Recent content by bander68

I've been thinking about this for a while. I know tons of theory, but sometimes I play what sounds right and wonder after the fact - what did I just play? You've just nailed it for me - it doesn't matter. If it sounds right, it is right. The only real advantage of knowing lots of theory is it...

Perhaps figuring out how to solfege (do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-ti-do) intervals will help, but honestly I think you just need to keep plugging away at it. In college theory, we had to sing this little song every day as part of our basic sight-singing. "Do-Re, major 2nd, Do-Mi, major 3rd, Do-Fa...

Most band and orchestra method books also have a bass version of their books, and they're generally written on about a 3rd or 4th grade reading level. The most popular band book right now is called Essential Elements 2000. I just looked, and they do have a bass book. Surprise, surprise- it's...

I just did a search on Googleplay, and there were tons of them.

Not trying to diagnose or prescribe anything, but I am just coming out of some pretty intense carpal tunnel problems with my left wrist, and the best thing I did was go to Wal-Mart and buy a wrist splint to wear while sleeping. Best $15 I've spent in a long time.

I just read them. Fascinating! I love being wrong and learning something new. I know this is a bass forum, but it has me wondering if that also explains why brass instruments consider all of their fundamental pitches to be impractical for use in most music. Sorry, they're interconnected since...

The Suzuki Method comes to mind. Although the instrument is too big, the simple way to begin instruction early would be with a cardboard box version similar to what is done with Suzuki violins. There are endless stories of children starting around 3 or 4 and becoming amazing musicians. As for...

Bingo! Which is why I brought the explanation of overtones up. Unfortunately I was pressed for time when I wrote the other post and stopped. Another thing to consider is the distance between them. The nearest tone to the fundamental is an octave away, and that won't be a chord. then another...

Brass instruments function purely around what you're talking about. It's called the Overtone Series. Put simply, a trumpet only has 3 valves, and therefore only a handful of combinations. In order to play more than 7 or 8 notes, brass players play on the next level, or "partial" of the...

Lefty playing righty, not very advanced yet. I'm quite satisfied so far with having my dominant hand on the fretboard, because at this point that's where the "action" is. Now y'all have me wondering... I also teach beginning percussion classes, and that's one SERIOUSLY right-hand-dominant...

Thanks for another good answer, fearceol. That explains a lot. Next practice session, I'm going to try "thumbless" and "over the top" and see what happens.

I am also a relatively new bass player who's had essentially the exact same question since I started playing. My thumb's natural position is more of a hitchhiker's thumb. I've wondered the same thing, since I've read that it is supposed to oppose my first and second finger and it kind of...

Best trick I ever learned? Write it down. Over and over and over and over. It's how I memorized the circle of fifths and a million other less relevant things I had to regurgitate for tests in school. As for learning the notes of each key, go back to playing scales and say them out loud as you're...

Even though I've got a lot of performance experience on other instruments, I'm a practice-room bass player so far, so I'm jealous! Enjoy it! It's the best place in the world!!!

I've found several tuners for my android phone that are more capable than those one- trick ponies. The best one is called Pitch Lab Digital Chromatic Tuner. It has a ton of preset options, including 6 string bass, and it has a lot of different views available. Free. No ads. Just perfect in every...