Exercises while away from bass?

[FaustoSyd77]

as the title says: what exercises do you do while away from your instrument?

Mine currently are:
#1 ear training using apps on my phone
#2 tapping subdivisions with my fingers (ie alternating back and forth between eighth notes and triplets etc..)
#3 listening back to my recordings, to pick up technique weaknesses and unclear phrases

 

[Groove Doctor]

I find I listening to music much more when I’m away from my instrument for weeks at a time. Especially new music.

 

[JonathanPDX]

I like to listen to music I'm either unfamiliar with or have never approached with my instrument. I try to write a chord chart in my head, or might even sit down and guess at it by ear. Later when I pick up an instrument it can be fun to see how close I was, and if I was in the right key. Lately I've been very into Broadway musical cast recordings; it's usually not super "out" so the progressions are not hard to pick up, but every song has at least one interesting or unexpected change.

Another good exercise is learning to sing solos. I might listen to a song every day in the car on my way to work and internalize the solo, then learn to sing along with the recording before I even pick up an instrument to transcribe it. The process goes so much smoother and faster when you already have that solo in your head!

 

[Malcolm35]

Scale degree practice pencil and paper. Pick a chord, say, Cmaj7 and visualize it's spelling. Cmaj7 = R-3-5-7.

Now visualize playing that chord "in the box". In several places on your bass neck.

Major scale box showing scale degree numbers and the root note on the 4th string.
G~~|---9---|-------|--10---|-11---| 1st string
D~~|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A~~|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E~~|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string

How about Cmaj7add11.

 

[Nashrakh]

When away from the instrument for a longer time, I like to read theory or write my own lines. Like, pick a jazz standard and see what kind of walking bass lines I can come up with, providing me with different challenges like "use as much chromaticism as possible" or "try to land on a specific chord tone on bar x".

And as others say, there's always active listening. I remember a thread on TB a good while back that showed many people on the board do not listen to music much because they're on stage so often. Which I think is kind of sad for a musician.

 

[FaustoSyd77]

All great tips thank you so much @Groove Doctor @JonathanPDX @Malcolm35 @Nashrakh !!!

Active listening / singing to learn solos, bass lines... I didn't realise I was doing that already and wasn't considering it an exercise but it totally is! good point! (and so much fun)

Visualising the chord structure mentally and visualising the scale on the fretboard.. that's very cool! Great suggestion.

Read theory, yes, very good point and great use of time, although writing charts or bass lines "in blind" I'm afraid is beyond my current skill level.. I can make up and hear a bass line relatively clearly in my head, but cannot transcribe it on paper (yet)... for chords, no way I can figure them out just by listening, unless it's a sort of blues progression, or another obvious combination of I, IV, V. I definitely need an instrument in front of me (bass, guitar, or keys) to help me work out the chords. Excellent tips though, thanks for sharing, something to work on in the future for me for sure!

BTW when I wrote "away from the instrument" I didn't just mean away for an extended period of time. I also meant for example a 30 mins daytime commute to/from work, when I perhaps played a gig or practised the night before and will play or practise that same evening. Basically ways to keep improving, anytime while away from the instrument, during those periods where I feel very inspired and I can process and digest a lot of informations and grow a lot.

Anyone else with some tips to share?

 

[Malcolm35]

..... I can make up and hear a bass line relatively clearly in my head, but cannot transcribe it on paper (yet)... for chords, no way I can figure them out just by listening, unless it's a sort of blues progression, or another obvious combination of I, IV, V. I definitely need an instrument in front of me (bass, guitar, or keys) to help me work out the chords.

Couple more years with chord charts or fake chord sheet music my help. Until you start getting paid it is OK to have a music stand on stage with you. Yep, once they pay you the music stand has to stay at home.

Root on one and fake the rest -- right at first does work. Couple years and your ear will kick in. I came over from rhythm guitar so I could look at the rhythm guitar's fretting hand and kinda figure it out from there. Whatever works for you.

Good luck.

 

[JonathanPDX]

for chords, no way I can figure them out just by listening, unless it's a sort of blues progression, or another obvious combination of I, IV, V. I definitely need an instrument in front of me (bass, guitar, or keys) to help me work out the chords. Excellent tips though, thanks for sharing, something to work on in the future for me for sure!

This is great because it tells you exactly what you can do to get better! You can listen to blues songs and pick out the I, IV, and V, so you already have enough ear to hear common shifts that are familiar to you. I bet if you listened to blues with a quick IV or a I vi ii V turnaround those changes would be familiar or come quickly.

You are a lot further along than you give yourself credit for. Most pop music is also some combination of I IV V, so you could turn on pop radio and identify at least the central chords quickly. I bet you can tell major from minor as well.

If you wanted to really dive into this, I'd get a notebook, turn on some random pop, blues, or whatever is not too far outside your comfort zone but not material you already know, and just guess at the intervals and take a stab at the key. Maybe listen a couple times if one section stumps you. Then pick up an instrument and see how close you were. Now you've further developed your ear, worked on transcription skills, AND learned a new song!

Until you start getting paid it is OK to have a music stand on stage with you. Yep, once they pay you the music stand has to stay at home.

So orchestras work for free? And all the house bands on TV doing night shows or awards ceremonies? Every wedding band horn section in the world? I've seen Victor Wooten reading on stage with Chick Corea, so I guess those guys are amateurs too?

 

[Watchootognbout]

While in my car I will practice four finger plucking technique on the edge of my shoulder belt.

I have thought about getting a Dominique Piazza Pocket Picker.
Or just make one.
Just strings across a piece of wood.

 

[FaustoSyd77]

Great suggestions!
Thanks for sharing!

 

[FaustoSyd77]

If you wanted to really dive into this, I'd get a notebook, turn on some random pop, blues, or whatever is not too far outside your comfort zone but not material you already know, and just guess at the intervals and take a stab at the key. Maybe listen a couple times if one section stumps you. Then pick up an instrument and see how close you were. Now you've further developed your ear, worked on transcription skills, AND learned a new song!

These are all great ideas!
Thanks for the words of encouragement, for sharing the process and how to get started!

 

[vindibona1]

Right now I'm trying to establish a 3 finger plucking technique as I seem to only be able to go so fast or sustain constant 16th notes with 2 fingers on my right hand. It's funny how triplets are so easy to do with 3 fingers, but repetitives notes in 4's with 3 fingers takes a whole lot of concentration. I've been doing 4-with-3 practice tapping when I'm away from the bass, often while watching TV. It's coming, but very foreign and slow to get used to.