[magsepi]

I feel like I have become stagnant in my playing. I am self taught. I started on guitar about ten years ago. After a couple of years I took guitar lessons but stopped because I didnt care for his teaching style. I wasnt learning much. Then i switched to bass exclusively.
I quit playing for about 4 years .
But now I am back into it seriously.
I dont know if I want lessons. I fall in between biginner and intermediate and even maybe not quite advanced. I have never played with other musicians.

Need to learn the notes on the strings for whatever reason i cant learn them. I have taught myself to read music but its no use if i dont know the note names on the strings.

I also need to learn how to use my pinky finger and make stretches fron the frets. I move my fretting hand all over the neck instead of stretching.
And there are a few other things that I need to know how to do or do better.
I cant afford lessons and most teachers I talk to prior to lessons want to start me as if i am picking up the bass for the first time. I dont need that.
I think i might like to jam with other musicians but fear I wont be able to keep up with others.
Any suggestions on what I can do?

[Thrash]

Have you tried to look for videos on youtube? There are dozens of guitar lessons and bass lessons on there that could probably help you out.

[magsepi]

Originally Posted by Thrash

Have you tried to look for videos on youtube? There are dozens of guitar lessons and bass lessons on there that could probably help you out.

Yes. Nothing that helped me. Its mostly lessons for the beginner that I have found.

[Bushman]

I've looked at a few from Active Bass
It's a pretty good website. I also found alot by Googling "Intermediate Bass Lessons"

[magsepi]

Originally Posted by Bushman

I've looked at a few from Active Bass
It's a pretty good website. I also found alot by Googling "Intermediate Bass Lessons"

I tried that as well. But u cant access somethings on my smartphone. I don't have a computer.

I just want something new besides on line. I like instruction books. Any suggestions/

[BaconRocks]

Originally Posted by magsepi

I just want something new besides on line. I like instruction books. Any suggestions/

I got the Hal Leonard Bass Method, it teaches the note names and it had a cd you could play along with. Or you could find a chart with all the fretboard notes on it, I got one at a guitar shop for like 3$.

[magsepi]

Originally Posted by BaconRocks

I got the Hal Leonard Bass Method, it teaches the note names and it had a cd you could play along with. Or you could find a chart with all the fretboard notes on it, I got one at a guitar shop for like 3$.

I have the whole series. Maybe i should dig it out.

[BaconRocks]

Originally Posted by magsepi

I have the whole series. Maybe i should dig it out.

Couldn't hurt.

[waveofthinking]

Originally Posted by magsepi

I dont know if I want lessons. I fall in between biginner and intermediate and even maybe not quite advanced. I have never played with other musicians.

At this point I wouldn't even worry about what level you are at because unless you have experience playing with other musicians, the journey has yet to begin.

Originally Posted by magsepi

I cant afford lessons and most teachers I talk to prior to lessons want to start me as if i am picking up the bass for the first time. I dont need that.

Sometimes you just gotta suck it up, there is always something you can learn and I'm sure there is a reason your teacher is wanting to start from the basics. At some point I would invest in private lessons and then eventually lessons in Jazz if you want to be really good. But till then, a great place to start is studybass.com.

[caeman]

You need to create a plan that is focused and be diligent. 15 minutes every night, no matter what.

I started out out by playing just each string by itself. I practiced alternating the two fingers to learn consistency. Also, this was training my right hand to find the strings without looking. 15 minutes of open string picking. Do this for a whole week.

Next, begin learning each string. One string per night. Doesn't matter which one you start with. Play it open and saying out the note it is. Move up to the next fret, play it, say it. Feel free to use just one finger. The goal of this drill is to learn what note each fret is on that string, all the way up to the 12th fret. The next day, pick a different string.

Each practice, spend 2 minute reinforcing what you did the the previous practice. Just do it once, and then move to the new thing to focus on.

When you are away from the guitar, begins studying some music theory. You don't need to be a master, but this drummer can teach himself music theory, pretty much anyone can learn it. Focus at first on the scales. Key of C, G, etc. Knowing the scales can be oh so important when learning any new song by ear, or seeing a lead sheet with chords, and for the next level of bass practice.

My nightly bass practice routine now consists mostly of just scales and arpeggios. I sometimes practice actual songs, but most often it is scales and arpeggios (major, minor, diminished, suspended). Sit down with a notebook and write the scales out.

There comes a point where everything that you are learning coalesces and you have a light bulb moment, a sudden lucid realization that you really know how to play. That every major arpeggio has the same finger pattern, no matter where your start. And minor arpeggios. And you can play "by the numbers", as long as your know where "1" is (the root of the scale).

I am one of those musicians that is undaunted by "boring" practices. I understand that such basic techniques are essential to pretty much EVERY style of music I try to play.