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Vacation - one week no bass

Fozzie1410

Fozzie1410

Jul 29, 2008
7
1
Omaha, NE
#1
Hello, this is my first post. I'm a bass newbie (I'm coming from over 20 years experience playing the saxophone). I've been playing bass for about three months and I'm really digging learning a new instrument.

I've gotten into a routine where I've been practicing 2-3 hours on workdays and around 4-6 hours on my days off.

Now moving past my short introduction and into my topic:

One of the benefits at my place of employment is that I get to have a 4 week sabbatical this year.

My sabbatical starts tomorrow - for the first week I will be traveling on vacation and I will not be able to take my bass. :bawl: After my vacation I'll still have three weeks off from work and I look forward to spending some serious time with my bass.

I've been a little worried about that first week, though. I do not want lose the progress I've made with my new instrument.

Do you have any tips I could use to 'practice' without my bass while traveling?

Some ideas I have already:
- bring my iPod listen and to the bass on the recordings, maybe even bring manuscript paper and try and transcribe some basslines
- bring my Standing in the Shadows of Motown book and mentally 'practice' the transcriptions
 
#2
transcription is always good... but man you can just have a week off and enjoy the break....
or you can just listen to a bunch of music purely for enjoyment. develop a deeper hunger to play...

i think that with the amount that you play, one week off wont hurt. you'll get back into it anyway, and you brain might just expand a bit. i found that when i was a 2-4hour a day practicing drummer that if i ever took a week off practice, although it took a bit of time to get back into the swing of things with stamina, chops etc, i came back with heaps of fresh ideas just from the music i was ENJOYING, not trying to learn, and from just life.

enjoy your break, then get back in the practice room.
 
#4
As a beginner, I think you will lose quite a bit from the time off. Is there no way that you can pick up one of those small travel basses and take it with you?

Transcription? Well, you said that you've been playing sax for 20 yrs so your ears should be pretty developed. It's the physical aspect of playing the bass that I think you will be taking a few steps back on.

But . . . with the amount of practicing that you do, I would think you should be able to get back to where you are within a week or two of coming back.
 
#8
What do you mean you're never without your bass, the bass in your head. You can do a lot of practice using the bass in your head and maybe your forearm as a neck too. Workout scale fingerings, the mental aspect of sightreading (note locations and fingers), see yourself playing things. Work on note locations on the neck. All that will help and if you can get to a music store and work your fingers some all the better. People don't practice with the bass in their head enough a lot can be accomplish and some things are better to start there before picking up the physical instrument.
 
#10
Fozzie1410 said:
Hello, this is my first post. I'm a bass newbie (I'm coming from over 20 years experience playing the saxophone). I've been playing bass for about three months and I'm really digging learning a new instrument.

I've gotten into a routine where I've been practicing 2-3 hours on workdays and around 4-6 hours on my days off.

Now moving past my short introduction and into my topic:

One of the benefits at my place of employment is that I get to have a 4 week sabbatical this year.

My sabbatical starts tomorrow - for the first week I will be traveling on vacation and I will not be able to take my bass. :bawl: After my vacation I'll still have three weeks off from work and I look forward to spending some serious time with my bass.

I've been a little worried about that first week, though. I do not want lose the progress I've made with my new instrument.

Do you have any tips I could use to 'practice' without my bass while traveling?

Some ideas I have already:
- bring my iPod listen and to the bass on the recordings, maybe even bring manuscript paper and try and transcribe some basslines
- bring my Standing in the Shadows of Motown book and mentally 'practice' the transcriptions
Click to expand...

If you are near a GC or a Music store they may rent you a used Bass for the week. Just tell them you are only practicing to maintain your chops. Otherwise bring a Bass - when you played Sax would you ever bring it on Vacation - I know it can be harder to travel - but guess it depends on how much you want to play while you are away.
 
#12
Listen to music but don't play for a week. I actually find this helpful to from time to time, and I'm a beginner too, only been playing for 9 months. If there are some bad habits you're looking to get rid of in your technique, taking a break then coming back to the instrument might even speed up the process.
 
#13
Deefuzz said:
Will there be any music shops nearby where you are vacationing?

I'm a very new player and getting ready to go on a 5 day trip without my bass :( But there is a Guitar Center close to my hotel so I plan on going in and messing around with a bass for a little bit, at least to give my fingers a work out. :)
Click to expand...

+1. I went to Cali this summer with the family and I was desperate to play. So my dad and brother and I went to Guitar Center Hollywood :eek: :hyper: It was cool because I later got a magazine at home with a picture from that same place!! Haha sorry off topic +1 to music stores!
 
#14
Pick up Bass Player and just read all of the music. My instructor has reiterated many times that when I have a few spare minutes then just read any music that you can find.

Also my previous instructor and present instructor insisted on learning how to sing. I have heard many times from them ....'if you can sing the part then you can play it'. Sing your practice drills when you don't have a bass'
 

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