That’s neck relief, not string height. You’re talking about the truss rod adjustment, I’m talking about the action height. You don’t measure the action height fretted and with a capo.
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Oh, sheesh. You’re right, of course.
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Good you called it out though because he should check that too 
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Always happy to holler and respond and a video is so great for being able to see what’s actually going on!
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Sigh…I’ve taken over a week off from lessons thanks to Billie Jean, but now it’s time to get started again.
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Something I found works for me to get the pinky stretch is on the E and A string at the 9th fret, just do 1-2-3-4 starting at 9 through 12. Just those two strings until I get the sound, position and pressure right. Then I start at the same fret but do 1-2-4 until it sounds right and feels right. Then I do 1-3-4 in the same manner. I start slow but at the end of the exercise I am able to do 120 bpm and faster for short burst. I know it is going to take a while and my hands are sore afterwards but I think if I persist in doing this, I will get where I need to be technique wise.
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Ugh. I can’t do @JoshFossgreen 's lessons when I’m tired. I started the intervals last night and couldn’t follow him at all. I’m starting to wonder if I’m cut out for playing the bass, especially after the Billie Jean problems.
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Don’t get discouraged!
As Josh says, as long as you can do the slow workout keep moving. You can always go back later and review the parts you had difficulty with.
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Problem is, I’m struggling even on the slow. Last night I didn’t even get there before stopping for the night. I’m not going to give up but it’s discouraging.
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I’d say even if you can’t get the slow Billy Jean workout right now, no harm in moving on. That is what I did. I could get maybe one repitition right, but would stumble often on the second one, I could not get it right consistently. Billie Jean ist just some kind of tongue twister on the bass.
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Been there @athosmr2003. Been there many times and still at times get into a “funk” mood when NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING seems to come together when I’m practicing or playing…. We all go through periods of “funk”. When I go through them, yes, I get discouraged as hell - just like you….
What I’ve found is that when I overwork myself and try to push too hard when playing any instrument, it only magnifies the problem…
What I find that works for me is to slow down, take a break for a day or two, settle your mind and remember that making music is suppose to be an enjoyable and fun journey…. When your focus is on completing an assignment or a module (or even a song) instead of on having fun learning, then well, things can get a bit frustrating…
Try taking a break and then go back to a point when you were doing good and repeat that lesson - or just do some simple things with the instrument…… Doing that will again build the confidence (and fun level) that can help you feel better and focus more on what you DID accomplish instead of focusing on what you’re struggling with at the time….
“Making music and having FUN”,… no matter what instrument you’re playing,… should be the focus…. If you do play another instrument, pick it up and play it for awhile - just to have a break from the one you’re struggling with….
When it comes to learning to play an instrument, your biggest ally should be your passion, thing is, that same ally can also be your worst enemy unless you can control it…. Don’t let frustration limit that passion…
The B2B. course is not a race…. It’s not something that you need to master…. HAVE FUN with it…. If it quits being fun, thenh just go back to a point when it WAS FUN and play at that point for awhile….
Oh, and for me right now, I’m struggling with Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On”…. So,…I’m taking a break from it and slammin’ out my own riffs to Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” - only, I’m doin’ it “My Way”!!
Keep On Thumpin’!
Lanny
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Yes, you can do this.
Everyone has off days, even off weeks.
My saxes have come close to flying out the window before (only thing preventing it at times is the ensuing repair bill). This is normal.
I learned a long time ago if I am tired don’t practice, if you feel bad about not practicing listen to music instead (it count’s as practice if you are actively listening for the bass.
And don’t fret (no pun intended, well, ok, maybe a little) about Billie Jean.
There are loads of videos about it because it’s HARD.
I didn’t nail the fast workout until about a year after I finished the course.
This too will come.
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Then slow it down even more.
And take it in small pieces.
1 bar, over and over, then do the next bar only, over and over.
Then put them together, slower than the slow workout.
you are training your fingers to listen to your ears and eyes.
Speeding up is then just repeating what you already taught your fingers.
But, your fingers have to walk before they can run too.
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Take a few days off. Noodle around to a simple 4/4 beat or a train shuffle at 60-90 BPM. Play some scales to those beats. Play the root-third-fifth-octave of some scales in various combinations in time with those beats.
Go back to the lesson, you’ll be doing so much better!
Also, I find that as B2B progresses, I have to take some time to practice the pieces out of rhythm and in rhythm, but without Josh’s backing track to get the hang of the fingering, notes and string jumps. I then go back and follow along to Josh’s instructions.
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Just move on and come back to it later.
You will see lots of comments regarding the Billie Jean lesson.
JUST DON’T GIVE UP
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Well, it’s gone beyond Billie Jean. I just couldn’t get the intervals lesson even before Josh got to the slow workout. It was probably because I was tired, so from now on, I doubt I do any lessons except my days off.
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Totally normal… super frustrating… I have days like that every now and then… it’s like I had a stroke and lost all coordination and skills…. Eventually I recover and return to my baseline… so when I’m in a gutter like that I do all that’s been said here, depends on the day the answer might be A or B… you can just dump the lesson for the day and play and song (just a riff really) that you like and are comfortable with… or finger exercise… just anything really to get you away from what’s frustrating you, and makes your bass time productive and satisfying… anybody and everybody can play music, bass is not the exception
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Billie Jean took a lot of the joy in the course out of me, but not the joy in bass. The intervals lesson didn’t help, but I got through it.
I have come to find if when I’m tired I practice something really slow, the next day when I come back it’s a lot easier. But it helps to get some attempts in and sleep on it, and let the brain do it’s thing.
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Billie Jean is a BITCH @Wombat-metal!!!
. We’ve all been there…. Actually, once I completed the course a couple years ago I made it my first cover song just to show that I. Ould “Whoop her ass”!!…. Not a great cover and I’ve gotten better since that time but I keep that cover recording up on my list just to remind me of when I started…. So glad that you made it through and still LOVE playing bass!! That song is kind of a “right of passage” into playing bass. I think Josh puts that one in that spot of the course just to throw a wrench into things…. The good news is, once you get past that hurdle, you’ll look at the course in a different light and begin to realize that there’s nothing you can’t do on bass once you put your mind to it!
Also, Josh’s course plays the learning riffs at 70% speed as the slow workout…. You might consider downloading a Transcription program that will allow you to play the riffs at a much slower speed (like 60%)…. It helps…
Keep on Thumpin’!
Lanny
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