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What NOT to do during your Bass Practice

What not to do during bass practice

Practice Scenario:

You’re learning a new song and part way through your bass practice you make a mistake.

Do you…
A) Push on and finish playing the rest of the song, or

B) Go back to the top and play it again?

Here’s why I believe from my years of playing and teaching that the best approach to this dilemma during your bass practice is: NEITHER.

Here’s why:

Transcription

Question: Ari, should I start from the top when I make an error or keep pushing on?

Answer: Neither – don’t start from the top and don’t just keep going.

Why? The obvious fact is that errors don’t improve on their own. So, what can you do about it?

Step 1: Precisely identify the spot. You can either do that by using a marker on a chart or set markers on whatever program you’re using to learn the song.

Step 2: Identify the issue. Identify the problem means I’m doing “X” but I should do “Y”.

Step 3: Practice to fix it. Imagine you’re explaining it to somebody. Imagine you are teaching it to somebody. Now you know what to work on. Practice precisely that. Change the fingering; learn the rhythm without the pitches; do whatever you need to do to fix that section.

Step 4: Put it in context. Practice going in and out of that section. Now, if that strikes you a bit cumbersome and slow, let me tell you that in the end, it gets you there faster. [ 🎵 🎵 🎵 ]

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Intro to Triplets in Walking Bass Lines

Add triplets to your walking bass line for instant enhancement!

There are many ways to spice up a walking bass line and in this episode, I focus on triplets. We’ll talk about what types of notes make the most sense to use for your triplets, as well as placing them on different beats of the bar to keep things interesting.

Practice descending triplets

Practice these variations and focus on the descending triplets as I show you in the video until you are comfortable playing them in time and with a good even tone. before you unleash them on stage or at the jam session.

But don’t overdo it!

As with any “device,” it’s best not to overdo them by dropping them in too often. But placing them smartly in your walking bass line will enhance a solid groove. 

Mix triplets with some “burps”/skips (TT episode #45) and you will have yourself a functional walking bass line that will keep the soloists happy and you’ll have more fun in the process!

Follow along with this PDF and create your own exercises!