Learn Bass - 4 fret technical exercise
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- Опубліковано 10 кві 2013
- Lesson 7
An exercise to coordinate the two hands and get them working together as one unit.
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Lessons 6 -- 10
Learning the basics of the Music Language and applying them on Instrument in a way to develop your Technique.
Sharing knowledge and experience with other musicians is a great way to improve and stay motivated, but it's essential to communicate in a way that other musicians understand.
In this series you'll quickly learn the basics of the musical language to give you the knowledge and confidence of associating frets with actual musical notes. Along the way you'll also be introduced to some exercises to further challenge and develop your technique and set you on your way to mastering the instrument.
Please don't think that these early lessons are just for the beginner, as Richie shares a wealth of information, advice and some concepts that can help even the seasoned player!
I've done this for about 20 minutes. This is my first go at an instrument. I already have so much more respect for any type of musician. I'm in so much pain.
Your fingers will harden up the more you play
You should never have pain.
To everyone having problems with their pinky - that's only natural. It's the shortest finger and it's also the one you use the least in everyday life, so it's going to be the weakest and most awkward to use. But DON'T AVOID USING IT, I can't stress this enough. It will grow stronger and more agile over time as you practice, but if you avoid using it it can never get better, and you'll get into a bad habit of using only 3 of your fingers, thereby sacrificing 25% of your fretting-hand power. It can only hurt you in the long run.
thanks :)
Thanks a ton. My pinky has a hard time moving much at all, and i didn't think it could get any better. I honestly thought i wasn't going to be able to play bass well
I couldn't agree more with this, when I started playing guitar 5 years ago or something like that I couldn't use my my pinky for anything which limited me quite a bit when it came to playing things.
I ended up strengthening it to the point when it was usable by playing guitar hero funnily enough, it took a while but I learnt and I've never looked back.
Definitely worth keeping at it
If it's too short then?
I get that but my little finger is very short indeed and can only reach the E string with some tortuous hand movement. Certainly cannot maintain thumb position to do it
THIS is what we YT-taught beginners need; technical exercises to build solid fundamental techniques.... But without paying a Patreon premium for access to the video.
Best bass teacher on youtube
The 'keep it up and I'll see you soon' made me go 'thanks, mate!' - Good series.
I just got a new bass after I sold my Vox Clubman 50 years ago. Yes, I am 69! With arthritis and crackling joints I am struggling with getting fingers, especially pinky on the frets. But I am getting there....slowly. Have to try to looses up those joints! But this is the teacher I should have had years ago. He is good.....really good. So thanks for putting these lessons out there. By the time I get to 80 I will be able to play something...lol
How has it been going?? Keep at it btw!! :D
You will have a great achievement to celebrate at 80.
@@reilici379 Thank you for asking. It is going surprisingly well although I have been over ambitious at times. As I have limited left hand mobility I bought an epiphone short scale bass which was for me a really good move. I also bought a fantastic Vox Amplug 2 (bass) which makes learning a whole lot easier. I highly recommend that! Now I am looking at formal graded online lessons.....Rock on!
@@geoffcartridge2079 That's awesome! Glad to hear it's going well :)
I'm 60, I got a Gretsch shorstcale, Junior Jet. Great sound and less of a reach for left hand.
The instructor is amazing! I Love His Patient Tone Of Voice And Delivery As He Methodically Tells You And Demonstrates What To Do.
I am learning by practicing everyday for 2-3 hours. I don't just play I pay attention to how I should be playing the bass. I like the way he teaches very clear and takes his time to show everything about the bass. just great videos.
Thank you so much for the lesson! It's still hard, the strings are still buzzing sometimes because my fingers are weak but I'll try practicing every day.
An excellent lesson. Thank you. Hours of practice due to a ridiculously small pinkie but I have to work with what I've got. Great set of lessons to pick up good habits and techniques. Thank you !
May your pinky grow strong and mighty in the bass world honestly feels soo great reading about everyone being on the same boat :)
Saying the names of the notes while doing the exercise makes my brain hurt. Meaning it's a great exercise.
mamesushi136 me too
Yes I know the feeling. My brain hurts also.
Have you mastered bass?
Thanks for this great drill. I just bought my first bass 3 days ago, and was having trouble moving between frets. After doing this over and over for about 10 minutes, my fretting hand started moving much more smoothly!
now that i have free time and am not bogged down by school i decided to get a fender bass and you’ve been such a great help! my hands are very small and weak but im setting a practice goal of at least an hour a day. im having most difficulty moving my fretting thumb along with the rest of my fingers along the neck of the bass. it likes to lag behind and cramp up when i realize it’s still on the first note of the exercise LOL
Out of all the bass teachers I've watched on youtube, this guy is my favorite. Very to the point and clear, great explanation and the demonstrations/excersizes are perfect. The right speed, the right style of teaching for me. Thank you! Im so grateful to live this day in age for reasons like this. Amazing people sharing their knowledge with all of us free, with a keyboard and screen. Awesome.
As a beginner this is pretty hard, but still feels great! Thank you for the videos, they are really good! Gonna practice this for a while.
I promise this is not a diss: if you set the speed to 2 (twice as fast) not only is it quicker, but you can imagine it's C3PO
ha ha! I totally hear it too... That's awesome.
omg youre right
You make it look so easy lol
OMG! Thank You for this video. I am an absolute beginner and had been struggling with my finger placement on the fretboard and basically, I thought it was going to be almost impossible for me to learn it. But your video was excellent at breaking it down and giving me a great starting point to then build on.
I think this exercise works a lot. Thanks for explaining how to position on the straight string.
Just starting Bass... Thank God I found your videos... I know everyone is light years ahead of me, But thanks for your patience with us newbies...
This is pretty easy to remember so I'll just do this until my hands remember it pretty well, too. The last time I tried learning I just looked up songs so I could practice towards producing sound quickly as I went along, but this time I want to take my time with the basics.
Best online bass teacher!
dude your videos are so great. you're a really approachable and warm instructor! keep it up!!
you are the best teacher!!!
Thank you so much for this tutorial. I just bought my first bass guitar and was weary about acquiring bad habits. Now I know I'm on the right road.
This free lesson helps me a lot :) and i'm really thankful for this teacher for making this video for the people like me. Now i just need to collect some money so i can buy my own guitar :D Thankyou so much.
+Susi Chan
It is possible to play a regular bass with smaller fingers. You can work on using modifications (like doing more shifting or using only three fingers) to play the bass easier. My pinky is about 2.25 inches, and my other fingers range in size from 2.75 to 3.125 inches, so my hands are a bit larger than yours, but I still have trouble with my pinky. With experience playing other instruments, I'd just say to try different variations of finger patterns and see what works the best with your hand size.
This is so rudimentary but so critical! This is where one builds good habits... I have been spending much time undoing had habits with guitar and building good ones with my new bass. Thank you!
Some things I'm having trouble with is getting my fingers spaced enough for the frets and only using my two fingers to pluck and keeping a consistent alternate plucking.
Thank you very much! I'm loving learning to play bass with you
After playing other instruments for 9 years and then starting to pick up the bass just earlier today, my fingers hurt. Ha. The strings are so much larger than the ones I'm used to ^-^
You are the most beautiful teacher.. I learned from you very fast.. Although i play bass from 15 years ago
Thanks a lot for all the tutorial videos. I am revisiting some lessons and basic technique just trying to hone my relatively mediocre bass skills and I find that your practical approach is super easy to follow. Its hard to find such well thought out, methodical lessons that don't end up confusing me in the end..
I swear by this technical exercise. It helps a lot! Thank you!
great video for true beginners such as myself my fingers feel melted but this is great progress and amazing lessons. THANK YOU!
I really love this guy's lessons!
Best bass exercise lesson on UA-cam truly.
Thank u thank u thank u ... I have a great deal of musical background & have been surching for a way to do scales while identifying the note - naming each note is FAB!
I have watched so many of your videos you have showed me so much
thanks for your support and i am new so great learning for me
Thank you. You are an awesome teacher (from another teacher). God bless you!
This is a great exercise because while I go slow i can correct hand position and plucking. And never gets boring because I variate by changing the length of notes, quarter, half notes, etc. changing from one string to another anytime and even playing along music. Great exercise
This is a great exercise for both fretting and alternate finger picking practice!
This looks like a very good exercise. Thank you for the video.
It takes me long time to practice this since my fingers are not flexible enough but work hard and continue~ thx for your teaching~ it's really nice~
seriously great exercise!
after a long hiatus playing bass, i found i needed to re-learn from the ground up...this included proper fretting hand placement and technique.
at first, re-learning the fretting hand felt like absolute h e l l. but after drilling in into my brain, it now feels perfectly natural and i can practice comfortably for 6-8 hours at a time with no pains, discomforts or numbness!
This is really helpful, thank you!
Nice exercise idea to develop dexterity and stamina too. Thank you.
Great exercise!
this video is so old i have become a pro at playing the bass i was not even playing the bass at that time i did not now what even what a bass is im now 9 years old and im playing like a mother i play the bass amazing i play amazing like my dad plays the drums i really like this exercise video it can help you alot when you are have alot of trouble playing the right string
Great lesson!
I don't have a bass yet but I going to get on this Xmas or for my b day but thank you for your time helping me and I think I can speak for everyone
I feel like my pinky finger isn't long enough. I'm not able to put as much pressure on the string with it.
Tim Crescenzo that’s my biggest problem
Don’t worry, it’s normal, especially if you’re new. Like everything, it takes practice and you get used to it after a while. Keep trying!
it'll get stronger no worries
Some people's aren't. Most of the bass player tutors one sees on UA-cam have long fingers.Look like spiders on the fretboard.
I can identify with many of these comments. 66, retired, arthritis. Bought a Gretsch short scale. And, the pinky issue... I put hands together, push fingers back and forth for stretching and developing strength. Also, while driving, use the wheel like the bass neck, pushing with the fingers. Helps with strength and dexterity.
Very helpful, man!
Please shoe me exactly how the THUMB on the fretted hand is working through this routine. You rock!
I played bass for several years in a band and was occasionally performing in bars and farmer's markets. After six years of inactivity I've decided to make friends again with my bass and focus on proper technique so I can progress farther as a bass player. If I stick with it, Im confident l'll improve far beyond playing just the songs of whatever band I'm in. I've chosen this lesson as my warm up and I usually try one other beginner lesson. I definitely have the flying pinky challenge to overcome, but daily exercise is improving it. Sometimes I only get 10-15 minutes in, but improvement seems to still be happening. The frequency of practice seems key. I've decided to laugh at myself when that rogue pinky pops up, too. I stay in the same place on the fretboard when it pops up, and I just try to relax, maybe reset my hand position, and slow down. Additionally, I notice that several adept bass players move the pinky almost exclusively at the knuckle where the finger meets the hand. He mentioned that kind of movement in a previous lesson. Maybe that's something to focus on, and I'm curious if that is proper technique. The other joints on the pinky hardly move.
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Thank You
Hello there! I used these videos 4 years ago when I first started learning bass. Due to my work, I haven't had the ability to have a bass with me in my travels. I bought one yesterday because I decided I really wanted back into it. As I go through these videos, I realized my technique is quite awful! A lot of tension and my fingers just flail every direction it seems instead of being relaxed over the fret board. Looking to continue practicing with these videos to improve. Thank you and I look forward to improving with your videos!
Hey, can you update since there's been 2 months since you've started playing again?
Hello there, @@carpediem3510! Wasn't expecting a response to this comment wondering about my progress. With all the time I've had off with this "Stay at Home" situation we are currently in, I've had a lot of time to work on my playing. I'm still guilty of the things mentioned above but not nearly as often now. Being aware of it makes it easier to identify and work on! I posted an unlisted video of a cover I did just to track my progress and look back on. Perhaps I'll make it public for general viewing and critique.
Thanks for the comment and happy playing!
@@bcraig13 Hi! Happy to hear about your progress!!
I was curious to see how far you've gone in two months, I am also doing my bass practice again after a very long time... I am also dealing with guilt due to the fact that I have been left behind with the bass playing, but that's ok, I get over it. I have mine since 2004, playing on and off but not quite methodically really. It's nice to see in the comment section other people not giving up on their urge to play this magnificent instrument, and I find it a great opportunity to lift each other up, as we are facing similar emotions about it! It would be cool to make your practice video public, I would like to watch it!
Keep up the with the practice, so will I !!! 🙂
Oh, I just saw you have already uploaded the video!! Nice and smooth playing there, good job!!
Found using index and middle to strum difficult at first. I start on index when going up and start on middle when going down, also counting 1-4 has helped
Thanks a lot , Teacher
Okay today I realized I'm not the next Mozart. Oh crap.
LOL!
+Susi Chan I have a Jag and it's a full scale bass. I as well have short fingers but it's not a problem. Eventually you'll learn to move around the fret board to make it easier on you. For instance instead of climbing down the upper frets, you can just jump to the next string if you know your notes, and you can make do with that. If you really want to get a short scale that's up to you, just know that it will have a much different sound to a regular bass.
i got this... thnx bro..................!
this one was awesome
very good lesson, thnks
Very good!
Thank you!
Thank you!
Thanks bro 🙏🙌💯💙
Thank you
you are the best
Thanks!!!
Awesome !
How long should I spend on a lesson before I move on to the next? Should one technique be mastered before moving on to the next? For instance, should I memorize all the notes on the neck of the bass before beginning this fingering exercise?
thank you sir...
Very good lesson! Excellent!
Thanks for the support Ray - You'll get plenty of mileage out of this lesson for sure!
Thanks
marked for learning
Your teaching is amazing, thanks so much. Why couldn't I find you on UA-cam when I first tried to learn the bass in 1974 ?!!
As a gen z I'm so thankful that our generation has so many more resources for learning new things it's fascinating how much more we can learn with way less effort
you have a great manner about your teaching that is extremely encouraging!
My fretting thumb is hurting... I notice I'm trying to bend it back while holding the fret board. Luckily I watched the other videos and realized how to relax it! :D
Not only does he speak clearly and at a good pace for learning, but he also sounds quite a bit like David Tennant. If I close my eyes I can almost imagine The Doctor teaching bass lessons.
the doctor!!
if your doing the exercise and it does not sound right pause the video. And practive for a while until your fingers become use to plucking at the same time as your fingers press the frets. Keep going until you know how much presure you should put to not hear the buzzing
that helped, thanks
one question i have though is: what is the buzzing? when I press the string and pluck it, i hear the string hitting the fret, creating a buzz like sound but im not sure if that's it. also im not using an amp yet so that might be it
BritesAkaBoss that means you should put a little more presure or well it could be not using an amp it might sound different
maybe when using an amp that sound dissipates. I've been having troubles as well with my fret hand placement: my little finger can't reach the higher frets on string E and A, and i have trouble reaching every other fret. thanks for the help though!
BritesAkaBoss also brother, try putting your finger pressure on the lowest part of the fret; the end of the fret furthest from the head of the bass. Even if you're pressing on the ridge of the fret itself it'll help eliminate the buzz as opposed to pressing donw on the dead centre of the fret ;D
Thanks for the videos! I noticed in a previous video on plucking, you say to keep your thumb on the E string when plucking the other strings. But I noticed in this video that you thumbs rests on the string above the string that you are plucking. For example when you pluck the G string your thumb is on the D string. Which way is correct?
I just realized that I'm going to struggle with the bass for the same reasons I've struggled with so many other failed instruments (and learning to type): stubby sausage fingers, stiff hands, and a complete and total lack of coordination...
I feel so dumb because I’ve got ridiculously small hands with short fingers, so it’s very difficult for me to reach a fret without moving my entire fretting hand T_T
is there a video that names out all the notes?
Does anyone know the bass brand in this video? Thank you in advance.
my fingers are on fire, but i think im getting the hang of it...mostly lol
So you say to keep the hands relaxed, but also to use this hand position that aligns your fingers. I HAVE to tense my hands and wrist up to stretch my 4 fingers across 4 frets for like, the first 7 or so frets.
Obviously, I'm gonna keep trying, just in hopes that it improves. But is that normal? Am I doing something wrong?
is your wrist supposed to feel a bit hyper extended when going 90 degrees to the neck?
Learning for music in school and my bro has one so I get to use his and omg I can’t relax my hand
Can't make my fingers nicely even. What can be done for smallish hands/short finger(s)?
Do you have any advice if the fretting hand is relatively small? I find it very difficult to cover 4 frets with one hand without stretching or straining the hand, which you say I shouldn't do. Also, the bass I have doesn't have any frets so I have to press down harder...
for this particular exercise if you have too much trouble with that you can cover 3 frets and slide up/down right as you do the fourth note (right before you start the pattern a fret above or below), if you pluck at the same time you won't get the "sliding" sound; it might be not ideal since it is nice to use your pinky to get the extra distance (especially for hammerons/pulloffs) but if that doesn't work then you can reduce the spread when playing individual notes doing this
plastic gloves
I have this problem too small hands and cannot cover all 4 frets.
Im kinda using my thumb as a pivot to cover more frets. It's working to some degree. I still need practise.
I suggest you develop your velocity instead of strength , this means a daily practice repeating with your third and fourth fingers at a slow then fast pace the movement up and down.
Give more bass finger exercises
Would you consider it "wrong" or inadequate to use three fingers like Sheehan for the plucking instead of the two? Reasoning is, I was convinced by that technique and am only starting to develop muscle memory (beginner level) so why not start directly with three? Also, for that 3 finger technique, weird thing is that the leading finger is the ring finger (3-2-1) as opposed to the 1-2 method that is shown in here
Hey, he talks a bit about this in the first videos of the technique. I guess 3 fingers plucking can be really good but it's not used in most of the music that you'll actually play, so maybe trying to learn it after you actually get some experience can be really helpfull. Though taking the habit of 3 fingers plucking can be a good idea so you don't have to relearn it afterwards. Also, it can be harder to really feel the rythm as you are using an uneven number of fingers while most bass music is played in binary rythm. I guess it's kinda harder to learn to play bass with such a technique, but it has shown that it's viable so afterall, why not
So this is gonna sound weird but the way i was able to get coordinated was to say even odd while I pluck and fret lol i also had to tie down my last 2 fingers as well lol this is hard!!! lol
+John-John Pokenbeans The even/odd thing helped! Thanks for the tip!
Oh MAN i have a hair bobbin i use to tie two of my fingers or I look like a pretentious tea drinker :)
My pinky is way shorter than my ring finger :( I have to twist my hand and fingers in a weird way to manage to have my four fingers on a string :( What can i do ?
Hey Richie, I am 5 feet 1 tall and my middle finger is barely 2.7 inches in length and my pinky is 1.8 inches in length.. Should I get a shorter bass like a Fender Jaguar or will my fingers work with a full size 34" Fender bass? People on the internet say they can play a full size with their small hands but their definition of "small" are usually longer fingers than mine.
I feel a Bunch of tension What should I do
I am finding I have to apply more pressure with the little finger to get the note to play with the chatter. Any suggestions?
Just apart of playing. Just never stop practicing. You will soon not feel any discomfort