how am i doing

[Youngbrett]

I have been playing bass for 7 months now a want to see how I am doing progress wise, I can play most songs I try to learn and can almost walk with three fingers, I only use my fingers and play some pretty fast songs like hystaria and I saw her standing there, I am slowly progressing on slapping and love to jam with me band and I am trying to make bass solos! Is this good profess for 7 months or am I making slow progress?

[kaiuk]

depends.. your few words arent really enough to tell but it sounds good to me

[christw]

That's good progress. I was super into Rancid when I started learning bass so I moved pretty quick too. I had to!

Do yourself a favor and use a pick too. It's something that you need to be able to do in case a situation demands it. Plus it's just a useful ability to have.

Oh, and this might belong in the techniques forum or something.

[puddin tame]

you can play hysteria after 7 months? pretty impressive

wondering if you can play it well, though!

[KingRazor]

Originally Posted by puddin tame

you can play hysteria after 7 months? pretty impressive

wondering if you can play it well, though!

+1 Hysteria is tough. I've been playing for 2 years and can't get it right yet.

[kaiuk]

Originally Posted by christw

That's good progress. I was super into Rancid when I started learning bass so I moved pretty quick too. I had to!

Do yourself a favor and use a pick too. It's something that you need to be able to do in case a situation demands it. Plus it's just a useful ability to have.

Oh, and this might belong in the techniques forum or something.

friends dont let friends play with picks

[Bread Knife]

Originally Posted by kaiuk

friends dont let friends play with picks

I will bet you money that you have listened to, and enjoyed, many basslines played with a pick. Nothing wrong with it. Often not as satisfying as putting your fingers all over the strings, though...

[kaputsport]

I use both, depending on the situation.

I mostly play finger style, but sometimes, you need a pick...

[dvh]

Originally Posted by puddin tame

you can play hysteria after 7 months? pretty impressive

wondering if you can play it well, though!

+ 1. Concentrate on quality rather than quantity and you'll be further ahead in the long run....

[mambo4]

Originally Posted by dvh

+ 1. Concentrate on quality rather than quantity and you'll be further ahead in the long run....

+1 to that. It sounds like you're doing well, but at 7 months you shouldn't be skimping on the fundamentals

The things you describe are the equivalent of a nice paint job and cool rims on your car.
Don't forget to about having gas in the tank, oil in the engine, and breaks that work.

-how's you're tempo?
-hows your understanding of rhythmic subdivisions?
-can you name the notes on your fret board?
-can you play a major scale in all keys?

Learning muse riffs, jamming with your band and slapping can be totally fun, and you should absolutely keep going with that: fun encourages learning.
Don't skimp on the basics tho, understanding things like the above provide an practical and unshakable foundation for all music you might encounter.

[djaydjay]

Originally Posted by mambo4

-how's you're tempo?
-hows your understanding of rhythmic subdivisions?

the first video is amazing, I'll have to try it tomorrow, but really seems quite difficult and very usefull!

the second one on the other side made me wonder: these guys had really nice basses (loan?) and were taking lessons by such renowed teachers... and yet could hardly manage to play 16th right in time? Is it common no to be able to do such thing?

Really, when comparing the 2 videos, I see an advanced one and a beginner one. Am I biased or is it really the case?
I'm used to write down every rythm, so that may explain that I find rythmic subdivision quite easy.

[mambo4]

Originally Posted by djaydjay

Really, when comparing the 2 videos, I see an advanced one and a beginner one. Am I biased or is it really the case?

I hear ya!
The fact that a guy knows enough to shell out for a Fodera bass yet still has trouble with 16th notes shows the gap in the internet/tab bass wisdom.

It should be a beginner's lesson, but in reality it's not, for many players.
I would have found the exercise difficult before learning to read/write rhythms -and I was gigging for several years before I got to that.
I have seen first hand the positive impact learning to read, so I feel Rhythmic awareness is the primary reason bass peeps need to step up and learn to read,
much more so than pitch. (not that I am a fluent sight reader by any stretch)

I'm used to write down every rythm, so that may explain that I find easy rythmic subdivision quite easy.

Anthony himself has said that he learned to read by writing.