They do make other strings. But I love the feel of their Jazz styles. 
2 Likes
Struggling with procrastinating? Any idea why?
2 Likes
I’m struggling with impatience and perfectionism.
I’m almost halfway in the course (and we all hear Josh sing “Ooooh, halfway there!”) but if I’m not careful, I’m going to get frustrated with all the things I can’t do yet and give up. I have to remind myself sometimes that I’m making a lot of progress. Every week I can do things I couldn’t do before. Like, I went back to Billie Jean yesterday and I could suddenly play Medium speed; something I couldn’t when I actually did the lesson.
So, in order to keep going, I have to look back occasionally and take notice. But man, I sometimes wish I could just simply be in the moment and enjoy it.
2 Likes
You’ve said it all: you’re making measurable progress. Take pride and joy in that simple but monumental fact. YOU did this, possibly beyond all expectations. Sure, Josh and the excellent B2B course have lit the path for you, but, regardless of how great the teaching is, it amounts to nothing without you putting in the time and effort to make it your own.
Face it, man: You’re doing this. You.
Are you perfect, or anywhere near perfect? Hell, no! And there’s no expectation on God’s green Earth that you should be at this point. The course is intentionally titled “Beginner to Badass” for a very good reason: Josh has laid out a plan for students to go from absolute zero to knowing enough to play along with tunes and with others. THAT’s where you’re headed. After you’re done with B2B, the ball is in your court - to keep learning more or to find band mates.
But you need to keep the faith and keep going to get there. Without a shadow of a doubt, you got this. Just blow off the notion of perfectionism. That’s bullshit. Just enjoy and savor every moment of the spectacular learning ride you’re on. Because it truly is special.
4 Likes
Too much temptation
3 Likes
My timing issues are slooooooooowlyyyy improving, so that’s good!
I noticed one issue with my approach to learning songs: I play strictly according to tabs.
Some songs are easy, some more complicated (especially at the end of a song, most bassist get fed up with chugging along and add a lot of variation, cause they’re bored and want to show what they could do. Of course it’s also a matter of “the plot thickens”, adding more intensity towards the end, to reach a climax).
I notice, that sticking to the actual tabs prolongs learning the song. Some people that post covers have a much better approach: simplifying stuff. Nobody hears the details anyway 
I still have to find a way to simplify basslines, just to get some songs done, as I spend a very long time on those nitty gritty details, where the bass dribbles around.
I simply don’t play the hard notes. 
Like, when there is a sneaky 16th note in the song, or even a whole bar of them, I stick to 8ths or even cut it down to 4, just to give my newbie fingers a rest and keep up with the song. I’d rather play 4 solid notes and 16 fumbles. When I am confident about what I can, I will slowly add the ones that need to be in between.
2 Likes
Hahahaha … for some songs that means a few bars with silence
I struggle with “Southern Girl” by Incubus currently. It’s great. It’s slow. It seems simple. But then there are more and more little details. That’s where the devil is!
Incubus – Southern Girl.pdf (82.9 KB)
For fast punky songs that should be played with a pick (I do it finger-style), I just play every second note. Nobody will notice anyway!
Oh, I love that song! I never specifically listened to the bass though. I will add it to my wish list for sure. Thanks for the TAB 
1 Like
You have to thank @Alex_B for the tab. He transcribed it for me. I “use” him if I can’t find proper tabs for songs I love…
@Alex_B - hope you’re ok!?!?!?!
His YouTube channel:
List of his transcriptions / covers:
Nirvana
- Bleach\01. Blew.pdf
- Bleach\02. Floyd the Barber.pdf
- Bleach\03. About a Girl.pdf
- Bleach\04. School.pdf
- Bleach\05. Love Buzz.pdf
- Bleach\06. Paper Cuts.pdf
- Bleach\07. Negative Creep.pdf
- Bleach\08. Scoff.pdf
- Bleach\09. Swap Meet.pdf
- Bleach\10. Mr. Moustache.pdf
- Bleach\11. Sifting.pdf
- Bleach\12. Big Cheese.pdf
- Bleach\13. Downer.pdf
- Nevermind\01. Smell Like Teen Spirit.pdf
- Nevermind\02. In Bloom.pdf
- Nevermind\03. Come As You Are.pdf
- Nevermind\04. Breed.pdf
- Nevermind\05. Lithium.pdf
- Nevermind\06. Polly.pdf
- Nevermind\07. Territorial Pissings.pdf
- Nevermind\08. Drain You.pdf
- Nevermind\09. Lounge Act.pdf
- Nevermind\10. On a Plain.pdf
- Nevermind\11. Stay Away.pdf
- Nevermind\12. Something in the Way.pdf
- Incesticide\01. Dive.pdf
- Incesticide\02. Sliver.pdf
- Incesticide\03. Stain.pdf
- Incesticide\04. Been a Son.pdf
- Incesticide\05. Turnaround.pdf
- Incesticide\06. Molly_s Lips.pdf
- Incesticide\07. Son of a Gun.pdf
- Incesticide\08. Polly (New Wave).pdf
- Incesticide\09. Beeswax.pdf
- Incesticide\10. Downer.pdf
- Incesticide\11. Mexican Seafood.pdf
- Incesticide\12. Hairspray Queen.pdf
- Incesticide\13. Aero Zeppelin.pdf
- Incesticide\14. Big Long Now.pdf
- Incesticide\15. Aneurysm.pdf
- In Utero\01. Serve the Servants.pdf
- In Utero\02. Scentless Apprentice.pdf
- In Utero\03. Heart-Shaped Box.pdf
- In Utero\04. Rape Me.pdf
- In Utero\05. Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle.pdf
- In Utero\06. Dumb.pdf
- In Utero\07. Very Ape.pdf
- In Utero\08. Milk It.pdf
- In Utero\09. Pennyroyal Tea.pdf
- In Utero\10. Radio Friendly Unit Shifter.pdf
- In Utero\11. tourette_s.pdf
- In Utero\12. All Apologies.pdf
- MTV Unplugged in New York\01. About a Girl (MTV Unplugged).pdf
- MTV Unplugged in New York\02 . Come As You Are (MTV UNplugged version).pdf
- MTV Unplugged in New York\03. Jesus Doesn_t Want Me for a Sunbeam (MTV Unplugged).pdf
- MTV Unplugged in New York\04. The Man Who Sold the World (MTV Unplugged).pdf
- MTV Unplugged in New York\06. Dumb (MTV Unplugged version).pdf
- MTV Unplugged in New York\07. Polly (Unplugged in New York version).pdf
- MTV Unplugged in New York\08. On a Plain (MTV Unplugged).pdf
- MTV Unplugged in New York\09. Something in the Way (MTV Unplugged).pdf
- MTV Unplugged in New York\10. Plateau.pdf
- MTV Unplugged in New York\11. Oh Me.pdf
- MTV Unplugged in New York\12. Lake of Fire.pdf
- MTV Unplugged in New York\13. All Apologies (MTV Unplugged version).pdf
- MTV Unplugged in New York\14. Where Did You Sleep Last Night.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Ain_t It a Shame.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Anorexorcist.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Beans.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Blandest.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Clean Up Before She Comes.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Curmudgeon.pdf
- With the Lights Out\D-7.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Dive (Early Version).pdf
- With the Lights Out\Do Re Mi.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Don_t Want It All (Seed).pdf
- With the Lights Out\Dumb (BBC Version).pdf
- With the Lights Out\Endless Nameless (BBC Version).pdf
- With the Lights Out\Even in His Youth (early version).pdf
- With the Lights Out\Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Grey Goose.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Heartbreaker.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Help Me, I_m Hungry.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Here She Comes Now.pdf
- With the Lights Out\If You Must.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Marigold.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Milk It (Demo).pdf
- With the Lights Out\Moist Vagina (Demo).pdf
- With the Lights Out\Mrs. Butterworth.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Old Age.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Opinion.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Pen Cap Chew.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Raunchola.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Return of the Rat.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Sappy.pdf
- With the Lights Out\The Other Improv.pdf
- With the Lights Out\They Hung Him on a Cross.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Token Eastern Song.pdf
- With the Lights Out\Verse Chorus Verse.pdf
- With the Lights Out\White Lace and Strange.pdf
- Other Realeases\Aneurysm (early version).pdf
- Other Realeases\Been a Son (Blew EP).pdf
- Other Realeases\Big Cheese (Live at Blind Pig).pdf
- Other Realeases\Breed (Live at Blind Pig).pdf
- Other Realeases\Creation (aka Bambi Slaughter).pdf
- Other Realeases\Do You Love Me.pdf
- Other Realeases\Drain You (Live at Nulle Part).pdf
- Other Realeases\Even in His Youth (SLTS single).pdf
- Other Realeases\Floyd the Barber (Live at Paramount).pdf
- Other Realeases\Help Me, I_m Hungry (aka Vendetagainst) (Live in Vienna).pdf
- Other Realeases\I Hate Myself and I Want to Die (The Beavis and Butt-Head Experience).pdf
- Other Realeases\In Bloom (Smart Sessions).pdf
- Other Realeases\Jesus Doesn_t Want Me for a Sunbeam (Live at the Paramount).pdf
- Other Realeases\Moist Vagina (All Apologies single) .pdf
- Other Realeases\Molly_s Lips (Live at Reading).pdf
- Other Realeases\My Best Friend_s Girl .pdf
- Other Realeases\My Sharona.pdf
- Other Realeases\Oh, the Guilt.pdf
- Other Realeases\Polly (BBC Sessions).pdf
- Other Realeases\Rape me (Live at the Paramount).pdf
- Other Realeases\Seasons in the Sun.pdf
- Other Realeases\She Only Lies.pdf
- Other Realeases\Something in the Way (electric version, BBC Sessions).pdf
- Other Realeases\Spank Thru (Sub Pop 200).pdf
- Other Realeases\Stain (Live at Blind Pig).pdf
- Other Realeases\Talk to Me.pdf
- Other Realeases\The Man Who Sold the World (electric version, LIve & Loud).pdf
- Other Realeases\The Money Will Roll Right In.pdf
- Other Realeases\You Know You_re Right.pdf
Other bands
A Place to Bury Strangers - Keep Slipping Away.pdf
Agent Orange - Bite the Hand That Feeds.pdf
Arctic Monkeys - Red Right Hand.pdf
Babes In Toyland - Bruise Violet.pdf
Bad Religion - 21st Century Digital Boy.pdf
Bad Religion - American Jesus.pdf
Bad Religion - Punk Rock Song.pdf
Balaclavas - Snake People.pdf
Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi_s Dead.pdf
Bauhaus - Kick in the Eye.pdf
Bitch Alert - Sandy.pdf
Bloodhound Gang - Fire Water Burn.pdf
Bloody, Dead And Sexy - A Friend In Mescalin.pdf
Blur - Song 2.pdf
Bob Vylan - Pretty Songs.pdf
Bohren & der Club of Gore - Constant Fear.pdf
Bohren & der Club of Gore - Prowler.pdf
Brian Eno - In Dark Trees.pdf
Brian Eno - The Fat Lady of Limbourg.pdf
Burzum - Spell of Destruction.pdf
Burzum - Dunkelheit.pdf
Christian Death - Romeo_s Distress.pdf
Coil - Love_s Secret Domain.pdf
Coil - Tattooed Man.pdf
Cop Shoot Cop - Room 429.pdf
Courtney Love - Mono.pdf
Daniel Johnston - Psycho Nightmare.pdf
Daniel Johnston - Lousy Weekend.pdf
Darkthrone - Too Old Too Cold.pdf
Dead Kennedys - Soup Is Good Food.pdf
Depeche Mode - Behind the Wheel.pdf
Depeche Mode - Everything Counts.pdf
Dub Syndicate - Hard & Tuff.pdf
Earth - Coda Maestoso F (Flat) Minor.pdf
EXEK - Weight Loss (Henry_s Dream).pdf
Fang - The Money Will Roll Right In.pdf
Fecal Matter - Blather_s Log.pdf
Fecal Matter - Downer.pdf
Fecal Matter - Punk Rocker.pdf
Fecal Matter - Sound of Dentage.pdf
Fugazi - Waiting Room.pdf
Gary Numan - Down in the Park.pdf
GG Allin & Antiseen - Violence Now.pdf
Girls Against Boys - All the Rage.pdf
God Bullies - Mussolini.pdf
Green Day - American Idiot.pdf
Hole - Asking for It.pdf
Hole - Awful.pdf
Hole - Celebrity Skin.pdf
Hole - Doll Parts.pdf
Hole - Gutless.pdf
Hole - He Hit Me (It Felt Like Kiss).pdf
Hole - I Think That I Wouljd Die.pdf
Hole - Jennifer_s Body.pdf
Hole - Malibu.pdf
Hole - Miss World.pdf
Hole - Nobody_s Daughter.pdf
Hole - Petals.pdf
Hole - Playing Your Song.pdf
Hole - Plump.pdf
Hole - Rock Star.pdf
Hole - Softer, Softest.pdf
Hole - Teenage Whore.pdf
Hole - Violet.pdf
Horseback - Lion Killer.pdf
In Flames - Only for the Weak.pdf
Incubus - Southern Girl.pdf
Joy Division - Candidate.pdf
Joy Division - Day of the Lords.pdf
Joy Division - Disorder.pdf
Joy Division - I Remember Nothing.pdf
Joy Division - In a Lonely Place.pdf
Joy Division - Interzone.pdf
Joy Division - New Dawn Fades.pdf
Joy Division - Shadowplay.pdf
Joy Division - She_s Lost Control.pdf
Joy Division - Transmission.pdf
Joy Division - Wilderness.pdf
Kraftwerk - Das Model.pdf
L7 - Diet Pill.pdf
L7 - Everglade.pdf
L7 - Fast and Frightening.pdf
L7 - Mr Intergrity.pdf
L7 - Pretend We_re Dead.pdf
L7 - Scrap.pdf
L7 - Shitlist.pdf
L7 - Slide.pdf
L7 - Wargasm.pdf
Leonard Cohen - The Future.pdf
Lisp - So Good.pdf
Lush - Ladykillers.pdf
Marilyn Manson - Apple Of Sodom.pdf
Marilyn Manson - Fundamentally Loathsome.pdf
Marilyn Manson - GodEatGod.pdf
Marilyn Manson - KILL4Me.pdf
Marilyn Manson - Minute of Decay.pdf
Marilyn Manson - Mister Superstar.pdf
Marilyn Manson - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).pdf
Marilyn Manson - The Dope Show.pdf
Marilyn Manson - The Reflecting God.pdf
Mark Lanegan - Where Did You Sleep Last Night.pdf
Massive Attack - Safe from Harm.pdf
Mayhem - Funeral Fog.pdf
MGMT - Brian Eno.pdf
MGMT - Electric Feel.pdf
MGMT - Kids.pdf
MGMT - Mystery Disease.pdf
MGMT - Time to Pretend.pdf
MGMT - Your Life Is a Lie.pdf
Ministry - Lay Lady Lay.pdf
Misfits - Hate the Living, Love the Dead.pdf
moloko plus - UFOs Do Exist, Deal with It.pdf
Mot”rhead - R. A. M. O. N. E. S…pdf
Mot”rhead - We Are Mot”rhead.pdf
Mudhoney - Acetone.pdf
Muse - Supermassive Black Hole.pdf
Nancy Sinatra - These Boots Are Made for Walking_.pdf
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Red Right Hand.pdf
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Stagger Lee.pdf
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - The Weeping Song.pdf
Pere Ubu - Silent Spring.pdf
Pink Floyd - Any Colour You Like.pdf
Pink Floyd - Brain Damage.pdf
Pink Floyd - Breathe.pdf
Pink Floyd - Eclipse.pdf
Pink Floyd - High Hopes.pdf
Pink Floyd - Money.pdf
Pink Floyd - The Great Gig in the Sky.pdf
Pink Floyd - Time.pdf
Pink Floyd - Us and Them.pdf
Pixies - All Over The World.pdf
Pixies - Allison.pdf
Pixies - Ana.pdf
Pixies - Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons.pdf
Pixies - Blown Away.pdf
Pixies - Bone Machine.pdf
Pixies - Break My Body.pdf
Pixies - Brick Is Red.pdf
Pixies - Broken Face.pdf
Pixies - Cactus.pdf
Pixies - Caribou.pdf
Pixies - Cecilia Ann.pdf
Pixies - Crackity Jones.pdf
Pixies - Dancing the Manta Ray.pdf
Pixies - Dead.pdf
Pixies - Debaser.pdf
Pixies - Dig for Fire.pdf
Pixies - Distance Equals Rate Times Time.pdf
Pixies - Down to the Well.pdf
Pixies - Ed Is Dead.pdf
Pixies - Evil Hearted You.pdf
Pixies - Gigantic.pdf
Pixies - Gouge Away.pdf
Pixies - Hang Wire.pdf
Pixies - Havalina.pdf
Pixies - Head On.pdf
Pixies - Here Comes Your Man.pdf
Pixies - Hey.pdf
Pixies - I Bleed.pdf
Pixies - Into the White.pdf
Pixies - Is She Weird.pdf
Pixies - Isla De Encanta.pdf
Pixies - I_m Amazed.pdf
Pixies - I_ve Been Tired.pdf
Pixies - I_ve Been Waiting for You.pdf
Pixies - La La Love You.pdf
Pixies - Levitate Me.pdf
Pixies - Lovely Day.pdf
Pixies - Make Believe.pdf
Pixies - Monkey Gone to Heaven.pdf
Pixies - Mr. Grieves.pdf
Pixies - Nimrod_s Son.pdf
Pixies - No. 13 Baby.pdf
Pixies - Palace of the Brine.pdf
Pixies - Planet of Sound.pdf
Pixies - River Euphrates.pdf
Pixies - Rock A My Soul.pdf
Pixies - Rock Music.pdf
Pixies - Silver.pdf
Pixies - Something Against You.pdf
Pixies - Space (I Believe).pdf
Pixies - Stormy Weather.pdf
Pixies - Subbacultcha.pdf
Pixies - Tame.pdf
Pixies - The Happening.pdf
Pixies - The Holiday Song.pdf
Pixies - The Navajo Know.pdf
Pixies - The Thing.pdf
Pixies - There Goes My Gun.pdf
Pixies - Tony_s Theme.pdf
Pixies - Trompe le Monde.pdf
Pixies - U-Mass.pdf
Pixies - Vamos.pdf
Pixies - Velouria.pdf
Pixies - Wave of Mutilation.pdf
Pixies - Weird at My School.pdf
Pixies - Where Is My Mind.pdf
Pixies - Winterlong.pdf
Placebo - Every You Every Me.pdf
Placebo - I Know.pdf
Placebo - Infra-Red.pdf
Placebo - Meds.pdf
Placebo - Song to Say Goodbye.pdf
Placebo - Special K.pdf
Plague Vendor - Saturday Night Shakes.pdf
Portishead - Glory Box.pdf
R.E.M. - Bang and Blame.pdf
R.E.M. - Begin the Begin.pdf
R.E.M. - Crush with Eyeliner.pdf
R.E.M. - Drive.pdf
R.E.M. - How the West Was Won and Where It Goy Us.pdf
R.E.M. - Losing My Religion.pdf
R.E.M. - Oddfellows Local 151.pdf
R.E.M. - You.pdf
Radiohead - Creep.pdf
Rammstein - Pussy.pdf
Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop.pdf
Ramones - Havan Affair.pdf
Ramones - Pet Sematary.pdf
Ramones - The KKK Took My Baby Away.pdf
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Havana Affair.pdf
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Pea.pdf
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Road Trippin_.pdf
Scary Bitches - Piss All Over Your Grave.pdf
Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK.pdf
Sex Pistols - Bodies.pdf
Sex Pistols - EMI.pdf
Sex Pistols - God Save the Queen.pdf
Sex Pistols - Holidays in the Sun.pdf
Sex Pistols - Liar.pdf
Sex Pistols - New York.pdf
Sex Pistols - No Feelings.pdf
Sex Pistols - Pretty Vacant.pdf
Sex Pistols - Problems.pdf
Sex Pistols - Seventeen.pdf
Sex Pistols - Submission.pdf
Shellac - Prayer to God.pdf
Social Distortion - Under My Thumb.pdf
Sonic Youth - 100_.pdf
Sonic Youth - Becuz.pdf
Sonic Youth - Bull in the Heather.pdf
Sonic Youth - Dirty Boots.pdf
Sonic Youth - Disappearer.pdf
Sonic Youth - Doctor_s Orders.pdf
Sonic Youth - Hey Joni.pdf
Sonic Youth - Incinerate.pdf
Sonic Youth - JC.pdf
Sonic Youth - Kool Thing.pdf
Sonic Youth - Little Trouble Girl.pdf
Sonic Youth - Mote.pdf
Sonic Youth - My Friend Goo.pdf
Sonic Youth - Schizophrenia.pdf
Sonic Youth - Stones.pdf
Sonic Youth - Sugar Kane.pdf
Sonic Youth - Superstar.pdf
Sonic Youth - Teenage Riot.pdf
Sonic Youth - The Diamond Sea (radio edit).pdf
Sonic Youth - Tunic (Song for Karen).pdf
Sonic Youth - What We Know.pdf
Sonic Youth - Youth Against Facsism.pdf
Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun.pdf
The Breeders - Cannonball.pdf
The Chameleons - Don_t Fall.pdf
The Cure - A Forest.pdf
The Cure - Fascination Street.pdf
The Cure - Fire in Cairo.pdf
The Cure - Freakshow.pdf
The Cure - Killing an Arab.pdf
The Cure - Like Cockatoos.pdf
The Cure - Lovesong.pdf
The Cure - M.pdf
The Cure - Tree Imaginary Boys.pdf
The Doors - Riders on the Storm.pdf
The Doors - Yes, the River Knows.pdf
The Exploited - Beat the Bastards.pdf
The Fall - Popcorn, Double Feature.pdf
The Growlers - Vacant Lot.pdf
The Jesus Lizard - Puss.pdf
The Offspring - All I Want.pdf
The Offspring - Gotta Get Away.pdf
The Offspring - Hit That.pdf
The Offspring - OC Guns.pdf
The Offspring - Self Esteem.pdf
The Offspring - Vultures.pdf
The Sisters of Mercy - Lucretia My Reflection.pdf
The Smashing Pumpkins - Bullet with Butterfly Wings.pdf
The Smashing Pumpkins - Heavy Metal Machine.pdf
The Smiths - A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours.pdf
The Smiths - Death of a Disco Dancer.pdf
The Smiths - I Know It_s Over.pdf
The Smiths - Some Girls Are than Others.pdf
The Smiths - The Hand that Rocks the Cradle.pdf
The Smiths - There Is a Light That Never Goes Out.pdf
The Stooges - I Wanna Be Your Dog.pdf
The Thermals - Born to Kill.pdf
The Thermals - Never Listen to Me.pdf
The Velvet Underground - All Tomorrow_s Parties.pdf
The Velvet Underground - Femme Fatale.pdf
The Velvet Underground - I_ll Be Your Mirror.pdf
The Velvet Underground - Pale Blue Eyes.pdf
The Velvet Underground - Sunday Morning.pdf
The Velvet Underground - Venus in Furs.pdf
The Wytches - Digsaw.pdf
Throbbing Gristle - Almost a Kiss.pdf
Wipers - Doom Town.pdf
Wipers - Over the Edge.pdf
Wipers - Potential Suicide.pdf
Wire - Feed Me.pdf
Yo La Tengo - Little Honda.pdf
Young Marble Giants - Searching for Mr. Right.pdf
2 Likes
Now my thumb hurts from scrolling… 
3 Likes
I just tested it … it works perfectly with a PC and a mouse
1 Like
I struggle with timing. I am so anxious to get to the next note on time I loose the timing. I am learning theory too. Where I am in my bass career and my new subscription to songsterr, I know my timing is improving. For me to be able to play along, slow it down, see the music/ note duration/rhythm and listen to the irritating metronome will help me learn songs faster.
3 Likes
Hi @Linda. For fret memorization I’ve found Simple Steps to Sight Reading over at Talkingbass to be immensely effective. He provides a ton of instruction and worksheets and you methodically work through each string, beginning with naturals, then sharps, then flats, and finally combining everything. It took me two months but I know have the first 6-8 frets memorized and no longer need to look at my fretting hand. Hope this helps.
4 Likes
I’m still having the same problem when I approach a new song. It can be frustrating when your fingers can not move as fast as your brain. I’m just relying on the experience that it will get lucky and I will get better. I also find that, similar to golf, the more I practice, the luckier I get,
May be you can try the other way around. If you have the app that can speed up you should definitely do that. Listen to the song at 10-15% faster until you can air play the bass along with it. Then try it.
Not gonna lie, you’ll struggle the same way you do now, but the difference is when you go back to the original tempo, it’s so much easier
3 Likes
Yes, I will try that!
I did something similar with my boring theory music just recently. I just could not get past or play or move my fingers or brain as good as I wanted at slow speeds. I was in a friggin rut. I increased the BPM, tried my best to keep up and keep rhythm. Slowed it back down…there was a big improvement.
3 Likes
The favorite path to theories to discover them and not learn them.
I discoverd 5 of the 7 modes naturally so far and it’s so rewarding.
There’s no rush as you don’t need to know about them to play songs, and playing songs should be your top priority right now. 
2 Likes
Here’s a new struggle, but requires a little back story so bear with me. I mentioned to my wife a while back that I wanted to someday learn to play bass. So…being the amazing person she is, she bought me one for my birthday this past summer, a Fender acoustic bass guitar. So I sign up for B2B and get super into it, discover Talkingbass and also sign up for the sight reading course there and am really enjoying the two courses in tandem as I’m learning both great technique, cool songs, and I’m learning to read music and memorizing the fretboard. All good. I decide to reward myself with an electric bass after 4 months of steady progress (I can pretty much make my way through any sheet music as long as it’s on the first 6 or 7 frets and doesn’t have any crazy rhythm without looking at the fretboard). I’ll be damned if the fret spacing isn’t longer on the electric. I’m talking a full half inch further from the first fret to the fifth (edit: ABG = 30” scale, Electric = 34” scale, duh). My muscle memory is so ingrained that I’m screwing up every shift from the 1st to the 5th fret (think F-A or Bb-D). I’m slowly re-training my fingers to move further for those transitions but man it’s frustrating. I do ok if I’m in the second finger position over the 3rd fret, moving to the 5th fret with the fourth finger, but any time I need to go from 1st to 5th fret I land mid-fret and get a horrible buzz (not the cool bassbuzz either). Just venting here, I’m doing drills to re-train the fingers and I’m glad I didn’t put off buying an electric for another couple months which was the original plan (wait til Christmas).
3 Likes
Don’t sweat it too much. Switching between basses often takes acclimating one or both hands. Also, differences in scale length, body shape, contours, thickness between different basses takes some getting used to.
The great thing is that you’ve made much progress with the courses you’re studying. That’s huge. Getting used to physical differences between basses is a walk in the park after that. Just keep thumpin’. 
3 Likes
I started with a Fender acoustic (still have it) and it was a medium scale 32" then I got an electric Ibanez which was also 32" so no problem there (except the bridge position on the body is so different that It messes up my right hand position). Then I went on to get another Ibanez but this time a full/long scale 34". Felt a little awkward at first but once I got used to it I found I could switch between the two (or three) without much issue.
TLDR: You’ll get used to it fast enough.
3 Likes