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What are some good warm up Exerisese?

InsaneBassninja

InsaneBassninja

Guest
Jul 30, 2013
336
0
Indiana,USA
#1
Reason back in school as I remember we take at least 15 minutes to warm up our wrists (this is in drumline at least). Am thinking about doing this before every time I play my bass or guitar. Have any Ideas besides going over scales? I guess am trying to get warmed up faster so I do not have to take a brake from playing in mid song.
 
#2
I start out by stretching my shoulders (to increase blood flow) then my wrist, hand make fists and stretch.

Left hand I put the back of the neck between fingers, touching fingerboard with fingertips, then squeeze stretching fingers apart.

Right hand rapidly move fingers.

Then about 30 seconds play the bass itself, before turning up the volume (don't let them hear you suck).

The whole process takes about 3-10 minute (longer in the morning :rolleyes: I know I'm old)
 
#4
I took a lesson the other day, and the teacher suggested that I play chromatic scales to help stretch out my fingers. He suggested that I do that for 5 to 10 minutes. That sounded like a long time to me, but I gave it a try. I found that, indeed my fingers did get warmed-up and stretched, and that I started playing much cleaner. While I am running the chromatics, I pay attention to my left thumb placement, and also pay attention to my alternating picking in my right hand. I usual start slowly and then increase my speed. Some times I use a metronome. I then spend some time playing major and minor scales, continuing to pay attention to my left thumb placement and my alternating right hand picking.
 
#5
I learned classical guitar for a while and there some really useful exercises. You might find this finger per fret chromatic exercise useful for left hand warm up (1 is index finger, 4 is pinky):

Start the exercise up near the 12th fret - any string:
1234
4321
1434
2434

Move your hand down one fret and repeat. As you move down the spacing gets wider and a bit more challenging. Its a great exercise for finger independence, speed and dexterity.
 
#14
fearceol said:
I disagree. They are two different things. No matter how good your technique is, if you dive headlong into into fast complex playing from the start, without warming up first, you greatly increase your chances of getting cramp...or possibly even injury.
Click to expand...

Maybe that's my secret then, I don't "dive headlong into into fast complex playing from the start." :)

Most bass players are just groovin' which should be 100% pain and tension free. Electric bass is (arguably) among the most physically easy to play of all instruments.
 
#15
vin*tone said:
I learned classical guitar for a while and there some really useful exercises. You might find this finger per fret chromatic exercise useful for left hand warm up (1 is index finger, 4 is pinky):

Start the exercise up near the 12th fret - any string:
1234
4321
1434
2434

Move your hand down one fret and repeat. As you move down the spacing gets wider and a bit more challenging. Its a great exercise for finger independence, speed and dexterity.
Click to expand...

I would suggest the 24 ways of 4, which is kind of what vin*tone suggests, except I would suggest doing it at the first position. Basically you would do 1234-1243-1324-1342-1423-1432, then do it starting on the 2nd finger, 3rd finger, and 4th finger. I find this exercise works great on a 6er. Ensure to keep all fingers down on the fretboard whenever possible.
 
#16
DiabolusInMusic said:
I would suggest the 24 ways of 4, which is kind of what vin*tone suggests, except I would suggest doing it at the first position. Basically you would do 1234-1243-1324-1342-1423-1432, then do it starting on the 2nd finger, 3rd finger, and 4th finger. I find this exercise works great on a 6er. Ensure to keep all fingers down on the fretboard whenever possible.
Click to expand...

This is the version of the "permutations" exercise I learned as well, I find it to be the more thorough method.

Except I don't use much 3rd finger these days (maybe those of you who are having hand pain, that's your problem? also make sure you don't "pivot" with your thumb!) so my version of the exercise looks more like: 124-142-214-241-412-421 ;)
 
#17
I only use warm up exercises before gigs. And I start by doing stretches similar to the videos posted above. Then I do some exercises on the bass similar to the ones in the Bass Fitness book (lots of chromatic runs). I have found that the stretching really help me, but YMMV.
 
#19
Mushroo said:
Maybe that's my secret then, I don't "dive headlong into into fast complex playing from the start." :)

Most bass players are just groovin' which should be 100% pain and tension free. Electric bass is (arguably) among the most physically easy to play of all instruments.
Click to expand...

I would prefer to err on the side of caution and warm up. It only takes a minute or two. Time well spent IMO.

Yes, groovin' should be 100% pain free, but the amount of threads here on TB from people suffering from all kinds of physical problems, would say different.
 

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