Not only am I having technical difficulties but there are definitely a few mistakes in this video… What I’m saying is prepare to be underwhelmed…
3 Likes
Really well done. Few minor mistakes, but we all make mistakes and are hear to learn. You still did a great job. To be honest, I don’t think I would have caught the mistakes, but you have a really bad poker face! My only request is to have the bass sit a bit louder in the mix for the purposes of learning on this site, but maybe that’s related to the technical difficulties you referred to. BTW, it looked like you had this memorized and if you did, kudos for that. It’s easier to make mistakes if you are relying solely on memory, but it’s a great thing to practice for sure. I wish I did it more.
3 Likes
Thank you JT! I do have it memorized and yes I always get a little smile when I make a mistake…zI’m still working out the kinks and will try to get the bass louder for next time. It’s literally just what my ipad speaker picked up in the room. I think this is the first thing I’ve ever posted so I’m hoping to only get better. I really like the motivation of having to make a video.
5 Likes
Great job man.
Don’t fret (pun intended) the mistakes, this is learning, not performing.
Pro tip…don’t make a face when you mess up, at some point you might want to go back in and fix the audio in a DAW by overdubbing (shhh, I might have done this once or twice).
very well done @doylecb
5 Likes
Watching myself I’m really bothered by how rigid my pinky looks. I think it’s important to learn to use my pinky as much as any other finger but I can’t seem to get comfortable with it.
4 Likes
There are pinky tales of woe smothered across this forum. It’s a struggle for most of us, but the one common thread is that there is an appreciation that for most it gets better with practice. The digital world has made us all want things instantly, but try to think of learning the bass like learning a language. You are going to need a fair amount of practice before you are fluent. The main thing to look for is not forming bad habits (which sharing videos helps with for sure). Everything else will come in time, especially if you recognize that it needs some work.
4 Likes
@doylecb Nice work. At the risk of repeating myself, nobody on this forum cares about getting a perfect take or expecting it in others. If they do, then they’re in the wrong group. There’s a very wide range of abilities here, and that’s why I like it. It’s also pretty positive.
But this challenge has been the best for me because of the focused practice it gives me.
My only observation is that if you set up a YouTube account to upload your songs to it’ll make it friendlier for people to watch your work. Some of the more paranoid of us (me) are very reluctant to download files. You don’t even have to use a real name. It’ll take you 10 mins to set one up.
Cheers
7 Likes
It will become more natural and easier the more you use it.
6 Likes
Well done @doylecb ,
Great to get a cover uploaded to share with everyone,
IMO you looked like you were a little nervous, it is pretty daunting to try and get everything perfect when doing covers, over time you will learn to be more relaxed and that will be reflected in your playing.
At least you had a little laugh to yourself in a couple of parts during the song,
Keep up the good work,
Cheers Brian
5 Likes
So, I did a different camera angle on this one. It took forever to record because my puny Fender RUmble 15 does not play well with the Gretsch’s mini-humbuckers.
Biggest thing I noticed doing this is 1) how I am “squeezing” with my thumb; and 2) how my pinky moves involuntarily. Don’t really know to to fix either.
8 Likes
Great job @Old_WannaBe! It sounds like you were right in the pocket the entire song. Good timing and excellent finger work. Kudos!
P.S. Don’t worry about your pinky following the other fingers, it happens to all of us.
3 Likes
Winner winner chicken dinner @Old_WannaBe
Great all around.
Great raking action on your plucking hand too.
The pinky will conform…eventually. Don’t worry about it.
4 Likes
Thumb squeezing:
At the start of each practice session, play a bit without using your thumb on the neck at all. If the bass is propery set up, you’ll be surprised now little pressure it actually takes to fret a note. Do this every day for about 5 minutes, just play a while with no thumb, just keeping it curled down by your index finger, using your plucking hand forearm on the body for counterpressure to keep the neck from moving.
This helped my deathgrip a lot.
4 Likes
instead of letting your pinky fall infant of the neck rest it across the D and G strings to mute them…
As far as it scrunching up when you bend your ring finger, yeah, there is not much about that that can be fixed, and probably won’t need to unless you ever what start playing chords. Not chord tones, arpeggios, triads, etc…, but strum or rake full chords all notes together.
And the occasional times you want to susspend them.
Otherwise, every thing looked groovy to me bud.
But your fingers will be in much better shape then they are right now, when you get to any of that down the line, so it won’t seem like one daunting task along the way.
Good you notice something is up, and there is a tiny bit you can do right now, that could make any difference, and even then, not much, but it will help you to start thinking about your pinky while you are fretting other notes with other fingers, even if it is to just lightly position atop the G string for a mute, Even a side mute, you don’t have to lift it up much for that.
Great job on that song, well played
2 Likes
1 Like
Hi!! this is my attempt, thanks in advance for your feedback. Regards!!
10 Likes