Deficiencies in your technique..?

[bubinga5]

haven't learned to play a song for ages.. then i learn to play this, and it really highlight's flaws in my technique… naturally i tend to stick to licks/runs bass lines I'm comfortable with. I'm sure I'm not not alone there..

its a real eye opener when your fingers are forced to do something different.. a very healthy thing to do though, if its not easy its got to be good imo.. as long as its not painful of course.

so important to listen to and learn bass lines to all sorts of music.. this track is not the easiest, never seen the point in playing a bass line exactly the same because some players nuances are there own.. as long as the structure is there ..but it does make you appreciate Randy Taylor's superb taste in his playing…

does anyone push themselves to play stuff thats difficult..

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBpXyedxI6U[/media]

Edited October 19, 2014 by bubinga5

[Coilte]

Yes, it is important to keep challenging yourself by playing new material in order to keep progressing. Practicing stuff you already know wont help progress. You have to venture out of your comfort zone sometimes.

[blue]

Yes, I do. It's the only way to advance. If you only play stuff that's fun and you already know how to do it, you never advance. The fact that I gig every weekend helps. I always have something to look forward to and a chance to apply what I have learned.

Remember rehearsing is going over stuff you already know, practicing is learning the new and challenging.

Blue.

Edited October 20, 2014 by blue

[Lozz196]

Not really if honest. I can play all I need to, and if something comes along that`s difficult then I`ll practice it until I get it.

[Wonky2]

Wicked tune mate
Me, I have issues with runs that run down the neck .....up no problem, down...... I have to think and it doesn't seem to flow as well as up... A definite deficiency in my playing.
Should really find some excersises to help with this i suppose but as you say, you can get comfortable and tend to stick to what you know.
Raising the bar is always healthy i guess.

Edited October 19, 2014 by Wonky2

[blue]

I think you have to know and understand the level you play at.

Even though I have been gigging since 1966 there are still things I don't know and are challenging.

Youtube has been a great tool for me. I use Marlow DK's tutorials as well as the thousands of bass cover tutorials. Many times when I think I know, for example a song. I will find a good tutorial and find that what I thought was a half step was actually a whole step. Or what I thought was a duplicate note was an alternate. I never get cocky about my level of play.

A bass player peer of mine once said. " I never had to put much into this , it's just comes naturally to me." Non musicians think he's great and I'm afraid he believes the hype.

When he said, "I never had to put much into this". I could have easily said, " I know, and it shows "

Blue

[Wonky2]

+1 for Marlowe DK...... His tutes are great.
Like scott d but marlowes great.

[thisnameistaken]

My main problem at the moment is when I change position I grip the neck too hard which ruins my mobility. I think it's something that has developed from double bass playing, I just need to chill the eff out.

[Subbeh]

My biggest regret as a bass player (which lead to technical deficiencies) was being so blinkered as a beginner. Everything I learned was pretty much the day to day stuff I already liked listening to, just broadening my musical horizons and going wherever I could find great bass lines regardless of era or genre was something I didn't pickup on for so long [size=4] [/size]

[BigGuyAtTheBack]

My covers band wants to play Parallel Universe by RHCP, I'm mainly a fingers player but to get the right tone I need to do it with a pick. Holy c**p its hard to do accurately and consistantly if your pick technique isnt up to scratch! I'm getting there and a .5mm pick helps LOL

[Annoying Twit]

My timing isn't good enough. If I just play unaccompanied, it sounds fine. If I record and overdub, I can hear that my timing is out. I'm addressing this by recording something multitrack most days, usually on a looper. I'm making progress.

[ead]

I've just bought a book of Yes transcriptions as I felt that I needed to push myself a bit. Starship Trooper here I come...

[JTUK]

LInes like this are easier in the sense they can be more fluid and therefore you don't need to be so exact.
You still need to get the flow, but the notes are less important to the overall groove, IMO.
Other specific riffs can be harder as they are also probably THE song so there is no leeway.

I always find mid temp very regular lines tougher as you have to rip it exactly... It is easier for me to do it faster...if that
makes sense.

[spacey]

Chopping my middle finger off on my fretting hand kind of put a dampener on things for me...

[Conan]

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1413715739' post='2581059']
Yes, it is important to keep challenging yourself by playing new material in order to keep progressing.
[/quote]

Exactly. One of the reasons why playing (varied) covers is such a good grounding and helps you find your own "style".

[Count Bassy]

[quote name='spacey' timestamp='1413793847' post='2581805']
Chopping my middle finger off on my fretting hand kind of put a dampener on things for me...
[/quote]
Hence the name Spacey?

[Japhet]

I've never played with a pick and don't like the sound much either, so songs played that way can be a bit challenging. I also find the transition from finger style to slap a bit tricky (other people make it look effortless). Also not a major problem since I'll usually only play a few bars of slap here and there in an entire gig.

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1413715347' post='2581052']
does anyone push themselves to play stuff thats difficult..
[/quote]

Yes, all the time.

My technique for learning stuff is to do a note-for-note transcription in standard notation, print it out, and work from there. This way the information goes in through my eyes as well as my ears, and the two streams join somewhere in my brain.

A lot of the material I try to learn falls more-or-less within my comfort zone, and just takes a bit of application to overcome the tricky bits. About a year ago I started to keep a folder of material that I had consistently failed to master. I started a thread about it [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/223371-my-little-brainwave-the-tricky-challenge/"]here[/url] but it died an embarrassing death! I will pick one or two pieces from it and keep going back until they have graduated to my general alphabetical filing system (oh yes!). Success usually involves homing in on some aspect of technique, or internalising a 'difficult' rhythmic motif.

Having said that, there are some pieces where I can't see the point spending ages trying to crack, when I will never be called on to play them. I am currently working my way through the [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bass-Bible-Free-Audio-CDs/dp/3927190675/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1413796351&sr=1-1&keywords=bass+bible"]Bass Bible[/url], and that is the reason why I skipped over the Stanley Clarke section!

I have also adopted Scott Devines's tip of logging how I have spent my practice time. It is very encouraging to be able to look back and see how far you have come, and useful to see what you have been unconsciously avoiding.

Edited October 20, 2014 by JapanAxe

[Bilbo]

I have a weekly gig that shows me how deficient my playing is but it is not my technique that is the issue (I occasionally find myself falling short of expectations but usually this is on soloing so any technical inadequacies are of my own making). Where I find my lack of experience shows is in harmonic knowledge. I 'know' what things mean intellectually (e.g. a maj7#11) etc but cannot always 'hear' things as clearly as I should and it shows in my solo lines. When one is playing alongside some of the people I now regularly play with (see the website linked at the bottom in my signature), one is inspired and devastated in equal measure on a regular basis! It is never the execution of ideas that is the problem, it is the depth of those ideas and how they relate to the potential of the music.

This week's artist was heard to say that she was 'inspired' by the rhythm section. I was thrilled to hear that but, at the same time, was aware of what went well and what fell short of the mark. As I always say, this is a journey, not a destination.

[E sharp]

Raking for me . Going down the strings , I tend to naturally rake . If there's a complex piece requiring strict alternate fingering , I find that I really struggle . Though when I see other players , ie NWR on 'Rhythm stick' , he tends to rake . It's a habit I suspect that I'm not alone in

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='bubinga5' timestamp='1413715347' post='2581052']haven't learned to play a song for ages.. then i learn to play this, and it really highlight's flaws in my technique… naturally i tend to stick to licks/runs bass lines I'm comfortable with. I'm sure I'm not not alone there..

its a real eye opener when your fingers are forced to do something different..

so important to listen to and learn bass lines to all sorts of music.. [/quote]

Isn't Incognito like your favourite band? You're always talking about them, how can it be something different for you?

[RhysP]

I haven't pushed myself to play difficult stuff for years, just because it's not that important to me anymore.

I learnt a long time ago that listening to & learning music I really don't like just for the purpose of becoming a "better player" is my idea of hell.

[jazzyvee]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1413752720' post='2581615']
Not really if honest. I can play all I need to, and if something comes along that`s difficult then I`ll practice it until I get it.
[/quote]

I can play all the stuff I need to play for gigs. The stuff I choose for my own band is far more challenging than anything I get asked to play on gigs for others and usually I have to spend ages practicing it before i can play it.
However, I do deliberately try to learn difficult stuff that I don't need for gigs as a way of expanding my technique and confidence on my instrument.

Edited October 20, 2014 by jazzyvee

[blue]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1413789396' post='2581740']
My timing isn't good enough. If I just play unaccompanied, it sounds fine. If I record and overdub, I can hear that my timing is out. I'm addressing this by recording something multitrack most days, usually on a looper. I'm making progress.
[/quote]

Practice with a metronome.

You know, and especially for you guys that will be auditioning. Most of the time you will be playing along with the recording that you will be auditioning and that's an ideal environment. However, be aware that the recording is leading and driving you and you can really been thrown off when you audition with a live band.

Blue

Edited October 20, 2014 by blue

[Telebass]

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1413834842' post='2582624']
I have a weekly gig that shows me how deficient my playing is but it is not my technique that is the issue (I occasionally find myself falling short of expectations but usually this is on soloing so any technical inadequacies are of my own making). Where I find my lack of experience shows is in harmonic knowledge. I 'know' what things mean intellectually (e.g. a maj7#11) etc but cannot always 'hear' things as clearly as I should and it shows in my solo lines. When one is playing alongside some of the people I now regularly play with (see the website linked at the bottom in my signature), one is inspired and devastated in equal measure on a regular basis! It is never the execution of ideas that is the problem, it is the depth of those ideas and how they relate to the potential of the music.

This week's artist was heard to say that she was 'inspired' by the rhythm section. I was thrilled to hear that but, at the same time, was aware of what went well and what fell short of the mark. As I always say, this is a journey, not a destination.
[/quote]
We definitely need a 'like' button of some sort!