Beginner DB - when to start playing tunes?

[No. 8 Wire]

Hi All,

From my previous thread I've picked up a reasonable DB to learn on.

I'm starting to develop a practice routine - really just working on absolute basics right now, posture, hand position, very basic intonation and note finding. I'm using a lot of free online resources (discoverdoublebass etc) to get started.

Obviously I can play some hackneyed basslines, but I kind of feel like I should get the basics right first and this will come. I want to use the DB to play basic blues, folk, rock'n'roll and rockabilly (sometime later as I'll need to learn slap). I have no aspirations of playing jazz or classical on this instrument but most learning materials start from this perspective.

Is this right approach or should I be attempting to play tunes as early as possible? If so anything that was useful to start on from a beginners perspective?

Cheers Guys,

Dan

Edited January 19, 2017 by No. 8 Wire

[Burns-bass]

It sounds like you're doing very much the same as I did!

My view is to continue with your structured practice, the stuff you need to do. But make sure you enjoy it - and for me that's either playing tunes or improvising over jazz standards (poorly!).

It may sound dull but I structure my practice like this (give or take):

Warm up
Sound building - open string exercises
Scales/Chords to a drone
Sight reading / Work through a book
Playing through changes / playing along with records

With a glass of wine I'll sometimes try and write a few lines that use specific approaches.

All gets written down and then I can add pointers on stuff I'm getting wrong or struggling with.

Some days though, I'll stick on some tunes I know and enjoy playing.

[No. 8 Wire]

[quote name='Burns-bass' timestamp='1484864814' post='3219328']
It sounds like you're doing very much the same as I did!

My view is to continue with your structured practice, the stuff you need to do. But make sure you enjoy it - and for me that's either playing tunes or improvising over jazz standards (poorly!).

It may sound dull but I structure my practice like this (give or take):

Warm up
Sound building - open string exercises
Scales/Chords to a drone
Sight reading / Work through a book
Playing through changes / playing along with records

With a glass of wine I'll sometimes try and write a few lines that use specific approaches.

All gets written down and then I can add pointers on stuff I'm getting wrong or struggling with.

Some days though, I'll stick on some tunes I know and enjoy playing.
[/quote]

What does your open string practice involve - is this using the open strings to find fifths, octaves, etc and the build further positions form there - if so I'm doing that. Or do you mean someting different entirely.

Scales and chords (do you mean arpeggios?) to a drone sounds like a good idea. Thanks

I take it you started playing tunes from the very beginning?

[Burns-bass]

Sorry, should have explained more.

The open string exercises are form the Evolving Bassist book. They're great at helping get a big sound, and incrementally increase in complexity, to the point now where I'm working on 16th note passages.

Arpeggios I call chords because I'm playing jazz, but you're quite right.

I began to play tunes from the start because it's fun. The way I see it, if I do everything else I should be doing I get to indulge myself knowing the work is done.

[Burns-bass]

I use this personally through a Bose Bluetooth speaker which is great. http://www.dronetonetool.com

[No. 8 Wire]

Thanks for the drone tool link - I'll end up using that.

Just need to find some basslines to start off with. I've been listening to T Bone Walker a lot lately so might start off with some blues.

[Burns-bass]

If you want to learn the classics then I recommend a Sun Records comp. This one is great. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00005Y47C/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1485021224&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=sun+records&dpPl=1&dpID=51WPbOb73DL&ref=plSrch