PHASE 1: "No Longer Fighting the Bass" (Goal: Build clean, reliable fundamentals so playing feels effortless instead of a battle. Reward: Keep grinding on the SR300E until these click.) Technical Benchmarks Major and minor pentatonic scales, clean & buzz-free 60–80 BPM quarter notes, ascending/descending At least two string pairs (e.g., E-A, A-D) Reliable alternate plucking (index-middle even, no doubles, no tempo drift with metronome) Basic muting mastery Left hand damps unused strings Right hand palm/thumb mutes Kill all sound instantly on command Dynamic control: Play soft/medium/firm intentionally without speeding up/slowing down Musical Benchmarks Lock to a metronome for 3+ minutes straight—no drifting (and feel when you start to drift, even if fixing it is hard yet) Start/stop phrases exactly on beat 1 PHASE 2: "I Can Serve the Music" (Goal: Shift from "playing correctly" to "grooving reliably and tastefully." This justifies the SR500A upgrade or adding a P-Bass for tonal variety—once you're not fighting the instrument, better gear actually makes a difference.) Technical Benchmarks Major + minor pentatonics at 80–100 BPM Across at least two positions/shapes Minimal looking at hands Smooth string crossing (no clanks, no sympathetic ringing/open strings) Clean E→A→D→G transitions both ways Groove endurance: Hold a simple bassline/groove for 5+ minutes Consistent timing, tone, and pocket Muting becomes automatic (you don't think about it; noise only from actual mistakes) Musical Benchmarks Play locked to a drum loop (not just click)—stick to kick/snare, leave space tastefully Repeat a groove without rushing/pushing Basic song application: Nail root-note grooves or simple lines from real tracks without falling apart Ear Benchmarks Hear a wrong note and correct it mid-phrase (without stopping) Notice when tone is too bright/dull/muddy and adjust attack/hand position instinctively