Playing in the Dark..

[Doddy]

[quote name='cheddatom' post='1029496' date='Nov 19 2010, 03:45 PM']What if there's a deep and mystical bond you can develop with your bass that only happens if you play in the dark?

It's not about being able to play without looking at the fret-board.[/quote]

If it's not about playing without looking,then what's the use? Ear training? If so,I think time would be better spent transcribing.
I think there are alot more useful and beneficial things to do than practice in the dark.

[cheddatom]

Fair enough, I wouldn't know about transcribing!! I thought the main point of the OP was the suggestion that deadening one sense might heighten another, and obviously if you're making sounds, it's the listening sense we're bothered about - you might be able to listen better in the dark.

I know when i'm mixing I often close my eyes to help concentrate.

[algmusic]

I kinda disagree with doddy, but I do appreciate you're point.

I used to practice my drums occasionally with my eyes closed, I did find that it helped me to connect with my instrument more with using my body to ready the distance. and it made reading music or singing BV's easier.

I think practicing with your eyes closed can only help and if you sing and play, it makes life much easier.

It can only help, but I doddy is right if he feels other areas are more important to him. If you're reading music, you spend less, if any looking at your bass, as you're ... reading.

It also depends on the gigs you do. Some gigs, it really doesn't matter how many times you look down at your fret board, however some pop/rock bands kinda demand more interaction with audience. I do both types poppy stuff and some instrumental types of gigs and enjoy both for different reasons.

I but I still think Doddy has a right to his opinion, which is also vaild

[Doddy]

I think that there is a difference between closing your eyes and playing in the dark. A lot of people close their eyes if they
are thinking about something or concentrating hard.That's fine...I do it all the time. If your eyes are closed you can still open them
to give yourself a reference point.
I just think that there are far more productive ways of learning and practising both ear training and positional playing,
than playing in the dark.

[the_skezz]

I do it all the time...not so much to improve, but just because playing Metallica's 'The Thing That Should Not Be' feels loads more fun in the dark

[rOB]

Interestingly (or not I suppose) at rehearsal last night I found myself having to play in complete darkness.

We often rehearse with just one lamp on the room, just for fun really. Anyway, yesterday our singer got a bit excited and kicked it over, smashing the bulb and plunging us into pitch blackness mid song. It was a challenge but we finished the song with out too many problems.