Every musician knows the struggle: you want to get better immediately, but you have to practise, and that takes time. Practising your instrument doesn’t have to be a tedious item on your daily to-do list. In today’s article, we’re going to show you a handful of exercises that don’t take up all your time and effort but will improve your playing. The drills below are by no means a shortcut to becoming an instant master, and you should still set time aside to study your instrument mindfully. However, if you don’t have a lot of time on your hands, or you’d like to practise while watching TV or on your commute, then these exercises are perfect.
The Chromatic Run
The chromatic run goes by many names but is probably the universal exercise for instruments like guitar and bass. The premise of the exercise is straightforward: you need to get your fingers comfortable with moving around the bass.
Starting at the first fret of your lowest string, play each note chromatically from frets 1 to 4. Once you have reached the fourth fret, move to your next string and repeat the same shape. Once you have reached your highest string, move your hand up by one fret and work back across the strings using the same chromatic shape. Once you have reached the highest point on your neck, do the entire exercise in reverse.
Many musicians begin their warm-up routines with this very basic exercise. You can decide whether or not to do it to a metronome; just make sure that your movements are fluid and you’re not producing any dead notes as you play.
Rhythm Roulette
Rhythm roulette is a terrific way to get your internal clock working more intuitively. This exercise is most effective when played to a metronome or even a backing track with a simple drum beat.
While the exercise might not be the most mindless to practise, you can reach a point where it becomes second nature.
Find a simple motif, chord progression or bassline that you’d like to practise for this exercise. Begin by playing your part as it is written, with no changes. Once you find yourself in a comfortable groove, try to remove specific parts of your playing without breaking the momentum of the piece. For example, play the same progression but drop the notes on the second beat of every bar. Switching off sections of the bar while you play will develop a stronger ‘start/stop’ mechanism in your playing and, over time, can turn you into a naturally attentive player.
Octave Jumps
One of the biggest mechanical differences between bass and guitar is that guitarists generally have a two-octave range within a four-fret space, while bassists generally only have one. Octave jumps are a wonderful way to make sure your playing isn’t restricted to just one area of the neck at any given time.
For this exercise, choose a specific scale or arpeggio that you’re trying to improve. Let’s imagine you’re trying to get better at a minor pentatonic arpeggio. Start by playing the shape on the lowest possible string (you can choose any root note as a reference). Once you reach the highest note of the arpeggio, follow through and try to play up into the next octave. Your brain will hesitate when jumping up an octave, as this isn’t as fluid on bass as it is on guitar. However, overcoming this little mental obstacle will vastly increase the range of expression you can use while writing or improvising.
Attack and Release
Many players are fond of this drill because it is relatively mindless but super effective when practised over long periods. The focus of this exercise shifts from the right hand to the left and centres on tightening the fingers of that hand for more precise articulation.
Find a scale, shape or bassline that you’d like to practise or perfect. We recommend using an upbeat, funkier bassline for this exercise if possible, as it will get the most out of your practice. Run the shape or riff as normal, without changes, to get centred and comfortable. Once you’re in a solid groove, try to extend the sustain of every note so that they bleed into each other. Then, slowly pull back the amount of sustain on each note with each repetition until every note in your riff or shape is very short and almost completely muted. This exercise is particularly useful for developing your ability to control dynamics and volume using just your hands.
Shape-Shifting
The final exercise on this list can be stressful for less experienced hands, but that’s all the more reason to practise and get better. The drill is not so much a standalone exercise as a way of applying other exercises that you’ve learnt.
The idea behind this drill is very simple: improve your ability to reach any area of the bass as quickly as possible. Begin by picking a scale, shape or exercise that you would like to perfect, and have the circle of fifths to hand for reference. Using the circle of fifths as a map, move from key to key using the same shape or drill. For example, if you’re doing a pentatonic arpeggio in G major, move along the wheel to D and do the same, then move one over to A for the same shape. You can choose your own method and combinations for moving around the circle. Switching it up will significantly improve your ability to reach different parts of the neck without overthinking.
Final Thoughts
The exercises listed above range from mind-numbing and easy to slightly more focused and tricky. Each of these drills will improve a different area of your playing, be it physical or mental. You can split these exercises up throughout your day if your schedule is tight, or do them all in one session if you have the time. Consistency is key: take your time with these exercises, and you should see some tangible improvements in your playing. Thanks for reading our quick list of 5 Simple But Effective Bass Exercises. Stay grooving.
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