posted 28 August 2001 06:34 AM         

I find playing a note-for-note solo with a CD is a big help. You can hear any error when you're playing along. I also like Joe Wright's drills and exersizes.

Paralex error is a factor when playing below the 5th fret or above the 15th. I've learned to adjust what I expect to see.

Example: on the first fret, I expect to see the fret line to the right of the bar, at the 12th fret you do not see fret line.

I suspect intonation is an on-going challenge for us.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

posted 28 August 2001 12:15 PM         

Intonation is a function of recognition of pitch which is a function of your mind and the ability to adjust to the proper pitch which is a function of your hearing. Using a tuner or paralax formula is a function of your vision which seems sorta goofy to me.

Whatever works for you is right though.

Find an ear training program and spend some real time with it.

I use this guy's stuff :
www.muse-eek.com/index.html

Hearing myself on tape is a big help also (that is if I can stand it !).

posted 29 August 2001 05:25 AM         

Several of the posts gave advice for developing my ears. This is indeed the most important first step, but not my original question. Having 30+ years of musical experience, and some formal, and much informal, ear training, I have that under control. Of course it's a lifelong pursuit.

My real question is how to transfer this to the physical instrument. I play well, but am always seeking ways to improve.

Rayman's advice, to check yourself mechanically is valid. Learning the sightlines is important.

Bobby's advice to play along with a source is also important. I use a Reed Kolter TR-1000 to loop parts from CDs, tapes.

Ron's "play blind" advice is also good. Joe Wright is a big influence for me. He often plays looking straight ahead. When there's a lick I must learn "perfect", I'll loop on it and play along until I can look away.

So even though the above posts may seem to contradict each other, I see them as all true, and pieces to this puzzle.

I'm still lookin for more. Keep them Coming!

posted 29 August 2001 07:25 AM         

Playing with this type of person caused me to learn how to anticipate. A definate form of Ear training. Also, back then I had a bass player friend, that used to practice to broken records..........ON PURPOSE.......for the same reason.

I studied violin in school, and one thing that my Uncle told me(he was a proffesor at the school) was to get mad at it, and just play it. I think the same rule applies.
Don't make it more complicated than it is.

Just play it.

posted 29 August 2001 07:58 AM         

quote:

---

a bass player friend, that used to practice to broken records

---

Are Sure that wasn't a B@njo Player?

I doubt I'll be able to follow a skipping CD.
(while mad, with my eyes closed, a tuning meter, an in-tune piano, and an out of tune singing drunk with no sense of timing!)
Great Stuff!!

[This message was edited by Joey Ace on 29 August 2001 at 08:00 AM.]

posted 10 September 2001 11:52 AM         

This is a drill which I have been taught by Jeff Newman and I still do it. To practice and to warm up. It works really well for me.

Play two voice major scales using the same two strings when you go up and down the neck.

Do thirds (4th and 5th string, e.g. 3af, 5a, 7a, 8af, 10af, 12a, 14a, 15af and back) or fifths (3rd and 5th string, e.g. 3ab, 6, 8, 8ab, 10ab, 13, 15, 15ab etc.).
[Maybe I missed a few here but I guess you know what I mean]

Now program a biab or midi file, 4/4 moderate tempo (like e.g. Silver Wings), using one chord or two chords each bar just going up and down the scale: Up is 1, 2-, 3-, 4, 5, 6-, 5, 1. To go back use 1, 3-, 4, 3-, 4, 1, 5, 1 (or chords e.g. c, dm, em, f, g, am, g7, c and back up c, em, f, em, f, c, g, c). Now transpose the midi file in all keys, and fool around with it.

If you do the exercise on strings 4 and 5, try using the a pedal and f lever, instead of the e lever. This is a nice exercise because everytime you play with these pedals/levers, you have to play a little bit behind the fret to play a correct intonation.

Jeff told me a story that he was at the convention a couple of years back in a hotel room next to Buddy Emmons. Emmons was practising scales ALL NIGHT.

I hope you understand the drill. Good luck.

PS

Greetings from the Netherlands to all of the friends I met at the convention this year. Will be back soon.

Tom (The Dutch guy)