I had to come back to that one for the fast challenge…
You are not alone 
Just remember, keep moving forward… all these challenges do, is show you what you need to work on 
That’s a good thing!
Come back later, and kick Jackie’s butt!
Ha, yep, me too. I took the suggestion of someone in the comments under that lesson and pulled it up in the 50 songs list and slowed it wayyyyyy down so I could wrap my head around it. I am now able to do it on slow, maybe medium. I do need to revisit it at some point though.
1 Like
Trust that I completely understand your frustration. You definitely aren’t alone. I’d suggest stepping away and doing something else when those times arise. Do something fun. Then come back to it. 
You got this!
1 Like
Oh yeah, I massacred the fast workout a couple times, unchecked the “completed” box so that it would stick out to me, and smashed that next button and moved on.
1 Like
You’ve hit the same wall most of of do,
Just do the slow version and press on. Billie Jean is very tough and you will find it easier as you master more skills from the course.
If you are hell bent on finishing the fast lesson before moving on here’s one way.
Get a metronome and start practicing at very slow pace… like 50bpm. Increase it 1bpm every day. Focus on smooth finger movement each day. Patience. You’ll get there.
Learning this lesson helped me with every complex challenge. Go slow… be patient… be persistent. It’s worth the journey
1 Like
The other thing… SLEEP. Get the rest to allow your noggin the time to process what you are putting into it
Coming back next day… after some good rest… you almost always see an improvement
4 Likes
Another friend shared an idea I found useful… When you are relaxing watching TV, pick up your guitar and work the fingering. Washes in the muscle memory.
It works pretty well
2 Likes
When I am on my practice game I practice scales and riffs while watching tv
2 Likes
The “Bassist” who invented Billie Jean should be taken out back and Beat it, oh wait! No bassist was harm because it’s the evil keyboard who programmed this bass line. 
The thing is it’s never enough. The day I could play Billie Jean by Michael Jackson, I moved on to the next Billie Jean that would kick my butt.
FYI it’s still kicking my butt but I finally got the solo handled. 
Just remember this. No matter how bad you think you are, at least half your audience including a few of your band mates have no idea. No matter how good you are, there’s a 9 year old out there ready to serve you a slice of humble pie 
7 Likes
Great motivation. Thank You. Keep Moving!
2 Likes
Think about it differently, are you trying to run before you’ve learned how to walk?
Billie Jean is a song I still can’t master and I’ve been a hired gun in band for 3 years so I’m holding my own as far as a player. Find the simple songs and master those first but most of all don’t give up.
3 Likes
That Billy Jean is a heck of a workout.
Keep playing it and likely every time you’ll get a little better, after awhile you’ll get sick of it and give up even harder.
Leave it alone for awhile then when you try again you may get a surprise… 
2 Likes
You can try Caribbean queen by Billy Ocean. It’s the same difference
3 Likes
Just take it slow. Set the metronome to a comfortable speed, get it down, then decrease it by 10, then go back up 10. It’s gonna feel like nothing after playing it even a bit slower.
We are all on a different levels. My bass teacher is 25 years old, he started at age 5. Plays several songs instruments, has perfect pitch, plays with a Grammy award winning trumpet player, plays with a composer where he has to bring a new piece every week. I thought “damn, he can play everything” but he showed me a jazz piece (he’s a jazz head) where he said, that it’s too complex for him, and is slowly building towards it. Seeing someone THAT good also struggling, is both humbling and encouraging. Billie Jean is your weird jazz fusion piece.
4 Likes
Perfectionism and impatience…
If you want to give up bass but you haven’t given up those 2 you might want to.
Sorry, had to put that there for myself to read.
Struggling a bit today.
“Who the hell are you playing for?”
I think my answer is, “me”, my goal is to just have fun making music.
So in the end how “Perfect” I can play only matters if I am basing my self worth off of the opinion of others.
Most importantly my goal shouldn’t be to play perfectly, just better than yesterday.
5 Likes
Sometimes it is really intimidating to see how fast some of us progress and I doubt if I will ever be able to play like this. But as you said, as long I have fun doing this I’ll keep playing.
Yesterday I had a really great moment as my wife suddenly started to sing to the song I was playing on the couch. I realised I’ve already made progress I’ve never expected. As I started the course she didn’t even recognised the songs I was playing, so keep going is always a good idea.
12 Likes
It’s good to be reminded of this from time to time
Partly the reasons why I won’t do take after take after take doing covers… if I screw up… I’m human, and also learning.
I would rather see my progression, than a library of perfect covers that took 10,000 takes to record
4 Likes
I’m sure no one will read this, considering how many EXCELLENT pieces of advice already here, but I wanted to just echo what others have said.
BJ - she kicked my butt too! I was going along all great, and then BAM. But I want to say, I walked away for a day, and took lesson break, and just kept noodling on the tune for 3 days, about 15 mins intervals 3x-5x a day. Then I moved on, and every day after I practice, I run through BJ about 10x.
A classical musician friend of mine, said, even in grad school, prof. musicians train on LOTS of repetition. He also says, the learning cycle goes “Learn it and struggle, then you’re kinda doing ok, then you’re terrible, then you come out with it committed to muscle memory” - this is the golden-rule of learning music. You must stick through the valley to come out the other side with the muscle memory. It’s a great reward.
Anyway, I started BJ 2 weeks ago, and now can play through slow and close to being able to on medium - the key change gets me on medium still.
I just wanted to encourage everyone - Josh is the BEST teacher I’ve ever seen for this kind of stuff. I think putting something this hard this soon, is a great motivator to push through something hard, and learn a lesson soon - music is hard, stick with it, it’s an incredible reward of accomplishment. Don’t get hung up on it, move on and just keeping picking away at it.
P.S. I’m 46 and learning this all brand new… If I can do it, ANYONE can! haha
Huge thanks to this forum for the encouragement and reminders! I love this community and this lessons program!
10 Likes
Just a note: Its a chord change, not a key change. 
3 Likes
Thanks @MikeC for the terminology correction.
3 Likes