Bad Lighting, or, why practice without looking at the fretboard?

[adudenamedruby]

I find it funny how much people will do to their basses to be able to see when the simplest solution will actually help you become a better musician and entertainer.

I have nothing against people that need to look at their instrument while they play on stage, but I've found that the majority of bands that had great stage presence all were looking at the audience vs having their eyes glued to their instrument. And I use the term "band" loosely here, to mean everything from rock bands to jazz bands to orchestras.

I used to look down ALL the time until one day, Jim Stinnett said, "Ok. You can play that really well. So now, I want you to slow the tempo halfway and play the same thing, while looking forward and smiling." So I started practising everything, from basic scales to triads to all sorts of stuff, with an eye mask so I don't even casually peek.

This has had four huge effects on my playing:

1. I listen/open my ears more - because I have to pay attention to the sound, rather than the visual.
2. I interact more with my bandmates - because, with my eyes freed from the fretboard, I can look at them.
3. I learn new things (concepts, songs, etc) more quickly - because I'm not relying on my eyes, but my mental map and my ears and my muscle memory, things tend to stick much much quicker.
4. I interact more with the audience - I'm seeing people in the audience, looking at them and smiling, and having more fun!

Yes, it seems like a lot of effort to do, but I promise, it's just an extra step and, if you make it part of your regular practice, you will be able to do this surprisingly quickly.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

I have a large poster in a frame I built and there's a piece of plexiglass over it. That thing works pretty well as a mirror without actually being a mirror. I face that and practice alot to get used to not looking at the fretboard. I'm not 100% off looking but it's helped alot.

Even without a perfect "rock-bass" face, eye contact and looking at your audience is usually well received.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Any sign shop should have glow in the dark stick on plastic film. Have them run off a page of dots in the size you want.

The other option is a small battery powered book light, and find a place near you to place it.

 

[Tony Bassplayer]

I practice with my eyes closed a lot. When I'm on stage I like to watch the crowd, look at my bandmates, etc. Of course I'll look at my fingers at certain times, and it's nearly impossible to play some things without looking, but I try as much as I can not to.

I suppose context matters a lot (as with pretty much everything else). I used to play in an event band and we weren't much more than background/dance music so my stage presence didn't matter much. My current band is more of a show band, so stage presence matters a lot more.

 

[rtslinger]

Looking back I hadn't play in a lighted room for years. most stages were lit with mood lights and spots so you had to have the notes under your fingers. After I became a weekend warrior is when I was able to see the fret board while on stage. After and eye injury in 2021 and nearly all of 2022 recovering and learning to play without seeing the neck with my one eye (legally blind in my right eye pupil paralyzed and no lens so lets too much light in) when I look down at the neck I can only see up to the 4 or 5 fret without turning my head so I have taking to playing with my eyes closed so I wear sunglasses on stage and with eyes closed a good amount of time I am up there I also re-worked hand placement for songs I cover Back to playing live again and having the time of my life

 

[Bunk McNulty]

I do a fair amount of singing, so I have to be able to play without looking. Which I can do. Except those moments when I have to jump to the 19th fret...

 

[Nashrakh]

So I started practising everything, from basic scales to triads to all sorts of stuff, with an eye mask so I don't even casually peek.

It's a tough habit to break. I've done most of my playing from sheets these past few years and can play in the dark no problem. It's ingrained.

However, I cannot help but look at my hand as soon as I don't have a piece of paper in front of me. I know I don't need to look, or not as much, but somehow I just can't break the raw magnetism of the fretboard.

Not sure if the eye mask will help, but I might as well try.