Musical memory?

[chump stain]

Ear training, and physical memory, or muscle memory are key I think.

I'm big on positioning. So, for example if we are playing in C major, I may have my middle finger on the root C, and I know where all the other notes in that Key, or Chord are under my fingers, in one posistion. That also includes knowing what they sound like. So, remembering a passage, a fill, a whole song, or whatever, comes quicker. It's like the physical muscle memory, and the mental musicial/interval memory, go hand in hand.

That's one of the reasons I don't like Drop D style tuning. Sometimes it may be fun to have the octaves running parallel, for tapping or something. But I like my intervals where they are supposed to be, because it's not only your fingers, but your brain that should know where those tones are. In my band we tune to low C#, my bass is tuned C#F#BE, so it's still in fourths.

 

[slaphappywoman]

I totally agree with this.
Muscle memory is key. I also train gaited horses and I tell my clients to build up their horses muscle memory by only allowing them to stay in the correct gait and stopping them when they go out of it. It takes time but eventually they are riding smooth.
For me it's the same thing with music.
I have arguments with other musicians wanting to play in Drop D and I don't want to. I'm o.k. with tunning them all down but not just one string.
Don't make me re-learn where my fingers go all over again!!!
I'm too old and stubborn. HA!

Ear training, and physical memory, or muscle memory are key I think.

I'm big on positioning. So, for example if we are playing in C major, I may have my middle finger on the root C, and I know where all the other notes in that Key, or Chord are under my fingers, in one posistion. That also includes knowing what they sound like. So, remembering a passage, a fill, a whole song, or whatever, comes quicker. It's like the physical muscle memory, and the mental musicial/interval memory, go hand in hand.

That's one of the reasons I don't like Drop D style tuning. Sometimes it may be fun to have the octaves running parallel, for tapping or something. But I like my intervals where they are supposed to be, because it's not only your fingers, but your brain that should know where those tones are. In my band we tune to low C#, my bass is tuned C#F#BE, so it's still in fourths.

 

[MJFernandez]

lol, I'm just a mess :S I can't "hear" it or even remember it, yet

 

[Elouisme]

The basis you are looking for one you bass is to know what all the notes on the neck sound like, not where they are or being able to name them, but what they sound like.

That means in practice you listen to what you play, that is harder than you think to do, but one learned it is easy to do.
In listening to your playing you are hearing the note quality, and its interval relation to those around it. You have 12 notes and 40+ pitches separated by semi-tones either side of them to the next note. Then you have them in chord quality ( the notes that define chords when played together).

In learning we have a natural ability to mimic, remember and recall, its how we learned to talk, walk etc. In music it is no different, you hear a song and you remember it, whistle, or hum it. Your brain has learned through out your life where all the "notes" are in you vocal chords through constant use so the brain can access the pitches you hear. On the bass the brain has no access to the notes, so no access to the pitches, so you cannot play it...unless you know what the notes on the neck sound like and where they are.

Practice scales, triads and arpeggios and listen to them and the relation between the notes (the intervals) and hum the note as you play it. If you can learn to relate your ability to hear and hum then to hear and play will follow. How good you get at it is another matter, but you will learn to hear.

WOW! u just nailed the heck out of it +100.