Is practicing fast for too long bad for playing slow?

[maturanesa]

I ve been working on fast pasages, improvising and fast stuff in general since years ago for a jazz kind of band. So it seems i gained stamina, nerve, muscle, dont know how to call it, on the right hand. The thing is.. when i got to play slow, with other bands in general, its kinda strange how its more difficult than before to lock up with the drummer and the tempo when you got used to play faster.
Could be this a physical thing? Or is just your brain that got used to play at faster tempos?

thnx

 

[Groove Doctor]

I was in a big band that played Maynard Fergusson tunes really well but would fall apart on easy ballads. Go figure!!

I'd say your brain gets bored from lack of stimulus. I've found counting note subdivisions, eg. 8th or 16th notes or triplets, keeps me focussed.

 

[ZenG]

Yes...yes it is. It's like driving at 85 m.p.h. for 3 hours straight on a freeway and then suddenly turning onto a 45 m.p.h. exit ramp..

 

[fearceol]

In order to be a good all round player you need to be able to play at all tempos. Perhaps you need to go back and work on other things.

 

[JRA]

...only if you can't stop!

seriously: fearceol nailed it, IMO.

good luck taming your adrenalin!

 

[ba55i5t]

Whatever sounds good played fast should also sound good played slow.

 

[JGbassman]

Speed is about the notes between spaces.

Groove is about the spaces between the notes.

Get that in your pocket and your bass stock will be up 100 fold.

 

[dragon68]

Personally, I find it is harder to play slow, and in time, than it is to play faster. I attribute it to your brain not hearing every single note in a barrage of faster notes. When you slow things down, every note counts more.

 

[Lobster11]

Personally, I find it is harder to play slow, and in time, than it is to play faster. I attribute it to your brain not hearing every single note in a barrage of faster notes. When you slow things down, every note counts more.

Playing in time at slow tempos is not only more difficult, it is also unforgiving: Even the tiniest inaccuracy in your timing will stand out like a sore thumb. Playing fast covers up a lot of imperfections.

However, I don't think practicing fast passages makes this any worse -- except insofar as that when you are practicing fast stuff, you aren't practicing slow stuff. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you don't have to practice the slow songs because they are "easy." They probably require more practice than fast ones, not less.