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Post by GKon on Nov 28, 2016 0:48:10 GMT
I practice with the EUB today for the first time with the pinstriping tape in place as markers.
I immediately noticed/heard that my notes were in tune. It sounded so much better. I also got to see just
where my fingers were going (from muscle memory) as opposed to where they were supposed to be going.
It's great to have a visual cue as well as using my ears. I do hope that it doesn't become a crutch in the future.
The only downside is that the tiny added height of the tape makes the note buzz.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2016 20:11:46 GMT
I know that not everyone is interested in recording or making a vid of their playing but I think this would be my favorite thread here if you would do just that at some stage   (damn, we dont have an Upright Bass smiley) Glad you are enjoying it! |
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Post by GKon on Nov 30, 2016 1:19:16 GMT
I know that not everyone is interested in recording or making a vid of their playing but I think this would be my favorite thread here if you would do just that at some stage (damn, we dont have an Upright Bass smiley) Glad you are enjoying it! I consider that a big compliment. Thanks! As I'm getting better I will consider making a video. Can't keep my fans wanting now can I?😉 |
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Post by GKon on Dec 2, 2016 20:12:42 GMT
I'm happy to report that I finished Essential Elements for Upright Bas Volume 1 today! Woohoo!
The once somewhat daunting process has become much less daunting and yes, even fun!
My fingering has definitely improved as has my shifting, intonation, speed, sound clarity, knowledge of the various positions on the fingerboard and my sight reading has also improved a lot. (I already know how to read but am simply out of practice).
I must say, I'm happy to be on this journey, and to see myself improving.
I've foregone using the bow for the time being, although the "experts" say that that's the best way to practice your intonation.
I look forward to getting the weedwacker strings tomorrow. I want to start book 2 with those installed on the bass.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2016 12:56:49 GMT
Found this interesting article on Upright Bass playing and Breathing; LINK HERE |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2016 18:05:07 GMT
Just checked out the wackers on YouTube and then, as is the way with these things, I got a bit side tracked and found this wonderful technique...go on...you know you want to:
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Post by GKon on Dec 6, 2016 18:31:15 GMT
Just checked out the wackers on YouTube and then, as is the way with these things, I got a bit side tracked and found this wonderful technique...go on...you know you want to: You bet I'm going to try that! The main reason to put them on was to start doing things like that  I may have to get a fingerboard microphone to get that pop. |
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Post by GKon on Dec 19, 2016 18:16:15 GMT
I'm continuing my daily practice on my HB EUB, 30-60 min. per day. I am definitely seeing some improvement. Some days are definitely better than others, but I do see that I'm getting better. It's funny and satisfying to be when I see a passage that at first gives me pause and makes me think, "Man, this is hard!". Then, next thing I know, I'm playing it! I'm still on Essential Elements for Upright Bass, Book 2, but almost done with it. I go through each exercise until I can play it cleanly with no mistakes but also, with being able to read the sheet music and understand what I'm seeing as I play it, as opposed to playing by memory. I can read music pretty well, but when the tempo gets fast, sometimes my fingers are a lot faster than my brain. Something I'll say is these weedwacker strings are such a pleasure to play. SO, easy on the hands and fingers. I can play for an hour now, and not have severe hand pain. Too, they have a very mellow but clear sound, very much like an AUB. I actually bowed them a bit the other day and talk about ethereal sounding!!! They mimic natural gut strings. If this is how guts sound and feel, I'm a gut man!  One big thing I want to do is to lower the strings. I've done a ton of research, as well as starting a thread on TalkBass, to find out what I need to do and why I need to do it. Looks like I have to lower the notches in the bridge, starting with the E to lower it as much as I want, and then I have to take off the same amount on the A and D to keep the same curve to the strings (which mimics the curve of the fingerboard), which will still allow me ease of playing pizz (fingers) and arco (bow). In other words, right now the E is at 14mm (height off the end of the fingerboard), A is 12mm, D is 10mm, and G is 8mm. This is with the bridge adjusters bringing up the G to 8mm, which is what I want. As you can see, the strings are all 2mm apart in height. From what I've researched, 1mm difference is typical, but by no means standard. So that would mean that if the G is at 8mm, the D should be at 9mm, A at 10mm and E at 11mm. For the sake of taking it slowly, and also I've found out I need to give these low tension, synthetic gut strings much more room to vibrate without hitting the fingerboard and buzzing, I will start out by only taking .5mm off of the height. I will keep the G at 8mm, D at 9.5mm, A at 11mm, and E at 12.5mm. This should be a good starting point to see how I like it, and how the strings react. There's a good chance that this will be enough of an adjustment and I won't have to do more. I'll let you know when I finally do the "surgery". |
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Post by GKon on Dec 23, 2016 18:07:32 GMT
Just finished Essential Elements for Upright Bass Book 2 last night. Woohoo!!
On to the third and final book! I'm sure to be a pro by the time I'm done with it, LOL!
Then, it's on to Johnny Hatton's "Rockabilly Bass" book. I'm looking forward to that.
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Post by GKon on Jan 8, 2017 22:41:22 GMT
I've been working on my third and final Essential Elements for Upright Bass book.
This one is a bit slow going, for several reasons.
The Christmas and New Year holidays took up a lot of my time. Also, I've had some
projects I had to take care of around the house. And, I had some personal stuff going on that was bugging me,
which made it hard for me to just stop and practice.
I played the upright in all that time, I just didn't work on the book.
I've now been slowly going through it. There are some parts that are unclear. I am now playing stuff in 4, 5 and 5 1/2 position
(7th, 8th and 9th "fret" position) and the harmonic on the octaves. Although it tells you which fingers to use for each note
in each position, it doesn't tell you how to shape the left hand. Up till 4th position, I can basically still keep my hand
on the neck as normal, but 5, 5 1/2 and harmonic position requires me to take my hand off of the neck, so I'm not sure what
the "proper" hand position is to do it correctly. I'm now doing it the way I think is right, but it's taken time to get comfortable.
Part of me just wanted to jump ahead to the Rockabilly Bass book, but I figured I've come this far, I may as well continue learning
the orchestral methods in the E.E. books, and then break those rules with the Rockabily Book, lol .
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Post by GKon on Jan 10, 2017 5:05:19 GMT
The lessons I've been working on are a bunch of shifting exercises on each string, jumping from note to note up and down each string.
My brain hurts! I've never played anything fretless before. How the HELL are you expected to hit precisely the correct note while sliding up and down the fracking
string??? This must be some advanced form of psychological torture! LOL!
Seriously, though, it truly is not easy shifting and trying to find the right note. How do people do it? Every one in a million when I do, it's satisfying but perplexing, too.
I must say, since modifying my bridge it is much easier and more comfortable to play. It was well worth the work.
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Post by salteedog on Jan 10, 2017 13:03:29 GMT
I always assumed it was kind of like string bends. Only your ear can tell you when it sounds right and presuming you start 'close enough' you will almost subconsciously adjust your finger placement to get it spot-on.
..but then I've never played anything fret less so I could be totally off-base here.
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Post by salteedog on Jan 10, 2017 13:03:44 GMT
...excuse the pun  |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2017 14:22:07 GMT
Sounds like it's like singing. There's no frets but somehow we get there.
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Post by GKon on Jan 10, 2017 16:18:21 GMT
I always assumed it was kind of like string bends. Only your ear can tell you when it sounds right and presuming you start 'close enough' you will almost subconsciously adjust your finger placement to get it spot-on. ..but then I've never played anything fret less so I could be totally off-base here. ...excuse the pun Bass-ically, I love puns. 😉 Its true rue that your ear will hear it and subconsciously, or consciously, make the adjustment. But when you are playing at a fast tempo, or the notes in question are of a short duration, you don't always have the time to do so. Also, because I'm reading the music as I'm playing, I can't always look at the fingerboard to make sure I'm in the right place. A lot of the UB guys mention that they rarely look at the fingerboard. So, I'm trying to play and shift without looking, which compounds the "Holy crap, how do you do this!!!" moments. I even "cheat" in that I have markers I placed on the side of my fingerboard to give me a visual indicator. Im not saying it's impossible nor that I won't be able to learn it. It simply baffles me at how inherently imprecise playing a fretless instrument seems to be. So much room for error. .5 of a millimeter off and the note is not perfect. |
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