What song are you currently/next "working on"?

So with the previous injury to the plucking fingers (badly crushed 25 years ago) holding a pick is really uncomfortable and i don’t do it well. I’ve started using thumb picks, and it’s helped immensely-but i still suck wind with it. I play for at least an hour a day, and try to use the pick for at least 15 minutes. Baby steps. I don’t take being Bad at it hard. I never thought I’d even be trying, so any progress is great.

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That’s a great way to look at it.

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I’m starting with a new teacher, may give up on in person lessons, but we played together this week and I played through Hit the Road Jack, Lean on Me, Breaking the Law, and Under Pressure (at 85%).

I learned two things, one is my ear is okay, I played what I heard instead of the tab and was more accurate, and second, I know more than I thought I did.

My next song I think will be I Wanna be Your Slave

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Yes

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But my guitar idol is Malcolm Young… never is easy

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Absolutely awesome rhythm guitarist :sunglasses:

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Can relate to this.
I no longer have real sensation in my hands, anywhere below my neck really because of my incomplete SCI, so while I can hold a pick I can’t feel if I still have it or dropped it while playing.
It’s easy to knock it out of my hand and not notice it. I can only tell because the sound changes.

So fingers it will be for me.

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Picking takes patience.
Patience we had when we first picked up a bass and hadn’t a clue, and now we have none of it to relearn a new approach.
There are two ways to get past this…

  1. Power through, just use a pick for everything you do for a few weeks (my way).
  2. Start B2B over and do the entire thing with a pick only (probably the better way, and something I should do).

Same applies for guitar, subtract Josh, add someone else.

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I agree that this sounds like a solid plan - it was my plan, but just haven’t “gotten around to it”… Just haven’t prioritized improving with a pick yet - when I do, “this will be the way”…

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I’m traveling the next 4 weeks and I think I’ll make this my travel bass project as I’m always a bit all over the place with travel practice.

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I did this and it really works with the pick

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That’s an interesting idea.

I did Billie Jean with a pick the other night just to see if I could and it was pretty fugly.

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The trick with Billie Jean is to get the right alternate picking pattern.

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Can’t be any worse than my guitar version of For Whom the Bell Tolls :scream:

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I’ve been attempting to pick for whom the bell tolls, i think if I’ve got maybe 12-15% of it right at any time it would be generous. Me and that pick haven’t got a great relationship.

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I’ve covered the bass part finger style half decently but not attempted it with a pick @autumnsdad1990

Am still working on Eye in the Sky.
Have now progressed to playing with the full backing track. I have the entire bassline memorized yet with the entire mix I keep losing count and screw up from about halfway :man_shrugging:t2: oh well, practice, practice, rest, rinse and repeat.

I’ll get there and then it’s on to another song to learn.

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We have a post your covers thread if that interests you @wheelcowboy

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I’ve seen that one but lack the equipment to properly record myself playing.
The phone, tablet and camera ain’t the greatest for picking up the bass sound and need someone to film it for me.

Plus it just puts more pressure on me to get it right and while I can play a few melodies and Baba O’Riley prefectly, if the hands cooperate, it’s never a guarantee that I don’t screw up (am trying to get rid of my perfectionism but it still pops up every now and then).

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Well, I’m now currently the main songwriter in my band so I’m working on our next hit single an original song for us :smile:

Where’s Josh’s Scrub2Superhero songwriting course? XD

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