a common and effective problem solving technique that I've really ingrained into my learning process is that of "chunking". short version: breaking a problem down into smaller manageable pieces that are easier to process eventually completing the whole problem. the good news is it totally works. the bad news is it takes patience. well, bad if you're the instant gratification type.

luckily very early on I accepted the fact that music is a long game. it rewards those that can put in the honest time practicing. it's not always even noticeable, but it's there. occasionally we're lucky if we have a conceptual breakthrough or sit down to practice and there is a marked increase in our ability. those days are awesome but rare. usually, though, progress can be measured in bars or BPMs. hardly exciting considering sometimes that's only 2 BPMs.

when i sit down to practice something, anything really, there's no time frame i just learn it when i finish learning it. i've come to accept that it may take days or weeks to learn a particular song up to a standard that i'm comfortable with. it has just become part of the method.

not too long ago i was looking for new stuff to work on. i had learned a bunch of songs, which are fun to play, and really dug in deep on some of them. though, they did give my chops a workout and give me some riff ideas i didn't feel like i really learned much. partly one reason i have been in a rut is because i haven't really found much theory that i can practically apply that really interests me. either that or it's so far advanced that although i can conceptualize and understand it, i have literally zero use for it because i'm not re-harmonizing jazz standards in the context of traditional arabic folk music. i'm just not, okay?

enter the walking bass line. well now, this is a thing that i can get on board with. i've dabbled in the concept here and there but never really studied or practiced it. it is exactly the sort of thing that would excite me. extremely simple in concept, deceptively difficult in execution, and a solid understanding of them cannot be understated when it comes to dealing with harmony. when i look at some of my favorite bassists and analyze their bass parts it becomes obvious they know how to walk a bass line. 

the interesting thing about a walking bass line is they are, quite literally, a chunked-up version of the harmony. with their minimal and formalized structure there are only a few simple guidelines that you need to learn to get started. the challenge comes in harmonic knowledge, fingerboard knowledge, taste, and in some cases speed. they are very much exercises by design. sometimes i will just use a loop of 2 chords, sometimes just one, and really chew on it for a while. but in a bar you're really only responsible for 4 notes and 2 of which have been sort of chosen for you. it really gives you an opportunity to digest what it is that you're doing and how it applies to the harmony without being overly complicated.

this has been my go-to for a while if i don't have anything else i'm working on just because it forces me to think. coming from a rock background where most chords have been of the power variety, and songs are often times, uh... harmonically thin, it's a real workout to constantly be aware of the harmonic flavors of each chord even when they're not exactly expressed in the music. it certainly gives me plenty to think about and plenty of opportunity to add some missing sonic colors.