Musical memory

[Brock adcock]

I noticed something with my playing and wanted to know what you guys think. Do you ever have trouble playing songs you have learned without the rest of the track? I'm talking about the bass part you know. I found myself trying to play "what's going on" without The track and had a hard time getting it right.. I have played this tons of times with the track. I just couldn't get the feel right. This is not the first time this has happened. Is this an issue for anyone else?

 

[bholder]

I have the same issue to an extent. When I'm trying to record stuff, I have to start with a click track and (possibly throw away) rhythm guitar track so that I can have some sort of harmonic and rhythmic context before trying to record bass and vocals. Really hard otherwise.

 

[southgabass]

Not usually a problem here, I usually get used as the one to remember that kind of stuff and correct others lol

 

[bholder]

For me, it's not a question of memory, but it's sometimes hard to get the timing right in a vacuum. Having a context really helps.

 

[jallenbass]

When that happens to me it's because I don't *really* know the bass line and the music in which it exists. If I have to rely on playing it in context then I'm probably not playing it that accurately anyway. That's when I start analyzing what the actual rhythm and note sequence is by going at it really slowly. If I have to I refer to the recording to be sure I'm right.

 

[two fingers]

Hey Welcome to TalkBass! Don't be surprised if a mod moves this to (perhaps) the misc category or some other heading. Not a big deals but it just doesn't belong in the "basses" section. You'll get used to what goes where as you (hopefully) stick around.

As for the topic, I get it. I have hundreds of bass lines swimming around in my head. I can probably play all of them pretty well with the band or along with the original track. I bet I would stumble a little in a game of "Pop Quiz the Bass Player" where someone simply called out songs and I had to just play the line by myself with no band or track.

That being said, one of the ways I "practice" is to listen to my songs over and over again. I am able to listen at work sometimes. So I make playlists of what I am currently learning and they are constantly playing even if I am busy. That way the song is pretty well imprinted into my tiny little brain. All memories have to fight for space in that little sucker. So the ones I hear over and over again get the best chance of a permanent spot.

 

[Basshappi]

Welcome to TalkBass!

 

[Brock adcock]

Hey Welcome to TalkBass! Don't be surprised if a mod moves this to (perhaps) the misc category or some other heading. Not a big deals but it just doesn't belong in the "basses" section. You'll get used to what goes where as you (hopefully) stick around.

As for the topic, I get it. I have hundreds of bass lines swimming around in my head. I can probably play all of them pretty well with the band or along with the original track. I bet I would stumble a little in a game of "Pop Quiz the Bass Player" where someone simply called out songs and I had to just play the line by myself with no band or track.

That being said, one of the ways I "practice" is to listen to my songs over and over again. I am able to listen t work sometimes. So I make playlists of what I am currently learning and they are constantly playing even if I am busy. That way the song is pretty well imprinted into my tiny little brain. All memories have to fight for space in that little sucker. So the ones I hear over and over again get the best chance of a permanent spot.

That's a great idea. Ill keep that in mind for the future. It sounds like you get exactly what I'm talking about. Thanks

 

[BassholeKI]

Not much. I have a nearly photographic memory and an almost spot on sense of rhythm and timing. Also near perfect pitch (except on vocals), but I can hear a note and tell you what it is.

Of course if its something funky that plays off another part I may need that to get me in my groove.

Funny, I was working at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville in Key West, started as a bar back and was getting things ready to open. The band for that night's keyboard player was trying to show the bass player the bass line to Low Rider.

Kept running through it, but he couldn't get the timing right on the last couple notes. Kept going over it and over it, and eventually I walked over to the stage and said "I think I can show him how."

I didn't know the song, but I'd heard it being demoed over and over for about 20-25 minutes, so the guy handed me the bass and I played it. Maybe not 100% perfectly, but he was having trouble with the open string part.

After he'd seen me play it he could get it done.

 

[svlilioukalani]

There is a concept in psychology called State Dependent Memory. Meaning your memory of a subject is dependent of the the context your learned the subject in. Your post seems like a good working example of this concept

 

[Jloch86]

If I like the song, I can learn it fast. Learning a song becomes a chore only when I really don't care for it.

That being said, I could be in a coma and still play Darling Dear.

 

[iTzPrime]

I noticed something with my playing and wanted to know what you guys think. Do you ever have trouble playing songs you have learned without the rest of the track? I'm talking about the bass part you know. I found myself trying to play "what's going on" without The track and had a hard time getting it right.. I have played this tons of times with the track. I just couldn't get the feel right. This is not the first time this has happened. Is this an issue for anyone else?

If you sing the part while playing it is much easier to play it without the track

 

[Engle]

I noticed something with my playing and wanted to know what you guys think. Do you ever have trouble playing songs you have learned without the rest of the track? I'm talking about the bass part you know. I found myself trying to play "what's going on" without The track and had a hard time getting it right.. I have played this tons of times with the track. I just couldn't get the feel right. This is not the first time this has happened. Is this an issue for anyone else?

Sometimes. I think it depends on how much the bass line interacts with the other instruments. It's OK and normal to take some cues from other band members.
Thinking about it, it took me quite a while to be able to play "Let's Stay Together" without the track.

 

[MalcolmAmos]

Yes to the above post. Now to the OP's question.....

I noticed something with my playing and wanted to know what you guys think. Do you ever have trouble playing songs you have learned without the rest of the track? ........ I just couldn't get the feel right. This is not the first time this has happened. Is this an issue for anyone else?

I really do best when the lyrics and tune is being provided. I "recite" the lyrics under my breath; it's how I know what part of the song we are in now. And yes I have trouble playing if someone is not singing.

Note for note has been mentioned. My bass lines are not note for note like the original artist did them. That has never been important to me. Lock with the drummer, call attention to the root note and hit the chord changes dead on, while not stepping on toes is way more important to me, than doing what the original bassist did.

 

[Tommyc]

How do you learn them? Do you learn them as lines or strictly in an ensemble context? I read notation so the first context I know something IS alone. I'll also write out things I've been forced to figure out by ear. By timing I'm guessing you mean note values? i think that if you know a part on any instrument not just bass, you should be able to play it with just a drum track or metronome.

 

[Hambone 70]

I try to "hear" the rest of the song in my head while I'm playing alone.

I also learn a lot by playing to a multitrack with the bass track muted. These are great for that:
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[yodedude2]

I noticed something with my playing and wanted to know what you guys think. Do you ever have trouble playing songs you have learned without the rest of the track? ...

if so, then i would suggest that you have not really learned the song or the bass line. each of us has a path to internalization. most of us are visual learners (looking at tab, watching video), some are auditory learners (repeatedly listening to tunes), some are tactile learners (physical repetition to build muscle memory). find out what works best for you and concentrate on that. good luck!

 

[jamro217]

If you ever heard a song that starts out with a single instrument playing what eventually turns out to be a syncopated part, you can understand how easy it is to get lost playing relatively simple lines. Without the other reference points, you can't tell what beat you're on, only how many you've played and the tempo. Jethro Tull's Living In the Past used to trip me up sometimes.

 

[Gab124]

I do that as well, but not because I can't remember it well, but because I tend to never play the same line regularly. The bands I have played in are usually very loose in the "cover" of a song and audience and players mood often effect the rhythm slightly etc. Therefore, I tend to remember the core parts and changes but always fluctuate to what the others are doing with my lines and accents. As well, some songs I have played so many times I tend to change things around to keep it interesting for myself - this often works but can be a burning crash if not careful!! I will never be hired for a tribute band lol!!

 

[Clef_de_fa]

I can read music quite well so more often than not I learn music from sheet music so I can play to a metronome or not no problem if I know what I'm doing. If I'm learning by ear I will write it on paper so I know the rythm too.