I’m sure is a mistype - but this should be to a single finger to pluck (not fret)…
Yes … my mistake entirely. I know there are at least one or two single-finger fretters and I thought he was one, but you’re right. I’ve edited my comment.
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25.06.25 Module 7
Module 7 is another steady course, but now starting to become more technical. Here we get in to scales, particularly the major scale. We get to do a bit of improv, playing any notes we want within the scale, I didn’t find this particularly difficult, I guess because I got to choose which notes I played.
There’s a technical section towards the end ‘cut & paste’ which sort of unlearns everything you just learned about the major scale, and this did indeed blow my mind, but I see why it’s in there. However, it’s far too technical for me at this stage, it’s something to think about at a later date.
As posted recently, I’m personally struggling with fretting, which I guess is understandable considering that I’m a none player, and only been at this about 2 weeks, my muting also being a bit of a challenge. This is clearly showing when I come to do the end of module song. I was ok on the slow and medium workout, but the fast workout was too fast for me, I soon lost a note, then lost 4 more trying to catch up, by the time I caught up, I’d lost another, so it’s easier for me to skip the bar and wait for the come around.
Having far too much free time on may hands means I can quite easily get through a module per day (so far), whether or not this is good learning though is up for debate. But there are only so many scales you can play before one wants to jump back in and learn some more.
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Are you learning whole songs? I found it very valuable to split my time between B2B and learning songs to mix things up. Much more enjoyable than just scales.
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Not particularly just yet, although im chugging along to Teenage Kicks and managed most of she sells sanctuary last night. Wasnt pretty though.
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Those are surprisingly tough songs. They are simple forms, but that kind of persistent chugging is tough to maintain. They require massive endurance, and there’s nowhere to hide mistakes. (Teenage Kicks is a bit easier though.)
I’m guessing you’re also focusing on finger style playing, and those are pick played for good reason.
I’m working “She Sells Sanctuary” with my band. I’ve been working on that song longer than you’ve been playing bass now and I get tripped up and have to find ways to hide varying the rhythm to give my hand a break.
For Cult songs, I found “Big Neon Glitter” actually easier to play. There’s more melodic movement, but there’s a lot more space. Lends itself to finger style better. I like New Wave stuff and learned “Under the Milky Way” pretty early on.
One of my favorite songs I learned early on is “Sweet Jane” as done by Cowboy Junkies. Except for the bridge the main riff is super simple and very satisfying to just slide all over the E string.
Given the two songs you picked, I’d look at The Pixies. Lots of great bass lines in that style that I found easier to play.
Also look at the 50 Songs challenge and pick some easy to medium songs that speak to you. I really enjoyed “Folsom Prison Blues” and “House of the Rising Sun”.
Don’t neglect classic Jamerson lines like “Papa was a Rolling Stone”.
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Actually tried house of the rising sun, I’m not declaring it a pretty rendition, but I did enjoy myself.
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Pixies 'Where is my mind ’ is a fairly easy one.
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29.06.26 Module 8
Having tried to play guitar in years gone by, I knew what chords were, I’d actually tried to strum half a dozen at some point in my youth. However, I didn’t know what arpeggios were until M8. Surprising how simple this turned out to be, then playing with triads from the major scale which we learned in M7, made module 8 so much fun.
I covered module 8 over a few days rather than ploughing through it, the syncopation segment was tricky to master. Module 8 contains a few different workouts where I struggled on the fast ones. Iv’e still got tons to improve on. For instance I keep finding myself subconsciously single plucking, my fretting is terrible, muting is no better either.
I’m in two minds as whether or not I should be nailing these before continuing the next modules or hope that this improves as my learning increases.
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01.07.25 - Module 9
In module 9 we learnt about the minor scale, and to be honest, this wasn’t over complex, much like the major scale its a shape which repeats. Its not difficult to learn or remember. Minor triads work in much the same way as major triads and they are not overly difficult to remember either. However, we touched on Diatonic chords and Nashville numbers, and if i’m being honest, both these went way over my head. Ive been finished M9 for no more than 5 minutes and remember very little of any of what was said. In one ear and straight out of the other one without even touching the sides. Diatonic chords require the knowledge of which notes are which on the fretboard and these I hav’nt mastered yet, there being too many of them to remember. being able to work them out is OK, but i’m finding it a long drawn out process. Furthermore, I also found the end of module workout impossible.
Syncopated music reading whilst trying to watch the tabs at the same time are too much for my old brain.
The Police ‘Roxanne’ was good though, i did go away and play a somewhat messy rendition from Youtube in private.
Edit 02.07.25
I came back to the end of module workout today and nailed it first time, I started on the pre workout, got it straight away, jumped to the fast workout and nailed it first time.
What’s that all about 
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This is fine. This is why a lot of people take the course multiple times. These are concepts that seem to trip many people up.
You’re doing well just knowing that they ARE a thing. Learn some songs, and go back through the course, and they will make a LOT more sense later.
You don’t need to know them all by name. You just need to know them by position in the scale. Your major scale and minor scale remain the same shape regardless of what the starting note is.
Your Nashville numbers and your diatonic chords are just notes that appear at different places in the root scale.
Yes. This is a process. It will take a while for it to “click” and even longer for you to master this concept.
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05.07.25 Module 10
In module 10 we covered different time signatures, which if I’m being honest didn’t particularly phase me. If you can follow a beat, then it usually all fits and comes together at the end. We also covered triplets in various forms/styles and again was no big deal. We did touch on the Nashville Numbers thing again which is far too complex for me at this stage. Interesting that I brought this up with a pretty good guitarist over the weekend (well to my ears he could play anyway), and he said ‘far too technical for me’. Of course I understand why it’s in the course, but I wonder how many people actually know of it or use it in the real world. As I get to converse with more musicians I’ll no doubt find the answer.
Another good module. Not too taxing and enjoyable.
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I find Nashville numbers to be the simplest and quickest way to think of progressions. It’s really not that complicated.
The course has covered the major and minor scales by now. You know how you can play those same scales starting in different locations to play in different keys, but the patterns for those scales remain the same regardless of where you start.
You know how you sing a scale: Doh, Re, Mi, Fah, Sol, Lah, Ti, Doh?
You know how you can also sing or play along: “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8” as you work your way up the scale the same way?
That’s fundamentally what Nashville Numbers are. Those numbers you would say or sing as you walk up a scale.
Doe (root) = 1
Rae (2nd) = 2
Mi (3rd) = 3
Fah (4th) = 4
Soh (5th) = 5
Lah (6th) = 6
Ti (7th) = 7
Doe (Octave) = 1 or Octave
That’s it.
So you can use this to quickly communicate what the progression of chords in a song is going to be. Like the classic 12-bar blues. 1, 1, 1, 1, 4, 4, 1, 1, 5, 4, 1, 5. You play 4 bars with the root on the 1 or the root of the Key (i.e. If you’re in Am, then A.) Then 2 bars with the root on the 4 (If in key of Am, then D). And you’ll play a couple bars later on the 5, which is E. If you play a 12-bar blues in a different key, all the intervals and the shapes you play on the bass remain the same, just the notes change.
It can get complicated when you talk about the big, fancy chords that you might play on a piano or guitar at each of those positions. But for where you are learning bass, that’s not necessary. You can hold down a jam just playing root notes to a cool rhythm.
That’s what you should understand about Nashville Numbers at this point on your journey: that the root in a chord progression has changed, and where to find that root.
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07.07.25 - Module 11
Module 11 covers roots and fifths which appears to be pretty straight forward. Most of module 11 was handled with some ease, however, I couldn’t quite get ‘papas got a brand new bag’. The roots and fifths I could manage, but I struggled with the fills. The fills just didn’t sink in, even before the slow workout I couldn’t keep up with them, by the time I’d read them on the tab, they’d gone, I’d missed them, then lost where I was in the sequence. I came back to this lesson 24 hours later, but still struggled. In the end, I chose to skip this part of the lesson, with a view to coming back the next time round.
There are now parts of this course where I feel that I’m out of my depth, particularly chord progression, playing at speed, note changes, fretting and muting. Basically everything previous 
. And I guess this will come in time.
It is obvious to me that I’ve so far learned something from this course, but being only 3 or 4 modules from the end, I’m not sure that I’m on track to be badass.
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You’re farther along in your skills than you realize.
I’m one of those people who took to things more naturally - new to bass, but lots of other transferrable musical skills. You are at the point where I was beginning to struggle with the exercises and could no long complete them at Full speed. Often struggling at Medium. I was already playing in a band and not the weak link.
Most bass lines you will encounter in the wild are simpler than the exercises you are doing at this level. I went to a Psychedelic Furs concert last week. The bass lines were simpler. The bassist took a SOLO, and that was simpler.
Of all the skills listed, only one and a half are really critical that you should probably put extra focus into:
- Muting Technique - spend some time doing exercises that practice muting
- Chord progressions - but only to the extent of following root note changes. Everything else is icing on the cake.
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10.07.25 - Module 12
I recall at school many many years ago falling behind in French, I never did catch up, and French never sank in. Subsequently I don’t speak or understand more than about 4 words of French.
This is how I’m starting to feel on the b2b course. I’m getting to the point where I can’t keep up and don’t understand a lot of what’s being spoken about.
Josh mentions diatonic scales and Nashville numbers again, and all I can think is. “Je ne sais pas” (And I had to google that)
In m12 we did root, 5ths and octaves which was pretty straight forward. But I struggled holding the octave shape on the early lessons where Josh has us going up and down the neck. I was probably ok on the same strings, but when we changed stings, I found myself losing the shape, losing where we were and then failing to catch up.
I couldn’t perform the jazz workout at full speed or the red hot chillie peppers either.
I just can’t remember the fingering and can’t read the tabs quick enough.
I need some quick wins or I can see myself finding another hobby, I guess everyone goes through this dispondent phase.
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I have definitely been in some despondent phases in bass playing.
Yes, everyone goes through those.
It sounds like you could use a bass buddy or a teacher, or someone to sit with you and check in, see what’s going on and clarify some things in real time?
I know that helps me. I take online classes and get very frustrated when I can’t pause and ask the instructor what’s wrong with my work in real time.
I hope things get better!
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I don’t think this should stop you from going on. These are constructs of musical theory, that can undoubtedly be helpful, but are not indispensable to play bass.
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Diatonic chords are one of those concepts you can just file away THAT they exist, but that you don’t understand them yet.
It’s also a concept that will make more sense as you develop more context from playing music and songs.
I would slow the rate you go through lessons. Substitute time playing songs, or improvising over simple blues backing tracks.
Complete the course. Learn more songs. Go back and restart the course and see how much more sinks in.
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Take this for what it’s worth, but I finished B2BA a month or two ago. I could not figure out what diatonic chords or scales were, and Nashville numbers kinda made sense but I couldn’t make any practical use of them. There were several lessons in the last few modules that I limped through on slow mode and couldn’t do anything else with. (The Red Hot Chili Peppers song was one of those.)
After I finished B2BA I learned some songs and started recognizing chord tones/arpeggios in more places. I started doing TalkBass’s Chord Tone Essentials course, and the idea of what notes to play started to open up. This weekend, I suddenly realized what diatonic scales meant. (Like, sitting down doing something else, it just came to me.). It’s not covered in the course (not yet, at least), but the exposure to lots and lots of chord tones (bits of scales) suddenly made it clear.
You’re probably not going to get everything the first time, but it is (very literally) amazing what you might get once you come at it from a couple of different perspectives. If you can play it on slow, you’ve learned enough to move on and come back to it if you want. The best way to learn the theory is to play it first, then realize that the theory applies to what you’re playing.
You’ve got more of this than you think.
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