Well - maybe you once got in the same situation as I am right now. I’m interested, what you are usual doing, getting out of it.
Before starting with the “beginner2badass” course, I was noodling around on my bass and I got the right and left hand coordination pretty good handled. I also rushed through the first four modules pretty fast. No I’m in module 5 and by a sudden, I lost the right-left-hand coordination. I feel like “Noob Josh”, wondering why the tune is not changing, while pressing different threads. No kidding! That was pretty frustrating to me!
I was taking a break from the course, and stopped practicing for 2 days. Now I’m starting playing major and minor scales up and down.
What have you done getting into such a situation? Any constructive comment will help.
Do stop completely for a certain duration? Are you doing something completely different, e.g. finger trainings? Are you just jumping to the next lesson?
Don’t do too much too quickly, you need to give your brain time to process all the new stuff. Especially when it comes to muscle memory, that does not develop overnight. Rest and sleep are very important parts of the process.
I would not let bad days derail me,stick with it, put in the work, not rush, and keep moving forward. It’s supposed to get more challenging as you advance. Next thing you know you will be at the end of the course. I would also remind myself to have fun in the process, and enjoy the journey.
The dark secret about learning an instrument is that the more you know the ‘worse’ you get. Meaning - in the beginning each thing you do right to progress forward is AWESOME, and you think - “hey, I’m doing great”…until you start to realize how much you don’t know, how much there is to learn, and then it sinks in…this really does take a lifetime to master.
You start to train your ear, and your groove center, and start to realize that you are not as good as you thought. This is all normal and how it is.
the more you learn, the more you realize you have to learn.
Don’t let it overwhelm you, this is a long game activity.
Enjoy the ride, that’s the point.
Been there, done that.
I think, it‘s not that uncommon at a beginner stage to make some basic mistakes like that. Or maybe you were just having a bad day. I wouldn‘t be too concerned, as long as you learn something from it.
Sometimes this can be helpful. I think, it is important to have fun while practicing and not to get burnt out. In such a situation I try to figure out what the problem is. Am I trying too many new things at once? Am I playing too fast? Or maybe I am simply tired and I need to finish for today and continue tomorrow.
Whenever I run into a problem, I try to break it down. This was helpful for me while practicing Billie Jean.
My right hand alternating plucking is suddenly no longer working? Ok, let‘s practice chugging and alternating plucking for 15 minutes every day and see if things start to improve after a few days.
The coordination of my left hand gets messed up, when I start to play a bit faster? Ok, just keep practicing slow for a while and then try to increase speed just very slightly. Or simply focus on the left hand coordination, without even plucking any strings at all. More brain capacity for the left hand.
A few things that I found very important regarding learning new things:
Don’t expect too much too fast.
Don’t compare your progress to other people.
Be kind to yourself. Don’t allow destructive and negative thinking. I always try to see the positive things and recognize my progress, no matter how small. And even if I make no progress during a session I tell myself that I had the discipline to stick with a difficult practice session and not give up! That in itself is a success.
Just gonna add that everything you’re experiencing is perfectly normal for a player who is actively advancing in their craft. As @John_E said – You’d be more of a n00b if you picked up your bass and you said to yourself “man, I’m good at everything” each time you did.
What do I do when I suck? I get on youtube and practice a specific technique (usually pick, sometimes I learn a new slap/pop trick, sometimes I try to invent a groove over a backing track or look up how to improve my jam sessions). I will also go back and re-learn a fundamental lesson from time to time, just to brush up. And sometimes I suck at everything so bad I just put the guitar down for a day and don’t fight it.
I think it’s easy to buy into the myth that you’ll only progress. In truth you’re learning something new, and you’ll make progress some of the time, tread water some of the time, and take a step back occasionally.
So don’t get down on yourself.
My problem was with fret buzz. I had a time when I lifted off a string and got buzz. Worked it’s way out once I stopped obsessing over it.
My advice is a little different, which is play a bit every day. Take a break from the modules, but don’t put the bass down entirely. Some days I work 12 hours and mind is made of mush. I’ll pick up the bass and noodle a few minutes.
Maybe just 10 minutes. 10 minutes every day will get where you want to go. Don’t obsess over mistakes. Because I’ll bet they’ve always been there but now you hear them. Which is progress in itself.
That is a dangerous place to be but just don’t give up like so many have in the past.
I believe anyone can play the Bass but as has had been said so many times before, they have to want to learn to play the Bass and put in the time, study and practice. And above all have fun while doing all this.
That is definetly not my intention. I have the offer to be the bassist in a gospel band on christmas 2022. So this a real goal for me, I’m dreaming of since some decades.
The last two days I stopped the lessons and did finger trainings with major and minor scales instead. My intention is to re-start with the last lesson the next days.
Saw Josh’ YT video today. I think that fits to this topic…
I find that life is the main interfering factor so when I do get time with the bass it is enjoyable. Even when progress isn’t lightning quick you have Josh there telling you that this is normal and to either go forward and come back or I go back a lesson and reaffirm what I am able to do before tackling it again.
Treating this as a release method for stress and irritation perhaps make it easier not to become disappointed or discouraged if I am not covering Geddy Lee solos after 5 minutes.
There is definite progress though and each little snippet picked up is another notch towards being a proficient player, time and effort do pay off.
The main reason I chose BassBuzz was for Josh and his easy manner and irrepressible humour and it helps get you through. He spends a lot of time telling you in his way not to be too tough on yourself
I’ve been traveling for work with very long days in the factory and very tired nights. I had my travel bass and did practice daily but was so tired I felt like I was slipping backwards in a big way. Good news is next week is vacation and full on kick it in gear.
One thing I have learned in life, is that you can’t rush it. It comes at the pace it will come. You are so right @Deidheid - enjoy when it can be in your hands.
The golfer folks say ‘even a bad day of golf is better than a good day at the office’.
I can relate. I work long hours in IT, and my mind is mush after a long day and stress. I never regret picking up my bass. I don’t always do, as the day often gets the best of me, but I never regret picking it up. I am probably the slowest student enrolled in B2B, but for me it’s all journey. It’s like lifting in the gym, or spinning on the bike, or swimming, or whatever. One fret at time, one pluck, one exorcise, I try to stretch myself. One day it will all come together. I do exercises and drills before I put on B2B-- helps with the mind mush.
I’m in the same boat. I’m mentally exhausted at the end of the day. Lots of stress, long hours, specially during on-call or overnight deployments. I should have gone to medical school instead. At least I would be making the really big bucks.
No kidding! That was pretty frustrating to me! 
