What to do without a bass for 1.5 months.

MCBTunes · #1 03-22-2005, 07:33 AM

Well, I've just been getting huge into bass.... loving every minute of it.... but I'm joinging the Canadian army reserve and wont beable to even look at it for a month and a half. I don't want to lose all my skills

Are there books that I can learn from without being able to reinforce it on the bass?

What do you guys do when your bassless? I've already considered going air guitar, but I dont think Sarg will approve

.

Most of all I dont want to lose interest because I've just gotten back into it the last few months

xshawnxearthx · #2 03-22-2005, 07:34 AM

i find when i dont have my bass around i jerk off more.

Petary791 · #3 03-22-2005, 07:42 AM

Just listen to music non-stop (if possible.) Bring your bass maybe?

johnvice · #4 03-22-2005, 09:11 AM

I'm not sure what the army will let you take. My first choice would be an accoustic guitar. Second would be a harmonica.

Bard2dbone · #5 03-22-2005, 09:31 AM

If you're going to boot camp you wouldn't have the opportunity to play anyway. Six weeks away won't destroy your interest in bass. It WILL hurt your skills. You'll just have to practice when you get back to it.

**baba** · #6 03-22-2005, 09:46 AM

Read up on theory. There are many exercises you can do in your head regarding theory. Even better, with a piece of paper you can write down scales from major/minor onward, note by note.

**j-raj** · #7 03-22-2005, 11:00 AM

work on your inner game of bass.

... if you have a palm pilot, d'load FretBoard v0.9, work every 2-5-1 you can mentally.

Ed Fuqua · #8 03-22-2005, 11:03 AM

TRANSCRIBE. If you can't work on the physical approach, work on getting your ear into better shape. Transcribe and work on pretty much ANY ear training course.

Bard2dbone · #9 03-22-2005, 11:54 AM

Guys, if he's in boot camp, none of this is an option. No radio. No CD, No music, No nothing.

In my basic training experience, the only thing I was exposed to that used electricity at all was the lights.

**j-raj** · #10 03-22-2005, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bard2dbone

Guys, if he's in boot camp, none of this is an option. No radio. No CD, No music, No nothing.

In my basic training experience, the only thing I was exposed to that used electricity at all was the lights.

yikes!

how about ABG's?

**baba** · #11 03-22-2005, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bard2dbone

Guys, if he's in boot camp, none of this is an option. No radio. No CD, No music, No nothing.

In my basic training experience, the only thing I was exposed to that used electricity at all was the lights.

He said CANADIAN armed reserve.

Bard2dbone · #12 03-22-2005, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baba

He said CANADIAN armed reserve.

I can't picture it being that different.

Think of boot camp as being in prison without the fun parts.

Yes. Yes. I know prison is punishment so there aren't supposed to be benefits. But prisoners get TV, vistors, way more fun than we had in boot camp.

Of course we didn't have to worried about being raped or shivved. So I guess it's about even.

Peter Squire · #13 03-22-2005, 09:30 PM

i remember seeing a practise tool in Guitar Player some years ago. Its about the size of a cigarette packet and has four white buttons on top, spring loaded, that you use for each finger to do strengthening exercises. Maybe hunt on e-bay to see if they are still around anywhere.

sorry, my fading memory fails me as to its name... maybe someone here knows what im talking about

geoffkhan · #14 03-22-2005, 10:40 PM

Practice these scales around the circle of fifths/fourths:

- Major modes
- Melodic and harmonic minor modes
- Diminished scales (half-whole, whole-half)

Then practice naming all the notes in these chord types around the circle of fifths/fourths:

(figuring if you can name a 13 chord, you also should be able to name a n 11th chord, 9th, or 7th)

M13, m13, 13, alt, sus13, half-dim 13, 13

With the 13 chord, then add different alterations -- b9, #9, b5, #5, etc. Note that both M13 and dom. 13 chords have a naturally #11 unless specified otherwise. You get the idea.

This is a great excercise, although when you're playing ideally you shouldn't be thinking about the notes in the scales, etc.

Wrong Robot · #15 03-23-2005, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by southpaw1

i remember seeing a practise tool in Guitar Player some years ago. Its about the size of a cigarette packet and has four white buttons on top, spring loaded, that you use for each finger to do strengthening exercises. Maybe hunt on e-bay to see if they are still around anywhere.

sorry, my fading memory fails me as to its name... maybe someone here knows what im talking about

Bad idea. Such practice tools are a waste of time and are potentially very dangerous to your fingers.

Feda · #16 03-23-2005, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bard2dbone

Of course we didn't have to worried about being raped or shivved. So I guess it's about even.

Hahaha!

Just relax MCBTunes. Sure, your fingers are gonna get a bit stiff but after a couple of hours on the bass it'll all be back to normal. Just enjoy bootcamp

Brendan · #17 03-23-2005, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bard2dbone

Of course we didn't have to worried about being raped or shivved. So I guess it's about even.

This is the new Army, brah. Yes, yes you do.