an important question?

Bassist Matt · #1 10-19-2007, 03:57 PM

i've been playing bass for a 3 months and a half and is it bad to still look at the frets while im playing?

RiddimKing · #2 10-19-2007, 04:02 PM

I've been playing for 5.5 years, and I still look at the frets. It may be "bad" but it works for me.

meev992 · #3 10-19-2007, 04:12 PM

i've been playing for about 2 years now (of bass, anyways)....and I can stare into space and play, but that's mostly when i'm just goofing off. I think it would be more important NOT to look, if you were doubling on vocals.

DocBop · #4 10-19-2007, 04:40 PM

I is good goal to avoid looking as little as possible. You learn to move relative to where your currently playing. You learn to pivot off your thumb so you keep your thumb in place on back of neck while you hand shifts up or down a few frets. Try to reduce your looking at the neck for big position shifts.

It's great you're thinking about this at this point, working on it now will make it second nature later on. The less you have to look at the neck the more you can focus on what you are playing musically.

Hawaii Islander · #5 10-19-2007, 04:48 PM

As others have said, limiting how much you look at the fretboard while playing is a very good idea. That skill takes time and practice. You shouldn't expect to be able to do this after only 3 months. Even the pros still look at the fretboard from time to time. Just watch any Billy Sheehan video.

meev992 · #6 10-19-2007, 04:59 PM

and that's why fretboard dots and markers were invented

heck, if they're there, I'm going to use them, hahha

SpectorBass308 · #7 10-19-2007, 05:02 PM

Its Especially bad when your playing a fretless

meev992 · #8 10-19-2007, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpectorBass308

Its Especially bad when your playing a fretless

loooool

your intonation will be so bad, even the deaf and blind people will know

DocBop · #9 10-19-2007, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpectorBass308

Its Especially bad when your playing a fretless

Funny how many fretless players don't have lines. Funnier yet watch upright players and how little they look at that 42" scale neck. They move around in refernce to where they are. Then think about sightreading you will be constantly losing your place if you are having to look at your neck. Now that would be funny.

Don't forget blind players guess they have braile necks? You use your ears and reference open strings for intonation.

meev992 · #10 10-19-2007, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DocBop

Don't forget blind players guess they have braile necks?

raised pole pieces to know where the pickup is, and jumbo frets

NickyBass · #11 10-21-2007, 09:28 AM

I think that it's okay for now, but eventually, you should work on becoming less dependant on your eyes.

It is something that you could work into you daily practise routine. Spending 10-15 minutes a day on it would greatly help you out. Start simple. Look away from the neck and play a simple one finger per fret exercise on each string. (1-2-3-4 on the 'g' then on the 'd', etc.) Then work in all the patterns....

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

after you have that down, start on the second finger and play all the possible fingerings, then start on the 3rd and finally the 4th.

Edit: While you're doing this, it is also benificial to use alternating fingers on your right hand. Index, Middle, Index, Middle for each string. This excersise in great because you can work on many aspects of your technique at the same time.

DocBop · #12 10-21-2007, 11:37 AM

The thing that got me to really learn my neck so I would only look once in awhile was sightreading. When you need to focus on the page you have to develop that feel for where you are and where you are moving to without looking.

Also if you have transpose while reading you can use the sliderule effect of bass/guitar. You read the music as written but move your hand to where to transposed key would be. You can't be looking at the neck when doing that.

jimbob · #13 10-23-2007, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassist Matt

i've been playing bass for a 3 months and a half and is it bad to still look at the frets while im playing?

Not for 3 1/2 months...stick with it and you will gain more confidence. Before you know it your eyes will wander...looking at girls and stuff...and you won't miss a beat!

thombo · #14 10-23-2007, 01:30 AM

it is better to get over the need to look at your neck. as a performer, you can interact with the crowd more, sing easier, etc.
as stated earlier, not relying on your eyes to play is essential for reading, or picking up cues from other people you are playing with.
a good way to get over this is to practice while looking in a mirror, not at your finderboard. practicing in a mirror causes you to develop muscle memory that is not totally dependant on sight.
this expercise also helps you develop better playing posture, proper technique, and killer rockstar moves.