Double Bass Counting

[bherman]

One resource that I have been using for years (like 40+ yrs) is a book by Rufus Reid called "the Evolving Bassist". The first section has a 30 pg etude that is just open strings, going from whole notes to all kinds of crazy rhythms. It takes a long time to get through but to this day, I still use it sometimes as a warmup for bowing on DB, or when I feel that I need a refresher course in reading time.

 

[Bruce Calin]

One thing to consider when doing metronome-type practice is that if a main goal of the bass player is to make the whole group sound good we must be flexible with our groove concept, especially with players whose time concept may be less than perfect. I've played in groups where somebody decides to be the "rhythm nazi" and it never comes off well, musically or socially. It's a gift in my opinion to be able to guide rather than force the groove and to know the difference. It may not be metronomic but if works in the context of the group then all is well.

 

[Silevesq]

Many good things here, try them out.

In the most recent year I felt like there were many stages to learning to count.
Back in my undergrad, I used to work on feeling the many different levels of pulsations. A piece can be felt from a Form to a 16th note and beyond and everything in between.

But a lot of time I realize that I used to not being that conscience about what I was doing and when I was listening to what I played I knew more clearly what I was trying to play. I guess what I am trying to say is being conscious about what you are playing.

Here are some basic level things to work on: count a piece the whole way through with only the pulsation out loud 1 2 3 4 or anything, if with an odd time do the same but try not to use "and" so you can really work on the pulsation level. Try this especially with piece that seems "easy" and piece that feels hard.
Another step would be to count with the implied rhythm, say you have dotted quarter notes and eight notes a dotted rest and an eighth note. I would count "1 2 and 3 4 and" this can be done with anything. This helped me solidify the pulsation level of music and the rhythm implied.
This can also be done in a "reverse" way may I say. You take the smallest rhythm say triplet and accent every note of the melody. I would be *1* and and 2 and AND *3* and and 4 and AND...

But in the end be careful, I always feel like there is a certain level of intellectual that tend to kill the fun. If at some point, it feel too scientific back off and let it go for a while. I stopped playing for a summer after approaching music like that...

 

[DoubleMIDI]

If it goes beyond quarter notes, it is important to know how the eight notes are to be interpreted, as equal eights notes as in classical and most Latin music or as swing eights, more or less a triplet with two of them for the first and one of them for the second eights note.
So the „and“ can be in the middle or later than the middle between quarter notes.
And often this is not written down or you need to know which style is which kind of subdivision (like shuffle is a swing subdivision).

 

[g-dude]

If it goes beyond quarter notes, it is important to know how the eight notes are to be interpreted, as equal eights notes as in classical and most Latin music or as swing eights, more or less a triplet with two of them for the first and one of them for the second eights note.
So the „and“ can be in the middle or later than the middle between quarter notes.
And often this is not written down or you need to know which style is which kind of subdivision (like shuffle is a swing subdivision).

That reminds me of a pet peeve: when a song has swing eighths, but people want to play it like it’s in 6/8.

 

[ED3]

Thank you all for the information. I am working more with a metronome and I believe it's helping out a lot.

are there any 'metronome exercises/games' per se that people use daily or in their practice routine?

 

[g-dude]

Thank you all for the information. I am working more with a metronome and I believe it's helping out a lot.

are there any 'metronome exercises/games' per se that people use daily or in their practice routine?

I’d be lying if there were any that I said I was using.

That being said, why not play scales at various tempos, both fast and slow...and then introduce rhythmic variety to the scales? You could even layer in intervals - like basically going 1-3, 2-4, 3-5, etc. but maybe doing them as dotted eights followed by a 16th note or something else wacky.

 

[Alexis Duntov]

Thank you for the recommendation for the book.

I guess it's one of those things that has been a weak point for me when I play with people. I was never classically trained and cannot read music, but I've decided to take on a challenge during this whole pandemic and learn how to read music and be an all around better musician. My ear is okay, but I want to develop my skills to hopefully one day be able to perform at local venues and perhaps become proficient enough (one day) for session work / be in a steady band.

Practice Sight Reading and Sight Singing Exercises Online – Sight Reading Factory®

This is a really good resource. The problem with books is that you can’t hear what the notes are actually supposed to sound like. Books are great and were the standard for a long time, but apps like this one offer the same benefit plus the added one of being able to hear it played correctly.

 

[Ed S]

...

are there any 'metronome exercises/games' per se that people use daily or in their practice routine?

Any time spent w/ the metronome will help you.

In a lot of music, your bass will be playing/emphasizing the 1 and 3 beats. Often you will be playing w/ a mando/guitar/drummer who plays the 2 and the 4 - the backbeat.

So work w/ the metronome at various tempos, playing in synch w/ it on the 1 ad 3, and then treat it as the backbeat playing the 2 and 4. Just play 1-5, or simple walking lines. Practice switching between using the metronome as the beat and as the backbeat.

When playing with the metronome as the 1,3, work on playing on the various parts of the beat. Play just ahead of it - driving the beat, or smack in the middle of it. Far less frequently will you wish to trail the beat.
Then work playing your favorite songs/basslines at various speeds.

Enjoy!

(My suggestion - at least at first, concentrate on short sessions. It can be frustrating or tedious - especially for long sessions. Better to do it for 5 minutes, then not at all.)

 

[ED3]

Practice Sight Reading and Sight Singing Exercises Online – Sight Reading Factory®

This is a really good resource. The problem with books is that you can’t hear what the notes are actually supposed to sound like. Books are great and were the standard for a long time, but apps like this one offer the same benefit plus the added one of being able to hear it played correctly.

I really like this site. I was just exploring it. I think this may be a future purchase, but ill stick with talking bass for now. But thank you for this resource