Playing along with cd's-good or bad?

StringsOf4 · #1 07-08-2006, 11:31 PM

I've been out of a band for awhile and pretty much all i do is play along with cd's by my favorite bands. I've been doing this since I started playing 5 years ago. Is this good or bad for my technique? Better said, will it help develop my technique or ruin it?
Thanks.

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Grueber · #2 07-08-2006, 11:35 PM

It can't hurt, but you should try practicing other things too.

Dave · #3 07-08-2006, 11:40 PM

Yeah, thats how I practice sometimes. Also try writing some. Just sit down and noodle around till you hear something cool pop out.

EADG mx · #4 07-08-2006, 11:46 PM

I used to do it all the time. People will say you should practice with a metronome, but I'm sure lots of people will agree that playing only a song's bass part can get pretty boring without the other instruments.

thebassclef · #5 07-08-2006, 11:48 PM

Don't really know if it will hurt or help your technique, but great for your ear. I do this all the time and even play along with the radio (little harder since you can't start and stop). Once you get your ear trained to hear roots and other notes, get into music theory. Learn that and playing ANYTHING (Radio, CD, Jam Whatever) will happen that much quicker and better.

vindy500 · #6 07-08-2006, 11:52 PM

of course it will help. your fingers are moving building finger strength youre learning new riffs, youre relating what youre hearing to what youre playing

Bassist4Life · #7 07-08-2006, 11:54 PM

I've only heard good things about playing along with CD's. I don't think it has anything to do with your technique though.

Joe

dharma · #8 07-08-2006, 11:58 PM

Great for my ear since I started two years ago.

Bad for my drive to join a band. My job is time-prohibitive, and if I didn't have the stimulus of playing along to a CD, I'd be climbing the walls trying to get *someone* to play with. For now, I'm content to living-room jam, with me and my CDs.

markjazzbassist · #9 07-09-2006, 12:04 AM

i love jamming along to cd's. that's how i developed 'feel" and groove. i think they are a great resource for practicing and for gaining technique and ability.

Andy3825 · #10 07-09-2006, 12:25 AM

I do that a lot too, but don't keep playing the same CD if you've mastered all the songs from it 3 months ago. Keep changing the CD's, styles, and stuff like that. You could also try to figure out vocal/melody lines and other parts of the song. Try learning it in a different key (obviously not with the CD), etc. It won't hurt, just make sure that you're not playing the same licks over and over again.

Dave · #11 07-09-2006, 01:26 AM

+1 - I like to find harmony lines to songs I already know.

Audiophage · #12 07-09-2006, 03:30 PM

I tend to warm up playing along to stuff I already know really well and train my ears by figuring out stuff I don't know from CDs.

cowsgomoo · #13 07-09-2006, 03:42 PM

it's great for developing many important aspects of your playing, except for arguably THE most important part of being a bass player:

how to drive a band

playing along to cd's is useful and is good fun, but if that's all you do, you'll probably never develop a true feel for the authority you have to give every single note in a real life situation

and the more improvisational the type of music, the more important it is to be able to interact with other musicians... so many people spend hours and hours blowing hot solos along with Jamie Abersold or band in a box but get up there on the stand and don't have enough experience listening & reacting to others to make something interesting...

StringsOf4 · #14 07-10-2006, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thebassclef

Don't really know if it will hurt or help your technique, but great for your ear. I do this all the time and even play along with the radio (little harder since you can't start and stop). Once you get your ear trained to hear roots and other notes, get into music theory. Learn that and playing ANYTHING (Radio, CD, Jam Whatever) will happen that much quicker and better.

That's exactly what I did! I can listen to a song 1-3 times and map it out on the fretboard in my head then grab my bass and I'll have it maybe 80% right. I took music theory in high school and that allowed me to map things by not even knowing the notes but just knowing the key I can figure where the progression "should" go. I used to think theory was overrated (It can get old) but it really helped me out especially in a band setting. I went from all roots to actually writing a few melodic bass lines.
Thanks for the feedback guys (and/or gals)!!

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iplaybassguitar · #15 07-11-2006, 09:01 AM

best thing you can do for your playing, second only to playing with real people

tlwaps · #16 07-11-2006, 09:08 AM

Playing along with cd's helped my technique. At first I would play along with Nirvana, simple yes but you gotta start some where. Then I learned a couple Korn songs, then a Mudvayne song and so on and so on. I just kept pushing myself to learn harder and harder songs. Sometimes I'd throw in an easy one just to have fun.

Delberthot · #17 07-12-2006, 12:35 PM

I have always practiced listening to CDs since I started when I was 11. In fact then it was vinyl and once I had learned a track well on an album, I would switch it from 33 45 rpm and play it at that speed!

One thing though, you might think that you know songs but when you go out live it is a different kettle of fish - you don't realise when listening to CDs how many tiny pieces within the song guide you to change from say chorus to solo and if the singer doesn't sing something exactly like the CD or the guitarist misses a note it can really throw you at first.