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What was the most difficult part during your Bass process

#21
Looking back, I think it would be the ruts I would get into every few years. Coming up with a plan to further myself out of said rut. I am a great bass player and can play anything I enjoy, but I am a hack and destined to be a bar bassist. But that's ok. I have been doing it for 30 years and another 30 doesn't sound too bad at all.:)
 
#23
technically, the hardest thing for me is RIGHT NOW. my left hand leaves the fretboard too far when I play, and I got out of the habit of raking across the strings, and now i'm trying to get back into it.

Theoretically, learning not to over play and how to read (Still working on this!)
 
#25
Billy K said:
My thumb sticks up over the side of the neck teacher always says he is going to zap it with his ray gun.I try to keep it on the back of neck in the middle but it works its way up over.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you have a good teacher.
I've given a few lessons and have taken alot and he's right about that.

Try setting your bass strap higher so that your wrist is straighter and not as bent.
If the neck is sitting low on your body your thumb will naturally want to go over the top.

It may not look cool but I promise it WILL help!!!


I myself am working on breaking a subconscious need for getting my pinky on my right hand out of the way by relaxing it and using it for an extra mute.
 
#26
JTE said:
Learning to shut the hell up. Just because I knew a Cmaj7 had four notes in it, doesn't mean I gotta play all of them on bass!!!
Click to expand...

+100

Not fitting every note and every idea I could into a line. Hardest thing I'm still working on overcomming.

also +100 to whoever said playing what is in their head. That's the ultimate goal isn't it?

Another thing was learning upright, that really messed up my fingering for a while. As well as right now im working on alternating fingers in the RH rather then raking down, and it's quite a difficult habit to break.
 
#28
+1 on the overplaying. In fact, I consider that a continual thing as I learn new styles of music, and the types of basslines that are "standard" to that style.

The other one, for me, was moving from "playing the bass in a song" to "playing the song with a bass." Really following the ebb and flow of what your fellow musicians are laying down for a vocalist, and helping them lift the song in a chorus or bridge, and immediately taking it back down for another verse is infinitely more powerful than seeing how many passing tones or 16th notes I can slide in.
 
#31
Good post. I struggle with all of the above.

Do you ever really get to the point where your satisfied with your playing? There are moments but I always feel the need to improve.

I'm working on fretboard knowledge and learning the notes that make up chords and playing them tastefully in songs.
 
#32
I think playing what's in your head isn't the difficult part: what's difficult is translating an emotion you want the song to express into your playing. I guess this has further reaching implications for composition in general than for just bass playing. As for me, I find sight reading to be the most difficult part, so I empathise with anyone else with the same problem (It troubled Jaco a great deal too) .
 
#35
I think the hardest thing for me is confidence in my own ability. I have a propensity to judge my abilities against other bassists. While some of this is okay, i tend to do this cross styles...

I usually play blusey punk rock/power pop, so when i hear some crazy jazz/prog bassist or a gospel bassist i get really down on myself... It's getting much better though! Shoot, ever since i became aware of James Jamerson, bass-life has gotten MUCH more fun. I think ANY punk bassist should really listen to Jamerson (shoot ANY bassist should) :D
 

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