Questions on exercises from bass player

[bassplayer]

Hi all,

I just got the GP book. It's exactly what I was looking for, but couldn't get from any of the teachers I've had.

I play electric bass guitar, so I'm adapting exercises for that. I have several questions:

Holding Guitar
I like the idea of holding classical style on left leg. It puts the guitar in a position that makes the right shoulder more relaxed. But the neck of the bass is long, so the first frets are way to my left and my left arm is extended away from my body, and gets tired quickly. So holding the casual style on the right leg feels better, at least now. Should I make an effort to get comfortable holding on left leg?

Right Hand Exercises
Not being a guitar player, most of these exercised don't make sense to me. The idea of moving from the big knuckle was very helpful, but I'm not sure how other exercises apply to right hand of bass playing. I usually hold my thumb on pickup or 6th string, and 'hammer' with 1 & 2 finger. I also palm mute and play with thumb to get an 'upright' sound. What exercises or principles would help with right hand for bass playing?

Left Hand Exercises
These are extremely helpful. My question is regarding "All Aboard." My hand is not big enough to cover four frets at the same time. Either I have to really stretch my fingers apart (which introduces lots of stress in forearm), or I have to shift my hand slightly to reach every fret in the first position. Should my goal be to cover each fret without shifting? Or is it ok to shift the hand to reach every fret?

I appreciate any advice you have.

[Jamie]

Should I make an effort to get comfortable holding on left leg?

I would try it for a week. Post a video of you getting into your position, so I can make sure there are no problems arising from other factors.

I usually hold my thumb on pickup or 6th string, and 'hammer' with 1 & 2 finger. I also palm mute and play with thumb to get an 'upright' sound. What exercises or principles would help with right hand for bass playing?

Bass players use their fingers the same way classical guitarists do. Make allowances for the need to secure the thumb as you say, which is no problem as long as your arm stays relaxed and responsive to the strings.

You want to do the right hand string shifting ex with your bass, using the rest stroke. Work it up with the basic practice approach, Chapter 5.

These are extremely helpful. My question is regarding "All Aboard." My hand is not big enough to cover four frets at the same time. Either I have to really stretch my fingers apart (which introduces lots of stress in forearm), or I have to shift my hand slightly to reach every fret in the first position. Should my goal be to cover each fret without shifting? Or is it ok to shift the hand to reach every fret?

I need to see this. Let me see your best position at the 7 th fret. We have to make allowances for the much greater size of the bass neck and strings, but the essential positions and functioning are the same.

[bassplayer]

Thank you so much for the reply. I'm not geared up to take and post videos, but I really appreciate your advice and will work on it.

[bassplayer]

Thanks again, Jamie. I'm seeing great progress....or rather FEELING progress, as things are starting to feel easier for me which is making practicing and playing a lot more enjoyable.

My musical goal is to sound good, keep good time, keep the groove and have fun at weekly blues jam sessions. I'm combining your approach with an approach I learned from Ed Friedland's bass instruction books on bass grooves.

There are a handful of blues grooves I need to know. Most are one or two bar lines. I use no tempo and posing to work out the most efficient fingering for a groove. I then use the basic practice approach to build up speed, giving each note equal value.

At one point I switch to playing in real rhythm, following Ed's method of first singing the rhythm @ 40 bmp to internalize it, then building speed. Then I start playing at very slow tempos to get timing of where each note falls in the pulse. Then increase speed. Finally, I play the line at different tempos with metronome clicking on beats 2 and 4, and then only once per bar.

Your approach and his approach are working very well together. It's all about internalizing and relaxing. If I can relax, I can feel the groove better and have the stamina keep it steady.

Question on building speed: How can I tell in a practice session "This tempo is too fast for me"? What do I do next?

Thanks again

[Jamie]

That all sounds great, it seems you are doing some deep practice there. I like Ed's methods.

You know its too fast when it is breaking down and nothing you do can help it. Of course, you must know the things to do at your "working speed" and you limit, as I have given in "Beyond The Basic Practice Approach. That is how we keep refining our skills and increasing our speed limit.

[bassplayer]

Thanks for the reply, Jamie. After I read it, I immediately ordered Beyond The Basic Practice Approach and got it yesterday. Now I know what to do next. It's way more helpful than my last two music teachers. One would spent my last lesson with him writing out tab for the 12 modes. The other did not remember me from lesson to lesson. Instead, I'm trying to get experience by attending weekly blues jam sessions at a local bar. I feel very much like a little kid playing with the grown ups, but everybody has been supportive so far.