When to Start Playing Full Songs

I am working my way through the course and want to know after which modules to begin doing the Level 1 full songs? When to start Level 2?

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There is a point in the course, I believe around module 4 or 5?, where Josh tells you that now you have the chops to go forth and start learning songs on your own. But really, there’s no reason to wait for that if you don’t want to. If you’ve got an itch to play some songs, then play some songs!

Remember you can always slow down, chunk, and simplify as much as you need to.

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As soon as you feel like it.

Just start with simple enough songs that you can conquer them without detracting too much from your lesson time.

I started before I even began the course.

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And start with songs simple enough that you can learn without getting discouraged! Many if not most songs will be very hard as a beginner, but if you start with easy songs and repetitive bass lines (where it’s the same few bars start to finish) you’ll score some early wins and build confidence (plus have something to come back to as a reminder that yes, you can actually play something that sounds good when you’re struggling with something harder).

Don’t be afraid to go outside your normal genres too - I got into bass primarily for J-rock and prog rock/jam bands, and few if any songs I wanted to play were terribly approachable. But there’s a ton of decent songs (stuff I’ll listen to, but I won’t necessarily search for on Spotify or buy CDs of) out there with bass parts that I had a much easier time learning early on, and that I still go back to when I need the confidence boost.

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Welcome, first of all. I asked the same question and the gist was, whenever you want. Mark at Talking Bass has a video where he says to play songs right away. Find easy stuff on Songsterr or find the root note and just chug along with the beat. @kinezumi made a great point, play songs even if they aren’t your usual genre. I became a Pixies fan doing just that. Good luck!

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As others have said, I’d start as soon as you’re comfortable. I think the first song I played through, start to finish was U2’s With Or Without you.

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I’m using chordu.com to find songs to mess around with. With the free version, you get the chords for a song so I just play the root notes and it’s kind of fun. They have almost everything you can find on YouTube. So pick a slow ballad or something. They will list out all the chords in a song so find a song with 4 or 5 (there are such songs!), figure out where the notes are on the fretboard, select bass, simplified, blocks, and turn on autoscroll. Press the play button and off you go. The timing isn’t exact so you’ll have to use your ear.

Right now I’m have fun with Golden from K-Pop Demon Hunters. “Chords used” lists only 4 root notes but there are 2 more in the song. Wife likes that I’m playing something that she’s hooked on :slightly_smiling_face: . And I learned where 6 notes are on the fretboard!

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Try Everyday People: Sly and the Family Stone. Songster has it at 1 note. :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

One note to rule them all!

If you can play the U2 - With or Without You exercise from (IIRC) Module 4 at full speed, you can play the whole song. It’s pretty much the entire bass line. But the end of Module 6 is where Josh says that we should now be able to play any of the level 1 songs from the First 100 Songs pack.