u/shellstacoscats

I’ve been playing bass for a couple years and mostly just make stuff up. I’ve learned a handful of songs by looking at tabs and playing along but today I played along with Rose Tattoo because their front man died and my husband wanted to listen to them and there was no way I was getting in the way of that but I wanted to play so I was like all right, I’ll just try to play along. I hadn’t tried yet. I just listened to the music and I thought OK well I’ll just die if I try to play along with this, there’s no way I can do it. So I was thinking I would just ignore it and just play whatever and then I was like no I’m not gonna ignore it. I’m going to try and play along with it but obviously not try what the actual bass player was playing because I can’t so I just played along to the extent that I could and OMG it was so much fun! I don’t know if literally any of the notes were right but they sounded like they went with it and I was probably at best just playing root notes but it was so satisfying and I stopped because I had to go to work and the music was still playing and then I felt like I had a better understanding what was actually happening in the music! Anyway, just wanted to share that.

So, I’m honestly not even that new- I’ve been playing for 2 years, but I suddenly found myself sounding like utter crap when playing fingerstyle. Like sound wise, it was awful, and I wondered why it was so bad. I thought it had to be my technique suddenly deteriorating. I finally asked my husband to check out the bass and the amp. He’s been playing for 40 years. Long story short I had the knobs turned in such a way that it sounded like shit. I thought being balanced between the 2 pickups made sense, but it doesn’t. It sounds much better turned more to one or the other than both. And also there was too much treble. Now it sounds worlds better. So if you suddenly sound like ass for no reason check your sound!

So here’s some random questions if you feel like answering. How long have you been playing? How many bands, if any, are you in? What kind of music do you play? What kind of music do you listen to?

I’ll go first. I’ve been playing for about two years. I am not in a band, yet. I jam with my husband and a friend. I play rock, punk rock, metal-ish. I listen to rock, punk rock, metal, doom, ska, reggae, prog.

And feel free to add any info you want!

Hi, we’re looking for a restaurant to go to for dinner tonight that’s on the bay outdoor seating where there’s a playground. We’ve already done fish tails so are there other options in Ocean City?

I’ve been playing bass for 2 years and had a jam with a friend earlier this week and then with the hubs tonight. He plays guitar. We tried this last year and I was like a deer in headlights. I really struggled to come up with stuff to go with what he was playing. Tonight was much better! I’m still pretty sucky and basic but it worked, so for me it’s a win! Just wanted to share. Thanks for reading. :)

So, I try to slap, you can’t hear it. I don’t understand. I listen to other people watch them and I feel like I’m doing what they’re doing but when they do it, it sounds like something and when I do it, it doesn’t sound like anything unless I like really fucking hit the bass, like I feel like CPS is gonna be called on me or something. Help.

Hi, so I’ve been playing bass for about a year and nine months. I have learned a few scales and I will run through them from time to time but usually end up just making stuff up using the notes in the scales and then forgetting about the scales completely.

I think I should learn the damn notes on the fretboard. And I gather that learning scales would help me do that. However, wherever I start playing them, I end up not playing them because they bore the living hell out of me. I see people suggest in videos that you play them up and down the neck so that it’s not boring as hell. I have no actual understanding of how that’s done. And I guess the fact that I don’t know the notes of the fretboard is what is making this difficult? I also have no freaking idea, other than when someone says what an octave is- I get that, but if they talk about a fifth I have no fucking idea.. Can someone either explain this to me or point me in the direction of a resource that could explain this to me? And if it’s not like that, and I just need to learn the notes on the fretboard and understand what goes into a chord shape then OK I will do it. Thanks in advance!

So I’ve been playing for about a year and a half now and way more consistently in the last 6-9 months. Like every day. At least 20 minutes but usually more and way more on the weekends. I’ve played almost exclusively finger style until the last few months where I’ve started using a pic too because a lot of the music I listen to that’s what the bass player does.

Also I haven’t been too diligent about learning scales or chord shapes, but I do know some. I usually just start making up my own bass lines after running through a scale.

All this to lead to my question. How do I play with a pick without it hurting after a few minutes? I’ve tried loosening my grip on the pick and turning up the volume but it still hurts after a little while. I play guitar too and I don’t notice this happening when I play guitar. What could be the difference? Do I need a pic that is less thick? I don’t want to use one that is too floppy. That just feels weird and sounds like shit.

Is this just an endurance thing? Do I need to just keep doing it? Also, usually when I play, I start out doing finger style and then switch to the pick. Should I dedicate entire practice sessions to just using a pick?

Back to the whole not really sticking with scales thing- I kind of feel like maybe I should be more diligent because this might be the only way I stretch my fretting hand more.

I know this is kind of all over the place. Hopefully it makes some sense. Thank you all in advance!