I know I said it before, but study kills GAS!

[Bass Viking]

Doc, you`re doing the right thing by recording your playing. I find it`s a great way to learn.

 

[India_Sierra]

It took him a day to get up to speed, but he can do it.

I think the toughest thing in the bassline to 'River People' is playing two 16ths on the octave in the opening bars. I find it very easy to play the two 16ths on the root and one on the octave but it's tougher to play two cleanly and consecutively.

 

[Stumbo]

You guys need to lighten up on this teacher some. Remember, you are basing your comments on the Good Dr’s description of the session. Now keep yer pants on, I’m NOT saying the Good Dr made an unfair description, but that stuff is always hard to hear and take in. If the Good Dr has taken the instructor’s advice to heart as he said he did, it could be a good thing.

Frankly, I find that at 60, I crave that kind of instructor these days. I’d love to find one to analyze my playing and tear it down to start over and build it back up. And I have enough perspective to take the criticism constructively and improve my playing.

If you aren’t in the frame of mind to improve your playing, then I doubt you’ll agree with what I said. Well, that’s fine. I know what I need, the Good Dr knows what he needs, and you can figure out what you need.

No one needs to "tear me a new one" to make a point.

If that method really worked then schools would still be filled with teachers who beat their students.

 

[Stefan Cartmale]

+1. I remember a thread from years ago where the OP was telling us that learning on a hard-to-play bass with high action will pay off. He got universal condemnation for that one!

Actually, in a lot of ways, they were right about that. My first bass was a 63 Gretcsh hollow body with a neck like a 2x4, string tension good enough to be a guard rail and big old dead flatwounds. I moved to a Fender P bass and that was a dream in comparison. When I first picked up a J bass I was amazed at how stuff I struggled with on the other basses came easy. I had built hand and finger strength but those other basses did hinder me from pulling off the techniques I wanted to. Kinda a double edged sword; on one hand I built strength, on the other it made playing more difficult. It is nice to have lots of tools for different jobs- like a framing hammer vs. a finishing hammer. You can do the work with either, both are built to drive nails but try using one over the other in the wrong situation and see how that works for you. Nowadays, I prefer necks that are between the P bass and the J bass- not too wide, not too thin.

 

[Bass Viking]

Actually, in a lot of ways, they were right about that. My first bass was a 63 Gretcsh hollow body with a neck like a 2x4, string tension good enough to be a guard rail and big old dead flatwounds. I moved to a Fender P bass and that was a dream in comparison. When I first picked up a J bass I was amazed at how stuff I struggled with on the other basses came easy. I had built hand and finger strength but those other basses did hinder me from pulling off the techniques I wanted to. Kinda a double edged sword; on one hand I built strength, on the other it made playing more difficult. It is nice to have lots of tools for different jobs- like a framing hammer vs. a finishing hammer. You can do the work with either, both are built to drive nails but try using one over the other in the wrong situation and see how that works for you. Nowadays, I prefer necks that are between the P bass and the J bass- not too wide, not too thin.

The problem is that a bass that is difficult to play can result in the player developing bad habits, as well as giving up. Here is the thread in question:
Is skill proportional to quality of bass...

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Raking ? Define please.

 

[Stefan Cartmale]

The problem is that a bass that is difficult to play can result in the player developing bad habits, as well as giving up. Here is the thread in question:
Is skill proportional to quality of bass...

Ultimately, I agree- the right tool for the job makes life way better and gets you where you want to be quicker. To relate this to the original post about gear, etc...I think you need to keep experimenting with gear until you find what works best for you in terms of ease of use and tone. With my current set-up, I'm practicing way more because I'm in love with my instrument and my amps. The tone is right where I want it to be and my bass is set-up exactly perfect for me. I am improving my playing at a rapid rate because all things are in place and the tools are a dream to use. I know what is missing is due to me and my abilities as opposed to the gear I am using but I think you need to keep experimenting with gear until you nail down what you really like. In the end, it is all part of the equation; good gear, good sound, lots of practice and love for what you are doing.

 

[Kubicki Fan]

I know there were others with similar sentiments as these, but reality check on life - LEARN to accept ALL feedback, no matter how it is delivered or how much you'd rather not want to hear it. When I stopped defending myself in life (whether it be work related or personal) and started listening to what was said and asking myself what can I do about it going forward instead of justifying why it happened is when I started to really grow. My career took off, my personal relationships thrived, and I've learned how to be a better version of me - mostly accepting that I'm constantly working on myself. Just this week, I got a promotion at work and the SVP of my company personally delivered the news to me and he said the thing that sets me apart from the pack is my ability to accept feedback and do something with it.

We live in a society where everyone is afraid to offend or be offended and it is a BIG problem. When you are uncomfortable from feedback, when it makes you feel bad...those are REAL growth opportunities to improve. Sugar coating things to soften the blow isn't helping anyone. Sure there is a nice way to say things and a not nice way to say things, but if you are looking to grow, you must learn to accept all kinds of feedback...and you must also learn to take positive feedback and examine how it could have been even better.

...unless ofcourse all you are looking for is someone to stroke your ego, in which case, yes find a new teacher who will praise you when you perform at sub-par levels. I would rather strive to find the one wrong thing to fix than celebrate the 99 things that went perfect. All successful people in life don't look for excuses or explanations for why things are they way they are, they look for ways they can make it even better.

Your comment on sugarcoating reminded me of this:

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Raking ? Define please.

My teacher says I am raking when I use one finger instead of two. I thought I was consistent in using two fingers, but I am not.

 

[Stefan Cartmale]

Hi Dr. Cheese,
Try this: Scott's Bass Lessons, YouTube, Lesson 37. Practicing Scott's exercise might help. Anyone else struggling with raking and alternating fingering might find benefit from the exercise too.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Actually, in a lot of ways, they were right about that. My first bass was a 63 Gretcsh hollow body with a neck like a 2x4, string tension good enough to be a guard rail and big old dead flatwounds. I moved to a Fender P bass and that was a dream in comparison. When I first picked up a J bass I was amazed at how stuff I struggled with on the other basses came easy. I had built hand and finger strength but those other basses did hinder me from pulling off the techniques I wanted to. Kinda a double edged sword; on one hand I built strength, on the other it made playing more difficult. It is nice to have lots of tools for different jobs- like a framing hammer vs. a finishing hammer. You can do the work with either, both are built to drive nails but try using one over the other in the wrong situation and see how that works for you. Nowadays, I prefer necks that are between the P bass and the J bass- not too wide, not too thin.

Bass Viking, if you are talking about me, you have confused me with another poster. I have always hated high action on a bass. I like mine fairly low, but not super low.

 

[Bass Viking]

Bass Viking, if you are talking about me, you have confused me with another poster. I have always hated high action on a bass. I like mine fairly low, but not super low.

Actually, you're confusing me with another poster.

 

[Stefan Cartmale]

I think viking was replying to me, replying to you Doc....whazzup? Lol

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Actually, you're confusing me with another poster.

Oops!

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Hi Dr. Cheese,
Try this: Scott's Bass Lessons, YouTube, Lesson 37. Practicing Scott's exercise might help. Anyone else struggling with raking and alternating fingering might find benefit from the exercise too.

Thanks!

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I think viking was replying to me, replying to you Doc....whazzup? Lol

Sorry about the mix up!

 

[medievalrhyme]

I suggest finding another teacher. IMO, by criticizing you he displays what a poor excuse for a teacher he is.

For sure, you're teacher sounds like a total *******.

 

[dpbass66]

Practicing stuff you're not good at (the only true way to practice) is tedious and slow, depending on what you're working on. I find that people have a tendency to be impatient and crank up the metronome too soon on challenging stuff (like River People). This example is really a technique study. Meaning, you are trying to not only LEARN something new, but UNLEARN 40 years of some bad habits, potentially. That is twice as much work. You shouldnt be increasing the tempo until you can play the WHOLE thing at some slow tempo... then and ONLY then should you increase the tempo. If you are increasing the tempo and it gets sloppy, slow it back down again. If you keep pressing the tempo up and it's sloppy you are teaching your hands how to play it sloppy, literally.

One of the hardest things about getting better is knowing HOW to practice. Practicing should always be a little bit uncomfortable, if it's not one needs to evaluate the situation.

I dont know your teacher, but I laud him for not doing you the disservice that most teachers do their students.... dishonesty. I suspect he was trying to make it real, point out that "hey man, if you really want to get serious and improve, you have a lot to work on besides River People...". If he hadnt told you about you left hand position (or whatever else), who would have? Isnt that why you are paying him?

I believe the story on River People is that Jaco wrote that as an exercise for himself to nail down his string skipping technique.... someone might check me on that, but I recall hearing that somewhere.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Practicing stuff you're not good at (the only true way to practice) is tedious and slow, depending on what you're working on. I find that people have a tendency to be impatient and crank up the metronome too soon on challenging stuff (like River People). This example is really a technique study. Meaning, you are trying to not only LEARN something new, but UNLEARN 40 years of some bad habits, potentially. That is twice as much work. You shouldnt be increasing the tempo until you can play the WHOLE thing at some slow tempo... then and ONLY then should you increase the tempo. If you are increasing the tempo and it gets sloppy, slow it back down again. If you keep pressing the tempo up and it's sloppy you are teaching your hands how to play it sloppy, literally.

One of the hardest things about getting better is knowing HOW to practice. Practicing should always be a little bit uncomfortable, if it's not one needs to evaluate the situation.

I dont know your teacher, but I laud him for not doing you the disservice that most teachers do their students.... dishonesty. I suspect he was trying to make it real, point out that "hey man, if you really want to get serious and improve, you have a lot to work on besides River People...". If he hadnt told you about you left hand position (or whatever else), who would have? Isnt that why you are paying him?

I believe the story on River People is that Jaco wrote that as an exercise for himself to nail down his string skipping technique.... someone might check me on that, but I recall hearing that somewhere.

Good, you get why I was not mad at my teacher. I am not paying $30 an hour for him to blow smoke up my @$$. I was bummed because I really felt I had made progress. I get your point totally about not increasing the tempo of the exercise until I can play it all but I have made progress with the metronome:

 

[IamGroot]

For what its worth, my main practice instrument is a 24 fret Kramer GTX with broken pups that gets at least 5 hrs a week on it. I throw it in the trunk of my car without a case when i travel except when i am gigging. Amplified, I use a cheap Epi T bird pro. If i practice 5 or 6 string, i am stuck using the good stuff.

As far as instructors, I have advanced fastest with demanding instructors with a healthy dose of "tough love". I met with my jazz improv instructor last night and told him i wanted a no gloves approach. We decided to cover Charlie Parker solos this semester.