There is a litany of finger exercises, but sadly, most of them just serve to wiggle your fingers and nothing more. What you want is something to warm up with that engages all three of the senses and relates to something musically- right?
12-tone rows are a great musical source to sink your teeth into, that are melodic studies relating to the chromatic scale. Music that is entirely based on the chromatic scale is called atonal, but what you might not know is that many of the more modern jazz players use atonal ideas over tonal music!
In my new book, How to Practice with Maximum Efficiency, I explain how 12-tone rows can be a good source material for warming up. You see- if your mind isn’t fully engaged during the warm up, then you aren’t sufficiently learning.
What you want are exercises that engage the mind where you are looking at what you are doing and recognising ‘what the notes are’; playing the exercise, where you are feeling ‘where the notes are’ and then hearing the outcome for pitch recognition, enabling you to ‘hear where the notes are.’
If you haven’t seen this video yet, then watch it now!
Think you’ll dig it.
All the Bass!
Joe
Joe I’m looking to get your new book but I’d like to know if the exercises include tab as well as notation because although I’m just teaching myself notation,Ii’m not proficient at it.
Hi David
It’s not an exercise book- it’s a ‘how to practice’ book. However, the 12-tone row warm up exercise is in the book with fingerings written in.
If you are looking at an exercise book with tab, then get my Functional Harmonic Concepts book which is chock-full of all sorts of great exercises that will open your eyes, fingers and ears exponentially!
Peace Out
J
Excellent warm up drill ..after so long I have found this interesting challenging mind bending drill, I loved the book n m goning to read it again n again
Sir Joe ur amazing to explain things so clear
Much respect
Thank you Manas! That’s great to hear how well this book has helped you!
Best- J
Looks like yet another great exercise Joe!
I see by your video you are using a 5 string, are there 4 string warm up exercises as well?
Also when will your new book be published in hard cover?
Thanks..
Thanks for your feedback Louis! You can easily alter this exercise for 4-string bass. The book will be available in hard cover sometime between now and March.
Best- J