Double Bass Something to look at while practicing

[Jaygetsreal]

Seems obvious now that I have discovered it but I think I have found an answer to my looking-at-my-left-hand problem.
I am a novice and have been struggling with my intonation for quite a while. Using my eyes more than my ears. But today I was actively staring at the map on my wall and dreaming up road trips while doing scales - and found things miraculously started to click into place.
Those more experienced than me will know what's going on here, but it really seems to work. I am one happy bunny.

 

[Alexis Duntov]

You’ll hit a point one day where you won’t need to look at the fingerboard in the lower positions and your fluency will continue to move further up (or down) into thumb position. I recommend the George Vance books to get more comfortable in upper positions early on as well as Boardwalkin’ by Hal Robinson. Also, make sure you spend at least as much time on arpeggios as scales. I spent far too much time on scales in the beginning and arpeggios are closer to the movements you will be executing when playing written music or improvising.

 

[g-dude]

I find I rarely look at my fingerboard when I’m playing with others and/or having to play my heart out.

I just don’t have the time to so.

 

[sean_on_bass]

Other options...wearing dark tint sunglasses or turning off the lights in the room.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

I usually look at the insides of my eyelids.

 

[Ooba Tooba]

Hang a couple of nice pictures up.

 

[Killing Floor]

That’s a great idea. I look at my tuner sometimes when I practice.

Not sure how to apply this in 2023 but my first teacher whacked our hands with a wooden ruler if we looked at the neck instead of our sheets. It worked.

 

[g-dude]

My son is starting percussion at school in the fall (he's had drum lessons for years) and in order to play the drums, you have to graduate from the bell kit.

The rules are, you have to play various melodies correctly, proper stick form, etc. and you cannot look at the bars of the instrument.

 

[Fretless55]

Practicing in front of a full length mirror is a favorite of mine.
Turning your head to look at your fingers puts the kinetics of your posture out of whack when playing the doghouse.
And of course no one hears with their eyes.

 

[Joe Nerve]

View attachment 5126987 View attachment 5126988 View attachment 5126989
Hang a couple of nice pictures up.

And that there is the difference between the EB and the DB side of this forum.

 

[salcott]

If you want to keep track of your left hand and bow arm, use a mirror.

 

[Nashrakh]

And of course no one hears with their eyes.

Have I got news for you...

Band members don't, but my audience reaction to the doghouse has so far been overwhelmingly of a visual nature. I hate it.