I feel I’ve reached the point in the course I’m seeing a few bad technique habits to fix (thanks to the folks who helped fix my choppy chug, which fixed a bunch of other plucking issues).
Next is my fret hand thumb pressure. I’m trying lots of variations on plucking arm pressure on the head and deliberately not using my thumb on fret hand. Can’t seem to find the right balance.
When I practice the “Some kind of wonderful” (module 10 lesson 4) I find my thumb pressing hard to achieve the muting technique Josh presents.
It also kills my speed when I try something like the cool octave walk up in this (45 seconds in):
It’s best and safest to play it slower. When you have enough time you body finds the way to do things properly. then speed it back up.
Anchoring the thumb helps with leverage but not all situations will apply with that technique. Your fretting hand is another story. If you are having control issues it mostly trying too hard. Slowing down helps a lot.
The key to playing demanding songs is less effort.
You might have already tried this, but it bears repeating: Fret each note with the least possible amount of pressure. Practicing this can start with a single fretted note.
Once you discover how little pressure is required to sound a clean note, add a second note, switching to playing a two-note sequence. Then try playing a triad arpeggio, then a scale, etc.
The point is: If you can tame the amount of pressure your fretting fingers are exerting, your thumb’s pressure will regulate itself. Hope this helps.
Everyone here had great responses, so +1 to the slow it down, relax, etc. answers.
There’s also this very timely video that came out that deals with this exact problem in a pretty cool way.
Not sure if you follow this channel, but there are some pretty nifty vids coming out (winks cleverly).
Anyway, the graduated levels of the exercise do a good job of focusing on things (there’s a specific bit about fretting to hard at 3:50ish).
So, yes to what everyone said, plus this nifty vid.
Others have chipped in with some very good advice. Here’s a little more.
If a bass is poorly set up with high action any one of us will need more finger pressure on our fretting hand to cope with it. For any beginner having the action set with string height as low as can be comfortably done will help a lot as well lighter gauge strings. Save the “bridge cable” thick ones for later on.
FWIW and having played that tune in the key of E more times than I can recall or even want to I always use the thumb of my picking hand to mute the open E. I also tend to rest my thumb there as I pluck so it’s very natural for me to just release the thumb when playing that note. IME that’s the more natural way to do it anyway.
As for that octave part in the ascension you could also begin using a variation of it without the octave using two strokes on C then one each on D and Eb to resolve on the E. Or two each on C and D to resolve on the E. Once you get more comfortable with the speed you can add the octave way of doing it later on.
I’ve always tried to simplify whatever I could whenever I could by playing the more important “money notes” and keeping my playing in time over more complexity at least until I was certain I could execute the more complex line with proper timing. Best of luck with your progress. Keep on pushin’ and never quit. You’ll get there.
As I was learning tunes in the bands I played in and building my chops I always tried to remind myself that my level of skill was not always that of whoever recorded the bass line. In some cases it was a studio session level player. And in other cases when recorded in the studio there are all kinds of tricks that can be used to get a more complex part down on the tape. Stuff ya’ can’t do live.
In this case which I believe is a live track Duck Dunn is playing on I’d remind myself that the guy has been playing bass on hundreds of recordings since Moses parted the Red Sea. To expect even a more experienced player to always be able to nail one of his bass lines spot on would be a decent challenge. For a raw beginner I say…cheat a little when you have to. I always did.
Thank you for the thoughtful framing.
Humbling how effortless talented players make it look. Helpful to remember even great athletes don’t play there best every single game.
I’m working in your revised simpler version which does make it easier to approach recorded speed and sound good . I’ll move on to a new song as well and come back to it as I progress.
I just really like that octave walk up for some reason. I think it’s because it’s the only point in the song the Bass stands out with a unique riff. So satisfying to listen. I get it ear wormed in my head during the day
You’ll get there and in awhile even faster than you thought possible. We all have our ah ha moments when suddenly we get it and what had once seemed difficult becomes much easier.
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. I’ll move on to a new song as well and come back to it as I progress.