Play-alongs? Bad idea? Good idea?

[Jack Clark]

It would surprise me if pros use play-alongs at all, since they must seem a poor, even childish, substitute for jamming with other real pros, even informally.

Now me, I'll never play with pros. The best I hope for is to play with other amateurs in somebody's living room once a week--and I'm not close to that yet. (We have a lot of talented amateurs and semi-pros where I live.)

So for me, play-alongs seem useful. You can't interact with them, of course, but at the very least they're more fun than just playing bass lines solo and they can give an amateur an impression of group play, without the actual feel of it, of course. I don't claim they are a substitute for a metronome, which I use also. And certainly they are no substitute for a good teacher, which I hope to acquire soon.

Anyway, my question is: Do any of you pros and teachers feel that using play-alongs is really a bad idea--even for someone with my meager ambitions?

If so, do you feel they are the source of, say, bad habits for some reason? Or is it simply a matter of wasting time that I could be using on other practice methods?

[jlilley]

For me they were no substitute for playing with real live musicians, but they were really helpful to me in terms of learning structure and form and how to keep my place in them. I definitely don't view them as a waste of time... as long as you realize that real life isn't nearly as predictable.
Cheers,
John

[Marcus Johnson]

Not a waste at all. I did Aebersold (on vinyl ) when I was a kid starting out, but it doesn't matter how old you are. I think they're fine for anyone. The Aebersold sessions feature some of the best players on the planet.

[251]

Originally Posted by Jack Clark

It would surprise me if pros use play-alongs at all, since they must seem a poor, even childish, substitute for jamming with other real pros, even informally.

Now me, I'll never play with pros. The best I hope for is to play with other amateurs in somebody's living room once a week--and I'm not close to that yet. (We have a lot of talented amateurs and semi-pros where I live.)

So for me, play-alongs seem useful. You can't interact with them, of course, but at the very least they're more fun than just playing bass lines solo and they can give an amateur an impression of group play, without the actual feel of it, of course. I don't claim they are a substitute for a metronome, which I use also. And certainly they are no substitute for a good teacher, which I hope to acquire soon.

Anyway, my question is: Do any of you pros and teachers feel that using play-alongs is really a bad idea--even for someone with my meager ambitions?

If so, do you feel they are the source of, say, bad habits for some reason? Or is it simply a matter of wasting time that I could be using on other practice methods?

No shame. Play-a-longs are a good practice tool. Whether they are on a CD, downloaded, done up in Band-in-a-Box or ... I've jammed with a friend to BT's & Play-a-longs. I don't bring enough music to a duet & having a recording to fill the gap let's us jam.

I hope your time isn't so limited that you can't risk an hour doing something less than productive. If you're playing, I don't think you're wasting time. Besides, you're doing this privately. Who's looking over your shoulder & calling you names? I say we go down there & teach him/her some manners! 8-)

[Chris Symer]

Hey Jack, I still regularly use Aebersold Vol. 1 for lots of stuff. IMO the first four tracks are fantastic. Long tones, scales/arrpegios, getting eight bar phrases in your head, three against four, or trying to play 5 against 4 as much as I want and not pissing anybody off. It's even good to just play an F over the first track, it's amazing to find it in tune as the root of a chord and then feeling out of tune when it becomes the 9th of the next 8 bars, then changing character again when it's the 3rd of the Dm7. I don't confuse it with playing music, but I find lots of things to do with it as a practice tool. The others can be useful as well (turn off the bass side, don't look at the music and try and learn the changes by just hearing the piano for one thing) but the first one is great if you ask me.

[bassist1962]

Anytime that you can spend with your hands on the instrument (with other musicians, solo practice, or play-alongs) it is a positive thing. The play along (as long as the instrument is in tune with it) has helped me with intonation, and ear training.

[Bruce Lindfield]

This question has come up before and I don't think anybody has said anything bad about playing your instrument along with them - can be good ear training if you don't look at the books ...?

I think what some people have objected to is the advice given in some of the books - as in, if you see this chord, then you play this scale...

[PsychoScout]

I like the snidero books and cd's, you can just play what's there to begin with and then start with playing variations... it's a great way to study bass lines/ impro when you're a newbie... (and if you work fulltime and just can't go to jam sessions because none of those start before 10 pm)

[Chris Fitzgerald]

I think they're fine for a lot of things - intonation with a piano, time with the drums, walking and comping, etc. If you don't get a chance to play with live players much, they can help you get some things together and have some fun while doing it.

[Jack Clark]

This is all great to hear!

From somewhere, someone gave me a negative impression of play-alongs, which I was sorry to hear since I enjoy them and they're as close as I'll get to playing with real musicians for quite a while. They give me a feeling of actual advancement in playing real music. Generally, I have to play them through my slow-downer at first until I can bring them up to full speed. I look forward having interaction with other real players, be they serious amateurs, but in the meantime . . .

As far as advice given in beginners' books--like Bruce mentioned: "When you see this chord, play this scale"--I always figure that, like anything else, that's just advice to beginners that will temper with experience. So, I would read that as: "For right now, one approach that'll usually work is to play this scale with this chord."

[Bruce Lindfield]

Yes it has never worried me as I took it like that - but it can be a problem if you get into a habit of thinking, I will always play this, when I come across this progression... - but then any habit can be hard to break!

[Phil Rowan]

Be sure to check out Lester Young Trio, w/ Teddy Wilson and Buddy Rich (for learning the tunes by ear, playing along and transcribing some Prez).

[Marcus Johnson]

Originally Posted by Chris Fitzgerald

they can help you get some things together and have some fun while doing it.

That's probably the best part. After slogging through whatever method books you're using, they can really be great for lightening things up a bit. I really enjoyed them as a kid.

[BLDavis]

Are you kidding? I keep a radio on all the time when I'm home, mostly classic rock stations, and anytime a song comes on I feel like playing on I just grab the nearest bass and go for it. I've learned a lot of licks that way over the last 30 or so years. It's fun to throw a little Pink Floyd or Santana or whatever into a bluegrass song at jams when nobody expects it. Helps keep the banjo players in line.

[Marcus Johnson]

Originally Posted by BLDavis

It's fun to throw a little Pink Floyd or Santana or whatever into a bluegrass song at jams when nobody expects it. Helps keep the banjo players in line.

You are very brave.

[Clay_Bass]

Lee Konitz uses them. A few of my teachers have played on a couple, they and the rest of the teachers don't really encourage them but then again if you can't play with people much I don't think they would discourage it.

[ricca]

I'm a pro and a teacher and i believe playing along is very useful and educational.
Aebersold are great, but also standard records.
In all my musical life I played along great records and i learned grooves, styles, licks and creativity from them. So I jammed with the best musicians, from Jimi to Sting, Keith Moon, Blackmore,Clapton,Miles and so on!
Cool!

[TroyK]

I would say that whatever helps you is good and whatever you become dependent on is bad.

[ricca]

Originally Posted by TroyK

I would say that whatever helps you is good and whatever you become dependent on is bad.

Right!

[NcubeKhan]

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