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

[BMGecko]

Play with a good drummer, a better musician than you, a drummer who inspires you.

Find a teacher, I've played since I got a bass for Christmas in '85... I finally started taking lessons. I'm getting a take on things I never considered, worked on, etc... and am having a blast and utilizing the things from lessons in the band situation I'm in and in utilizing my practice time more wisely.

Learning to play vertically, rather than horizontally has opened up my playing so I can sound "more like me". Don't know if this could help you personally, but playing across all the strings, rather than playing lines utilizing less strings had opened my ears to better lines.

Some people disparage it, but a couple years ago I started playing a Willis Ramp and out has really opened up things which I'd previously thought impossible for me to play. Heck, prior to trying a ramp I couldn't even conceive of the things I now consider standard hallmarks of my sound and how I conceptualize lines I pay.

For what its worth!

 

[JCooper]

JPJ shows a timing technique at 11:54 that I've also learned over the years. It rarely gets discussed here on talkbass. A drummer told me to "lay back" years ago, and I didn't understand what the heck he was talking about. He taught me how to do so, then after all those years I see JPJ discussing that very technique in this video.

It can add feeling to rock ballads, is good for reggae etc.

I like this clip a lot! Love many of the things he says.
Thanks for sharing it.

 

[Nev375]

Developing a lighter touch helped me a lot! I was able to go faster and not get unwanted fret noise.

This, plus learn to RELAX when you play.
Your finger and pick movements should be smooth and flowing, not tense or jerky.
Your fingers on your left hand should barely require any pressure to fret a note without buzzing. And that's exactly how much pressure to use.

Doing this will extend the life of your frets and strings and quite possibly your joints, muscles and tendons too.

 

[elBandito]

Light touch, economy of motion, more focused attack on my plucking hand. Cleaned up my playing

 

[squidtastic]

Your fingers on your left hand should barely require any pressure to fret a note without buzzing. And that's exactly how much pressure to use.

Doing this will extend the life of your frets and strings and quite possibly your joints, muscles and tendons too.

Indeed, and I'd say quite probably. Shortly after I started playing, I started experiencing shooting pains in my wrist followed by years of tendonitis. Very long story short, the solution was simply to relax and apply the minimum effort necessary to produce the sound I wanted. Aside from relieving my wrist problems, the better technique also helped my playing sound better. It really is a win-win.

 

[matthewbrown]

Absolutely the most important techniques I've picked up: hammer-ons and pull-offs from an open string to closed or vice versa, all the way up and down the neck. Single string scales, shifting 1-1, 1-4, or 4-1. Spending a summer learning how to slap from Ed Friedland is a close second.

 

[faulknersj]

Sticking strictly to right hand finger alternation. Changed my life and made me be able to play fast stuff smoother and faster.

THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS THIS!!

 

[faulknersj]

JPJ shows a timing technique at 11:54 that I've also learned over the years. It rarely gets discussed here on talkbass. A drummer told me to "lay back" years ago, and I didn't understand what the heck he was talking about. He taught me how to do so, then after all those years I see JPJ discussing that very technique in this video.

It can add feeling to rock ballads, is good for reggae etc.

Cool video...but really weird not to have the bass plugged into an amp imo...

 

[Jools4001]

Going back to basics after forty years.

I've developed a few bad habits such as raking strings when playing descending patterns, concentrating now on getting back to strict alternate picking. Also become a bit lazy about the fingerboard and where all the notes are - I'm fine for the most part but there are areas between the 7th and 12th fret (and 19-24 come to that), and especially on 6 string, where if I challenge myself to call out the note instantly I play it, there is sometimes a preceding "errrrr". So, I'm doing a whole bunch of exercises to refresh my knowledge of the fingerboard, including setting the metronome and playing every C everywhere on the bass, then every G and so on around the circle of fifths...then doing it at increasing tempos.

 

[jazzyvee]

I think having come from a guitar playing background I was comfortable using all the fingers on my left hand for playing so coming into playing bass I found using my little finger was very natural and made things more comfortable as that finger was already strong and didn't need training.

 

[Paradox92]

Everything everyone has provided thusfar and probably later on is spot-on helpful for technique. Something that I found useful, which may or may not be applicable to everyone, is to practice on a fretless bass, whether it be upright or electric. Like learning how to drive a 5-speed car, the honing of a higher caliber of difficulty will ultimately make you a better, and much more marketable, musician.
Also, always be open-minded towards music; listen and try to play as many various types of music possible. Analyze the tone, rhythm, and style of playing. This goes even more so with what you already enjoy listening to.

 

[cronker]

I got taught early on to use all my digits (except thumb) to fret notes, so I have no issue with using my pinky.
I also got taught to keep my thumb on my fretting hand in the middle of the back of the neck, not ever being allowed to hang over the top.
I was also taught that whenever you are hitting the root note on a major chord, use the second finger, not the index, which you use on minor chord root notes. Patterns, etc.

This has served me well.

 

[Helaskold]

Raking, getting a bass teacher for theory, and playing in bands that are just out of my skill level seem to have rocketed my abilities in the last six months or so. Trying to learn Faceless covers didn't hurt, either.

 

[bluesdogblues]

I'd like to comment or discuss some of the posts I quote below, but I don't think I'll be able to be involved in a long discussion because my very limited english LOL

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)
..

On the contrary, I always taught & learn to be able to play as many possible 'shapes' for any single key/scale/etc. It helps me a lot.

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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. ...

C minor is different than E flat.
Perhaps if what you mean is C minor Aeolian, then it has same notes in it as the E flat Ionian (Major).
But there are other 'C minor' scales, for example Cm Dorian, Phyrgian, ...and also there are other E flat (Major) scales too, like Eb Lydian, Mixolydian,..which are not the same..

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Learning to play the melody of each new song first before working on the bass line

Something I picked up at Berklee. Don't just play bass lines. When you hear a neat vocal hook, learn to play it on your bass. Trombone line, orchestral part, children's nursery tune... just play them on your bass. Learning to sing them is also a big advantage.

Very very good advice.. not only the song melody, but also other aspect IMHO, like chord/song structure, sound, other instrument in that song/record etc etc,..In short word, don't only learn the bass (line/aspect) of a song.

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EVERYTHING MENTIONED ABOVE, (or below)….done slowly

I’m just a crazed-pain in the butt advocate for practicing slowly, it’s like, most everyone knows that if there is a problem with a passage or turnaround at full speed, ya gotta try it half speed and if it still sucks slow down even more. In all my struggles with guitar and bass (that still continue), I still have to remind myself, “That was freakin sloppy! Slow it down.”

There’s no fear that if you practice slow that you won’t be able to play fast, you will be able to play fast my friend…. Very fast!

This is also a very good advice...

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Not sure. I've seemed to have had the same basic technique for all my playing life....for better or worse... The pinky thing, I got conscious of that in the early months of playing and focused on that. It sucked at first but you cant play right with just three fingers. Sometimes I actually prefer using my pinky instead of my ringfinger (I mean for stuff that would technically be better to use the ringfinger for)

The only thing I am conscious improved a little in the past say 5 years is my picking speed. Not that it's much use, I CAN pick real fast now but have no use for it in the music I make. I mean like Matt Freeman fast...(though I cant keep it as consistent over a long period of time like he does) I don't care for Rancid but its listening to his solos that motivated me to see if I could pick like that. I should probably like him more, the only time i've ever seen any famous musician with my actual bass (an Ibanez Tr-70, cheap one they used to make) was Matt Freeman in the 90's...

IMHO while Matt Freeman is a very respectable bassist, he's not slow, but also not that 'really fast',..I can't give any example right now, but I've seen some/many other bassists who play really fast.

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Pay attention.

Wait... bear with me. I know "pay attention" sounds glib, but the point is that you should do more than just figure out notes. You should also listen very carefully to the nuances of expression and timbre. Those nuances are what elevate your playing above mediocrity.

Put on headphones/earbuds and listen to a line you're trying to emulate. Record yourself playing the line, maybe just a few bars. Listen to your version and compare to the original. Figure out how to pluck the string, where to pluck it, which string to fret, what tone settings to use, etc. in order to come as close to the sound of the original as possible. Don't worry about what you're "supposed" to do -- just focus on getting the sound. Understanding those details will broaden your palette, and you'll be able to apply those nuances to your playing in general. Try this with a multitude of styles.

And be patient! It takes time.

Word!

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Going back to basics after forty years.

I've developed a few bad habits such as raking strings...

While I agree that basically and generally strict alternate is very necessary to learn from early on until one 'mastered' it, but IMHO 'Raking' doesn't have to mean 'bad'. It has it's use in bass playing, just like other technique, because it can give different 'nuance', sounds etc, (not always about speed, fluidity nor dexterity)...I think it as one of 'technical thing' I'd like to learn and keep in my 'pocket' and use it whenever needed....just like other (picking) technique.

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...
...always be open-minded towards music; listen and try to play as many various types of music possible. Analyze the tone, rhythm, and style of playing. This goes even more so with what you already enjoy listening to.

Word !

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Oh and I'd like to add one thing:
Chordal knowledge is very important first, but after that, for 'scale type of play' exercise;
Hanon Virtuoso Pianist Exercise,... Practicing that with bass really opens up almost anything technical wise to me... Well IMHO in fact, learn as many other instruments other than bass, whether to play it/them or to adapt it's/their lines into bass is very very good and will make make the player 'different' (in poistive ways) compare to other bass players.

 

[kurosawa]

Listen, that's the most important thing, to drench yourself in the good stuff, and as you go, you'll learn the art of listening and you'll absorb more and more.