For some reason, I never tapped my foot when playing and still don't. If I did, it would distract my playing. 
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Tapping your foot while playing - Please Stop?
- Thread starter darwin-bass
- Start date
Unless you are wearing tap shoes, why not tap?
But the white shoes? yeah........ that might be the real issue here.
Let us usher you into a new and peaceful era of tapping black shoes.
But the white shoes? yeah........ that might be the real issue here.
Let us usher you into a new and peaceful era of tapping black shoes.
Go ahead and tap, unless there's a wha-wha pedal under there. That's a really annoying sound, wha just going back and forth on the best.
It's hard to tap your foot when your playing upside down.
I tap my foot most of time except when it's just not practical if the BPMs are too high.
I tap my foot most of time except when it's just not practical if the BPMs are too high.
Well done on ditching the white shoes....at least you be accused of looking (too) doofy. Honestly, whoever is making the accusation, it smack of a significant other hating the way you eat.
My approach is to imagine subdivisions in my head. I think learning to play drums or piano would probably help people understand this more because these instruments help you see how different elements of the groove relate.
I don't tap my feet, but I definitely move with the music as I believe that is part of putting on a show, along with smiling and making eye contact with other musicians and audience members.
The exception is when I am playing orchestral string bass. I am pretty much a cold fish on stage and focused only on playing the music as well as I can. I may use some body motion when I am counting rests so that I feel some physical sync to the music, but generally I don't find this necessary while actually playing notes.
Using body motion in this type of setting is most useful when tempo is changing expressively IMHO. I played professionally in concert bands, and several conductors told me I need to learn to breath with the band because I had a tendency to come in early. My perception is wind and string players interpret the conductors ictus different than string players, and it took me awhile for me to adjust to this since most of my experience and training was orchestral.
I don't tap my feet, but I definitely move with the music as I believe that is part of putting on a show, along with smiling and making eye contact with other musicians and audience members.
The exception is when I am playing orchestral string bass. I am pretty much a cold fish on stage and focused only on playing the music as well as I can. I may use some body motion when I am counting rests so that I feel some physical sync to the music, but generally I don't find this necessary while actually playing notes.
Using body motion in this type of setting is most useful when tempo is changing expressively IMHO. I played professionally in concert bands, and several conductors told me I need to learn to breath with the band because I had a tendency to come in early. My perception is wind and string players interpret the conductors ictus different than string players, and it took me awhile for me to adjust to this since most of my experience and training was orchestral.
I see no reason to stop. Rather than tapping up and down, try tapping left and right - it looks cooler.
Yep constantly. And got some new Chucks so everyone can see..... LOL
I do tap a little when I am seated at home practicing but using a drum loop helped some. When I am standing I sway a little and move around but I don't tap feet anymore. It took a while to stop nodding my head and doing "bass face". My hair is too short to do that Sweaty Teddy thing!
But more importantly, I'm glad to hear you aren't wearing white shoes on stage. In the name of all the angels in heaven, please never do that. Never.
uht-uht-uht, Nope, not ever, white shoes are not for playing unless you're playing mahjong in assisted living. That means You, anyone who might say they do and it's "cool". Stop it!
But more importantly, I'm glad to hear you aren't wearing white shoes on stage. In the name of all the angels in heaven, please never do that. Never.
uht-uht-uht, Nope, not ever, white shoes are not for playing unless you're playing mahjong in assisted living. That means You, anyone who might say they do and it's "cool". Stop it!
Bass Face
Yup, it took practice for me to stop bass face. I think it goes hand in hand with foot tapping TBH. I suspect that while most bassists (myself included) are playing and concentrating, there is some other part of human body doing something completely weird to compensate 
I’ve incorporated my toe tapping into a sway that keeps me in time and gives the appearance of dancing instead of just stomping out the meter.
Tap or don't tap, you do you. Just please tell us these aren't the white shoes...
Alkali Ike
Gold Supporting Member
- Jan 1, 2011
- 2,849
- 15,647
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- I never actually learned to play very well
I tap my left foot to keep time - just like Carol Kaye taught me. My old instructor told me the tightest band he ever saw live was Boz Scaggs (I think he opened for them). As the drummer counted in, everyone in the band had their foot going. It might not get points for showmanship, but it makes for a solid performance.
