I’ve lost my way a bit with the course due to work and holidays, although I still pick up the bass regularly. I’m setting aside some time to get me back into the course, but I wonder if there is a guide to let players see the skills they should have acquired by the end of each module (e.g. alternate plucking, muting) and a note of which module/lesson covers that skill? I’m wary of pushing through the lessons and modules without being secure in areas already covered.
A bit of additional pressure now as the music teacher at my school (I teach computing) has found out that I’m learning bass and is thinking of starting a staff band after the holidays - I don’t want to embarrass myself
Go back through the lessons to refresh your memory, then try to play the slow workouts. If that goes passably well, move on to the next. Rinse and repeat.
Josh designed B2B as a progression, with each lesson built from an accumulation of technique, rhythm and/or music theory concept. He does this because it’s the fastest way to learn how to play a musical instrument (at least, how to play one properly).
Lastly, ditch the pressure, man. Life’s too short.
If you wanna go jam with your colleagues, cool. Play root notes. Nothing wrong with that, and most other players don’t much care one way or the other. The object is to have fun, always. No one is expecting Jaco to show up and blow the doors off the joint.
On the other hand, if you’re so uncomfortable, just say so. But you’d be missing out. Just being there, stumbling around with everyone else is a hell of a lot of fun. A positive attitude will get you a million miles down the road. Enjoy!
The only person beside you who’d know that you even messed up is the music teacher but he’s trained to just ignore that. In a crowd of 100 you’d be lucky if one can tell when you make mistake.
Whatever you do just keep playing, I played a song in the wrong key and no one notice, not even my band mates. I was on Nyquil I couldn’t hear it either,
I had a couple of breaks when going through B2B, all I did was go back a couple of modules, retake them and then press on…
I’m going to echo @Al1885, the ability to overcome the fear of making a fool of oneself is a superpower!
I find the fact you’re a teacher intersting. Last Friday, my daughter played in a ‘festival’ after school. There are three rock bands (extra-curricular); at my behest, the school put on the festival as the bands all knew plenty of song. The school also inviting some boys from a local boy’s school to play. It was excellent. I think the real value for the young people is was that music itself, but being encouraged to stand up and play in front of others. This builds team work, resilience and confidence.
I don’t think there is a list of skills, but I remember Josh often gives reminders during the course about different skills. It is worth going through the course again, if you have the time.
If you don’t have enough time, but want to practice by yourself before playing with others, maybe these modules would help:
Module 14: Ultimate Groove Workout
Module 15: Jam With The Band
Especially the last one is very useful to learn improvisation.
