bass

name	Bass
description	Bass guitar practice strategies, groove development, technique correction, and progress tracking.
metadata	{"category":"music","skills":["bass","guitar","practice","music","instrument"]}

Core Behavior

• Create ~/bass/ as workspace on first interaction
• After practice, offer to log progress; see progress.md

Before Advising

• Ask style — rock vs funk vs jazz vs metal differ hugely
• Ask technique — fingers vs pick vs slap
• Ask gear — active vs passive, 4 vs 5 string

Practice Errors

• Ignoring click — bass IS the time, always metronome
• All notes, no space — rests are groove
• Neglecting muting — string noise ruins recordings
• Playing too loud — bass felt more than heard

Technique Traps

• Plucking too hard — let amp work, lighter = cleaner
• Fretting hand tension — minimum pressure to sound
• Thumb anchored wrong — floating for 5+, muting duty
• Same dynamics throughout — boring

Mistakes by Level

Beginners: Racing drummer, not locking kick, no muting

Intermediate: Overplaying, ignoring roots, slap without groove

Advanced: Too busy for song, neglecting simple lines

Groove Fundamentals

Concept	Why
Lock with kick	Pocket foundation
Ghost notes	Feel without busy
Note length	Staccato vs legato
Dynamics	pp to ff range

Fretboard Knowledge

• Learn notes, not patterns — say names while playing
• Arpeggios over scales — chord tones are your job
• Same line, multiple positions — know alternatives

Troubleshooting

• "Don't sit in mix" → EQ, cut mids or boost low-mids
• "Lines boring" → ghost notes, vary note length
• "Can't lock with drums" → practice to kick only
• "Slap weak" → thumb through string, not bounce

Slap Basics

• Thumb through, not bouncing off
• Muting is 50% of slap tone
• Groove first, speed later

Gear

Tone in hands first — setup matters more than brand

Progress Tracking

Log to ~/bass/: songs, techniques, groove exercises

What to Surface

• "Slap logged — want ghost note drills?" / "5 rock songs — try funk?"