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Why have my rhythm been declining?
- Thread starter Jalen Fuller
- Start date
I'd second this put perhaps broaden it out a bit. Any kind of sustained exercise that you enjoy (Tai Chi, Basketball, running, cycling) helps with sleep and stamina needed to be a strong bass player.
Having also taken conga lessons I’m curious as to how you found conga study helped your bass playing.
For years i was drummer dependent. It took a couple years of (very) frequent practice with an actual drummer before I developed my own internal metronome. These days i can play all day alone or with just another guitar or two. One of the current projects i’m involved in is a hillbilly string band where i play with two guitars, banjo and a utility guy who plays dobro, mandolin, fiddle, etc, and I’m the time keeper.
jdthebassman
play to live live to play
It’s like the old saying goes practice practice practice the only way to get better is you have to live and breathe the instrument It almost has to be an obsession I know it is with me sometimes I’ll be at meetings at work and I’ll be thinking about what bass I’m gonna be playing for the weekend or what particular song I have to learn when I’m not playing I think music in my head so it never goes away
I had been a pick player since I started, and my finger style was kind of clumsy and one-dimensional. I hit a plateau and I was out of ideas.
So I traded in my bass for a set of congas and had a good time with them for about a year, but I yearned to play the bass again.
When I returned to the bass guitar, I never even reached for a pick ever again. Learning how to coax a wide pallette of sounds out of one or two drum heads seemed to imbue me with a three-dimensional approach to finger style on four strings.
My rhythm improved. My coordination between my two hands improved. My ghost notes suddenly made sense. My role as a timekeeper for my bands was definitely elevated. Every aspect of my playing had improved immediately.
So, lots of great advice here. Also, just keep playing and try to play things you enjoy. get more sleep.
You rhythm isn't declining, it's evolving.
You rhythm isn't declining, it's evolving.
my suggestion - set the metronome to about 80BPM and play a one note shuffle, making sure you land squarely on beats two and four - don't rush it. When you can play it clean and smooth and on time for 4 minutes - just one note, then play beat 4 behind the beat. Then 2 and 4 behind. Then play it as a 16th note shuffle then a triplet shuffle. and learn to feel all of it. This is called getting your groove back and bass is all about the groove.
How do you get it back? Learn more tunes OUTSIDE of your normal interests.
I find that the more I play with other musicians, the better my meter becomes. Click Tracks and metronomes help, but what I find is they do the counting for me. It’s better if you can count in your head as you are playing.
let’s say you are playing in 4/4 and the measures are comprised of 3 quarter notes followed by a dotted quarter and an eighth note. You count evenly in your head as you play 1-2-3-4-And-1-2-3-4-And-1 so on and so forth. 3 quarterS and 2 eighths would be: 1-2-3-And-A-1-2-3-And-A-1.
Keep adding different rhythmic patterns with more complications as your meter improves. Don’t be afraid to speak you part out.... when by yourself if course.
In closing, plucking with you fingers is not likely effecting your timing. It’s the same music after all. Best wishes. Now get back to practice.
People often criticise the belt system of martial arts as being insignificant. However these belt systems are a symbol of skills and techniques learned.
It's not until we get to the black belts and Dans that we start to unlearn what we have learned. To put it in simpler terms, the skills become automatic. One does not have to think of things like foot placement, hip height, where to grab or strike etc etc.
Right now, I'd be inclined to say you are still in the learning stages of a new technique. Something that takes not just physical but mental power to get the correct technique.
It will take some time to learn these techniques to the point where you don't have to think about them. Just like learning a new throw, strike or song....eventually that throw, strike or song isn't new anymore and you can perform it with ease...
Also, some say practice practice practice. But don't be afraid to take a step back and spend time doing something else or doing nothing. Let your mind and muscle memory relax before trying again.
Practice makes permanent. So practice your basics first. Make sure your hands are in the correct position, you are comfortable and not distracted in any way. I have found that rather than doing 3x2hour sessions for example, it's best to do just 15 mins then walk away for 30 mins. Come back and try again.
Which leads me to this great line from a Woody Allen film, about despair being an emotional response. "When emotions dictate our thoughts, there can be no logic. Where there is no logic, there is only chaos."
All the best..
It's not until we get to the black belts and Dans that we start to unlearn what we have learned. To put it in simpler terms, the skills become automatic. One does not have to think of things like foot placement, hip height, where to grab or strike etc etc.
Right now, I'd be inclined to say you are still in the learning stages of a new technique. Something that takes not just physical but mental power to get the correct technique.
It will take some time to learn these techniques to the point where you don't have to think about them. Just like learning a new throw, strike or song....eventually that throw, strike or song isn't new anymore and you can perform it with ease...
Also, some say practice practice practice. But don't be afraid to take a step back and spend time doing something else or doing nothing. Let your mind and muscle memory relax before trying again.
Practice makes permanent. So practice your basics first. Make sure your hands are in the correct position, you are comfortable and not distracted in any way. I have found that rather than doing 3x2hour sessions for example, it's best to do just 15 mins then walk away for 30 mins. Come back and try again.
Which leads me to this great line from a Woody Allen film, about despair being an emotional response. "When emotions dictate our thoughts, there can be no logic. Where there is no logic, there is only chaos."
All the best..
Thoughts.
1. Welcome to being an adult in charge of your own future! It's a stressful time. It's also natural, don't worry about this so much; I assure you this is a temporary thing, you'll get past it just fine if you just work through it and watch your physical health. We've all been there and survived.
Rhythm isn't something you can just lose and not get back! If you had it before, you still do now. This certainly nothing that is going to impact you a year and more from now and your entire future; take care of today and tomorrow will take care of itself. And take care of yourself like others have said. You're thinking way too much about this.
2. There is a timing difference as many have said. You have noticed it, so like I said, your rhythm is just fine, your fingers just aren't cooperating yet. My point would be to listen to yourself, when you hear your notes, rather than concentrating on what you're hands are doing. Relax, and just let your fingers figure out how to make the sound come out when you want it to. What you have to do and how you do it isn't important, it's the sound that matters.
Just play. Look up the story of James Brown/Bootsy Collins' "The One," best piece of advice I've ever been given. You'll know it when you hit it and then do it until it becomes natural. Exactly what Funky Phantom said in the previous post.
This sounds like something I experienced at an extreme at about the your age; going from an electric organ to a real pipe organ to play at a friend's wedding! You would not believe how strange it is when you push the keys but the notes don't sound for almost another full second!!!!! Weird, weird, weird. But you learn to play waaaay ahead to make the sound to come out when you want it to.
See, exact same thing. It took a little while and was very disconcerting at first, I thought I was going to screw up my friend's wedding. But then after a while it just clicked and everything was fine. Well, except for their marriage, but that's another story. Unfortunately since then I've never had another opportunity to play a pipe organ, and I'd actually like to try it again now forty some years later.
3. By the way, congratulations, you've got the blues, young man! You've earned the right to play them, for sure. Maybe try playing some, it always brings me up when I'm feeling down. And when you do, make the sound to come out when you want it to.
1. Welcome to being an adult in charge of your own future! It's a stressful time. It's also natural, don't worry about this so much; I assure you this is a temporary thing, you'll get past it just fine if you just work through it and watch your physical health. We've all been there and survived.
Rhythm isn't something you can just lose and not get back! If you had it before, you still do now. This certainly nothing that is going to impact you a year and more from now and your entire future; take care of today and tomorrow will take care of itself. And take care of yourself like others have said. You're thinking way too much about this.
2. There is a timing difference as many have said. You have noticed it, so like I said, your rhythm is just fine, your fingers just aren't cooperating yet. My point would be to listen to yourself, when you hear your notes, rather than concentrating on what you're hands are doing. Relax, and just let your fingers figure out how to make the sound come out when you want it to. What you have to do and how you do it isn't important, it's the sound that matters.
Just play. Look up the story of James Brown/Bootsy Collins' "The One," best piece of advice I've ever been given. You'll know it when you hit it and then do it until it becomes natural. Exactly what Funky Phantom said in the previous post.
This sounds like something I experienced at an extreme at about the your age; going from an electric organ to a real pipe organ to play at a friend's wedding! You would not believe how strange it is when you push the keys but the notes don't sound for almost another full second!!!!! Weird, weird, weird. But you learn to play waaaay ahead to make the sound to come out when you want it to.
See, exact same thing. It took a little while and was very disconcerting at first, I thought I was going to screw up my friend's wedding. But then after a while it just clicked and everything was fine. Well, except for their marriage, but that's another story. Unfortunately since then I've never had another opportunity to play a pipe organ, and I'd actually like to try it again now forty some years later.
3. By the way, congratulations, you've got the blues, young man! You've earned the right to play them, for sure. Maybe try playing some, it always brings me up when I'm feeling down. And when you do, make the sound to come out when you want it to.
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So much good advice!
I scanned them all hoping I’m not repeating anyone
There’s a good chance tho cause I’m adhd as well and you don’t outgrow it unfortunately but you learn other coping skills
Anyways on topic...
Do not stop playing with a pick please... you have an awesome skill right there you’ve acquired through tons and tons of practice... use everyone’s tips to improve rhythm and fingerstyle, but don’t abandon or neglect what’s given you groove and technique and honed your skills.
So... that, and play through headphones as much as possible, no effects, dry, and on the trebly side... you’ll hate it initially but you’ll root out the stuff hiding behind noise, low frequencies, etc.. good luck
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
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- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Some players have inconsistent rhythm ... you need to build a foundation of solid rhythm in your playing if you ever want to become a good bass player. As per technique learn as many styles as possible ... master as many as possible
get a cheap drum machine and practice with it, also record yourself and learn from your mistakes.
Find some good players and get in a band
with some work you could become a player with a golden touch ... where your timing and note choice are excellent
now the bad news you will still need a good day job because music does not pay well
