Posted by Leland on March 06, 2003 at 04:12:49:
In Reply to: Secret to good time?? posted by Hiram Diaz on February 28, 2003 at 12:24:55:
Yes, an old thread by now ---
More than one bassist has talked about the importance of being able to keep consistent tempo, and they've almost always recommended this same method:
Take whatever you're playing at the lowest metronome setting you've got -- say, 30 bpm. Play it until you've got it exactly correct, including any extra flourishes (you should see Victor Wooten's video where he does this). Once it's nailed, then raise the tempo -- ONLY three or four clicks. Then, do it again. Repeat this process until you're up to the tempo you need.
I've noticed that when I spent the hour or so to do this, my brain feels like it "thinks" much faster than it was before. I've become much more aware of each note -- its beginning, duration, and ending -- and the spaces in between. I can hear harmonic patterns much more easily, even in fast passages. It's also much easier to hear very small differences in tempo settings or changes.
I've had good time for quite a while now. I'd say that marching band even helped. This practice tool, though, made trouble spots much more consistent and "performable."