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What do you think about when you play bass?
- Thread starter IamGroot
- Start date
Trying to practice more while NOT looking at my fingers to get away from it on stage, but I currently do look at my fingers about 75-80% of the time. The rest I'm either feeling the music with my eyes closed, scanning the crowd or rest of the band, or happily spacing out until I hit a clam 
The one thing I have to be careful about while I play is letting my mind wander. If I start thinking about what I'm having for dinner later, mistakes are made. I have to stay focused on the music always.
Most of the time I'm just feeling the music. With 40+ years of playing my fingers are fairly well aquainted with the fingerboard. I really only need to glance down when making large postion shifts (5 or more frets). If I'm improvising or soloing I'm thinking theory and mapping out where I'm headed and I might be looking at the fingerboard a little more.
I'm a hobby bassists. When I'm live on stage I'm using fake chord sheet music. Listening to the lead vocalists and reciting the lyrics, under my breath, following the chords and deciding how many of the active chord's notes need to be in my bass line at this specific time.
Listening also to the drummer's beat and falling into a groove with what the drummer is doing.
If there is a void I fill it. If there is not a void I do not try to add anything, other than what I've listed above.
Listening also to the drummer's beat and falling into a groove with what the drummer is doing.
If there is a void I fill it. If there is not a void I do not try to add anything, other than what I've listed above.
Why do we have cheeseburgers as an option, but not sex?
I'm trying to remember if I'll be out of here in time to make it my favorite pizza joint. I already know the tunes, every mistake the drummer's gonna make, every tired joke the frontman will spout between songs, and that my favorite waitress in here . . . . . is married to a biker.
I feel the music and ride with it. I think about everything else. Maybe double mozzarella and Italian sausage tonight . . . . .
I feel the music and ride with it. I think about everything else. Maybe double mozzarella and Italian sausage tonight . . . . .
Music is memorised so I can play on autopilot. I sing BVs too so knowing the bass lines cold is a massive advantage. Ear and theory help too, but repetition is central to memorisation.
Turn the lights out when you practise - it's the BEST way to break the habit of staring at your bass' neck (fretted or Fretless).
Turn the lights out when you practise - it's the BEST way to break the habit of staring at your bass' neck (fretted or Fretless).
When playing BASS, I think about BASS.
What comes next?
What's the drummer doing?
What's the guitarist doing?
What's the singer doing?
Does what I'm doing fit in with all this?
Does it what I'm playing sound good?
What comes next??????
What's the drummer doing?
What's the guitarist doing?
What's the singer doing?
Does what I'm doing fit in with all this?
Does it what I'm playing sound good?
What comes next??????
I'm usually thinking about my financial situation.
I'm usually singing my part in my head (at least until I'm actually singing backgrounds). In addition, theres some theory-ish cognizance regarding where I am, where I'm going next and what path I want to take to get there...or the cutie in the front row.
I daydream and try to think of the emotion related to the scene I'm imagining. Then I try to think of what music fits that emotion. I use a bit of theory to solve that and the rest is automatic. Occasionally my fingers make a mistake and so I have to play the wrong part incorrectly again to make it sound like I meant it. Then that changes the daydream! Usually someone in the dream gets murdered by a platypus wearing a tuxedo in a ridiculous way. It's very entertaining!
...You asked.
...You asked.
Or learning how to sight read or play off sheet music. That was a tough lesson for me, but besides not needing to look at the fretboard anymore (or at least not as much), the note positions on the fretboard have become firmly ingrained in my brain... Two birds, one stone.
Mmm cheeseburgers. Anyone got some thick cut peppered bacon?
Sounds bad, but sometimes I find myself wondering about a particular song coming up in the setlist. Even though I've played them all hundreds of times, I can sometimes forget how the tune goes or starts, probably from partshiemers.
Hate that feeling of..."what the heck is that song anyway?"
Hate that feeling of..."what the heck is that song anyway?"
The incredibly good looking wimmens dancing in front.
I remember why we got into this music stuff in the first place.
Nearer the end of the night, tho, it's usually how quick can I break down and get out.
Carrots!
I remember why we got into this music stuff in the first place.
Nearer the end of the night, tho, it's usually how quick can I break down and get out.
Carrots!
The last thing anyone should ever be thinking about for a second longer than necessary is the last mistake you just made...
Do that for too long and...whoops!... another one...
Focus.
Do that for too long and...whoops!... another one...
Focus.
