So… I started taking face-to-face lessons at a local music store.
After completing BassBuzz, I realized that my physical bass playing abilities had improved a great deal, but aside of open strings, “money” notes, and the major/minor scales, my knowledge of music/bass theory was sorely lacking and going back over the theory-related lessons wasn’t doing it for me (that’s a “me” issue, @JoshFossgreen, and nothing to do with the program).
I went into it very trepidatiously, because I’ve heard in-person lessons can be hit-or-miss. But after getting a good feeling from the instructor and the material, I signed up for a month of lessons.
After talking about where I am at, skill- and knowledge-wise, and where I wanted to go (be good enough to play in a weekend cover band and know what I need to do if someone said something like “blues jam in F#min, GO!”), he’s got me working on sight-reading whole notes on the E and A strings in first position.
I’d mentioned that I’d taught myself several songs and rattled off the artists and titles when he asked. AC/DC’s Back in Black was one of them. He asked me to play it for him. That was the first time I’ve played a full song for anyone. I was quite nervous at the start, but I got into it pretty quickly and really enjoyed it. Plus, I found out that I was playing the bassline during the guitar solo incorrectly, LOL.
Anyway, just thought I’d share.