Try breaking the line down to one single first note only, to start. Then add the second note to it.
Play only those two notes a few times, super-slowly. Then add another note. Repeat this process until you can string together the whole riff, playing it as slowly as you need to play it cleanly. Practice this line as many times as it takes you to be comfortable.
Go dead slow, forget trying to play the slow workout tempo for the moment.
The point of this process is to try to get the notes under your fingers cleanly, regardless of the speed.
Remember to take breaks. Walk away from it to let your brain process what your hands need to do. Take your time. This works.
Making time to practice is always my most difficult challenge! I know it’s all about priorities and making time but always easier said than done when “real life” gets in the way. I just try to keep it fun. That’s the way to keep coming back. Sometimes when I finish learning something I’ll make it fun by playing the same thing thru fuzz pedals or just someplace else on the neck or anything to make it less “academic.” It would have been awesome to have these forums to look to back in the early nineties when I struggled to keep up with lessons.
@brandy_davis_1982, I found the M4 L5 difficult myself. I broke it down by bars, like Josh suggests, before putting it all together. I also go painfully slow to learn the fretting. I don’t use the videos either, I pause them so I can see the notes and do my own thing. I find it helps quite a bit not having the pressure of trying to keep up with the rhythm. Josh also suggests not getting overly hung up on a lesson before moving on. You’re really learning the how and why not necessarily the actual song.
You got this!
My ring and pinky fingers DO NOT want to fret!!! Good god! It’s like those two fingers are like the President’s of the United States song “Lump” … totally motionless except for her heart…I mean I know that eventually they’ll get their act together and decide to join in with the rest of the fretting team but man oh man…it’s rough haha
Hi everyone! This is my first time writing in the forum : ) . I’ve reached module 2 of the course and I’m having a blast so far, but I’ve stumbled across a problem with my muting technique. Whenever I try to mute the open E string by putting my left (fretting hand) index finger on it, it still rings at a high pitch. This is audible when my bass isn’t plugged in and gets much worse when it is. I also have the same issue when I try to mute the 3rd fret of the E string by lifting my finger after the note. It seems I also have this issue with my A and D string aswell.
I can mitigate this somewhat either by muting with the plucking hand or by using two fingers on the fretting hand or also by kindof sliding the finger I’m using to mute across the string. I can imagine this isn’t that efficient so I’m wondering if anyone has any tips. If I try to use more pressure I end up hitting the fingerboard so should I just raise my action? Thx : )
Natural harmonics are points on a bass string where an unusual, bell-like tone is produced if you lightly fret just above the fret itself and pluck the string.
These are generally intentional but you can be left with them if you lift your finger but still lightly touch the string at just the right point. A second finger will usually kill it or possibly just a little more pressure but not enough to fret it. Note it’s also good practice to do some of the muting with your right (plucking) hand.
Dan’s a great teacher. I have several of his courses and a month of so ago did a podcast with him, the drummer for Killer Queen and a keyboardist (the 3 guys behind the Groove Loops website). Thanks for sharing. I haven’t gone back that far with Dan’s weekly lessons.
trying multiple strings for the first time with ‘love will tear us apart’. however its sounding sh1t. the ‘drone D string’ is overpowering the notes of the G string, and im getting plenty of fret buzz. especially sh1t is the G7/D9 ‘chord’, it just sounds crap. ive seen two different endings, one playing 3 strings together, (fretting on the A and G strings which is difficult for my limited flexibility,) and one playing just two strings which obviously seems simpler.
i think my ‘strumming’ (alternating up and down) needs some attention too, so you could definitely say im struggling with this.
any of you bassbuzzers play this and have any recommendations/advice for any of these issues?
thanks
EDIT: i should say im only 2 months into playing, so it may just be a step too far this early.
Yes I do - I would completely ignore the 3-string power chord and just stick with the G and D strings, and first learn the riff without doing the strumming (i.e. just the melodic part), and then work in the strumming over time.
As for the tone from your bass - your G string might be too high or the pickup too low, very simple setup issues. Also if you are geting buzz while strumming, you may be strumming too hard, or again need a bass setup.
TBH 3-string power chords on bass usually sound very muddy to me, I would always go with the 2-string variant of root-5th.
I’m finding my fretting hand to be an obstacle. I do have some limit to my range of motion which doesn’t help. I can get a decent stretch with my hand open but as soon as I wrap it around the neck the fingers close up. I notice my thumb is jammed into the neck as well. I do the “no thumb” maneuver like Josh shows in the lessons but I inevitably start doing it again. I’m sure it’s just technique and being new so hopefully it will get better in time.
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yes, thinking about it, i hadnt twigged that the ‘705’ powerchord contains the same note twice (open D and A5), so maybe thats why i couldnt tell much difference so yes, ill take your advice and just go open D and G7.
and yes, i think i need a setup, im waiting for some feeler gauges from my mate before i try to do this myself. i already adjusted the truss rod but only using 2x credit card thickness, it really needs doing more accrately.
but on top of this, i need some practice at alternate strumming. ill try some different picks, see if they sound or feel better for this.
thanks
Not necessarily. It depends on the circumstances: the reach of one’s fretting fingers, and the neck position being played (i.e, frets are spaced closer as you play higher up the neck).
That said, it’s good to practice bigger shifts as they allow for playing up the neck, in higher registers.
Doge has been in my office for about a week and a half now. My team of 10 IT specialists is down to 3 (myself, my supervisor, and my manager). People I’ve worked with for 12 years are just… gone. Like one day we were talking about projects we’re working on, then just not there the next day. With contracts getting cancelled and talk of consolidating IT at the Department level, we’ve just stopped working on projects altogether. I sat in my cubicle yesterday alone looking at news (on my phone, never on a work computer) until it was time to go home. I’m trying to work on memorizing modes and scale shapes right now (that’s my homework from my lesson this week) but I’m finding it really difficult to focus. Or stay sober. I plug in at night, go through the motions of warming up and play a few songs that I just like playing and stop.
Not much better in the corporate world. I got laid off 7 months ago after months of my 8 person team getting whittled away round after round.
IT is a really bad space to work right now. I’m jumping into consulting. Basically being paid by places that can’t afford to hire staff to do what I do.
so yes, ill take your advice and just go open D and G7.