So, I am traveling all week and couldn’t bring my bass. I miss picking it up in the evening after work and practicing a little or digging deeper into Josh’s course… So, what do you all do when you are traveling without your instrument? I saw there are some practicing tools out there, like four strings attached to a small piece of wood to practice your plucking hand, or strength trainers for your fretting hand, but is this any good? Do you have any other advice for what I could do on a long flight or while sitting in a large conference hall, or back “home” in the hotel room?
Practice bass lines mentally (close your eyes and mime/move your fingers)
Listen to new music
Review any theory stuff that’s tripped you up recently
I’ve never used any of these -
My eyebrows go up about them a bit… not sure they really translate to any improvement in your playing. Plus you can just do fake plucking on the fingers of your other hand, or do general grip/finger strength stuff isometrically without buying any gadgets.
When I was in college I would do TONS of solfeggio singing. If you have ever learned - or are willing to invest the time to learn - the solfeggio system of singing notes - Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti - it is an AWESOME exercise to do in the car, while walking- anything.
You can sing intervals in a scale, sing basslines in solfeggio, make up basslines and (if you sing them with solfeggio) you already know how to play it…
A wonderful and tangible musical skill that moves with you.
Highly recommended!
And I second Josh’s thoughts about the grip strengtheners and the plucking-hand-assistors. I think it would be easier to just visit a music store for a quick 20 minutes…
See, that is why I like this forum - I hadn’t even heard about this method before! I definitely need to look more into this… even though, the first Google hits talk about “healing frequencies”
I just bought my daughter a UBass- a bass Ukulele, and I’ve enjoyed practicing on it. It has rubber (type) strings and sounds a bit like an upright bass. They also have metal strings… if I pick one up for me, I’ll look into those. They are tuned EADG- perfect for a quick practice.
Definite shout-outs to the Kala U-bass world.
They are rad.
I have a couple - a hollow body and a solid body. I once tracked an entire metal EP on bass in a tour van with a solid body U-bass.
I’m a CNC machine field engineer (mechanic) and I travel for work Monday through Friday. I always bring an instrument with me, usually a cigar box guitar. When I bought my bass I shopped specifically for a short scale that would fit in the same gig bag that I always fly with. Flight crews almost always let me put it in the closet but it will fit in overhead storage if necessary. I’ve only had to do the plane-side bag check 3-4 times in as many years. If I tried with a hard case or a long scale bass (even in a gig bag) I’m sure they’d make me check it every time.
I’ve seen some near-brawls at the gate as musicians I was traveling with were asked (told) to check their instruments.
It’s always a roll of the dice.
Best tips: Have a real nice case for it just in case you get a stickler that won’t let you bring it on.
Stick to your guns. If it’s valuable and fragile and you won’t part with it, (and are pleasant) you will most likely get to take it on.
Get to the gate early and talk to the desk - they will almost always let you on with the early boarding groups to get the instrument stored.
Be nice to airline people. They control your destiny.
Thought I shouldn’t open up a new thread;
What do you guys/gals/everything in between think about this u-bass?
I’d like to have my practice portable because sometimes I need to be out of home for 3+ days and I’m trying to build up a routine for practice even if that’s only scales.
I have a Kala Journeyman (with thunderblacks) that I travel with. It obviously feels very different to a long scale bass, however it allows you to practice many things (songs, scales, fretboard, sight reading etc). As you point out it will help you get you in the ‘habit’ of practice - that’s huge. Plus they sound awesome and are fun. If I could travel with a full size bass I would, but that is just not practical for air travel.
EDIT - I should say that I started my bass awakening on the Kala as I was playing in a ukulele group. That’s what led me to take up ‘big’ bass, I loved it that much.
Thank you! I was hoping for a reply like yours hehe
I 've read that tuning these is a nightmare but it ain’t gonna stop me.
@John_E wow this looks so nice. But the price for me is a bit high. But I will surely keep the link in my folder full of gear p0rn and maybe one day I can afford it! <3
