How should I alocate my practice time?

[Stroker]

I'm thinking these are the main areas to work on:
1. Excersises
2. learning new songs (this will be mostly by reading tab for now but also some by ear [lets not get this into a tab bashing thread I know many of your standing on tab but till finances allow me to by a good book this is all I have other then...])
3. Read and learn the riffs in my Mel whatever bass book
4. Jamming the songs I know with the music (or other musicians)
5. Freestylin (?)
What percentage of a given practice time would you suggest for each item for a new player?

[steve66]

Originally Posted by Stroker

I'm thinking these are the main areas to work on:
1. Excersises
2. learning new songs (this will be mostly by reading tab for now but also some by ear [lets not get this into a tab bashing thread I know many of your standing on tab but till finances allow me to by a good book this is all I have other then...])
3. Read and learn the riffs in my Mel whatever bass book
4. Jamming the songs I know with the music (or other musicians)
5. Freestylin (?)
What percentage of a given practice time would you suggest for each item for a new player?

Exercises - Scales, modes, Theory, reading music 50%
Learn songs by ear 25% - will become easier if you follow the exercises
Freestyle 25% Take what you practice from the above, learn from it, apply it to make music

[BassChuck]

Here's what I do:

1.) Start with something that I got right for the first time my last practice.

2.) Something I know I have to do, but is a drag. (scales or finger drills, flexiblity stuff, ear training).

3.) Something that I know have to do someday, but won't be able to master at this time.... (takin' a baby step).

4.) Something that is fun and I love playing. (show-off things, and songs I know real well).

How long to do each thing? Don't move from one to the next until you know you've gotten better at the task.

Practice is a discipline. YOU have to be the one to drive and motivate yourself.

[mlove]

1. Metronome/rythem exersises
2. Theory (keys, modes, scales, etc)
3. Ear training/Learning songs/transcribe
4. Technique (I'm in the middle of "slap it" by Tony Oppenheim)