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What are Playing Habits/Techniques that Really Opened Your Playing Potential?

#21
Playing scales around the circle instead of going up and down the neck chromatically. Taking short chord progressions (ii7-V7-I) around the circle. Playing blues (and different kinds of blues progressions) in all keys. Getting my eyes OFF the neck.
 
#23
Thanks for all the replies guys.
I read every one and learned a lot and expect to learn more by using some of the suggestions.

I regularly play with two bands and I consider myself good in comparison to the talent level of the other members, yet I'm wanting to grow at a better rate than I currently am.
 
#25
I recently implemented the floating thumb technique when I jumped straight from 4-string (after 28 years, never played 5-string) to 6-string. I had always rested my thumb on the pickup, but that just wasn't going to cut it. The floating thumb really cleans up ringing strings effortlessly, and I often use it now on 4-string as well. I don't need to worry about muting strings nearly as much now.

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?
 
#27
JimmyM said:
Sticking strictly to right hand finger alternation. Changed my life and made me be able to play fast stuff smoother and faster.
Click to expand...

When I learned bass I did that, but as I played more I found that it was easier to get some rhythms by alternating and some were easier to sue one finger.

Depending on what I'm doing I might also use my thumb, thumb & finger(s) or a pick.

For me doing these things has helped me.

This doesn't invalidate your point though (Which wasn't my point) especially as I learned to do strict alternation first.
 
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#28
Transcribing everything I am learning by ear, no matter how easy the line is to memorize, has really helped my fretboard knowledge. I could always read from prior experience on other instruments, but I have been quite lousy at reading on bass because I never really had to do it for real. Transcribing really forces me to link what the hands are doing with what the eyes are seeing. My reading ability has unexpectedly improved as a result.
 
#29
A couple of things have really helped me out in the 2 months that I have been playing again:

1. Having a moving anchor with my thumb has really helped muting unplayed open strings (it was a struggle before)

2. Learning other peoples songs. I've never really liked doing this but it really helps, plus the more I do it the easier it gets. Playing along to the song after really helps get the timing down. I also plugged my laptop into my amp and played along through headphone and I could really hear the bass parts clearly.

3. Practice everything with a metronome or to a drum beat (very important it think especially if your just beginning)

4. I am learning basic theory now, major scales in all 5 positions and then moving onto modes after. Hopefully that'll cause another breakthrough with jamming along to drum tracks.
 
#30
Use disciplined 'shapes' or 'boxes'; for example on one entire gig use just one shape (like middle finger on the root of the key etc)

At first it may seem like this limit you to one oppressive box and make you play like a robot, but once you can live and breathe the shapes without thinking you will find that playing lately is much easier because you have a reliable framework to compare it to. I like to tell my students that you're leveling the playing field verses pianists; once your cognition of the shapes is intuitive it essentially becomes impossible to play wrong notes. Like I said at first it seems really limiting and that you're thinking with your fingers but in reality all you're doing is freeing up your creative mind by not having to worry about the fingers anymore

I know that there are a lot of suggestions in this thread already but I sure you if you at least keep this approach in mind your approach to the fretboard and therefore to the sonic continuum will make progress tenfold
 
#31
a few years back, the woodwind repair guy(who is also a hellacious sax player) at the music store I work at taught me the concept of triads(this is what he refers to it as, there may be other terms out there, too....), where instead of playing straight up and down a scale, for instance G major, where the degrees and notes are as follows:
1G, 2A, 3B, 4C, 5D, 6E, 7F, 8G

playing them out of sequence, like this....

1 3 5, 2 4 6, 3 5 7, 4 6 8(in triplets)

I'll usually just set a metronome to a comfy tempo...120 or so....then run through this pattern, up the scale then back down it. Bump up the tempo, repeat.

It's helped alot with my dexterity, and I'm much more comfortable in all the positions on the fretboard now. It also went a loooooong way towards me literally "breaking out of the box" in terms of melody lines, and helped my ear immensely too.
 
#32
I probably have terrible technique, but I can play songs the way I want them to sound. I use a pick, I almost never use my left pinky, and I never "practice" (I just learn and play songs).

I've been lucky that I've always played with other people. I've never been much of a bedroom player. You can study theory, practice scales and shapes, do weird finger exercises, and watch all the YouTube videos that you want, but I think the best way to improve is playing with others as much as possible.
 
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#33
For me my improv skills changed almost overnight when I focused on using scales that have the same key signature. IE C-min is the same as E-flat. And since pentatonic scales abound on bass - making the minor scale work in a major chord - it was easy to identify other regions of the fretboard to play. In other words, improvizing in e-flat was great for when playing in C etc. It opened a different world. I could move from C up to Ef then to C then to Ef, rather than have the mindset of moving complete octaves up to change position. Playing a variation in a different position can also sound remarkably unique. It could require a slur with the index finger rather than with a third finger (or now incorporating open strings), creating an expression all of its own.

I would like to get better at using dark but tasteful chromatic runs.
 
#34
I have been playing along to jam tracks that have no bass, so I have to make up a baseline. It helps with ear training and improvising. I record them after practicing them for awhile and I can assess how I am doing.
 
#35
-Strick alternation
-using my thumb
-using harmonics like false harmonics to create every chords I want
-Finding some time to play with a looper pedal, so you can improvise every parts
-playing with Band In A Box so I can practice mélodies and solo
-recording
-floating thumb
 
#37
Things that helped me:

Transcribing bass lines, then learning them and playing along with them.

Learning to play the same things in different areas of the neck. i.e. knowing all the notes on the bass

Starting lines/solos away from roots and 3rds of the chord.

Learning to play the melody of the song, not just the bass part.
 
#38
G00D+~VIBES said:
Not resting my arm on the bass.

I know it seems so simple. But I had no idea how it restricted my right hand until I finally did it the other way.
Click to expand...

Just wondering what your technique is to achieve this? I ask because I mostly play floating thumb, which usually requires my wrist to rest on the body when I'm playing the E string. I'm guessing you must anchor your thumb on a pup??
 
#39
A few years ago I realized my left-hand technique wasn't optimal (had a bad habit of wanting to grasp the neck like a baseball bat) so I worked at proper thumb-anchoring placement, and it really made a difference. Especially with a 6-string.

About 10 years ago, after some time of practicing, double-thumbing finally "clicked" for me, and that blew open a useful door.

Currently, I'm working on my 3-finger technique. I've always used 3 fingers somewhat sporadically, when playing chords or double-stops, but now I want to utilize it in providing a super-quick pulse when I want.

Really it all comes down to having a goal in mind and having the patience to practice like hell and not give up when the desired results don't come as quick as you think they should. :)
 

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