practicing while you drive?

ballpein · #1 02-15-2007, 01:22 AM

Any suggestions for ways to practice while driving? I spend a ton of time driving and would like some things to do to work on technique while I drive, particularly fret hand... seems a little easier to find things to do with my right hand... one thing I've been doing is working on getting my ring finger involved, which helps.

Joe Nerve · #2 02-15-2007, 01:32 AM

Yes.

As far as the physicality of play goes, I never did that, but they sell those prax axes (or something like that) that I'm sure would keep you busy.

I practice my sets sometimes when I'm driving. I put whatever show I'm doing on CD, and play through every song visually in my head. It actually works in helping identify parts I'm shaky on, and works as a good last minute review en route to the gig. It's a challenge staying concentrated on it for me cuz I'm easily distracted, but that's what god made rewind buttons for I'm sure.

There was an article in BP magazine a while back about practicing without a bass and a certain someone said it's impossible. Everything that certain someone has said has proved to be completely untrue for me. I think there were some other useful things in that article. Perhaps you might want to look it up.

steveb98 · #3 02-15-2007, 09:59 AM

Usually not physical things, but I have used driving to drill myself on harmony and theory. I will spell chords and scales in the order of the circle of fifths. To help my ear I will try to transcribe a bass line while driving. Sometime I only work out the rhythm maybe a few notes. Then check myself when I get back to my bass.

The only physical thing I've tried was to use fingers of right hand on the gear shift like plucking strings to try and strenthen them. Didn't help. Best use of time was drilling H&T and learning to sing and mentally transcribe basslines.

ballpein · #4 02-15-2007, 03:11 PM

thanks guys, good thoughts. I will often mentally work on my parts as I drive. I started playing with a new group a while back, made myself a bass-less mix of their tracks and had it on endless repeat for about a week... a great way to pick up new songs in a short amount of time, and come up with stuff that I probably wouldn't come up with with a bass in my hands.

Hawkeye · #5 02-15-2007, 03:54 PM

What I do is stretch my fingers when I drive. I stretch each of the fingers and the thumb on my fretting hand back and limber up while driving to practice or to perform.

You've hit on a good topic though. I commute almost 3 hrs a day and sometimes get a bit tired of my CD collection and talk radio.

daffy · #6 02-15-2007, 06:39 PM

I do left hand dex and speed drills on the wheel almost all the time, and I have also started to do right hand thumb slapping. I also do a lot of LH drills where I leave one finger on the wheel and then do dex drills around it - to work on keeping my fingers close to the fretboard at all times.

I put on some music recorded at the tempo I need and use that as my metronome, and then go at it - usually with my left hand at about 7 or 8 o'clock on the wheel as if I'm holding a bass. For dex drills I typically do a drill that I saw on Nathan East's instruction DVD, where he goes:

1 2 1 3 1 4 2 3 2 4 3 4

I run this forwards and backwards:

4 3 4 2 4 1 3 2 3 1 2 1

It's not too hard so it doesn't distract you and you can keep both hands on the wheel!! I have also done some of the Bass Fitness drills.

This is also a great warm up on the way to the gig.

lowphatbass · #7 02-15-2007, 07:15 PM

What has been helpful for me over the last number of years is to make sure my cars have had good system with a really good mid-bass response. So many systems today(even stock) are all beats n tweets, frustrating when your in a rental, on your way to a rehearsal trying to pick-out your parts. Having a nice, powerfully even system generally enhances the the listening experience anyhow.
Another thing that helped me is having access to a pitch in order to find a key center. I can usually pick it out within a step depending on how much playing I've been doing, but knowing what key the song I am listening to is in helps me see and feel the part "on the neck" if you will and helps me to visualize actually playing the part.

the_fonz · #8 02-15-2007, 08:14 PM

i think this is how people die. yeah, i'm almost positive it is.

lowphatbass · #9 02-15-2007, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_fonz

i think this is how people die. yeah, i'm almost positive it is.

Just so everybody is clear I am not referring to actually playing, or even having a bass within reach while driving.

the_fonz · #10 02-17-2007, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowphatbass

Just so everybody is clear I am not referring to actually playing, or even having a bass within reach while driving.

good, cus that's how people die

ballpein · #11 02-19-2007, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_fonz

i think this is how people die. yeah, i'm almost positive it is.

nah, you just have to keep mindful that your headstock is sticking out the window, so that you don't take out any pedestrians. And I'm always careful to stop playing when I answer my celphone or change the dvd that's playing.

Seriously, thanks for the info folks... Daffy I'll give that exercise a try. Also, I've been having a wee bit of wrist pain lately, so spend a good amount of time stretching, which seems to be helping.

nubs · #12 02-19-2007, 12:44 AM

how about this???

http://www.twanger.com/

burngeorgesbush · #13 02-20-2007, 02:58 AM

i have never done it in the car before, i am usually too busy headbanging along to some metal, oh and i like to sing along in the car too. my fave thing to do when i am practising tho is to close my eyes and visualise myself playing the part perfectly. when i am visualising myself playing the part i am actually playing the part with either a guitar or bass in my hands. i try not to think to hard about it when i do this either, for some reason i can learn stuff quicker and better with my eyes closed. i think it has something to do with you mind connecting your fingers to the sounds, the neck is essentially remembered by the fingers not by the visual.

the main thing is to be able to subconciously drill yourself until you can play by ear and feel and not rely on your eyes to tell u what you are playing. as for me practising in the car i never will, that would be way to dangerous and anyways i only have to drive 5 mins max to get to work everyday

BigDaddyRob · #14 02-20-2007, 08:33 AM

I'm really impressed that you guys can practice while you drive. When I'm behind the wheel, I'm usually (pick any four)
a. Using my cell phone.
b. Looking up something in my PDA.
c. Drinking coffee.
d. Mopping up spilled coffee.
e. Reading a map.
f. Trying to find a classic rock station.
g. Changing CDs in the player.
h. Adjusting my radar detector.
i. Cleaning my sunglasses.
j. Consuming some form of junk food.
k. Looking for my sunglasses.

Maybe I'll add in the practice thing, too.

the_fonz · #15 02-20-2007, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burngeorgesbush

i have never done it in the car before, i am usually too busy headbanging along to some metal, oh and i like to sing along in the car too. my fave thing to do when i am practising tho is to close my eyes and visualise myself playing the part perfectly. when i am visualising myself playing the part i am actually playing the part with either a guitar or bass in my hands. i try not to think to hard about it when i do this either, for some reason i can learn stuff quicker and better with my eyes closed. i think it has something to do with you mind connecting your fingers to the sounds, the neck is essentially remembered by the fingers not by the visual.

ok, i take it back, that's how people die

Erick Lam · #16 02-20-2007, 08:08 PM

Audiophage · #17 02-21-2007, 06:15 PM

I wouldn't think too heavily about practicing while driving, I rear ended a guy doing that once.

mikoespanol · #18 02-23-2007, 10:14 AM

Listen, listen, listen to music.

Demon · #19 02-23-2007, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burngeorgesbush

i have never done it in the car before, i am usually too busy headbanging along to some metal, oh and i like to sing along in the car too. my fave thing to do when i am practising tho is to close my eyes and visualise myself playing the part perfectly. when i am visualising myself playing the part i am actually playing the part with either a guitar or bass in my hands. i try not to think to hard about it when i do this either, for some reason i can learn stuff quicker and better with my eyes closed. i think it has something to do with you mind connecting your fingers to the sounds, the neck is essentially remembered by the fingers not by the visual.

the main thing is to be able to subconciously drill yourself until you can play by ear and feel and not rely on your eyes to tell u what you are playing. as for me practising in the car i never will, that would be way to dangerous and anyways i only have to drive 5 mins max to get to work everyday

LOL. That really made me laugh

thanks