New here from Georgia/Los Angeles, USA

Hi everyone,
I’m new here and I’m Shaina. I have started learning the bass seriously very recently (about 4 weeks now), although I always seemed to have one and *want* to learn it since 2014-2015.

I got a music man stingray for myself for my birthday and have been practicing everyday since. Looking forward to learning a lot from here and interacting with other bassists! I’m teaching myself currently.

I’m a huge fan of 80s new wave and my favorite band is New Order (so I’m very familiar with Peter Hook/Hooky but I’m actually a bigger fan of Bernard Sumner). I’d really love to master slap and octave bass playing since I love dance music but I’m interested in all styles of course. I also love Flea, and Curt Smith bassist of Tears for Fears, and many more…

my bass has a leather strap now since the pictures from the day I got it see the pic with the amp

 

Thanks!!
And I actually found this site by accident - or realized it wasn’t talkingbass recently LOL. I had been reading the forums on here for a while, thinking it was the same website as where I have been taking courses from at talkingbass.com. Very similar name and look I guess. I’m considering also taking the electric bass courses from Nathan East at Artistworks (I may need to post this Q in another area, but…) because I’m a fan of his of course. Has anyone taken that course, and if so, was it worth it?

 

Hey thank you!! Yeah, I decided to start with the rumble 40, and upgrade when I need to for a rumble 100,200, or 500. I have some Roland synths I may occasionally plug into it too, and a TR6S drum machine I don’t know how to use lol.

on GAS, lol I think I already have a bad case of it! I spend all my disposable income and maybe more…on bass learning books/music theory/technique etc and considering the online course at Artistworks. I usually buy my gear from Sweetwater BUT there are a few vintage pedals I’d like…I may poke around here to find the infamous vintage clone theory pedal that Peter Hook is known for using in New Order, my favorite band.

 

Wow that looks awesome! Very impressive! A rumble 800? I thought 500 was the best! Which bass is your fav to play? Very cool! Thanks for sharing

 

Lol thanks! If I upgrade it I want the EB stingray classic. I just love them and aspire to learn Slap bass and Octave bass techniques really well! I do love Synth bass lines from the 80s. And totally jealous that you lived through all of that! There’s so many concerts I see on YouTube that I wish I was alive to go to!

any advice for a beginner? Been playing only 1 month. Im trying to learn fundamentals including music theory and technique, I have the fretboard notes mostly memorized but could be better. Scales I only know the major and natural minor so far but I’m aware of the different modes. Im really fascinated by theory and now wish I had studied it at college!

 

thank you! That’s the kind of advice I need! Ok- so for flatwound EB strings- music man sterling told me they’d change the way my bass sounds from the super slinky EB strings it came with to a less desirable sound…. I got it set up at my local guitar center with the tech for free since no string change required early last month as he could see how new it was and proceed to show me how he lowered the action for me. I prefer a very low action I find out now- my fingers have been so sore and red the past week because I refuse to take a day off! I prob need to tomorrow! But I almost feel like taking it back to the tech and asking for lower action…I don’t trust myself yet to adjust it.

flatwound strings would hurt my fingers less? Both my index and middle plucking fingers on the right hand and the first 2 fretting fingers on the left are in the same red kind swollen shape- they’re trying to form better calluses. Been having to split my practice up into multiple sessions per day to average 3-4 hours a day, I know I should just take tomorrow off lol.

Will EB flatwounds change the sound to less “punchy” ? And what gauge are the ones you use?

I already have found many fav songs of mine were played with 5 string much to my dismay! But drop D tuning…while is not an extra B string, maybe I can still play some of them. I haven’t tuned out of the standard tuning yet though.
Eventually I’ll get a 5 string but it’s far too early now! I only got my sterling stingray on August 28th this year (my birthday!)

 

hey thanks!!! Great advice! I am planning to do zoom one on one sessions next Thursday with a very talented individual that taught all of the music lessons at my last job in Los Angeles at Sam ash music store. I worked in pro audio sales and he is a multi instrument talented guy who’s about my age or little older (mid 30s I guess), but classically trained.
It’s affordable for me at least, to do 2, maybe 3 lessons a month with him or so.

did you do lessons from buddy Pearson in person? Or was it one on one online? I have a bass player magazine featuring victor wooden and I’ve been recommended his book called the Music Lesson as well.

 

Ok, thanks!!!

 

Thanks! Yeah I totally do too- I plug in the Vox at night time and use the rumble during the day

 

So about octave technique - I’m
Searching for all good exercises and resources I can put into my practice since I’m struggling with an all octave bass line played very fast (195-204bpm) continuously for 5:08 song…lol. First of all I can’t put my hand index on the first note and octave note- my fingers all lift up and I have tiny tiny small 5 year old or younger girl hands. Uber small- but I’ve been doing finger stretching exercises 4 fingers per fret- of course I have to shift though as my fingers definitely Don’t span 4 frets!

so kind of searching for octave technique tips for min movement (to play comfortably, safely and quickly!) for those with super super duper small hands. Not just small hands. I’d want to believe that this isn’t some handicap, at least one I can’t get over! I’m super determined! Even if it takes me 3-6x as long I’ll practice as MUCH as it takes to master playing octaves very fast! And soon slap bass. But if you have any tips, advice, video links or other resources, please so let me know! Thanks!

 

So in your opinion, does your vox headphone bass amp sound best with headphones or plugging headphones into your rumble- and which rumble do you have? Mine is the 40…it’s not very loud in my headphones unless level and gain are at max then master is at least half way, or more! With all
EQ at 12 o clock.

 

Hey, so I posted a new thread on gloves for playing and mentioned the struggle I’m having learning the bass line for self control by Laura Branigan, it’s all octave bass line, and especially that F# octave on fret 2/4 means some twisting movement for my fretting hand, which slows me down and isn’t safe I’m worried to keep practicing. Would flat wounds have less friction? Or nah? I can play it smoother with gloves, though I’m told not to rely on those and to play bare fingers, but my hand can’t make the stretch from index to pinky for that octave especially F# on 2/4 frets on E and D.

im not sure if my hand can if I practice (and what?) but I’m hunting for answers and practice exercises for technique that don’t require me to already be able to make that reach. Almost going to order this “riff bandz” resistance training for the fretting hand…lol.