Double Bass Practice routines for playing what you sing

[Harry D'Agostino]

First off this is an excellent post with a lot of insightful thoughts on hearing that I very much appreciate. However, what someone like Barry Harris has done is in spite of not having much range or good tuning not because of it. Adequate physical technique ALWAYS makes executing what you can hear less effort. Poor technique is often a distraction you have to find a workaround for or simply ignore and settle for its limitations. Unless you're so supremely gifted that great music will emerge from you no matter what you ignore fundamental technique at your peril. Just because there are any number of examples of gifted musicians who have found personal workarounds doesn't mean it's a good general approach to accept.

Just returned to this thread. I didn't mean to imply that proper vocal technique was arbitrary or not worth investing time in, especially when pitch accuracy is concerned. I only meant to emphasize that the singing in this scenario is much more about expanding your aural imagination and that you shouldn't dissuade yourself from vocalizing because you have a limited range at the moment or that it doesn't sound very good etc. I have a lot of students who are very resistant to vocalizing what they're working on because they don't think they have good voices. The sooner they jump that hurdle the sooner they discover how much stronger their aural ideas become.

 

[Jeff Bonny]

Point well taken.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

There are 2 things not mentioned here that I sometimes have my students do for helping learning how to improvise on a new progression (everything below is also applied to melodies for memory and intonation):

1) sing an improvised line over a backing track - preferably a slow one - that provides the bass note and chords for your ear to process and follow. Wash, rinse, repeat, until you are consistently and comfortably creating lines that you feel are worth playing. Record one of these, then transcribe it and learn to play it. Because it came to you naturally, it flows in your ear, but you may discover that a lot of work is necessary to make it flow in your hands.
2) do the same as above, but without the backing track. When this skill starts to come, you are on a whole new level of hearing and playing. Be patient, as for some students this takes a very long time. But if you pick up that hammer and break enough rocks each day, it will start to happen.

 

[Huy Nguyen]

If DURRL, I'd like to add to his suggestions - stuff I've been exploring
3) Sing the roots of the chords while singing the melody
4) Sing the 3rd of the chords while singing the melody

Then mix 1 & 2 back into it
5) Sing an improvised line over a backing track and keep the sound of the root in the back of your head. Optional: Use the root as the target note for phrases
6) Sing an improvised line over a backing track and keep the sound of the 3rd in the back of your head. Optional: use the 3rd as the target note for phrases
7) #5 without backing track
8) #6 without backing track

 

[gakmen]

There are 2 things not mentioned here that I sometimes have my students do for helping learning how to improvise on a new progression (everything below is also applied to melodies for memory and intonation):

1) sing an improvised line over a backing track - preferably a slow one - that provides the bass note and chords for your ear to process and follow. Wash, rinse, repeat, until you are consistently and comfortably creating lines that you feel are worth playing. Record one of these, then transcribe it and learn to play it. Because it came to you naturally, it flows in your ear, but you may discover that a lot of work is necessary to make it flow in your hands.
2) do the same as above, but without the backing track. When this skill starts to come, you are on a whole new level of hearing and playing. Be patient, as for some students this takes a very long time. But if you pick up that hammer and break enough rocks each day, it will start to happen.

I actually practised #1 for some time, and it was fun at first, but than I realised, I need to develop my vocabulary, since all of my singing started to sound stale and repetitive. And #2 is a huge problem - I just loose track of the harmony even though it seems clear in my head right before I start singing. All I can sing without a backtrack and without getting lost (kind of) is a blues line (as above). So I guess I need to try hdiddy's exercises.

 

[Huy Nguyen]

Actually my suggestions are not my idea. They're Chris's from a handout he gives his students but I've modified it to serve my own purposes.

 

[jlo95]

I would recommend transcribing and singing back the transcription of a bass line. That way you've already got the 'good notes' and the lines will start to flow together in your singing better.