Both, but get a teacher so that they can point out which one you need more help in. You should never neglect one to practise the other, but sometimes one may advance quicker than the other.
Leigh
Leigh
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theroy vs technique
- Thread starter haythamehab
- Start date
fraublugher said:it takes 10,000 hours to learn how to play well.
it takes an extra 10,000 hours to learn how play an unfixed pitch instrument well.
repertoire -add another 10,000 hours
theory -another 10,000
somewhere in there you'll find some bad habits regarding your technique , unless you get a qualified teacher [hopefully for your sake a bassist]
then again maybe im a slow learner
10,000 hours? Thats a very interesting number.
It seems kind of high to me. If you practiced 2 hours a day 5 days a week thats only 520 hours a year. Thats 19 years to play "well"
On your 50,000 hour combined plan that would be 96 years to get to all around "well".
Lets try full time. At 40 hours a week thats 2080 hours a year. It would take you 4.8 years for the basic 10k package. And 24 years for the whole deal.
No wonder so many people prefer to play lead guitar I hear it only takes 1000 hours to be expert on that. Bass is too hard.
-Rav
The answer to that question is a predictable one. Obviously both are vital to the overall, complete musician. Music theory is an incredibly delicate and sophisticated language that requires study (yes STUDY!) Technique is the sweet manipulation of the theory you've acquired.
Music theory is the 'why' and technique is the 'how'. Both are important. Without theory the musician is severely limited. It is the language of music, it is also the science. How can that not be important? At the same time you need to focus on hammer ons, offs, slap, pizzicato attacks, harmonics and actually playing grooves and keeping good time etc etc.
Spend equal time with both.
Music theory is the 'why' and technique is the 'how'. Both are important. Without theory the musician is severely limited. It is the language of music, it is also the science. How can that not be important? At the same time you need to focus on hammer ons, offs, slap, pizzicato attacks, harmonics and actually playing grooves and keeping good time etc etc.
Spend equal time with both.
Oh no. I started using hyphens and semicolons, and now the sky's the limit!Ozzyman said:
(back on-topic) Theory, if you really HAD to work on only one, but that's just false to say that you can't work on both.
..but if you know theory, you could still play tasefully if you plucked with your elbow, and fretted with your nose!
Joe
haythamehab said:
I've been playing more than a decade and I'm still confused...
I would say start off with things you really love. Find some songs (ideally of a couple different styles and artists) that you really like how the bass parts sound and learn them. I don't mean learn them like a typical garage band doing a cover, really learn them. Learn every note, take them apart, try to figure out what it is about them that you think sounds cool. If you read music try and get the full score for the rest of the instruments too so you can study how the bass is relating, and look for patterns in the parts you really like. Once you think you have an idea why the song is cool try to write something simillar on your own using the same patterns. That's where the theory comes in, and where a good teacher is so indespensible.
As for the techniqe, learn that too. Learn excercises and use them as warmups, but don't rely on them. Instead apply your techniques to the songs you are studying, you can have killer technique and be worthless as a player if you can't turn it into music. Make sure as you practice you are playing every note correctly. Play slowly, but musically. Make every note ring and breathe as though you were playing the last solo of your life. If your mind wanders stop and do something else for a few minutes. Strive for perfect execution and tone (whatever YOU feel is perfect tone) at each point, even playing a basic major scale. Then when you are playing for real not only will the raw technique be ingrained, you won't need to think about making it sound like music, it'll just happen.
without technique, your theory is worthless. but good technique can only take you so far when you're only playing root notes.
haythamehab said:
Yeah. I've been there, that's for sure.
First thing's first, get yourself a teacher. At least for 2 or 3 lessons. A) Finding a teacher. I suggest word of mouth. Talk to a teacher at school, if you're in school. Talk to others who are very accomplished. Don't be afraid to approach people. Go to a jazz gig in town some night, and talk to the bassist. If you find someone that can play jazz, rest assured that they are either able to teach you, or know someone that can. B) "I can't afford a teacher!" Yes, you can. Save some of that money you would spend on McDonald's, a new CD, that new Lindsay Lohan movie, (okay, actually, spend the money on the Lohan movie, that's worth it, but skip the new Ben Affleck movie). What I'm saying is to prioritize your money. Budget yourself out 2 or 3 lessons. I couldn't say this with more conviction, the money you save right now by having a teacher show you things properly, is immeasurable. You'll save time, effort, frustration, money. So much.
Next, getting the most from those lessons. Go in with confidence and a will to learn. You want to go into that lesson, dispense with the "getting to know you stuff", and say "Look, I'm an absolute beginner, I want to learn about music, and how to play this here bass geetar." Right from the start, the teacher should be able to show you some drills, some exercises, some theory, some things that will serve as a foundation and expand your ear and musical abilities. Don't let a teacher ever waste your time.
Now, utilize your practice time. Many doodle for hours on the bass, but never get the maximum benefit. It's like at the gym. I see guys using horrible form when doing something like barbell bicep curls. Are there muscles growing? Sure. They've been doing it for years, but guess what, they could be using better form, and getting the same results in half the time. You want your practice time to be enjoyable, but challenging. You want it to be well-rounded, while being practical. This isn't something you'll be able to develop overnight. It takes time to learn what you're comfortable with, what stimulates you to learn and grow. And like a gym workout, it needs to be revamped from time to time. I have a thread "stuck" to the top of the General Instruction forum called Practice Practice Practice. Give it a read. It's all about using your time wisely. This does not include watching TV while you noodle around on the bass. Music is about hearing what you're doing, being in the moment.
Do the little things, like prioritize your practice time. Don't say "I'll practice after this episode of Survivor." Say, "I'm really looking forward to coming home to practice, then if I have some time left over I'll watch some TV."
You'll get out of music exactly what you put into it.
i say this. learn some intervals, and know your fretboard like it's life or death.
now, theory vs. technique from my college experience.
if you wanna learn about notation and chords, start writing out chorales. leave your bass in the closet and don't touch it for two weeks at a time. keep on a set of strings for 6 months or longer; you'll be busy enough trying to handle all your theory. in short, theory does about diddly for bass. i have seen players that get by and all they need to know is the names of their strings.
you want technique, sit down and play for hours at a time, and excercise your fingers equally on the board.
now, theory vs. technique from my college experience.
if you wanna learn about notation and chords, start writing out chorales. leave your bass in the closet and don't touch it for two weeks at a time. keep on a set of strings for 6 months or longer; you'll be busy enough trying to handle all your theory. in short, theory does about diddly for bass. i have seen players that get by and all they need to know is the names of their strings.
you want technique, sit down and play for hours at a time, and excercise your fingers equally on the board.
