Tackling Two Issues: The Metronome and Positions

[Dr. Cheese]

This is from the fourth line of Jaco's River People. I am playing at 52bpm, half the tempo that Jaco played on Mr. Gone. The metronome is a real weak spot for me. It is much easier for me to lock into a drummer. I play the A and E differently during each attempt. The first time, I play the A octave on the fifth fret if E and seventh if the D. The second time, I play the A and E with open strings.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

This is from the fourth line of Jaco's River People. I am playing at 52bpm, half the tempo that Jaco played on Mr. Gone. The metronome is a real weak spot for me. It is much easier for me to lock into a drummer. I play the A and E differently during each attempt. The first time, I play the A octave on the fifth fret if E and seventh if the D. The second time, I play the A and E with open strings.

Here is the Intro part but at 50% slower tempo. Try to practice along.
https://www.talkbass.com/attachment...6/?temp_hash=e43a1eac88fdba6a288cb6fca34189e4

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Here is the Intro part but at 50% slower tempo. Try to practice along.
https://www.talkbass.com/attachment...6/?temp_hash=e43a1eac88fdba6a288cb6fca34189e4

Thanks!

 

[Spin Doctor]

Maybe try learning it on a fretted instrument so you're not dealing with intonation as well as rhythm. One thing at a time, lol.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Maybe try learning it on a fretted instrument so you're not dealing with intonation as well as rhythm. One thing at a time, lol.

I get your point but no, I can't get good on fretless if I am always putting it down.

 

[Spin Doctor]

I get your point but no, I can't get good on fretless if I am always putting it down.

Yeah I get that, but if you're struggling with everything at once, none of it will be any good. Learn the song first, then work on intonation after you get it down. But you gotta do what you think is best.

I will say that (in my opinion) your intonation issues are a separate thing from learning the song and should be approached on it's own. Trying to do too much at once when you're learning something isn't as helpful as it may seem.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Yeah I get that, but if you're struggling with everything at once, none of it will be any good. Learn the song first, then work on intonation after you get it down. But you gotta do what you think is best.

I will say that (in my opinion) your intonation issues are a separate thing from learning the song and should be approached on it's own. Trying to do too much at once when you're learning something isn't as helpful as it may seem.

I appreciate your opinion.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Yeah I get that, but if you're struggling with everything at once, none of it will be any good. Learn the song first, then work on intonation after you get it down. But you gotta do what you think is best.

I will say that (in my opinion) your intonation issues are a separate thing from learning the song and should be approached on it's own. Trying to do too much at once when you're learning something isn't as helpful as it may seem.

I actually worked on River People with a fretted bass, and intonation was not a problem, but time was a problem because I am a poor reader, and will have to memorize the song before I play it smoothly. As for my intonation, it is good on songs I know, any time I stretch myself my intonation takes a hit until I get a handle on what I'm learning.

I appreciate your feedback. I bought this Pedulla with the goal of getting good on it. It is also the only instrument in which I feel I truly get in the neighborhood of Jaco's tone. I will have settle for slow progress on my Pedulla.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

I actually worked on River People with a fretted bass, and intonation was not a problem, but time was a problem because I am a poor reader

Try to memorize only one measure at a time while properly articulating it per your adjusted tempo.

 

[IamGroot]

Dear Dr. Cheese,

May I suggest some tricks to using the metronome.

Sometimes, when learning a difficult piece, it is better to set the beat to something other than quarter notes. For River People, which is a Moderate funk at qtr note = 104 and mostly 16th notes, I personally would start with the metronome set at 60 and each beat equals an 8th note. So every beat, you play two notes. While you are playing, stay alert to what issues pop up that prevent you from playing this perfectly and honestly address those issues before speeding up.

Once that is down, crank the metronome up gradually, not progressing until you have the current speed mastered. When you get to 104, put the metronome back to 60 and play quarter notes to the beat. Again, crank the metronome up slowly only after you can play the current speed perfectly.

The steps I described above are not going to happen in an hour or a day or maybe even a month. Your muscle memory is what it is and cannot be forced. Speed is not important. Playing it perfectly is. I would allow at least a week or two of daily or 2x daily 15 minute practice sessions for this item.

I second Spin Doctors suggestion to get it down on the fretted bass first. Muscle memory is best down by isolating technical issues before you combine them.

The piano piece I am working on is a classical piece in 3/4 time with a target of 240 BPM qtr note click My instructor plays this unstressed at 300 (3 note measure clicks at 100 BPM).) I am at 120, need to get to 180 by Tuesday.

 

[IamGroot]

Dear Dr. Cheese,

Here are some other things I noticed from your video. I would suggest a session with an real instructor, as I am just a poseur.

You play with the bass leaning back against your body which puts a lot of stress on your left wrist. Also, your left wrist is tilted back towards the nut which makes your fingers approach the neck at an angle, instead of being perpendicular to the neck. May I suggest you consider playing the bass 90 degrees to the floor and with your wrist/ forearm so that the fingers are perpendicular to the neck. Your fingers need to curl more. Dont play flat fingered.

Good Luck

 

[IamGroot]

One last note. Normally I play 1234 and octaves 13 or 24, but for this song, esp. on fretless, 14 maybe a better fit.

 

[jallenbass]

It sounds like the low notes should line up with the click. Would that be a correct statement?

 

[IamGroot]

It sounds like the low notes should line up with the click. Would that be a correct statement?

If you play qtr note clicks, the click should line up with the first note of each 16th note grouping ("the low notes).
Jaco played in E, but I think the OP is playing it in D.

I prefer to play the last three notes in the passage which outline a 1,5,9 arpeggio in C# starting on the C# higher up the neck on the E string ((9th fret) for easier intonation on a fretless plus you don't have to switch strings from the previous octave in G#.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Dear Dr. Cheese,

Here are some other things I noticed from your video. I would suggest a session with an real instructor, as I am just a poseur.

You play with the bass leaning back against your body which puts a lot of stress on your left wrist. Also, your left wrist is tilted back towards the nut which makes your fingers approach the neck at an angle, instead of being perpendicular to the neck. May I suggest you consider playing the bass 90 degrees to the floor and with your wrist/ forearm so that the fingers are perpendicular to the neck. Your fingers need to curl more. Dont play flat fingered.

Good Luck

Thank you!

 

[IamGroot]

Thank you!

You are more than welcome. Yesterday, I spent 7 hrs in the practice room with a Steinway and a metronome, Going to sneak back in this morning.

 

[Plenny]

This is from the fourth line of Jaco's River People. I am playing at 52bpm, half the tempo that Jaco played on Mr. Gone. The metronome is a real weak spot for me. It is much easier for me to lock into a drummer. I play the A and E differently during each attempt. The first time, I play the A octave on the fifth fret if E and seventh if the D. The second time, I play the A and E with open strings.

Love the tone you bring. Try getting rid of that annoying click track first of all and playing to a cool drum loop. The metronome thing probably tightens you up (it does that to me) and that's not what it's about. How can anyone groove that way? Anyway, see you at the Grammys. Peace!

 

[IamGroot]

Dear Dr. Cheese,

Here are some other things I noticed from your video. I would suggest a session with an real instructor, as I am just a poseur.

You play with the bass leaning back against your body which puts a lot of stress on your left wrist. Also, your left wrist is tilted back towards the nut which makes your fingers approach the neck at an angle, instead of being perpendicular to the neck. May I suggest you consider playing the bass 90 degrees to the floor and with your wrist/ forearm so that the fingers are perpendicular to the neck. Your fingers need to curl more. Dont play flat fingered.

Good Luck

The instructor you mentioned in the other thread probably noticed this too.
I hope I was nicer. PM me if you have any questions.

 

[Lownote38]

You say you're a poor reader. Work on your reading without a metronome. You aren't bad at playing with a metronome, you have a problem reading. Play it out of time until you get the notes right. If you don't have a problem keeping time with a drummer, timing isn't your issue.

 

[narud]

if you cant play in time with a click, your time with a drummer probably isnt as good as you think it is. reading aside, you know what that note is going to be before you decide to come in and even that is super off the click. i hope in addition to stuff like river people, youre running some very basic exercises with the metronome and trying to gain some consistency in your note subdivisions.