find members for my band. Might take some time, and a bit like internet dating, you do end up kissing a few frogs that a just frogs, but as I say, it can work.
Started Talking Bass cord tones class. Got through all of the first module but need to work on knowing material cold. I feel like this is a great class. Great for technique, great for music knowledge.
Bought some basses, figuring out that I love an old Japanese p bass.
Learning how to for bass projects. Mods, set up etc. Still have a long way to go. But I love making a bass sound the best I can. Favorite project this year is a 80’s Squier p bass that I reassembled.
Yousician…Just figured out there were other songs on this than just the level lessons/challenges. It’s been fun, it’s an easy platform to just play.
2025
main goal is to continue consistent play. There haven’t been many days since Feb that I haven’t picked up a bass. I want to continue that streak.
Continue and finish cord tones class.
Maybe sight reading class. But real goal is to continue some sort of bass educational endeavor.
Progress in Yousician. I’m kinda stuck in the middle of level 8. Slowly working on a song that I can’t stand. These tend to take me a while to get past. Have to kinda force myself to spend time on it. I’ll get through it, just may take a bit.
Make it out of my basement…probably besides continued regular practice/play, this is a goal I really want to achieve this year. When I started, this was in the back of my mind. I wanted to give myself a year of regular play to get comfortable enough with the instrument to play for/with someone else.
Continue and finish current projects. Sonic P bass is in the works now. Currently, refinishing neck, once that’s done will reassemble into a Geezer monster. Next up is a squier bronco, going to refinish the neck like the sonic P, also have a new pickup for that one. It’s a Frailin split 51 p bass pickup. I’m excited to see this one get done.
No new basses. I’ve told my wife that I wouldn’t buy anymore new basses. I will adhere to this statement by only buying used basses.
That is a great idea, thank you. We did once both sing Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol. She emailed me the recording, then I added my bass to it, and sent it back. I didn’t get any feedback though. I’ve been sent plenty of YouTube vids by her of songs we ‘could’ play together, so it’s not hard to find songs she likes, just really hard to get her to stop procrastinating! @sunDOG There is a Facebook group for bands in Cumbria, so I keep my eye out.
Realistically, I want to practise more, and learn a few more songs. As I’ve said before, my weak point is remembering songs, but I can do it. Look at my very first video, I played that from memory while filming outside!
My problem is that once I found Songsterr and could play along with the actual videos, I became too accustomed to following along with the tab. When I used Ultimate Guitar, I was keen to get away from the tab, and play along with an mp3.
So, that is my main focus right now, before I go hunting for band members
This is the reason I use Moises. I can remove the bass, then play. I’ll generally use a tab to get the gist of a song, but then play along with Moises. Moises gives chord prompts that help in the transition from tab to playing from memory.
The thing I find for the band stuff is I have to keep on repeating. For example, we play Venus, but I hadn’t played it since an open mic in early December. Come Christmas Day, and my impromptu bass “concert” after dinner, for family and guests, I was damned if I could remember how to start it! I had to listen to the bass line first! Once I’d done that, I was good, but it’s funny how the mind (doesn’t) work!
The Moises app is free to download on smartphones, iPads, and computers. It also has a web app. However, Moises also offers a Premium subscription for $3.99 per month.
The Premium subscription offers additional features, including:
The ability to separate background vocals, guitar, piano, and strings
The ability to process unlimited songs up to 20 minutes long
Me, I’m just starting! Managed to buy a bass and start poking away on it. For 2025, to practice daily (although that might be hard considering I travel 3 months in the summer, this year by plane) and to make my right hand understand that it doesn’t necessarily have to mimic the movements of my left. Learning to juggle while riding a bicycle, right?
You are obviously working… ( jet setting no less! LOL ) so music for you is a hobby … and for enjoyment… don’t fret if you can’t get to it when you can’t … LIFE comes first
If you have the B2B course … you can take your time with it … co-ordination just takes practice… you got this!
Might just ‘light a fire’ under her butt!
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