Question Regarding "the Music Lesson" and practice

[beaglegod]

I was just wondering if any of you who have read Victor Wootens book or who have watched the Groove workshop DVDs, have made adjustments or added anything to your daily practice because of it.

Im still reading the book but havent purchased the DVDs yet, thus far the only thing Ive just started to do is to set aside a little bit of practice time to jam along with songs. Trying to get the groove even before I start playing and than trying to keep that groove and feel as I feel my way to the "right notes".

I only do this for about 10 min or so usually at the end of practice, Im hoping it will be beneficial, at the very least it is a lot of fun even though musically speaking I can only say "baby words" through my bass as apposed to everything in my head.

Anyway just curious if anyone has gleaned helpful ,practical advice thus far from what hes shared.

 

[Chebass88]

I just finished it about a week or two ago. I am not necessarily applying the text directly, but I am more aware of listening to music as a whole, not just to a specific part. Good luck on your quest!

imp

 

[tobie]

I was just wondering if any of you who have read Victor Wootens book <snip> have made adjustments or added anything to your daily practice because of it.

Nope - reading the book made me relax more during play though, as it made me aware of the fact that it's OK to play like ... ME, to wait for notes to ring out for their full time period instead of rushing to the next one - and not to expect good results without many, many hours of practice.

 

[beaglegod]

I found a few things I might like to try, such as concentrating on learning a technique but than practicing that technique while being distracted in order to learn how to use the technique without making it the focus, I thought that sounded like a good idea which I may try. Oh and the exercise with the drum machine sounds very cool also.

Hmmm and maybe the random notes exercise could be usefull trying to make even random notes sound good.

 

[BassChuck]

Nope - reading the book made me relax more during play though, as it made me aware of the fact that it's OK to play like ... ME, to wait for notes to ring out for their full time period instead of rushing to the next one - and not to expect good results without many, many hours of practice.

This is, for me, the main message of the book. There are other books out there too if you want to continue in the thought. I would reccommend Timothy Galway's "Inner Game of Tennis", not a music book, but a lot of the same concepts in a different light, and Barry Green's "Inner Game of Music", he was a fan of Galways and took them the the music level. If you don't know Barry Green he was for many years the principal bass for the Cincinnati Symphony, and a very interesting person.

I found a few things I might like to try, such as concentrating on learning a technique but than practicing that technique while being distracted in order to learn how to use the technique without making it the focus, I thought that sounded like a good idea which I may try. Oh and the exercise with the drum machine sounds very cool also.

Hmmm and maybe the random notes exercise could be usefull trying to make even random notes sound good.

Personally I like having the TV on to sports events with the sound off. Practicing with a little distraction, IMO, is a good idea. Unless you're giving a concert at Lincoln Center, there most always will be distractions around you. Good practice in keeping your head together.

 

[paul_wolfe]

This is a book I've been meaning to check out - reading this thead reminded me of that and I've just ordered it!

 

[DudeistMonk]

The book is the DVD + fluff/life lessons and - technical substance/exercises...imo

If you are going to only get 1 get the DVD.

Both re-enforced some concepts for me, I have started jamming more to records, and worrying less about how stuff fits into scales ext...I've been meaning to do the rhythm stuff from the DVD, I feel like it would make me much better.