Can woodshedding improve your tone?

[bassmonkey]

I was inspired in Dallas. I met a load of really good bass players. The main thing was that they were not superstars, they were ordinary Joes just like me, but these guys could really play well.

I now want to be able to play well enough to justify to myself getting a Bongo. So, since I have got back I have been doing regular practice every day. One of the areas I have been looking at is my technique. I have identified a number of areas in which I was sloppy and have been working on specific exercises to address this. For instance, I am now employing a moveable anchor right hand technique, as opposed to thumb resting on the E string. It was hard at first, but now feels natural. It has improved the damping I was getting previously.

Anyway, one of the things I noticed is that my tone seems to be better. More what I hear in my head, positive and growly. Can this be so? Or is it just a placebo effect?

Whatever, I am really enjoying the benefits I am reaping from this work.

 

[tkarter]

I would say you have described pretty much the thing that all those great players in Dallas did to get where they are.

Sounds like you're having fun too while practicing.

That is what it is all about.

tk

 

[bassmonkeee]

Woodshedding can definitely improve your tone.

Consistency is key for a good bass tone--and what is practice if not learning consistency? Whether it's not choking a note off too early, or hitting the fretboard in the right place with the correct pressure to eliminate buzz, or not pushing the string into the fretboard (unless of course that's what you mean to do) and plucking in the same place with the right hand....

One piece of advice I can send is to make sure you practice with your bass at the same height that you will play it live. I've seen so many people who practice sitting down with the bass right under their armpit who can't seem to understand why it doesn't translate to playing standing up with the bass around their knees (hyperbole for effect). If you are changing the angles of attack to something completely different from what you are used to from practice to performance, you aren't doing yourself any favors!

 

[brewer]

AHHH!!! "tone" that elusive thing we all strive for.

I've been playing for years and it seems like I always learn something new in the area of tone. And 90% of the time, it's not in my amp. I find it amazing that when other people play my rig, the tone is completely different than when I play. It's a combination of attack, hand position, where your left hand is on the neck, and other misc things that can take place at any given time. Keep sheddin bro. If you learn something new, let me know so I can try it too

 

[strummer]

I would say you have described pretty much the thing that all those great players in Dallas did to get where they are.


tk

I thought it was those giant ketel 1 martinis

 

[bovinehost]

I now want to be able to play well enough to justify to myself getting a Bongo.

That's what I'm working towards, too!

 

[brewer]

That's what I'm working towards, too!

Don't you have something like 500 bongos? I'm starting to think that the reason wait times are what they are is b/c you are hording all the bongos

 

[Caca de Kick]

One piece of advice I can send is to make sure you practice with your bass at the same height that you will play it live. I've seen so many people who practice sitting down with the bass right under their armpit who can't seem to understand why it doesn't translate to playing standing up with the bass around their knees (hyperbole for effect). If you are changing the angles of attack to something completely different from what you are used to from practice to performance, you aren't doing yourself any favors!

Agreed 100%

 

[PocketGroove82]

i find using my fingers makes a good tone

 

[tkarter]

I am betting there was more than one of us that went away from Dallas thinking we couldn't play well.

tk

 

[Lazybite]

I practice both sitting down and standing up (used to only do sitting down).. sitting down when I am learning something...and standing up to master it.

I also find that I can get a lot of tone control out of my fingers, including tone change ups... I have suprised a lot of people because I can get very close to a picked tone with my fingers.

 

[tkarter]

I practice in the darkest room I can find most times. Sitting or standing.

My fingers are actually smarter than I am

tk

 

[bovinehost]

I am betting there was more than one of us that went away from Dallas thinking we couldn't play well.

If you feel that way, that makes two of us, anyway. Playing in front of a ROOM FULL OF BASSISTS, including (gulp) Chuck Rainey and Dave LaRue and, well, you know, it was a good thing I'd already had a few or else I would have collapsed into a quivering, gelatinous mass.

Don't you have something like 500 bongos?

No, no, not five hundred! Well, not all at once, anyway.

Speaking of woodshedding, I know what happens if you don't:

Ed Friedland. He knows if you've been bad or good.

 

[SteveB]

Any time spent practicing can improve your tone. Keep it up! I'm jealous! I can't find time to pickup my guitars except for weekly band practice. I just moved and I'm putting my home studio back together at the new house, so hopefully I'll get back on task soon.

 

[bassmonkey]

Sounds like you're having fun too while practicing.

I really am enjoying it. Stuff that 20 years ago just seemed like a chore is giving me a real buzz.

One piece of advice I can send is to make sure you practice with your bass at the same height that you will play it live. I've seen so many people who practice sitting down with the bass right under their armpit who can't seem to understand why it doesn't translate to playing standing up with the bass around their knees (hyperbole for effect). If you are changing the angles of attack to something completely different from what you are used to from practice to performance, you aren't doing yourself any favors!

Yep. I strap it on every time I practice. Actually, Jason, your fantastic tone on that HHp Bongo in GC was one of the things that got me thinking about all this stuff.

That's what I'm working towards, too!

LOL! Seriously, Jack, I am envious of your playing.

I am betting there was more than one of us that went away from Dallas thinking we couldn't play well.

tk

My initial feeling was I'll just give up now. Then I remembered something Dave LaRue was telling me on the Saturday. He was really encouraging me to persevere with my playing. He told me the first time he saw Jaco play live was a bit overwhelming but it inspired him to work harder on the bass. He said that after that gig he thought to himself that if a human being can do that then there was no reason that he himself could not do that.

 

[mike not fat]

I now want to be able to play well enough to justify to myself getting a Bongo.

I did not wait, or I never would have deserve one...

Joke appart, I've been playing bass since 5 years and never had any lessons. I wrote some tunes but could not explain what I was playing to the other band members. So since september, I take some lessons, and that really improves my playing and understanding of music.

And watching other bassists playing, well known or unknown, always brings you something.

MNF

 

[AnthonyD]

Improvements to tone with woodshedding - absolutely!

I focus a lot on consistently controling approach - things like positioning my hands, level of attack, etc.

Good, confident control promotes a level of personal comfort and a natural, relaxing feel to one's playing.

Natural, relaxed feel promotes expressive play = controled improvements to tone.