| Author | Message | ||
| mint_bass
Junior Username: mint_bass Post Number: 36 Registered: 1-2004 |
i have only been playing bass for 2 years and have made alot of proggress i am concerned that i am not making the best of my practice time so does anyone have any practice tips i am completly self taught but try to practice a few hours a day and four hours at weekends and holidays how long do you practice | ||
| davehouck
Advanced Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 344 Registered: 5-2002 |
Scales and variations of scales, attention to technique, left hand exercises and right hand exercises, music theory. | ||
| dean_m
Advanced Member Username: dean_m Post Number: 263 Registered: 7-2002 |
Oh boy!!! Where should I start?? Andrew here is something that I tell all of my students and I also practice this myself. No matter what you practice, you have to stay very focused. Here's what I mean. How many of us pick up our basses, play for about 20 mins, put the bass back down, and then think we just practiced? The human attention span is very short. So here is my suggestion. Let's say for instance, you are working on Major 7 arpeggios up and down the neck. First off, you should be working on all twelve. Take each arpeggio and devote only two minutes to it. Literally set a timer for two minutes. When the time is up, move on to the next arpeggio. But while that time is ticking, you ONLY focus on that one arpeggio! Remember, you only have 2 minutes so even if the house falls around you, you stay with it. Slow, fast it doesn't matter. Some keys may take a little longer to figure out so you may only get half way up the fingerboard on the harder keys. It doesn't matter, when that 2 mins is up, stop, take a breather, move on to the next one. I figure 2 minutes for each key with a minute in between for a breather gives you 3 minutes per key. Three times twelve keys will give you 36 minutes of intense, focused, practice time IN ALL TWELVE KEYS. Even if you bump it up to 3 minutes with a minute breather, you're still at 48 minutes. You won't get more out of such a short practice regement. From there, go ahead and treat yourself to learning a tune off of a CD, or catching a new slap lick. Remember, NO NOODELING!!!! Try this EVERY day for a week, I promise you, you will not only know your arps cold, but you will also learn your fingerboard. You can apply this method to ANY lesson that you're working on too. The trick is the repetition doing it every day. http://www.monotunesmusic.com is my website if you're looking for stuff to practice too. I just put a Major 7 lesson on there and I'm putting a minor 7 lesson up this week. Hope this helps!!!!! Peace, Dino | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 1003 Registered: 9-2002 |
Sigh ...I love you Paul the fake one! This time I'm really gonna be a decent bass-player when I'm grown-up. I play bass every day and have 2 rehearsals a week. The point is: I like to practice with a goal and in a way I can see something in it. I always have problems with scales because ...I can not fit them in. I still lack a lot of musical insight. Beware ...I can sightread parts but ...help ...the logic behind ???? Anyway I plunge into that walking-off-beat-mertonomish-greek-friend-of-mines-website and will start ...practicing ...at least ...but not long ...no not long! ***Sigh*** Paul the bad one | ||
| bracheen
Intermediate Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 192 Registered: 11-2003 |
Dino, is your clinic schedule anywhere on the website? If you make it to Jacksonville, I'd love to toddle over for the lesson. Sam | ||
| dean_m
Advanced Member Username: dean_m Post Number: 264 Registered: 7-2002 |
Brother Paul the bad one, You keep on feeding me family advise and I'll always be happy to give you what I know for lessons. You can apply the timing method to anything you're learning. Even if it's a song off of a CD. You might want to modify the time to say 5 minutes per section or so but it will still work. I only used arpeggios as an example because that's one thing I have my students really focus on with this method. Sam, unfortunately I don't have anything on the books as of yet but I'm working on it. Clinics are coming too far and few between. I love doing them but sponsorships have sort of tightened their belts the last year or so which really hurts on my end. One problem that I encounter is that unless my name is Victor Wooten, or Steve Bailey, it's hard to draw people into the store which makes the store a little reluctant to set aside the time. Don't get me wrong, I love and respect these guys very much. I just don't have the name recognition (or the chops) that they have to draw people. I can tell you this though. Everyone that has come to one of my clinics, has walked out with stuff they can take with them to work on. I'd love to come to Florida for a clinic. Believe me, as soon as I get a schedule happening, I'll keep you all posted. Anyway, Keep practicing!!!!! Peace, Dino | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 1005 Registered: 9-2002 |
I have this stupid question: what are the noodles doing in that practicing story?? Noodling????? Paul the bad one | ||
| dean_m
Advanced Member Username: dean_m Post Number: 265 Registered: 7-2002 |
Noodling; meaning, fooling around, not getting anything accomplished. BTW-your cds are in the mail. I just got back from the post office. Let me know what you think. Dino the fake one | ||
| alemboid
Junior Username: alemboid Post Number: 41 Registered: 5-2003 |
You are a bass player! Timing and feel is very important. Play scales, yes. Play scales with a metronome, very important. I possible, practice with a drum machine- try funk rhyhms, 2/4 country type feels, 4/4 driving rock, and listen to where the down beat is. Play around with the feel-play on top of the beat, lay back and feel the groove, try even dropping out and leaving space. Listen to bass players in bands you like- what are they doing? Imitate them, and then make it your own. That's what I tell my students in a nutshell. Bryant | ||
| jazzyvee
Member Username: jazzyvee Post Number: 80 Registered: 6-2002 |
I'm slowly moving from guitar to more bass playing and I have so far been getting by by learning techniques and not practicing my scales as such on the bass, on basis that I know a lot of the scales from my guitarist background, and don't need to practice them specifically on the bass. How wrong is my assumption, I'm finding that when i get to need them live I know where they are but my fingers haven't learnt them in respect to the longer scale of the bass so I have not been as accurate or confident as I should be. So I have had to relearn them so that my hands can find them on the bass relative to its fret spacing which is far different from guitar. The benefit is that when I get back to guitar the scales are a breeze as my dexterity and stretch is improving .... :-) I think your advice is good Dean. | ||
| angelboy
Junior Username: angelboy Post Number: 31 Registered: 1-2004 |
I've been a drummer for 15 years and only played 'bedroom bass'. Having only really listened to Mark King I know I have a bit of flash but I really want to start improving my 'jamming' and writing original lines. I can sit and learn a part no problem but find it hard to come up with intresting original lines. My timing and feel are as to be expected with me being a drummer, (all over the place........only kidding........or am I?!?) Anyway, I don't read so it's either Tab........I can feel the eyes in the back of my head burning.......or ear. What do you suggest to get me on the jamming/writing role? | ||
| bracheen
Intermediate Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 200 Registered: 11-2003 |
Paul The obvious advice of course is keep it simple. There are plenty of players here with a ton more experience and knowledge than me but here's my two cents. When working out a new line I stick with the basic 1,3,5 pattern at least at first and try to work out an interesting rhythem. You can always go back and spice it up. When changing chords I'll throw in a passing tone to make the transition. Usually a note that's a half step from the new chord root. This works a lot better for me if I have the chord progression in advance. That way I can plan the whole measure on ending up where I need to be for the next. On the spot jamming is still tricky (that's tricksey if elf) for me. Sam | ||
| adriaan
Intermediate Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 114 Registered: 6-2002 |
I've been playing by ear for longer than I care to remember. On piano it's been since age 5, when I saw my dad play wonderful classical stuff, and my elder brother and sister were taking lessons. Sure enough I didn't like the lessons once I was considered 'old enough' to start myself. On bass it's been since age 10, when said older brother started taking lessons. So it's been by sight and by ear for the most part. Eventually, I did pick up reading classical notes, and in time also chord notation, but I'll always need to hear a new rhythm before I can play it. I've been playing bass for 28 years now, and I'll play lines (walking or non-standard) to any jazz standard you throw at me. I don't practice much, and instead of scales I tend to go by ear. The two best tips anyone has ever given me: (1) In jazz chord progressions, you can make the change using the special notes from the NEXT chord - well, most of the time you can. And never play a major 7 on a regular 7 chord (funny how those horn players insist on playing tunes in sounding F, never in sounding F#). (2) In walking lines, as an amateur, you often find you're walking up to the tonica with one step in time to spare - oops, you've gone too fast. Most of the time, you can add a half step after the 5th, before the whole step, to win back that step. Practice with others. Don't overdo it. Make music, not scales. | ||
| bracheen
Advanced Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 201 Registered: 11-2003 |
Oh yeah, part of your practice time, IMO, should be used to work on sight reading. At least learn which notes correspond to which lines and spaces. You should also know your scales so that you know which notes work best together when writing. Sam | ||
| son_of_magni
Junior Username: son_of_magni Post Number: 23 Registered: 1-2004 |
Ha! I was wondering when some one would get to sight reading. Get a copy of the Bach cello suites (I hope you have a low B). Or get any of the standard cello exersize books, Stephen De'ak is my favorate. Also when discussing scales and arpeggios, play in different modes as well as different keys. At a minimum Ionian, Dorian, and Aolean. Phrygian is very cool too. I also like to play games like breaking up the arpeggios like 1 3 5 7, 2 4 6 8, 3 5 7 9, and so on. Make up things like that and work on them so you really have to think about where you are on the neck. Jaco liked to do 1 6, 2 7, 3 8, 4 9 up and down the neck. I don't remember hearing him get lost too often. After a half hour of that when you decide to relax and noodle around you'll find yourself doing all kinds of new things. Ok, ok I've actually played cello even longer than I've played bass. I suppose there's a De'ak book for bass too... | ||
| dnburgess
Intermediate Member Username: dnburgess Post Number: 179 Registered: 1-2003 |
I agree with Magni that modes are well worth learning. I would say if you learnt nothing else, learn all your modes (i.e. scales, triplets, thirds, etc) over one and two octaves and you'll be able to fake your way through just about anything - I do. | ||
| davehouck
Advanced Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 349 Registered: 5-2002 |
I would like to hear more about playing Bach cello suites on bass. You hinted that a low B is required. Can you point to some recommended sheet music? Is there anything to listen to where these suites are being played on bass? | ||
| bracheen
Advanced Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 205 Registered: 11-2003 |
Dave, I have a Mel Bay book called "J.S. Bach for Bass". This book comes with a CD by Josquin des Pres playing on electric bass. My bass teacher burned a CD for me with Edgar Meyer playing some of suites on double bass. This particular book is transcribed for 4 string bass but the low B notes are included in parentheses. Sam | ||
| adriaan
Intermediate Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 116 Registered: 6-2002 |
I didn't kow they had electric basses in the 16th century! Let alone electric power! [Uhm - Bach was certainly 17th century, and he didn't mind taking on new instruments. I meant Josquin des Prés (a.k.a. Joske van de Velden) would have had a hard time finding a plug socket for his amp and stuff.] (Message edited by Adriaan on February 05, 2004) | ||
| mint_bass
Junior Username: mint_bass Post Number: 38 Registered: 1-2004 |
thanks this i feel will b alot of help i may try learning some bach as that is something very different from wat i usually do i do like to tap and fingerpick moonlight sinata by beethoven as it is so cool and flows well | ||
| son_of_magni
Junior Username: son_of_magni Post Number: 24 Registered: 1-2004 |
The "Bach 6 Suites for Cello Unaccompanied" is the sheet music that you're looking for. The reason I mentioned the low B is that the cello goes down to C, so there are a few notes below E that you wouldn't be able to play. When I play them on a E bass I just play everything up one string, or I just play pieces that don't have the low notes. I would love to hear Meyer playing these. I know John Patitucci plays them too... There is some dispute about what Bach had in mind when he wrote these pieces. Up until maybe 40-50 years ago they were considered cello exercises. And they are an excellent exercise repetuare (arrg, can't spell). One of the greatest cellests of the 20th century, Pablo Casals, played through the entire set, from memory, every morning as a warm up for his days practice. I know I will never practice that much! But eventually he and others recorded them and performed them live, and now they are considered legitimate performance music. There are recordings available by Casals and Yo Yo Ma on cello. Did I mention that Jaco also mentioned playing Bach to help his reading skills? Um, I think in the 16th century they used that other bass, that big thing that's hard to carry around and blows up if you ever let it tip over. | ||
| dnburgess
Intermediate Member Username: dnburgess Post Number: 180 Registered: 1-2003 |
Speaking of Bach - don't forget Bouree on "Stand Up" by Jethro Tull. Hugely underrated playing by Glen Cornick for 1969. | ||
| palembic
Senior Member Username: palembic Post Number: 1020 Registered: 9-2002 |
Well Brothers ...this is great info. There is a music-book shop just around the corner where I work for now. So I'll hop in at lunchbreak and look for those cello-pieces. David: I remember Bourrée very well. This is in factr a story for the "I'm dead ...again ...." thread but anyway. In school we had a guy who studied flute in formal music training. We were "internals" so we stayed in school for the whole week. Every evening he was allowed to practice in a room in the basement of teh school. With a couple of guys I was setting my first paces on bass and we were wailing around in another room. An evening I was with the flute dude and he played Bourrée. There was sheetmusic with it with ...bass. He said ...com'on ...here's the music play along. I couldn't read but I tried. It was a disaster ...awfull. The flute dude was very disapproving: "You see ...that's no music what you playing there ...it's just noise ...this is music". I had no answer ready and hurt badly. I thought he was right. I was about 15 years old then. About 10 years ago I played Bourrée to please a girl on her music exam flute. I will always have mixed feelings about that song. Paul the bad one PS: the flute dude doesn't touch an instrument anymore and is a very succesfull and rich insurance salesperson. I don't have a dime but still play ...music! | ||
| adriaan
Intermediate Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 117 Registered: 6-2002 |
Hm, great cellists and their reputations. A while ago I was listening to a video of Rostropovich doing the suites, and he was playing much too square for my taste. He handled the melodies a bit like Wagner handled harmonies: in blocks. The beauty of these suites is that you could swear that you're listening to multiple lines at the same time, but it's all done one note at a time (except for the occasional double-stop). There was a TV series of Yo-Yo Ma doing the suites in various imaginary settings, and it's a great introduction to the music and the ideas behind it. I'd recommend Pieter Wispelwey's recording - "fly like a butterfly, sting like a bee". | ||
| son_of_magni
Junior Username: son_of_magni Post Number: 25 Registered: 1-2004 |
If you like Ma playing the suites, you should love Casals. The knock on Casals was that he was "content to play Bach in the style of Brahms". Well, what's so bad about that? | ||
| bracheen
Advanced Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 208 Registered: 11-2003 |
Karl, if you have a high speed internet connection I can try to email you the Meyer pieces. If I can locate the CD that is. Given my housekeeping techniques that may take a while. It may be in my desk at work. | ||
| cdf
Junior Username: cdf Post Number: 38 Registered: 5-2003 |
Read a quote from Casals on the topic of practicing once that went something like, "if I don't play for a day I can tell, if I don't play for a week my wife can tell, if I don't play for two weeks everybody in the world can tell" | ||
| davehouck
Advanced Member Username: davehouck Post Number: 352 Registered: 5-2002 |
Thanks for the info on the Bach pieces; I'll look for them. | ||
| son_of_magni
Junior Username: son_of_magni Post Number: 26 Registered: 1-2004 |
Sam, you can send me anything of a reasonable size, I'd really like to hear it. If it's bigger that 20 or 30 meg it might be good to break it up into seperate emails. I have a video made by Ray Brown that has Edgar Meyer and Victor Wooton showing off their chops together. Pretty cool... (Message edited by Son of Magni on February 07, 2004) | ||
| adriaan
Intermediate Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 118 Registered: 6-2002 |
What's so bad about playing Bach in the style of Brahms? #1 - There's good musicianship and bad musicianship. #2 - There's good taste and bad taste. You can use bad taste in good taste, but not the other way around. #3 - There's always a different way of playing a piece of music, no matter how it is being played. #4 - You can play almost any piece of music in a different style than originally intended. What's so good about playing Bach in the style of Brahms? Like it or leave it. | ||
| groovelines
Intermediate Member Username: groovelines Post Number: 151 Registered: 4-2003 |
I'd like to add one tidbit to the loads of great advice...I keep a stave notebook and a couple of pencils in my case so I can notate chord changes, and such. This is especially handy when playing original pieces from new guitar players (assuming they kow where they are going)  . That way I can work on the material after I've gone home. | ||
| groovelines
Intermediate Member Username: groovelines Post Number: 152 Registered: 4-2003 |
I'd like to add one tidbit to the loads of great advice...I keep a stave notebook and a couple of pencils in my case so I can notate chord changes and such. This is especially handy when playing original pieces from new guitar players (assuming they know where they are going) . That way I can work on the material after I've gone home. | ||
| bracheen
Advanced Member Username: bracheen Post Number: 211 Registered: 11-2003 |
For those who use a lot of staff paper check out this link http://freestaffpaper.cjb.net/ It might have a pop up or two but hey, it's free! Sam | ||
| son_of_magni
Junior Username: son_of_magni Post Number: 27 Registered: 1-2004 |
Hey Sam, my sincere thanks! They're very nice. Boy was I surprised to hear... Arco. I don't know why I was expecting pizz. Meyer's bowing is really lovely. On the video I have he makes it look totally effortless. I'm sure I could bow like that if I could afford such nice equipment ;) Also I have to thank mint_bass for starting this thread. It's got me back playing the Suites. I'm going to take a more regimented appoach this time. I used to just flip it open and play to work on my reading. This time I want to try to learn to play them as well as I can on cello. So I've picked out the Courante and the Minuets in the first Suite to start with... |
