good to hear! i did what others did and just passed that lesson up! now on module 5 lesson five and learning so much!
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@Alex_G yeah i passed this lesson up and am learning so much! currently in module 5 lesson 5!
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@420bpm same boat as you where I am practicing about 1 hour to 1.5 hours a day. I will just noodle around, and try to finish a complete module in a night. if I seem to struggle, I stop take 15-minute breather, and if I still struggle I come back the next day which seems to work. Maybe the gold old brain absorbs all the new info overnight lol.
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Iāve went to all fretlessā¦ aim for the bottom of the marker ;). (Back to frets BTW)
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It does in fact. Sleep allows your brain to absorb what it learned. I donāt even fight it anymore. When I hit something difficult, I slow it down so I can do the mechanics, then move on to something else. And come back the next day, and its much easier
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@WillieD, right now Iām struggling a bit with: M6 L4 Medium Workout. Iām sure Iāll be able to do it eventually but this one is getting me all jumbled up. 
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I too am working on this one as part of the graduation checklist for āSuper Badassā. During my first run through the course I took Joshās advice and moved on after the slow workout. Coming back to it I was able to do the medium after a few tries but I will have to spend some time on it to succeed at fast. At that speed my plucking fingers want to do something other than what I am telling them.
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@bob.oconnor1, Ha ha yeah I was having a similar experience with that. I was able to do the fast workout but not perfectly. I moved on and am on M7 L1 now. I am spending a lot of time doing scales and acquainting myself with the fret board. Learning the octave shape was / is very helpful. Reading (reciting) backwards through the musical alphabet with flats is a little challenging and saying the musical notes aloud when descending through scales is also a little challenging for me so those are the things Iām working on. I am practicing the things that Iām NOT that good at. Iām really happy with how Iām progressing. Loving this course!!
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Rolling my little finger works like a charm. That said, I worked out the riff with my ring finger, too. Itās nowhere near as natural for me to do it that way, but I strive to work out on what I canāt do easily as it always pays off.
Tip: Go slow! Thereās no rush. Repeat it so slowly that you think youāre cheating. But realize youāre not. Youāre learning something new and strange feeling. Just go slowly until you can nail it cleanly. Technique first, then methodical, mindful practice. Thatās the ticket. Speed and accuracy will come naturally.
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Sounds familiar. It sounds like such a simple bassline, but itās quite tricky.
I struggled with it, and moved on. Then I came back a while later and suddenly it was ā¦ not quite easy, but at least possible.
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Iām on this now and, after a bit of struggle with picking middle-index instead of index-middle, I mostly have it (at a slow speed).
My problem is that my left arm is completely exhausted after 3-4 repetitions of the pattern. Ache all down the top of my forearm, like you get with extended computer use. Iām hoping thatās just a matter of strengthening and practice, but if anyone has any suggestions, Iād appreciate it.
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Part of it is definitely just strengthening, but itās also likely youāre tensing up your left arm and/or pressing down on the frets too hard due to the stress/speed of the riff. Try to check in with yourself if thatās happening, pause a second to relax, and then start again
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Many have struggled with Billie Jean. I have not been an exception to that. I havenāt finished the course yet (side-tracked learning songs for a band Iām in), however, I too am pretty new myself to bass playing (started playing three years ago). In my experiences, learning how to play Billie Jean wasnāt really āthe lessonā. āThe lessonā was that ANY new song that is busy, difficult and requires getting our fingers to move more quickly than they have been accustomed to, will require dedicated practiceājust like Billie Jean. Learning new stuff takes time. It will be that way with future songs as well, but you will have more tools in your tool box because your muscle memory will be better, your knowledge greater, your intuition sharpenedāyour bass will feel more like a part of you rather than apart from youāyouāll naturally start working your way around it with more calm and ease. So while we always have these learning curves for more challenging songs, we find we master these curves more quickly. You will master Billie Jean and then it will morph into another wonderfully intriguing song that youāre driven to play but that you donāt think you canā¦. until you surprise yourselfā¦.and you do.
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figured I would update everyone since I started this topic a week or so ago! I am now on module 7 lesson 4 - just finished learning the G scale. reminded myself to go back and try billie jean since I havenāt tried in a while. Good news is that I can actually play it now on the slow workout, and i can get it down maybe for 2 full passes on the medium speed and then i get mumbo jumbo again lol.
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Good for you, @WillieD . . . 
. . . Billie Jean is pretty tough . . . I still struggle with it 
Sounds like progress already! Well, keep moving along and donāt get hung up on her!
Cheers
Joe
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well, it makes me feel better that iām not the only one struggling with Billie Jean. Itās mainly the ring finger thing. Iāll keep on with the lessons, and come back to it. Soonā¦
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@WillieD ā¦ there is a āF Wordā I was thinking when I encountered Billie Jean, and āfrustratingā is NOT it!!! LoL You are definitely not alone.
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Trying to keep it relaxed, which is helping a little. Still cramping a whole lot after a few reps. Will update in a few weeks after I give my hands and forearm more time to strengthen. Fingers crossed!
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Try rolling your little finger instead of using the ring finger. It works really well for me, although everyone is different. Either way, practice, take a good break from it, and repeat. The good news is: it will come.
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Itās funny how every time I see a post about Billie Jean it bring me back to the day when I was a complete mess on this track.
After reading the posts of encouragement I end up pulling up Module 4 Lesson 6 to play along with it again. I always start with the medium and I feel really confident then move on the fast and that is when my brain and my fingers stops working. It is a tough riff to play and is going to take some practice. If I told you I nailed every time I played I would be a liarā¦ so I wonāt. One thing I did that helped me get closer to getting it was to stop looking at my fretting hand so much. Just look when it feels like youāre moving up the fret board or getting out of whack.
@WillieD you will get it!! Struggle is good, struggle to the point of frustration is not good. I would move on and revisit it in a day or two. Peace!!
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