Double Bass Reading exercises?

[AZNBassist]

Hey, after reading the post about Ray Brown's method and taking some time to shed it, I started wondering about something.

Do you think its better or worse to read the exercises from sheet music, or to look at your left hand on the fingerboard when your playing it? For example, in Ray Brown's book, he writes out scales, thirds, fourths, etc. I was wondering if I should try to play exercises by reading them off the book, or if I should just play the exercise by figuring it out without reading. For example, when I'm playing thirds should I be reading the music to find the notes, or should I just figure out the notes by myself (since its just thirds and its all in the scale) and play it? Do you guys think one is better than the other? Do you think there's a difference?

 

[chimp]

Look at the sheet music, you should never be looking at your left hand its bad technique. If you are struggling with intonation while reading?? then try playing infront of a mirror.

Is that what you were asking for?

 

[AZNBassist]

Well, it's kind of a confusing question, so let me try to clarify it a bit.

For example, if I was trying to play A major in thirds, should I read the thirds written out? Or because I already know the notes of the scale should I just play every other note and figure out the fingering?

 

[chimp]

ok i know what you mean now, i should think you should try to read it if that is what you want to work on.

 

[littledeucemike]

I figured out the intervals i knew on elec bass on double then read the ones i didn't though it took longer to read the ones i didn't.

 

[isolated]

If you need to read the excercises at first, then go ahead and read them. But something like scales in 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, should be easy to get the hang of after a few times. Eventually, you should have it together enough that you'll be off the page with that, I think. Don't sweat it. Just do what you must to learn it.