Single Most Helpful Exercises

There are two exercises I could point to.

The first being the exercise outlined by Ed Fuqua in the thread Really Learning a Tune.

The second is the practice of signing solos from the masters, first at half speed, to get every nuance and then full speed. The idea to be to get the sound and, I would argue even more importantly, the feeling of the line and how it interacts with the other instruments.

Without a doubt those two exercises in combination with a focus on the fundamentals changed my playing profoundly. However, I frankly did not really experience ‘ah ha’ moments in the practice room. My experience was that real improvement is a matter of focused work day in and day out. The ‘ah ha’ moments came slowly as I was able to play with better players in a more musical and personal way than I could have the year before.

 

Yeah, but this is the double bass forums.

 

Two octave scales and chord arpeggios.

 

Bury the Metronome exercise.
Backbeat exercises.

->As a result of these two exercises, I play with more conviction and stronger feel/swing/groove. It totally changed my note choices and how busy I play. Soloists compliment me on how easy it is to solo over the solid feel I lay down.

5 Ways to Improve Your Groove • Freeway Music: The premier Columbia, SC studio for lessons in guitar, voice, drums, and all things music.

 

I can’t point to one specific exercise in the practice room that was some sort of revelation for me. In fact, if anything, it’s been my experiences on the bandstand that provided the most growth as a musician. It gave me food for thought as I’m driving home from the gig, thinking about what I did well, what I could do better, and how anxious I was to apply those lessons learned on the next one.

 

You may want to clarify at what field of heureka-moments you are heading at. Intonation. Timing. Relaxation. Dexterity. Speed. Soloing. Listening. Sight reading. Tone. Articulation. The bow... And what not else ... Everything needs a different remedy. Kind of hard to think of one routine that fits all.

It is most effective to be honest with yourself and find out what your cocktail should contain (most often the thing you don't like), stir it well and daily until it's time to change the recipe.