What are you struggling with?

I’m working on the foot tapping. The alternative is that I dance to keep time, and the music I like to play is way too sullen and dreary to look like a goofy no coordination dancing fool.

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Dance like no one is watching!

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No one is watching, so what the hell?

Get down with your bad self.

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Now I really want to see that!!!

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Recently switched from an acoustic (electric) bass guitar, to an electric (Fender Jazz) bass. Having a small issue sometimes when on the higher notes further up (in pitch) the fretboard with my fingers inadvertently pushing the G string into the frets causing a ringing. This would be when fretting on the E string, mostly down near the 10th and higher frets. I’m curling my fingers but it’s difficult to not have my pinky (usually) under-knuckle push the G into the fret and it makes an annoying noise. Never had this issue on the acoustic (or I never heard it). The G string seems to be very sensitive to touching the frets unintentionally. It’s definitely string vibration and not some kind of feedback, so this is user error. Advice is appreciated.

I play both Acoustic and Electric….

Acoustic bass’s have a fixed bridge that is typically set very high because you have to really work the strings hard to stay in the mix when playing with most all guitar players….

Electric bass’s on the other hand have adjustable bridges that allow you to adjust each string separately in order to match your playing style…

The simple fix…… Adjust (raise) the G string at the bridge to a point when the buzz goes away. You will then have to re-tune….

Keep on Thumpin’!!
Lanny

Yeah I set up my electric with pretty low action. The issue isn’t buzz when plucking the G, it’s my finger pushing the G into the fret while fretting other strings. My G action is really low though so I’ll raise it and see if that helps. Yeah my acoustic action is super high.

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Could use some advice. i’m working on a cover that I’m trying to get done and posted for Halloween atm. The song is mostly 2 note chords and octaves (same notes). I’ve got the song itself down fine enough already but I find that I’m pressing down too hard on the octaves, especially the pinky as I move around like that. If I don’t do that, I get fret buzzing from the high notes. Doing that though, my hand starts to go numb after about 6 minutes (kind of a long one) and I have a hard time keeping it clean. Is this a technique thing or just a stamina thing?

All questions of this nature seem to have the same answer…
You have defined the issues at your present level and seem clear on what not to do, you are almost there.
Answer = Think about it and more practice…

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#6

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#6 is hot bullshit, picking is the way :slight_smile:

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Im pickless, haha, Geddy, Davie, Charles may say different…
I knew #6 would get a rise and Ill bet there will be more splash back. :joy:

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Bottom line is all styles are great and limiting to just one is so… pointlessly Puritanical :rofl:

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I’m struggling with pick playing right now! I’m practicing for a cover that I think needs it, but it feels like a foreign language to me :upside_down_face: (I know, it will come with time)

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It will. Like anything else, it just needs practice.

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I hear ya and its an unarguable way of phrasing a statement, however the mega cool look and sound of playing Roundabout plucking instead of a pick is what I’m diggin on. Here’s two killer covers. Both are tie for what I think are the best covers of Roundabout on youtube.

Of course, Chris Squire played it with a pick :slight_smile:

I love Chris’s sound most definitely. I seen that tour and two other tours with Chris including front row seats in the round and once in row 15 on the floor.
There’s no complaints here, but even my original and first bass hero wont drive me to pick land… :slightly_smiling_face:

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I’m probably about 80% pick, 20% fingerstyle these days but that varies over time and I don’t really keep track. Mostly I just don’t see a point in becoming religious about a tonal technique :slight_smile:

I don’t slap or tap but that’s mostly because those techniques don’t factor in to the types of music I like very much. Even then some of my favorite artists themselves do slap though.

Started lesson 6 tapping away at progress but I like watching youtube so I ran across Scotts Sledgehammer stuff and now that bass line is stuck in my head and my heart. Sounds fun but all explanations of it I’ve found are kinda useless for a beginner because they’re all “You play the bass line” followed by discussions about fretless basses and pedals. I managed to find the term grace note, but damn me if I can find a beginner video on how to play it. Hoping it’s in the course.

I realise this is beyond my progress in the course, still working on Billy Jean but I like jumping off the building to see what happens. I’ve gotten more comfortable with the seven nation army riff, getting a grip on stand by me and funnily enough, messing with this got me used to Jackie Wilsons Higher and Higher, which seemed impossible a month ago. I find failing at a lofty goal really helps put the journey in perspective to fight the resistance so when I might hit a block on a lesson I can noodle the impossible and use that progress through failure to cheer me up.

Really appreciate the course though Josh, it’s been great fun, that’s been sorely needed.

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