You don't want a drill seargent. You want a peaceful angel whispering in your ear to "play it again". Practice in peace. Practice with calm. Practice with dedication. Then take a break and have a coffee. One never improves by beating themselves up in the name of musical improvment. One improves by coaxing, cajoling, and prodding the music that you don't know, but will, if you practice without rancor. Try it this way for a month and let me know how it is going.
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Jeff Berlin Discussing Music Ed Part II
- Thread starter Mark Wilson
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You don't want a drill seargent. You want a peaceful angel whispering in your ear to "play it again". Practice in peace. Practice with calm. Practice with dedication. Then take a break and have a coffee. One never improves by beating themselves up in the name of musical improvment. One improves by coaxing, cajoling, and prodding the music that you don't know, but will, if you practice without rancor. Try it this way for a month and let me know how it is going.
Roy Vogt
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- Sep 20, 2000
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It's a two-fold approach. Part 1 I would assume is the extended arpeggios (R-3-5 and sometimes 7) with approach tones. I'd recommend that you play these slowly and not necessarily in time, listening for the tensions and resolutions of the approach tones. I find it sometimes helps to use a chordal "pad" (I use Band in a Box on a slow Latin/Bossa groove for this, since you're dealing with tonality and not Groove or Swing) to allow me to hear the tensions resolve. Very useful stuff for soloing or Jamerson style bass lines, and you'll never rely on Chord=Scale improvising approaches again
The 16th note patterns can be better understood if you go through and find the chord tones before you play the exercise. That allows you to better understand how the approach tones work in the exercises. I'd avoid playing in time until I have a clear picture of WHERE I'm choosing to play the notes.
As an added bonus, your reading in the upper register will really improve. Hope this helps!
I'm in the plight of some older players. I love to practice, but teaching, playing, and Life are taking their toll on time. I have my bass in hand more than ever, but I'm either gigging (not practice-that's stuff I can already do) or teaching. The good news is that I practice more intelligently than I did when I was younger.
On the other hand, I can definitely recall some 6-12 hour days when I was younger. They've definitely put some motor skills in the "chops bank" so hand speed and coordination haven't been a problem in decades on Electric Bass.
Upright's another ball of wax-I wish I had that "Second Life" everyone talks about. I'd be sequestered with Rabbath and Simandl and Solos and Orchestral Excerpts and my bow.
Chord tone exercises will change you and in great ways. Try to get a bunch of them, play the inversions, and do this in 12 keys. Slow's the way! Everyday for an hour or less if you don't have the time. But the trick is to work on simple, perfect, often non-complicated musical principles. Not for the gig, not for the record, not for your career but for the love of music and bass.
I'm in the plight of some older players. I love to practice, but teaching, playing, and Life are taking their toll on time. I have my bass in hand more than ever, but I'm either gigging (not practice-that's stuff I can already do) or teaching. The good news is that I practice more intelligently than I did when I was younger.
On the other hand, I can definitely recall some 6-12 hour days when I was younger. They've definitely put some motor skills in the "chops bank" so hand speed and coordination haven't been a problem in decades on Electric Bass.
Upright's another ball of wax-I wish I had that "Second Life" everyone talks about. I'd be sequestered with Rabbath and Simandl and Solos and Orchestral Excerpts and my bow.
This is where I'm at too (minus the teaching part). I love to practice! But between at FT "real Job" a family (kid #2 due in a few weeks
) and rehearsals and gigs it's hard to block out even 2 hours a week for practice. Like Roy, I'm playing now more than ever. I think the advantage though, at Jeffs, and others suggestions, is to practice for efficently. i.e. the "good/right/factual stuff" and use the limited time wisely. When I do get a chance to practice now, I feel I am getting more out of 30 minutes a week than i used to when I practiced 4-6 hous a day in college. And that makes me want to practice more! But time and the biological need for sleep make it tougher to practice as much as I'd like to. But I'll keep truckin along!
Jeff, thanks so much for your reply to my previous question. This brings to mind another way of looking at things? Do you look at these things (perfect music) as perhaps doing puzzles? An engineer might enjoy doing some brainteasers everyday just to sharpen up the thinking skills, a writer might enjoy crossword puzzles or any of the other numerous word games. I don't like analogies but this seems to be a part of just doing music for music's sake and not really applying it to the gig. or memorising
This is where I'm at too (minus the teaching part). I love to practice! But between at FT "real Job" a family (kid #2 due in a few weeks
30 minutes a day of "The Good Stuff" and you will imrove significantly, even while you are busy doing "adult" things like paying the bills. You can do this! Even 15 minutes of goreat practice is SOMETHING!
In my case, there are a few guys who I admire so much for the greatness of their playing abilities, that I want some of what they have.This is my inspiration, way of "looking at things"! I want to at least qualify to stick my foot in their doorway and to do this, I have to know some of what they know. The trick for me is that, even though I am quite convinced that I will never know all that they know, by searching out their principles of playing, at least I will know some of what they know. This is good enough for me because if I do this a lot, with a lot of guys, plus studying music that is not usual for bass players to practice, the height of musical accomplishment in my case simply doesn't stop. It is like going on a diet. You MUST lose weight if you eat less calories than you burn. In fact, it is a guarantee in most cases. It is the same in music; if you learn "The Good Stuff" then you are guaranteed 100% without fail that you will improve as a player.
We used the metronome while doing what was referred to as permutations (sorry if I spelled it wrong). I was given a set of 24 of them, and told to do no more than 6 each day for no more than about 15 minutes at a time. The goal is to work on my left hand position, playing with as little effort as possible, and working on moving from fret to fret and string to string. The metronome is mostly for my right hand. To develop the "1-2, 1-2, 1-2" plucking motion. When I played this exercise, I was very guilty of "blowing through it" as fast as I could (I'm very results oriented). That's why the metronome was used. To make me go slow using deliberate motions. I was told speed will come. Never to worry about playing fast when practicing. Play ACCURATELY.
I know what you mean, but it's like when I used to play sports. I hated a coach that would say, "We're all winners as long as you do your best". Bull!! If you lose, you lost. If your best isn't good enough, get better. Work harder. Never accept mediocrity.
Yes, I have seen improvement already in the few months that I have been practicing this way. And also, it does wonders for your confidence. Then it all just seems to be a snowball of positiveness. Better practice=better playing. Better playing means more fun, which means you want to practice even more. The growth is awesome in so may ways.
Also, I have notice that the "good stuff" can also be applied outside of a musical situations in everday life. Almost like a philosphy. Learn to cut the BS in you life, work, family, whatever, and focus on what is really important and the core of what and why you are doing what you are doing. Focus on these core values of facts and your life will blossom! Maybe I'm getting to sentimental in aniticpation of another baby! Oh well, it's how I feel.
Music can be a great metaphor for life and vice versa
Bill, I am curious. I see from the bottom of your last comment that you are a member of something called the Blues Bass Player Club. I take this to mean that you either play, or are a fan of Blues.
My question to you is this; when I earlier stated that there were some blues bass players in the world who were not able to play other music due to their inability to function in those styles, and that some blues bassists played the blues because it was the only style of music familiar to them, were you offended by this?
I'm open to any suggestions.
This might be fine for 5yo girls, but you're right...it's way to "fluffy" for adults. If you aren't able to accept constructive criticism not laden with flowery "feel goodness", then you really have no business taking on something as challenging as learning music and playing an instrument.
I can say, without hesitation, that of all the things I've done in my life, music is the most difficult thing I've ever tried to learn. The amount of information out there is overwhelming and it's not static. It changes every day as someone comes up with another method or style. Mix it in with the electronic side (which is my forte being a computer geek by trade) and the array of possibilities is endless.
No, not at all. My present drummer has a masters degree in music! I've had the opportunity to study with Mick Goodrick, Pat Martino and students of Sandole, and play with Sonny Boy Wiiliamsons bandmates, also Ronnie Earl (not a gig but I played with him at a club all night) and others.
I did not play in a blues band again for many years. A guy showed up with a blues band in town, he played for real, negotiated all the changes, played in all keys and drifted off to other styles of music to include jazz ,all related to the American Songbook. I asked to join his band!
Most music, played for a living is simple, training for music means you can come to a rehearsal or 3 and play an evenings worth of music at the gig. I've played many styles of music. Even the limited pit work was three rehearsals, a dress rehersal and the gigs. It should not take 6 months in a garage to do a nights worth of work.
The academic journey and the musical journey are different, both have been kind to me. I'm no genius player or student, but what a ride!
Oh, your fretless comments never offended me either! Just a sound I enjoy, and I fully understand what you mean by 'fretless lessons' etc.
Haha Engedi1 I've seen you recommend this album several times now
You got me! This is one of my favorite albums. It introduced me to Ray Brown and OP, and the first jazz bass line I ever transcribed was "days of wine in Roses." I did this when I was studying upright in high school at the behest of my teacher. My skills probably doubled in the three weeks it took me to do it!
I also really love Pat Metheny since he has such a great sense of melody and is such a natural improviser. I have wanted to transcribe his guitar solo from "Have you Heard" off of the "Letters from Home" Album, but have so far been to lazy to do it. That solo is probably my favorite guitar solo of all time, or one of the favorite-it is more like an melodic and harmonic journey than a mere solo. (This album is over 20 years old, so it is still in his innovative period)
I have mostly stuck to transcribing bass parts, but this thread has taught me that I need to transcribe the great solos by the masters. This has been a big mistake on my part, and I am grateful to Jeff for pointing it out. After I transcribe that Metheny Solo, I have been considering transcribing the solos off of "so what" I think that there is a ton to learn about how Miles, Coltrane, and Cannonball were able to get such cool solos out of a tune with 2 chords!
Or - the music is the music and your ability to play it is up to you.
Yes- also true!
Haha Engedi1 I've seen you recommend this album several times now
Kind of Blue would be my #1, even though there aren't a lot of changes on it (modal harmony). The contrasts in style between the various soloists is mind-blowing to me!
I've also been listening a lot to Hank Mobley's "Soul Station", very nice.
If you like the Oscar Peterson Trio, "Night Train" is great. Ray Brown's walking line on C-Jam Blues is classic.
i'm going to have to seek this stuff out. The version i heard was on some jazz compilation cd so i'm not familiar with the rest of the album. Hearing that track was just one of those jaw dropping moments though.
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