The Next Level Bassist - Practicing

Stronger is something that will give you a fundamental of rhythm that is extremely important.
The notes start out sporadic and move towards a flow. Get out your metronome and
keep on track, because it will feel like different tempi throughout this piece. That’s the thing
I notice about running notes into slower notes. Going from half to quarter to eighth to sixteenth,
you will find yourself adjusting to the metronome based on your perspective of where
the beat is. When you play with people, you will find a different set of skills necessary. I know
in playing with Time for Three that we are always pushing ahead, leaning on the front end of
the beat. The metronome is a fundamental, but it isn’t something my group can depend on.
Pay close attention to your tendencies, too - learn whether you tend to speed up or slow down
and decide whether the music is calling for that (certain settings don’t let you do it at all, such
as orchestra playing or auditions).
Finally, I’m introducing a technique that I find revolutionary - moving from a note to a slap
in the space of one sixteenth note, as in measure 6. It will probably feel unusual, maybe a bit
difficult at first. Most slaps in bass playing occur on the eighth note, and it is totally common
to need some time to acclimate to this technique. Once you have it though, you will find it is
extremely helpful, not to mention a lot of fun!
Faculty
terell Stafford, Chair,
Instrumental Studies Department
Eduard Schmieder,
L. H. Carnell Professor of Violin,
Artistic Director for Strings
luis Biava*, Music Director,
Symphony Orchestra
Double Bass
Joseph conyers*
John Hood*
Robert Kesselman*
anne Peterson
*Current member of
The Philadelphia Orchestra
For more information, please contact:
215-204-6810 or music@temple.edu
www.temple.edu/boyer
18 •Next Level
assist
PRogRamS
B.m.: Performance
B.m.: composition
B.m.: music Education
B.m.: music History
B.m.: music theory
B.m.: music therapy
m.m.: Performance
m.m.: composition
m.m.: music Education
m.m.: music History
m.m.: music theory
m.m.: String Pedagogy
m.m.t.: music therapy
D.m.a.: Performance
Ph.D.: music Education
Ph.D.: music therapy
Professional Studies certificate
EnSEmBlE oPPoRtunitiES
> temple university Symphony orchestra
> opera orchestra
> Sinfonia chamber orchestra
> contemporary music Ensemble
> Early music Ensemble
> String chamber Ensembles
Philadelphia, PA
- Ranaan Meyer