I practice music to play music...

[Rudreax]

To all of you who thing this kind of exercise is "boring": If you think practicing scales and such is boring, why not do something to it to make it less boring? Play and the learn the scales in a musical way, rather than just play up and down them. Learn them in a way that will make you learn and understand it better, and help you understand how to apply it better.

Also, am I the only one that doesn't think Ed is trolling here? You guys are reading too much into what he's saying. Guy just has a strong opinion, and likes to voice it. There are TONS of people here that do that, and in a MUCH more annoying way than Ed.

 

[Randy Warren]

I was the same way for quite some time; practice consisted of working on songs that got more and more complex.

What really made me work on scales arpeggios, metronome work and hand exercises was being forced to write original music and bass lines. Without a basic knowledge of how music and the mechanics of playing worked, at first I was basically rewriting other songs for my purposes. Once I finally had the tools to put together music in interesting ways, my bass lines got MUCH better.

So did my ability to hear pitch and read chord charts. It just plain makes it easier to communicate as a musician.

+1000!

 

[Tylerrr51]

Seems to me the point of this whole exercise is to make music, not to see who can play a G# Phrygian scale the fastest!

1+

 

[Chunk-O-Funk]

To all of you who thing this kind of exercise is "boring": If you think practicing scales and such is boring, why not do something to it to make it less boring? Play and the learn the scales in a musical way, rather than just play up and down them. Learn them in a way that will make you learn and understand it better, and help you understand how to apply it better.

Also, am I the only one that doesn't think Ed is trolling here? You guys are reading too much into what he's saying. Guy just has a strong opinion, and likes to voice it. There are TONS of people here that do that, and in a MUCH more annoying way than Ed.

No, there's no trolling. The OP has been "Fuquaed".

I was trying to think of way to let him know of his shortcomings to his approach in an efficient way. Then,....I noticed Ed (Excuse me, Mr Fuqua) was here.

 

[Randy Warren]

Ed, you are so right on point! I have been playing in cover bands for about 6 years on bass, and did so by listening to the songs and playing along. This summer I decided to really learn how to play the bass and picked up Ed Friedland's bass method book, in six months I have gotten so much better than the six years of learning just by playing songs, not only in understanding and being able to communicate with other players, but in the ability to MUCH more quickly learn new songs and to play jam lines and such. The people I play with, both in the band and the people I jam with, are constantly telling me how much they enjoy what I am doing, very complimentary! FWIW, I'm 57 and making up for lost time to best the best I can be...

 

[hofnerbass501]

Doesn't really have anything to do with "how (I) learn music", but has quite a bit to do with the accuracy of your assessment that "practicing scales and modes to a metronome" doesn't have anything to do with making music and is only about seeing who "can play a G# Phrygian scale the fastest".

And it also has a pretty fair bit to do with how someone who reads your "advice" can assess whether or not it might have any personal meaning for them. Kind of like golf, you ask for advice you want to know if the person you're talking to is a pro, a highly ranked amateur or has a handicap in the 90s.

You got something that works for you and has given you precisely the return you want from it. That would not work for me and what I want. I have a place I want to get to musically and that takes a LOT of work - ear training, understanding, physical approach, improvisational exercises, playing - OFF the stand so that when I get ON the stand all I have to do is get out of the way and listen and have what I'm hearing guide my interaction with the musicians I'm playing with. And just "to set up a song on my computer and play along to it" ain't gonna make it by itself.

I'm certainly nowhere near the top of the pyramid here in NYC. I'm getting much closer to my own unique voice, but there are folks here who have a much deeper conception of this music than I do and a closer connection to their individual voice. But the only way to get there is to put the WORK in. PLAY on the stand, WORK in the shed.

You don't have to want to play for the Yankees, but if you do, getting together Saturdays in the park and batting it around for a couple of hours isn't going to get you there.

"improvisational exercises" ?

Are there any of those in your book ?
If so what page(s), if not would you share
an example or 2 here please ?

Thank You

 

[Ed Fuqua]

Nope, but check out a thread called REALLY Learning a Tune, that's a start.

 

[standupright]

I don't think you need to worry much - every thread has its' trolls.

I am quite your opposite in that I am just starting out (42 years old) but also absolutely hate the boring scales and metronome routine...
So I am looking for another way to play music and learn this wonderful instrument we call BASS GUITAR!

You're not alone dude - scales bite! But they do have their place...

i would hardly call Ed a troll.

 

[hofnerbass501]

Nope, but check out a thread called REALLY Learning a Tune, that's a start.

Hi Ed

Thanks for responding, and for doing so, so quickly!

I'm new to participation on the site, and had been
crawling my way around this morning, when I found
the "REALLY Learning a Tune"! Thread.

That should keep me busy for 3 or 4 DECADES. lol

Thanks again

hb

 

[the_hook]

Well Ed is being taught by Joe Solomon....so his words have some weight...

Not knocking anyone, you pick what works for you and if you're happy with it you keep at it, if not you find another way.

When I picked a bunch of songs I really wanted to learn, I found that with each new song I tackled I was picking them up that much quicker. I could have stopped there, as I have a full schedule already and bass is very low on the list of hobbies. But I wanted to know more. So I found a kid that plays Jazz double bass and he's teaching me some theory and technique. I've learned more about music as a whole in a few weeks with this kid than I ever would have digging through books and DVDs.

I practice scales and modes because I'm not in any position to 'know' anything. If he says do this, then I do that. I'll still think and ask questions. I learned to memorize all the modes, some scales, and now what I do when I practice is try to make it musical, not just sound like scales. I even do some chords here and there.

He told me last night I'm starting to 'get' modes, and is leaving me to explore what else I can learn and use them for over the next few weeks.

It's pretty cool actually. I'm looking forward to much more. We're also starting to transcribe songs, figure out which key it's in, chord progressions, etc.