Practicing without a bass

[sedan_dad]

I've been finding myself doing this more and more. I'll learn the finger placement with a bass but then beat it into my head by playing along without a bass. Just in my head or just do the fingering. It builds the muscle memory I think. Anyone else do this much?

 

[bholder]

No such thing as muscle memory, what you're really doing is strengthening and reinforcing the neural pathways for the muscles. But yes, it works. Thinking through the fingering as if you were doing it without actually moving your hands helps even.

 

[nolaguy]

One thing I've been working on is memorizing the fingerboard enharmonically. For example, on my 6-string open string(lowest note to highest) A double sharp-D double sharp-G double sharp-C double sharp-F double sharp- B sharp. I also envision C flat- F flat-B double flat-E double flat-A double flat- D double flat. and of course, B natural- E natural-A natural-D natural-G natural and C natural. I go up the neck from there. Instructor Ariane Cap inspired me to try this exercise and it has been very beneficial in learning tunes, sightreading, and improvising bass lines.

 

[sedan_dad]

No such thing as muscle memory, what you're really doing is strengthening and reinforcing the neural pathways for the muscles. But yes, it works. Thinking through the fingering as if you were doing it without actually moving your hands helps even.

I think there is muscle memory. I know I've been in situations where I get a mental block concerning how a riff goes and just quit thinking and just let my fingers do what comes natural. If there's a more accurate description of that let me know.

 

[Bodeanly]

I think there is muscle memory. I know I've been in situations where I get a mental block concerning how a riff goes and just quit thinking and just let my fingers do what comes natural. If there's a more accurate description of that let me know.

A muscle has no brain, therefore has no memory. By playing something over and over, you are using your brain to memorize what your fingers are doing. It's like studying for a test by taking a bunch of identical practice tests. You wouldn't claim muscle memory then, right? No, you'd brag about how intelligent you were, which is what you should be doing as a bassist anyway.

All of that aside, since you are not actually playing, and are really only thinking about playing, there's not really enough "muscle" involved to claim that it's "muscle memory" or "muscle reflex." Sure, it's better than nothing if you don't have your bass, but it will not build finger strength, stamina, and good, old fashioned callouses.

 

[bholder]

I was just reading an article on this: What we call "muscle memory" is really just reinforcing the neural pathways, mostly by increasing the amount of myelin insulation on the nerve fiber, to preserve the electrical signal better. It's not just in the brain, the entire nervous system is involved, particularly the nerves involved in whatever activity is being practiced - the effect goes all the way from the brain neurons to the ones that reach and control the muscles moving the fingers. Practice makes those neural pathways better for transmitting the signals involved in whatever is being practiced. Actually exercising the muscles helps too, but it isn't even necessary to get the "muscle memory" effect, all you have to do is the thinking part and the neurons start getting reinforced. A fairly amazing system, actually.

 

[RyanOh]

I've been finding myself doing this more and more. I'll learn the finger placement with a bass but then beat it into my head by playing along without a bass. Just in my head or just do the fingering. It builds the muscle memory I think. Anyone else do this much?

It's called mental or visual imagery and it's a technique I first learned about playing sports. There are articles written on how this applies to guitar too.

I use it sometimes when listening to a song I know how to play. I listen more intently for each note and imagine my left and right hands playing. The goal of visual imagery is to imagine yourself playing it perfectly to reinforce what your brain needs to tell your hands what to do. Side benefit, you memorize the song better too.

I find it handy when learning difficult songs, and sometimes remembering songs I haven't played in a long time.

 

[sedan_dad]

I was just reading an article on this: What we call "muscle memory" is really just reinforcing the neural pathways, mostly by increasing the amount of myelin insulation on the nerve fiber, to preserve the electrical signal better. It's not just in the brain, the entire nervous system is involved, particularly the nerves involved in whatever activity is being practiced - the effect goes all the way from the brain neurons to the ones that reach and control the muscles moving the fingers. Practice makes those neural pathways better for transmitting the signals involved in whatever is being practiced. Actually exercising the muscles helps too, but it isn't even necessary to get the "muscle memory" effect, all you have to do is the thinking part and the neurons start getting reinforced. A fairly amazing system, actually.

Well that makes sense.

 

[paulears]

I play back our recordings of old set lists if there are songs we haven't played for a while, and finger it along as I drive - works fine for me.

 

[bholder]

Well that makes sense.

Kind of like optimizing for the most active pathways. Just good programming practice.

 

[DavC]

however you ' practice ' helps re-enforce the memory ... a good reason Never to practice 'mistakes' ... !!

why can a chicken run around with it's head cut off .. ?

 

[Ant Illington]

I think there is muscle memory. I know I've been in situations where I get a mental block concerning how a riff goes and just quit thinking and just let my fingers do what comes natural. If there's a more accurate description of that let me know.

What you are calling muscle memory is now called something else because of greater scientific understanding. Don't mind the fools splitting hairs in order to put you down rather than simply addressing your question.

 

[Felken]

Yes, thinking about practicing does actually help. Studies have proven it to be efficient.

(it gives me something to do in class)

 

[Ewo]

there's something to the idea, imho.

i've been unable to gig for a couple months. just before christmas i had my right shoulder joint replaced. it's similar to a hip replacement: the bearing surfaces of a ball-in-socket joint are cut out and replacement parts put in. usually it's a matter of six weeks to recover, and you're back in action--but mine was a hard case. the bones had been severely damaged by osteoarthritis (put it off too long), so the operation ran twice as long as usual. the surgeon has to move to main nerve in the arm (the brachial plexus) off to the side to get at the bones, and unfortunately mine went dead from being stretched that long. when i came out of the anesthetic the arm was completely paralyzed with no feeling anywhere. the bad news was that i couldn't do anything at all on the bass, but the good news was that nerves do come back from this sort of injury, with time.

my band subbed for me on bass, but i went down the gigs to do my vocal parts and keep in touch. sure missed being able to play...

i found in idle moments during the days the nerves were slowly regenerating i was imagining some tunes and some new lines to play, picturing how they'd lay on the fingerboard and hearing how they'd sound. (ear training is an ongoing project for me; very valuable.)

so last night i played my first gig since the middle of december. i've gotten enough nerve function back in the arm to hack my way through a night. (i'd told the BL i could only bring my B game, but said he'd be glad to have that! the sub wasn't working out all that well.)

so when the tunes i'd been imagining came up, i played the lines i'd been practicing in my head--and they worked pretty well. fun!

this experience convinced me there's benefit to this musical version of the _visualization_ technique many athletes use, yep.

 

[buldog5151bass]

When I used to do a lot of driving for work, I remember listening to the radio and picture playing along. I remember a couple of times making "mistakes" in my head, so I know it was making my mind work.

 

[Engle]

there's something to the idea, imho.

i've been unable to gig for a couple months. just before christmas i had my right shoulder joint replaced. it's similar to a hip replacement: the bearing surfaces of a ball-in-socket joint are cut out and replacement parts put in. usually it's a matter of six weeks to recover, and you're back in action--but mine was a hard case. the bones had been severely damaged by osteoarthritis (put it off too long), so the operation ran twice as long as usual. the surgeon has to move to main nerve in the arm (the brachial plexus) off to the side to get at the bones, and unfortunately mine went dead from being stretched that long. when i came out of the anesthetic the arm was completely paralyzed with no feeling anywhere. the bad news was that i couldn't do anything at all on the bass, but the good news was that nerves do come back from this sort of injury, with time.

my band subbed for me on bass, but i went down the gigs to do my vocal parts and keep in touch. sure missed being able to play...

i found in idle moments during the days the nerves were slowly regenerating i was imagining some tunes and some new lines to play, picturing how they'd lay on the fingerboard and hearing how they'd sound. (ear training is an ongoing project for me; very valuable.)

so last night i played my first gig since the middle of december. i've gotten enough nerve function back in the arm to hack my way through a night. (i'd told the BL i could only bring my B game, but said he'd be glad to have that! the sub wasn't working out all that well.)

so when the tunes i'd been imagining came up, i played the lines i'd been practicing in my head--and they worked pretty well. fun!

this experience convinced me there's benefit to this musical version of the _visualization_ technique many athletes use, yep.

That's pretty cool!

 

[Russell L]

Yeah. I learn songs often while driving and listening. I always imagine where I'm playing on the fingerboard. By the time I get to really playing I'm good to go.