anybody want to help me figure out a practice routine?

[narcopolo]

i'm pretty pleased with my speed and dexterity.
but my main concern is my skill as an accompanist - i want to be able to sit in with artists and lay down some great, supportive lines without wasting much of their time. i'd love to be good enough at this to get called in for studio and live work.
i honestly don't know how i should be spending my practice time to fix this problem (but at least i've pinpointed my goals and shortcomings - that's gotta be worth something, right?). anyway, i'd really love any advice i could get for improving in this area.

[nordicjazz]

Wich style do you play?

[SteveD]

Some methods:

Get your axe and practice amp and sit in front of the TV. Practice playing along with all the music as it comes and goes.

Play along with classical music on your stereo.

Listen to and learn musical styles that you never listen to or play. Apply pieces of those styles to other styles of music. Avoid spending time listening and playing along with music styles familiar to you.

Get the CDs available at the link below, and learn the bass parts. You may find many of them pretty challenging. Don't bother listening to the samples at the site unless you have great bass response available, you've got to hear the cuts on a real stereo to really hear what's happening. If the bass parts seem easy, try copping some of the guitar riffs, heh. That'll keep you busy.

SteveD

[Correlli]

The only thing I can add is, don't over do it. 2 hrs per day is more than enough. It's quality, not quantity that get you good.

[narcopolo]

Originally Posted by nordicjazz

Wich style do you play?

most of the stuff i would end up playing on falls into the whole country-influenced indie rock thing / singer songwriter accompaniment.

[narcopolo]

and the band i'm in sounds a bit like, uh, the band.

[Chili]

Originally Posted by SteveD

Some methods:

Get your axe and practice amp and sit in front of the TV. Practice playing along with all the music as it comes and goes.

Play along with classical music on your stereo.

Listen to and learn musical styles that you never listen to or play. Apply pieces of those styles to other styles of music. Avoid spending time listening and playing along with music styles familiar to you.

Get the CDs available at the link below, and learn the bass parts. You may find many of them pretty challenging. Don't bother listening to the samples at the site unless you have great bass response available, you've got to hear the cuts on a real stereo to really hear what's happening. If the bass parts seem easy, try copping some of the guitar riffs, heh. That'll keep you busy.

SteveD

so u saying in a way is to sit in front of the tele and create ur own bass line to whatever song comes on next? or play along with it and get it as close as u can, but either way am gunna try it, that sounds like a good idea

[narcopolo]

i think i'm gonna do a twist on this - oldies radio!

[ajb2804]

Good advice,but no one mentioned READING!!!!!!!!!!!A lot of my work involves the ability to create a nice groove from a chart I'm basically sight reading.The more comfortable with reading charts,the more free you will be to create within the context of the charts.