Talking Technique: Feeling Rusty?
So you haven’t gotten to touch your bass in a while. It happens! We all have those times where we don’t get time with our bass for extended periods. When we get the bass in our hands again, our gut instinct is to get all our fast chops back, but that’s not such a great idea. The way to get back into shape the fastest is to take it slow.
In this lesson, we go step by step to reconnect with the bass and get back on track. From physical stretches to right and left hand exercises, you’ll shake the rust in no time.
Today’s tip: use a good strap!
Austrian-gone-Californian Ariane Cap is a bassist, educator, blogger and author. In her book Music Theory for the Bass Player and corresponding 20-week online course, she teaches music theory, bass technique, bass line creation and fretboard fitness in a systematic, practical and experiential way. She just released a brand new course on ear training for the bass player: Ear Confidence - 6 Paths to Fearless Ears. Contact her via her blog or website.
Great lesson Ariane, after an extended absence from playing for medical reasons I am finding it frustrating trying to get back my form. This looks like just what I need to concentrate on.
Best wishes, Ross. Go for it. Weirdly this “slower” approach leads me to much faster results than pushing hard. The old form may just creep up on you and surprise you. And I think it is true that music helps heal…
Thanks Ariane ,
You’re a very pleasant person to learn from.
I was a bundle of nerves when I first bought my bass 4 years ago.
Not anymore ,,,
Thank you Mark. And go for it :)
it’s not necessary to think of two things at once to coordinate hands- that confusion can be the result of thinking about it visually. By thinking kinaesthetically it’s easy to experience doing one thing with two hands
Sam, Thx for sharing your perspective. Thinking of both hands at the same time can be, amongst other things, a very powerful relaxation technique. What is necessary or not will vary by your intent and the practitioner.
So good to see those tendon warm-ups being shared. I recall Victor saying at his workshop on Gabriola Island that he learned them during martial arts classes with his brothers as a teenager. Said his instructor was trained by the same instructor as Bruce Lee if I recall correctly
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Cheers Jacob, yes, those are so great! And that is Sifu Brian Edward, the Wing Chun Kung Fu teacher I mention in the video. He gave us some quite impressive demonstrations of tendon strength, too.