AFI - Miss Murder

[mike4string]

So I'm a pretty new bassist and I picked Miss Murder as my first song, based on recommendations that it was relatively easy. Unfortunately, I'm having some difficulties getting the opening part down.

The actual opening part itself is easy, but my hand starts cramping up after about 10 minutes of practicing this song. Has anyone had problems holding the hand shape for an extended period of time? The opening is index finger on E string and middle finger two strings down and two frets back at various parts of the neck. It seems to be quite a reach on a standard scale bass (especially at the bottom of a Jazz neck) and my hands are pretty average sized. Maybe it's just something that comes naturally after some practice?

Is it legitimately an easy song for bass? The rest of the song seems pretty simple (root notes, etc).

[JQ1986]

I get that problem when I play that song and I've been playing for almost 8 years. But I hardly ever play songs that require playing octaves like that. If you loosen up your grip on the neck just a tad and loosen up/stretch your wrist and fingers before hand it shouldn't be as much of a problem. But it is an easy song once you get the timing and intro/chorus down.

[Skyblue977]

Can't supply Miss Murder sorry but have plenty of their stuff like I Wanna Get A Mohawk But Mom Won't Let Me Get One, Day Of The Pheonix, Girls Not Grey, God Called In Sick Today, Morning Star, Boy Who Destoyed The World, Third Season, Total immortal.
No idea as to the difficulty involved as I've never heard any of nor looked at them but yours if you want 'em. Have both tab and score.

[Deluge Of Sound]

You could try playing it like this:
(Alternating your first and third fingers on your fretting hand)
------------7-----5---------------
----7-------------------5---------
-------0h5-----3------------------
-5-------------------3-----3------


That sounds about right by ear (in Eb).

FWIW, my hands are freakin' tiny, and that isn't a strain to play at all.