So, I discovered something amazing by working this exercise: my thumb placement on the back of the neck with my fretting hand is really effecting my technique. It's amazing what going back to the shed will help you realize. Your videos are really helping me get back to the fundamentals of my technique so that I can get off this plateau I've been on for a few years. Cheers!
It's nice when you can only hear the scale and gets the key because of the sonority it has. I play these three first notes of the C major scale rythmically to try something funky, james brown like... It helps with speed and note lenght. And thx, scott. Your lessons are awesome, i'm a beginner and I'm really loving the bass!
Scott, I've been working from this video for about 6 weeks now. It's great! I'm being quite 'particular', and not proceeding with adding a note (I'm still ascending) until I'm completely comfortable with the current number of notes. Funnily enough, I'm at 4 at the moment, and because of various things going on around this time of year I've not been able to work on it as much, but I'll definitely say this: for me, if I consistently practise a sequence of notes, and then leave it for a day, coming back to the exercise a day later seems to give my brain time to let things sink in, and I can suddenly play it correctly. I keep doing it for a couple of days though, just make sure! It's already improving my playing, and given my approach I can see that this is going to be a long-term exercise. Thanks for sharing this, I really appreciate it!
I've been playing for 30 years, and I've developed a lot of bad habits. I've been checking out your videos for a little while, and you have a way of telling someone something without talking down to them. So, kudos. I've learned a lot without feeling like I'm starting from the beginning. I'm going to check out your site, and get in on the bass giveaway. Thanks for the hard work.
I do not find myself as a "speed" guy and I prefer when there is space for slower parts and silence, but this exercise is probably the best I have ever seen for a bass on RUclips! Thank you ;)
This is awesome!! Once I get home I'm going to start doing these exercises. Talent will only get you so far! You need technique and skill!!! Thanks again for sharing Scott, your teachings are a blessing.
I'm maybe just into intermediate territory now, and can say this definitely works as advertised. Thanks :) Two main problems I notice in myself: 1- I get tense past a certain speed and 2- struggle to keep my hands in sync. I always figured I'd be ok on bass since I can finger pick on guitar pretty well, but nope! The wider frets, and bigger distance between the strings completely changes the sensory input and none of my muscle memory works at all. This has actually all lead me back to slower exercises to build the muscle memory and learn to be more fluid/relaxed, and less tense/forced.
Hand burning....can't....feel....strings.....! This is a great exercise for building speed, and you learn VERY quickly to relax that left hand, or else it starts to burn! Thanks Scott :-)
This lesson is for me. I can play short sequences fast, both fret and pluck. I also noticed that I can drum with my fingers 3 x the speed of plucking. By adding one at the time I can focus on the (1) issue coming with the next note. It's the right practice, adding 16 triplets. I'll get on it tomorrow. Problem is I'm not a bass player! I just wanted to add bass to my computer arrangements and keyboard mainly. But as it looks I'm becoming one by watching this. I even started using cortex, never used that before.
Aaaaw Competition over! :( I love your lessons! I don't even have a bass guitar yet, but I played in a band in school (quit and had to sell bass for university tuition - Got my degree..yay) playing guitar now, but I am still married to bass....religiously watch all your videos until I can buy a bass in a year! Wish I could start now! Anyways, well done, I admire your skill and relaxed and pleasant manner of teaching....would definitely come to ONLY you for lessons...But South Africa is a bit far! Hehehe.
Thanks, Scott! You're amazing as always. As I was doing the exercise, I found a variation I'd like to share. I found that doing some small 3 or 4 note "bursts" starting from somewhere other than C was helpful. My favorite is F-G-A-B because it requires the middle finger on the A string, then the ring finger on the D string, which is a bit of a challenge spot for my finger dexterity. I hope that makes sense. Anyway, you rock and you're my hero! :)
This exercise, albeit from your video that 6 or so years newer lol, was one of the biggest eyes openers for what I was doing wrong with my right hand. Not just that, though. It's really shined a bright light on issues with coordination between right AND left hand, so I actually look at it as an exercise for that as well. Just mentally and visually focusing on one hand, then the other hand, and then both hands. I try to do that process for at least 10 minutes every day. It's also a killer warm-up! 😎 I'm going to sign up for your Technique Accelerator course this year. This video (and the newer one) has clearly demonstrated the need for me to pull that trigger! 💪 😎 👍
This is a real cool tip for increase your speed. I'm following you a lot, and I'm doing my subscription to the SBL Academy. The lessons are so simply and clear as I never felt before. Just amazing!
Awesome video! :) -Any tips on how to get better at the right hand technique? I keep getting my thumb stuck in one spot which slows me down and makes me stretch my hand out...
I have a hard time using my pinky to fret. My other three fingers are like Arnold Schwarzenegger and my pinky is basically Rick Moranis. This exercise helps a lot with that.
So I guess I'm late for the giveaway but I'm ok with that. After many years of playing this has still been an issue for me not so much the speed but definitely the smoothness across multiple strings and after watching you I figured out why. I noticed that your thumb is just floating across as opposed to being anchored on the pickup or string. Once I quit planting my thumb against my speed across the strings was so much smoother... Thank you, figuring this out wa with so much more to me then the giveaway bass.
I don't know who does that, but on the plus side, for every single jerkoff who dislikes, there are 100 people who appreciate it and click the like button.
Scott, thank you for investing all the time you do into growing the next generation of bassists! I have noticed one consistent issue throughout your videos, and that is a substantial amount of fret noise. I hear that in a lot of close-to-great players, and it keeps them from being great groovers. Would you agree that, as a general rule, anything other than articulation, tone, and cutoff, is considered an unwanted distractor? If so, then a great goal is to be able to play anything you play with the utmost cleanliness (articulation, tone, cutoff, and nothing else). There is always room for fret noise as an intended effect, but when it consistently creeps in at random times, it can be a major groove-kill. Again, thank you for all that you do! Many people are better musicians because of your lessons!
Hi Scott, good day! Do you have some tips to play cleaner too? how to avoid undesire sound when fingering or slaping, and tips for accesories to get a smooth sound, I got a warwick fortress bass and feel the sound to bright and less "fat". Thank u Scott!!! regards!
go slow, slower than you are comfortable with, play clean, then go faster little by little and use a metronome, never play dirty, if you can't play clean go back
Hi Scott, I rehearsed so hard, I thrashed my left hand and wear a garden glove, I pulled a tendon and have gotten used to the comfort of wearing a glove. Can I purchase your grey gloves? FYI was at an all comer Blues jam and struck up a conversation with a really good bass player, and we both watch your videos. You are very much appreciated, THANK YOU!
Hey Scott! Loved the video but I need to ask you, how many pressure are you putting on your right hand fingering? Do you hit the strings softer when you play this fast? Thank you so much!
Hey, first video I've seen from you...What's the glove about? Strength building? Noise? Cybernetic prosthesis? Reverse Micheal Jackson? Good exercise, thanks. I'm already fairly fast, but this will force me to analyze and perfect my technique.
I have to work with my bass' strings because they should be closer to the fingerboard to press them lighter and so gain more speed... does that make sense to you Scott?? Thanks for sharing your music knowledge..
Francisco Vazquez Sounds like you might need to lower the action on your bass or get it "set up" how you like to play it. This is something you can do yourself or take it to a shop!
Trying to change the thumb position is very hard for me. I feel like I can't separate what my plucking hand is doing from my fretting hand. I guess I just need to really slow my metronome down as well as my ego...i guess I just feel like I have been playing for so long with bad habits and no actual practice that I am having to re-learn better technique. It's very discouraging but I love bass too much just give up. Thanks for your videos!
Should you work on ascending and descending at the same time? Or just work on ascending till you get it up to speed and then work on descending? Thanks.
This reminds me of the 'flamenco picao'. The right hand must always alternate fingers. NEVER repeat any finger. It uses to be called "speed bursts". Is that correct? Thanks for the lesson!!!
I jumped straight from 4 to 6 too. It was awkward at first because the string spacing is closer. I would run scales all over the board and then do a major scales going up and down in thirds. I would also works on octaves and other string jumps all over the board. After that it really is a matter of getting comfortable so I would just play as much as possible to get used to it. soon it will feel normal. If you anchor your thumb I would try not anchoring it and rest in on the string(moveable anchor) to mute that B string because it will sometimes start to ring while playing and can sound sloppy. What bass did you get? My first 6 string was an ibanez SR506
I was wondering, i have a bit of a short pinky finger and its hard to reach the last note in my scales because of it, is there a way to make an easier reach?
Scott, I am a electric guitarist here trying to fix some wrong technique with your exercises :) I have one question, when I am descending this exercise my index finger and middle finger usually touches each other. I realized you have something similar with your middle finger and ring finger, should I be worried about this and try to correct it? Many thanks!!!
+Shekhem Vige Scott has a condition called focal dystonia, the glove helps... I'm not sure but i think it reduces the amount of involuntary contractions.
Great lesson Scott, thanks for that! One question! Do you always pluck the same pattern like ''index finger - middle finger - index - middle - etc.? Or do you sometimes pluck with the same finger two or more times after each other?
practice always i-m-i-m over and over regardless of string or note is how you develop correct technique. WHen I was coming up and having to play every night 8 months out of the year I would transcribe etudes for the cello/ bass that are most used in the music conservatories and make sure I always alternated fingers throughout the whole piece. This was really the only 'exercises' i did outside of playing in a live setup to keep sharp. once you can jump to any note on the bass without having to think, having your fingers alternate at warp speeds, i promise you will be able to handle any passage thrown at you in a professoinal setting.
How are you holding your right hand, I don't get it... I usually rest my thumb against the pickup of my bass but when doing that I can't move it like that, obviously...
I see you have a Vanderkley head to match your cabs now. How are you liking it? Is it bye bye for the Mark Bass? Thanks for the lesson, great as usual.
So, I discovered something amazing by working this exercise: my thumb placement on the back of the neck with my fretting hand is really effecting my technique. It's amazing what going back to the shed will help you realize. Your videos are really helping me get back to the fundamentals of my technique so that I can get off this plateau I've been on for a few years. Cheers!
I'll just be adding this to my "things Scott tells me to do" list for when I pick up the bass. Thanks!!
Lol love the name list
So did you ever start? How's it going?
Holly shit everytime im looking for a bass video this guy appears everywhere
So true
Because he's good
NOT ANYMORE!!! :D because of Davie504 xD
Checkmate
It's nice when you can only hear the scale and gets the key because of the sonority it has. I play these three first notes of the C major scale rythmically to try something funky, james brown like... It helps with speed and note lenght. And thx, scott. Your lessons are awesome, i'm a beginner and I'm really loving the bass!
Greetings from Brazil!
Scott, I've been working from this video for about 6 weeks now. It's great! I'm being quite 'particular', and not proceeding with adding a note (I'm still ascending) until I'm completely comfortable with the current number of notes.
Funnily enough, I'm at 4 at the moment, and because of various things going on around this time of year I've not been able to work on it as much, but I'll definitely say this: for me, if I consistently practise a sequence of notes, and then leave it for a day, coming back to the exercise a day later seems to give my brain time to let things sink in, and I can suddenly play it correctly. I keep doing it for a couple of days though, just make sure!
It's already improving my playing, and given my approach I can see that this is going to be a long-term exercise. Thanks for sharing this, I really appreciate it!
I've been playing for 30 years, and I've developed a lot of bad habits. I've been checking out your videos for a little while, and you have a way of telling someone something without talking down to them. So, kudos. I've learned a lot without feeling like I'm starting from the beginning. I'm going to check out your site, and get in on the bass giveaway. Thanks for the hard work.
I do not find myself as a "speed" guy and I prefer when there is space for slower parts and silence, but this exercise is probably the best I have ever seen for a bass on RUclips! Thank you ;)
I'm playing since '93... and it never occurred to me that my right hand was the impediment. I stretched it far too much. Wow! Great lesson, Scott!
Bro you the best online bass teacher i have come across. Thanks for sharing.
Oh man! I missed the drawing by 5 years!
Me 2
You're not alone
Same
i missed by 6
almost 6 for me
This is awesome!! Once I get home I'm going to start doing these exercises. Talent will only get you so far! You need technique and skill!!! Thanks again for sharing Scott, your teachings are a blessing.
I been watching you since 2010 and you really help me develop my speed techniques
You DA MAN!! I have learned so much from these vid's, and here you are again giving me more knowledge. Woooooo!!!
Seattle says What's up!!!
I'm maybe just into intermediate territory now, and can say this definitely works as advertised. Thanks :)
Two main problems I notice in myself: 1- I get tense past a certain speed and 2- struggle to keep my hands in sync. I always figured I'd be ok on bass since I can finger pick on guitar pretty well, but nope! The wider frets, and bigger distance between the strings completely changes the sensory input and none of my muscle memory works at all. This has actually all lead me back to slower exercises to build the muscle memory and learn to be more fluid/relaxed, and less tense/forced.
I love the way you maintain energy and enthusiasm in your videos.
Hand burning....can't....feel....strings.....! This is a great exercise for building speed, and you learn VERY quickly to relax that left hand, or else it starts to burn! Thanks Scott :-)
Thank you, Scott. We love you :D
This lesson is for me. I can play short sequences fast, both fret and pluck. I also noticed that I can drum with my fingers 3 x the speed of plucking. By adding one at the time I can focus on the (1) issue coming with the next note. It's the right practice, adding 16 triplets. I'll get on it tomorrow. Problem is I'm not a bass player! I just wanted to add bass to my computer arrangements and keyboard mainly. But as it looks I'm becoming one by watching this. I even started using cortex, never used that before.
This guy gives the best lessons I swear.
You have changed my life with this lesson, thanks
this is one of your best lessons for me! Thanks!!
thanks for your videos scott... superb! ----from philippines
Aaaaw Competition over! :( I love your lessons! I don't even have a bass guitar yet, but I played in a band in school (quit and had to sell bass for university tuition - Got my degree..yay) playing guitar now, but I am still married to bass....religiously watch all your videos until I can buy a bass in a year! Wish I could start now! Anyways, well done, I admire your skill and relaxed and pleasant manner of teaching....would definitely come to ONLY you for lessons...But South Africa is a bit far! Hehehe.
Now that's a bass workout, feel the burn. Awesome exercise Scott, thanks.
You're making me to become a better bass player, thank you :)
Thanks Scott, so simple, and so effective! Happy New Year!
Happy new year!
Thanks, Scott! You're amazing as always. As I was doing the exercise, I found a variation I'd like to share. I found that doing some small 3 or 4 note "bursts" starting from somewhere other than C was helpful. My favorite is F-G-A-B because it requires the middle finger on the A string, then the ring finger on the D string, which is a bit of a challenge spot for my finger dexterity. I hope that makes sense. Anyway, you rock and you're my hero! :)
Question answered about the glove. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
This exercise, albeit from your video that 6 or so years newer lol, was one of the biggest eyes openers for what I was doing wrong with my right hand.
Not just that, though. It's really shined a bright light on issues with coordination between right AND left hand, so I actually look at it as an exercise for that as well. Just mentally and visually focusing on one hand, then the other hand, and then both hands. I try to do that process for at least 10 minutes every day.
It's also a killer warm-up! 😎
I'm going to sign up for your Technique Accelerator course this year. This video (and the newer one) has clearly demonstrated the need for me to pull that trigger! 💪 😎 👍
Thank you sir! Greetings from Iceland!
When I tried this exercise, it works really well. Great, great advice. Thank you!
This is a real cool tip for increase your speed. I'm following you a lot, and I'm doing my subscription to the SBL Academy.
The lessons are so simply and clear as I never felt before.
Just amazing!
very good lesson inded...you are a great teacher.
Fantastic.. I'm a beginner but was doing scales far too slowly and this made sense to me. Definitely great to repeat this with other modes.
You enchant me your videos. Greetings from Argentina :)
Ahhh cheers Nicolas! :)
Scott's Bass Lessons n
Scott's Bass Lessons what is kind of this guitar and what does it cost
Thank you very much…
I badly need this video…
Thank you for uploading …
It‘s especially interesting to see how one‘s
right hand works when one is playing this with three-finger-technique. Crazy!
Awesome video! :) -Any tips on how to get better at the right hand technique? I keep getting my thumb stuck in one spot which slows me down and makes me stretch my hand out...
I love your videos so much man. Thanks for giving me the inspiration to pick my bass back up, here's to sore fingers and callouses ahahaha
Thank you Scott.. this really helps
Hi Scott,
Great lesson as always. It also helps if you play this exercise lightly. Shame, I can't win that bass :(
Great video!
thank you so much sir for your lessons . it inspires and motivate me a lot practicing my bass guitar... it's been a great help for me...
I have a hard time using my pinky to fret. My other three fingers are like Arnold Schwarzenegger and my pinky is basically Rick Moranis. This exercise helps a lot with that.
you sir are a genius.
Amazing, you inspire with your videos man, cheers from Puerto Rico!!
Great lesson! Thank you very much!
Great lesson! Thanks Scott!
thanks Scott.... totally works wonders this exercise.
This exercise helped me so much, thank you!
So I guess I'm late for the giveaway but I'm ok with that. After many years of playing this has still been an issue for me not so much the speed but definitely the smoothness across multiple strings and after watching you I figured out why. I noticed that your thumb is just floating across as opposed to being anchored on the pickup or string. Once I quit planting my thumb against my speed across the strings was so much smoother... Thank you, figuring this out wa with so much more to me then the giveaway bass.
hi scott
i play allot of metal bass myself
but this exercise really helped allot for faster fills
Thank you !
Thank you sooo much for this lesson!
Thanks a Lot Scott, learned a lot
Beautiful bass!
you are awesome teacher :)
I love these videos man, you helped me alot with my bass skills keep up the videos. :)
great exercise tnc scot
Who are the cretins always giving thumbs down to these videos??? Great job and infinite thanks, Scott.
I don't know who does that, but on the plus side, for every single jerkoff who dislikes, there are 100 people who appreciate it and click the like button.
Krakmann Ika personally i hate his clove
Dont be such a beef queen
Scott, thank you for investing all the time you do into growing the next generation of bassists!
I have noticed one consistent issue throughout your videos, and that is a substantial amount of fret noise. I hear that in a lot of close-to-great players, and it keeps them from being great groovers.
Would you agree that, as a general rule, anything other than articulation, tone, and cutoff, is considered an unwanted distractor? If so, then a great goal is to be able to play anything you play with the utmost cleanliness (articulation, tone, cutoff, and nothing else).
There is always room for fret noise as an intended effect, but when it consistently creeps in at random times, it can be a major groove-kill.
Again, thank you for all that you do! Many people are better musicians because of your lessons!
good job nice lesson sir greetings from indonesia..
You're like the best. Thanks!
Yeah great exercise indeed !
Thx man much respect
very useful, thanks a lot !
One of the best exercises ever.............dam I am going back to the shed now LOL
Great tip! :D
thats an awsome bass!
Thank you!!
Hi Scott, good day! Do you have some tips to play cleaner too? how to avoid undesire sound when fingering or slaping, and tips for accesories to get a smooth sound, I got a warwick fortress bass and feel the sound to bright and less "fat". Thank u Scott!!! regards!
go slow, slower than you are comfortable with, play clean, then go faster little by little and use a metronome, never play dirty, if you can't play clean go back
Hi Scott, I rehearsed so hard, I thrashed my left hand and wear a garden glove, I pulled a tendon and have gotten used to the comfort of wearing a glove. Can I purchase your grey gloves? FYI was at an all comer Blues jam and struck up a conversation with a really good bass player, and we both watch your videos. You are very much appreciated, THANK YOU!
you r amazing, man!!!
Subbed! Thanks for the tips and this lesson!
hey scott greetings from surinam man...
i like your videos...could you also put the tabs...for practising.......
thank you boss😉
This bass sounds dope
Haha, I'm watching this in 2019!tough luck for me
Hey Scott! Loved the video but I need to ask you, how many pressure are you putting on your right hand fingering? Do you hit the strings softer when you play this fast? Thank you so much!
I think I'm a bit late for that giveaway.
Hey, first video I've seen from you...What's the glove about? Strength building? Noise? Cybernetic prosthesis? Reverse Micheal Jackson?
Good exercise, thanks. I'm already fairly fast, but this will force me to analyze and perfect my technique.
pbot27 Okay, just saw your page about the glove. A) that sucks, and B) way to roll with the punches. Glad you found a way to keep playing.
I have to work with my bass' strings because they should be closer to the fingerboard to press them lighter and so gain more speed... does that make sense to you Scott?? Thanks for sharing your music knowledge..
Francisco Vazquez Sounds like you might need to lower the action on your bass or get it "set up" how you like to play it. This is something you can do yourself or take it to a shop!
Great lesson, couldn't find the link though.
Trying to change the thumb position is very hard for me. I feel like I can't separate what my plucking hand is doing from my fretting hand. I guess I just need to really slow my metronome down as well as my ego...i guess I just feel like I have been playing for so long with bad habits and no actual practice that I am having to re-learn better technique. It's very discouraging but I love bass too much just give up. Thanks for your videos!
Should you work on ascending and descending at the same time? Or just work on ascending till you get it up to speed and then work on descending? Thanks.
This reminds me of the 'flamenco picao'. The right hand must always alternate fingers. NEVER repeat any finger. It uses to be called "speed bursts". Is that correct?
Thanks for the lesson!!!
Interesting!!! Thanks for your comment. Didn't know about that....in flamenco guitar repeating is not allowed. Love the bass!!! XXXDDD Regards!!!
lovely...
Got any tips for proficient 4 string players who have now moved on to 6?
Great vid as per btw!
I jumped straight from 4 to 6 too. It was awkward at first because the string spacing is closer. I would run scales all over the board and then do a major scales going up and down in thirds. I would also works on octaves and other string jumps all over the board. After that it really is a matter of getting comfortable so I would just play as much as possible to get used to it. soon it will feel normal. If you anchor your thumb I would try not anchoring it and rest in on the string(moveable anchor) to mute that B string because it will sometimes start to ring while playing and can sound sloppy. What bass did you get? My first 6 string was an ibanez SR506
i got a "ESP LTD B-206SM " my 4 string is an ibanez SR 1200 - good range of models i gotta say
I was wondering, i have a bit of a short pinky finger and its hard to reach the last note in my scales because of it, is there a way to make an easier reach?
Scott, I am a electric guitarist here trying to fix some wrong technique with your exercises :) I have one question, when I am descending this exercise my index finger and middle finger usually touches each other. I realized you have something similar with your middle finger and ring finger, should I be worried about this and try to correct it? Many thanks!!!
What are the coloured glove things on his left hand and what are they for??? Can anyone answers this for me?
+Shekhem Vige Scott has a condition called focal dystonia, the glove helps... I'm not sure but i think it reduces the amount of involuntary contractions.
thank you... :)
Great lesson Scott, thanks for that!
One question! Do you always pluck the same pattern like ''index finger - middle finger - index - middle - etc.? Or do you sometimes pluck with the same finger two or more times after each other?
practice always i-m-i-m over and over regardless of string or note is how you develop correct technique. WHen I was coming up and having to play every night 8 months out of the year I would transcribe etudes for the cello/ bass that are most used in the music conservatories and make sure I always alternated fingers throughout the whole piece. This was really the only 'exercises' i did outside of playing in a live setup to keep sharp. once you can jump to any note on the bass without having to think, having your fingers alternate at warp speeds, i promise you will be able to handle any passage thrown at you in a professoinal setting.
Awesome video! What is your intro song?
Question and i hope you answer this: DO you need four fingers for this?
god I love bass so much
What's the idea behind the glove?
Thanks for this video ! My fingers say thank you (;
How are you holding your right hand, I don't get it... I usually rest my thumb against the pickup of my bass but when doing that I can't move it like that, obviously...
Hola una pregunta que bass es ese en Colombia los vende y que precio tiene ese bass
THat bass sounds awesome!!!!!! How do you tune it in that kind of sound or is that matter to the recording mixing for the video???? @ScottBassLesson.
I see you have a Vanderkley head to match your cabs now. How are you liking it? Is it bye bye for the Mark Bass? Thanks for the lesson, great as usual.
Best amp I've ever played through. Ever! :)