Record yourself as often as possible. As it turns out, we are not our own worst critics—recording devices are. Your emotions may make you think you sound better or worse than you really are, but a recording is an unbiased observer, revealing your flaws and strengths as a player. Your recordings can help you develop an appropriate strategy for improving tone, technique, and musicality, without losing the truth in a blur of opinions. All you need is some cheap recording software or a simple flash recorder. Get to it!

Want to let the bass playing world know a fab musical tip, favorite lick, killer warm-up, or other musical nugget? Go to the “Bass Player Magazine Wants You!” thread on Bass Player’s Low Down Lowdown forum by clicking on forum at the top of www.bassplayer.com. If we pick your tip to print in Bass Player, we’ll send you a glorious goody.

In appreciation of cassius’s self-scrutinizing tip, we’re happy to hook him up with a Dunlop 105Q Crybaby Bass Wah. Wahk on, cassius!