Exercises whilst away from bass?

[ZMech]

Basically, I'm going away for six weeks, and spending most of my time on boats, but I'll have many hours of time with little to do. So obviuosly I won't have my bass with me for quite a long time, and was wondering if there was anything to further my bass abilities I could do.

I'll have my laptop with me, so I've downloaded an ear training programme since at the moment my interval indentification ability is appauling.

anything else you can think of to do? other than attaching some strings to a plank.

[WarPig]

Buy some books before hand and brush up on your theory and writing work?

[Mikey D]

Apart from ear training and theory, you can do some visualization.

Basically think of anything you play and see in your mind how you would actually play it. Scale practice is good for example.

It is all about your mind teaching your body and not the other way around as you are probably used to.

[GonzoBass]

Well, when I've been away from my bass and wanted to play
(or show someone an idea)
I just put my right hand on my left shoulder and
Viola!
Instant bass neck to fret with your left hand!


It might help you keep your fingers in shape and limber if you're going to be away that long.


Also, here's an article of mine that's posted at various places around the web,
maybe you'll find it helpful-

=========================================

One thing I have come across quite a lot with my students is a lack of communication
or coordination between their left and right hands
resulting in improper timing, meter and just bad rhythm in general.

Here is an exercise I learned in piano class at college which I always share
with my students to help them overcome this problem:

Place both your hands on your legs like they were at a keyboard.
Now tap each finger one at a time from your pinky (4) to your index (1) on both hands
like you were waiting impatiently for something.

Like this-
(4 3 2 1)
repeat
Easy, right?

Now try doing it backward.
Like this-
(1 2 3 4)
repeat
Not quite as easy is it?

How about trying-
Left hand (4 3 2 1) while doing
Right hand (1 2 3 4) at the same time.
repeat

and then backwards-
L (1 2 3 4) while doing
R (4 3 2 1) at the same time.
repeat

Now try going forward and backward.
Like this-
L (4 3 2 1) while doing
R (1 2 3 4) at the same time.
and then
L (1 2 3 4) while doing
R (4 3 2 1) at the same time.
repeat

Now try alternate tapping, LIFTING YOUR FINGER before tapping the next.
Like this-
L(4) R(1) L(3) R(2) L(2) R(3) L(1) R(4)
repeat

Now try this backwards.
Like this-
R(4) L(1) R(3) L(2) R(2) L(3) R(1) L(4)
repeat

You could try double tapping each one.
Like this-
L(1-1) R(1-1) L(2-2) R(2-2) L(3-3) R(3-3) L(4-4) R(4-4)
and then apply this double tapping method to the patterns above.


Obviously the possibilities are nearly endless,
but the important thing is to get your hands to communicate with each other.
Working with a metronome by starting out slowly
and increasing the tempo gradually will greatly help you with this.

The best part about this exercise is that it can be done anywhere, at anytime-
Waiting in line at the bank, in a boring class, listening to your girlfriend ramble...
Well, you get the idea.
= )

I hope this helps you as much as it did my students and me.


=========================================

[ZMech]

Cheers for all that. I've not aquired some music books from my mate to help with my reading.

That finger tapping thing sounds like a really great idea, I can definitely see myself sitting there doing that.

[jakenewmanbass]

Take tons of music and learn to sight sing.
When you return you will be amazed at how much your reading will have improved.

[Dubs]

get a PowerBall to keep your wrists strong...or just revert to an adolescent past time

[Bilbo]

[quote name='benwhiteuk' post='215064' date='Jun 8 2008, 07:40 PM']get a PowerBall to keep your wrists strong[/quote]

Waste of time. Your wrists and fingers were strong enough to play the bass when you were about 4 years old. You need grace not power.

I'm with jakesbass - sight reading rhythms is also a great skill to develop.

[Dubs]

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='215347' date='Jun 9 2008, 12:12 PM']Waste of time. Your wrists and fingers were strong enough to play the bass when you were about 4 years old. You need grace not power.[/quote]

Haha yeah right…my girlfriend is 22 and she struggles with it – it’s all about stamina. Ask a newbie bass player how long they can play without their wrists/fingers/arms and forearms aching. The PowerBall will develop your stamina for sure and maintain the muscles around your wrists, fingers, and arms that you’ve already built up from playing bass. You don’t have to stop playing for very long until your bass specific muscles deteriorate and become ‘normal’ and when this happens you’re gonna lose all the stamina that has allowed you to play 2 hour sets with no problem.
The grace over power issue has surely got to be dependent on the style of music though.
I’m definitely with you (and everyone else) on the sight reading though I wish I had used some of my free time a bit more productively whilst I was studying...oh well.

[ZMech]

wow, I didn't expect such a great response. this really is a brilliant forum

[quote name='jakesbass' post='215021' date='Jun 8 2008, 06:27 PM']Take tons of music and learn to sight sing.
When you return you will be amazed at how much your reading will have improved.[/quote]

there's a slight problem there due to my complete lack of singing ability. think i'll have to stick to reading it..

[quote name='dlloyd' post='215245' date='Jun 9 2008, 09:38 AM']How's your theory?

Work out scales, triads, extended chords, modes of the major scale and melodic minor etc. Work out fingerings for all of these. Learn how simple triads and tetrads can be superimposed to produce more complicated extensions (eg. play an Fmaj7 chord over a D and you have a Dm9).

All this can be done on paper.[/quote]

sounds like a great idea, are there any books from which I could learn this?

[ahpook]

[quote name='dlloyd' post='215931' date='Jun 10 2008, 09:38 AM']I'd also print out a bunch of stuff from Marc Sabatella's website, particularly this bit:

[url="http://www.outsideshore.com/primer/primer/ms-primer-4.html"]http://www.outsideshore.com/primer/primer/ms-primer-4.html[/url][/quote]

ooh - top tip.

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='Zach' post='215634' date='Jun 9 2008, 07:16 PM']there's a slight problem there due to my complete lack of singing ability. think i'll have to stick to reading it..[/quote]

I don't mean singing with any degree of superstardom I just mean a quiet representation of what the pitch is, and as Bilbo said add in the rhythm aspect and you will improve your reading no end.

[phil_the_bassist]

[quote name='GonzoBass' post='214203' date='Jun 7 2008, 09:20 AM']The best part about this exercise is that it can be done anywhere, at anytime-
Waiting in line at the bank, in a boring class, listening to your girlfriend ramble...
Well, you get the idea.
= )

I hope this helps you as much as it did my students and me.


=========================================[/quote]


Funnily enough I spend most of my day (sat in a warehouse) doing just that! not quite thought of all the combinations i could do, but it's also helped my two-hand tapping when I decide to get all Wooten-esque!

[stingrayfan]

[quote name='Zach' post='214141' date='Jun 6 2008, 11:26 PM']Basically, I'm going away for six weeks, and spending most of my time on boats, but I'll have many hours of time with little to do. I'll have my laptop with me... ...anything else you can think of to do?[/quote]
I know of some exercises you can do with free hands and a laptop but it'll only build up strength in one arm...

Edit: joking apart - can't you just buy a cheap bass and take it onboard with you?

Edited June 23, 2008 by stingrayfan

[ZMech]

[quote name='dlloyd' post='215931' date='Jun 10 2008, 09:38 AM']The one I would take is this:
[url="http://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Theory-Book-Mark-Levine/dp/1883217040"]http://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Theory-Book-Mar...e/dp/1883217040[/url]
Don't let the word 'jazz' scare you...

I'd also print out a bunch of stuff from Marc Sabatella's website, particularly this bit:
[url="http://www.outsideshore.com/primer/primer/ms-primer-4.html"]http://www.outsideshore.com/primer/primer/ms-primer-4.html[/url][/quote]

Cheers for the link, I think I'll go with the stuff from the website since I don't feel like spending over £30 on a book.

[quote name='stingrayfan' post='225036' date='Jun 23 2008, 02:10 PM']I know of some exercises you can do with free hands and a laptop but it'll only build up strength in one arm...

Edit: joking apart - can't you just buy a cheap bass and take it onboard with you?[/quote]

Well I AM a teenager, and that's what we do best

unfortunately though, a bass is just too big to take on a boat, since they always make good use of the somewhat limited space.

[charic]

Im always tapping, but then im primarily a keyboard player. Theory is a good thing to learn but dont overdo it. Get some new music and just listen to it as a whole. Try tapping your fingers at doubletime to the rhythm and see how long you can keep it up, then try n beat that time later. Other than that all the stuff i can think of has been mentioned, enjoy ur trip

[queenofthedepths]

[quote name='Zach' post='225744' date='Jun 24 2008, 11:06 AM']unfortunately though, a bass is just too big to take on a boat, since they always make good use of the somewhat limited space.[/quote]
Even an Ashbory?

[GonzoBass]

That's when this one comes in handy-







*On another thought...

If you're taking a laptop with you?

I've been fooling around with Finale NotePad lately.
It's a lot of fun and helps with composition.

You can download the free version [url="http://www.finalemusic.com/notepad/"]HERE[/url].

Edited June 24, 2008 by GonzoBass