Tightening up my playing

[TC5]

Right, so I'm listening to some recordings with some top pro bassists (Pop, R&B styles) and what makes the playing top notch is not flashy riffs, but TIGHT, deep in the groove, masterful execution. This is what I want to achieve for myself. I need to raise my game at this time.

So besides the obvious obligatory *practice, practice and practice* process, any tips out there to help improve my results and banish sloppiness from my playing? Perhaps concentration exercises or methods to get mentally in the best frame of mind to help the playing get to where it needs to be?

I understand everything works together. Physical endurance, good technique, and bags and bags of practice. But this all needs to be guided by a brain in the right head space I would say... I need to get to the place where you just stop thinking and you ride deep into the groove.

[vin*tone]

Practice simple grooves with a metronome or quiet drum machine, then create variations but keep strict time.

Can you record yourself? Listen back to what you're doing then keep working on it.

[greggster59]

I've been focusing on this very thing you mention for a little while now and one great exercise I picked up from Ed Friedland's book, Bass Grooves, is to play a riff or passage slowly, like at 40bpm, as accurately as possible. It's harder than you think.
Mastering this really helps develop rhythmic sense that stays with you as you play the riff at faster tempos.

[TOOL460002]

ya- starting slow is very necessary.

also, for that type of music, i would assume a compressor would help, as well as rolling a bit off the treble. if you arent playing directly over your pickup, you should do that. even with some highs cut, playing right over the pickup with the right amount of force will still be nice and punchy.

lots of left hand muting can go a long way as well.

[TC5]

Thanks all.

Yes a good compressor with the right settings gets that dense controlled (old school) tone that I love, though I still need to improve tone and volume control at the string and improve timing quite a lot.

I find plucking softer is a good way to get a good controlled tone (as advised by Bob Babbitt) and avoids problems with some notes clanking against frets, but is also a bit harder to control than plucking harder. Time to practice...

[Russell L]

Try taking a simple one bar groove and play it non-stop for 30 minutes. You'll be surprised how your feel comes together after awhile. For me, it's when my hands and arms begin to feel "floppy' that I can articulate much better. Also, try to do it with the volume high, but with a light touch, and see how much extraneous noise you can eliminate (fret rattling, string noise, etc.). It takes some control and concentration. But, for me, it's the long time span that gets me "there."

[BullHorn]

I found the best way is to record myself. I used to play along with a song and it would sound good - because I had the song playing properly in the background - but after reviewing what I've recorded I noticed that some notes were a 1/32th beat too long or too short or started a 1/32th too early or too late and it made me sound less groovy.

[TC5]

Thanks both. Yes I am doing recordings which is my main goal but I'm out of practice for a long while so I need to get my chops back up.

One thing about practicing that I find hard is to keep motivated. Just doing exercises gets very boring very quick so anything to make things more fun would be a good idea. Playing along some favorite recordings certainly is a lot more fun, plus you get the feeling of playing with top musicians so it feels good. What I do is try to EQ out as much of the original bass as possible then play on top. But it's good to do the bare bone thing with a metronome and really hone the playing.

[azureblue]

Record your practices, use a metronome set for 2 and 4- you'll hear what you need to do.

[Gaius46]

Originally Posted by greggster59

I've been focusing on this very thing you mention for a little while now and one great exercise I picked up from Ed Friedland's book, Bass Grooves, is to play a riff or passage slowly, like at 40bpm, as accurately as possible. It's harder than you think.
Mastering this really helps develop rhythmic sense that stays with you as you play the riff at faster tempos.

+1

The best advice I ever got was from a jazz drummer who said the best way to improve your timing is to practice slowly.

Playing well slowly is far more difficult that playing fast. You can be off in your timing playing 16th notes at 120bpm and likely no one will really notice. If you're even a little off playing an 8th note groove at 40bpm it's going to be painfully obvious.

[RMXSeven]

I was at a Wooten bass clinic, and he suggested closing your eyes, and imagine the drummer playing along with the metronome. He had someone come on stage, and play a bass line they were very familiar with, then had them close their eyes, and play the same line, while imagining the drummer, and syncing with them. There was a def improvement on stage, as the player almost straight away got into the groove.

[iriegnome]

Been there just recently. Maybe about 4 years ago (After 25+ years of playing) I started learning. For me it is nice to know most of these things, but I think it changed my playing and not really in a good way. I have not gotten to a point where it is second nature. I still think too much!

[TC5]

Originally Posted by Gaius46

+1

The best advice I ever got was from a jazz drummer who said the best way to improve your timing is to practice slowly.

Playing well slowly is far more difficult that playing fast. You can be off in your timing playing 16th notes at 120bpm and likely no one will really notice. If you're even a little off playing an 8th note groove at 40bpm it's going to be painfully obvious.

Slow it is then.

[pacojas]

economy of motion, i.e.,

correct left hand position, formation.

correct right hand position, technique, & light touch.

edit: it also helps to dance, sing, drum, screw, etc. all with perfect rhythm. gl.