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Very new, and upset. Please help if you can.
- Thread starter MayaMorena
- Start date
That was my exact point regarding basses! We are all different sized, so it should make sense to find the right instruments that fit us. Like you said, once you found the right one, you knew it!
It's always good to see someone push through the frustration and find a solution to the problems. I'm glad you didn't quit, and found a way to make it work for you. Even after years of playing, I still have certain basses I love and others I've avoided, simply because they don't fit me.
Keep playing and asking questions. Talkbass has an amazing data base of experience, and you will be amazed what you learn hanging out here. I wish I would of had such a great resource when I started playing.
But I probably wouldn't have gotten half the practice time in that I did..
6 days into bass? YOU ARE DOING GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!! Technique comes with practice and time.
Your wrist looks so much better in that video, your back posture looks great, the dying spider fingers are exactly what you'd expect at your stage of playing. Our "physique" (ahem) shouldn't stop us playing an instrument otherwise how would all the gravitationally challenged blokes on here ever play their basses when they are resting on top of a beer belly, horizontal to the ground!?!?!?
Don't stress too much about not having progressed further than you have. Take your time. You plucking sounds better, straighter and more consistent than many at your stage. Take that as a win and as encouragement and take the time to slowly improve the left hand technique. Having got this far this quick now isn't the time to give up!
Slow down, you move too fast. This process is not going to happen quick, not in 2 weeks or 2 months. It could take 2 years before you are satisfied with your bass playing. One thing I think is that you will be happy with your progress through the learning process.
Be patient and have fun with it!
I think he can do whatever he p
I know that much. I think he's amazing. I never get to listen to him much though because my husband is not a fan, so I had never actually seen him play...and when I finally did for the first time it was like, wow, that's not what I would expect would make that sound. Or any sound for that matter. I don't think he'd make a great bass teacher either. That would be like getting Steve Jobs to give you a lesson on using your mac to write an email...only weirder and there would probably be rubber chickens or some sht
I'm really going to stick with Scott's system. His video helped me the most in my struggles out of any other video.
Three cheers for Scott the English guy with the gloves!
I know that much. I think he's amazing. I never get to listen to him much though because my husband is not a fan, so I had never actually seen him play...and when I finally did for the first time it was like, wow, that's not what I would expect would make that sound. Or any sound for that matter. I don't think he'd make a great bass teacher either. That would be like getting Steve Jobs to give you a lesson on using your mac to write an email...only weirder and there would probably be rubber chickens or some sht
I'm really going to stick with Scott's system. His video helped me the most in my struggles out of any other video.
Three cheers for Scott the English guy with the gloves!
I got to see les live with primus on the brown album tour in the late 90s. I expected him to play his fretless 6 string, washtub bass, basses with whammy bars and all the other outlandish stuff he was know for. As it turned out he played a standard 4-string fender jazz bass for 95% of The show! He broke out the fretless 6 for tommy the cat and Jerry was a race car driver but the rest of the show he was slappin' on a Fender.
Long post, haven't read it all. But if we are talking finger stretch with fingers behind the frets, the way I was shown to do these type exercises(and scales), is do them at higher frets 9th,10,12th...whatever is most comfy, then slowly over time move one fret toward headstock as we become stronger and able to stretch.
I'm going to give that a try. I've been giving the old left hand as many opportunities to stretch...and starting a little higher on the fret board certainly helps keep things sounding nice as I learn. Thanks for the advice. Nothing worse than a yucky sound while the fingers get used to their new job. Short scale is definitely helping a lot too. Who knew, short people need short basses!!!
Inb4 a few years from now on you will say "I've converted to long scale basses!". xD
Not sure about that. I'd been a PBass guy for a long time, got a mustang and liked it but didn't love it. Found medium scale and will never go back.
I have several short scale (a mustang and two Hofners) a standard sale (Ibanez) , got rid of my PBAss, and now have two medium scale (SX Ursa and Fender).
The medium just suits me. Better than short or standard, that's just the way it is.
Maybe in five years...when my fingers can stretch more. But really, I'm 5'2, and I think I'm done growing and will just shrink from here on out...At my age I'll probably have to move to a child's bass in five years time.
Don't over think it. I've been playing for 30 years and my left hand reach hasn't grown one bit.Maybe in five years...when my fingers can stretch more. But really, I'm 5'2, and I think I'm done growing and will just shrink from here on out...At my age I'll probably have to move to a child's bass in five years time.
Congrats on finding a nice bass that fits you well! I'm a big proponent of finding a bass to fit the player. The better the instrument fits ones physiology, the easier it is to focus on the music.
Uhh...not really, at least nothing that had to do with a bass. And certainly NEVER a Pbass. But I've always loved that pic of Paul on the cover of one of the greatest albums of all time.
Hello all!!! I have found Scott's Bass Lessons, and it's everything I needed and more. Definitely worth the money! If anyone wants to find me on there my name is Maya.M Thank you all so much for your help! I'm loving the short scale bass and already learning more than three lessons with questionable teachers ever got me.
I'm even using my pinkie
.
Thanks guys! I'll probably still be kicking around when I have questions I need your expert advice on!
I'm even using my pinkie
. Thanks guys! I'll probably still be kicking around when I have questions I need your expert advice on!
If short scales feel better to play for you then they'll help you play better, but you don't have to restrict yourself to them forever.
The best bass player I know personally is probably a little shorter than you and has the shortest fingers on anyone i've ever seen playing a stringed instrument and yet she is a very in-demand player. She gets around the fretboard with such ease despite always playing full scale basses. Part of this is her natural talent of being able to hear where a song is going even when playing it for the first time but the other part is lots of playing time and working out what works for her.
I'm 6'3" with decent sized hands but found a short scale worked for me when I first started playing. Now, I much prefer full scale. I'd probably still be playing short scale if I wasn't shamed into getting a full scale by the above mentioned player.
She put her hand up against mine (with her fingers finishing before my first knuckle) and said "if I can play em so can you".
It's great that you're feeling more comfortable and enjoying it now.
Scott is a good guy and does online lessons right.Hello all!!! I have found Scott's Bass Lessons, and it's everything I needed and more. Definitely worth the money! If anyone wants to find me on there my name is Maya.M Thank you all so much for your help! I'm loving the short scale bass and already learning more than three lessons with questionable teachers ever got me.
I'm even using my pinkie
Thanks guys! I'll probably still be kicking around when I have questions I need your expert advice on!
ha!
you gotta do what works for you, but whenever i see posts from grown-ass men asking about short-scale basses because fenders are "too big" (usually guitar players over on TGP wanting to dabble on bass) i have to respond with pics like these:But really, I'm 5'2, and I think I'm done growing and will just shrink from here on out...At my age I'll probably have to move to a child's bass in five years time.
burning brides
drive by truckers
