Please Help Me Improve My Practice Routine!

[mantrabass]

What's going on guys?

Since getting a new bass, and also adding some more octaves and a wider fretboard, the learning curve has been making the experience somewhat difficult. Although I've mastered the basics of adjusting to a new neck and the added range, I'm working on the techniques and skills necessary for the genres I want to play. These two major playing styles I'm working on are essentially two-handed tapping composition, and also technical death metal styles of playing. My biggest fear here is that all this practice and no visual representations of my improvement might cause me to lose interest.

Lately, I've been investing my time into working on my speed. I do typical finger exercises, such as running the fretboard one fret at a time with each of my fingers. Along with that, I've been getting pretty well along with adding my ring finger to finger style playing. My goal is to be able to play triplets like it's nothing, however coordinating my left and right hand with the speed I've been working with is pretty difficult in itself.

Now, on to my routine... I work a day job, 8-5 daily, and when I come home, after taking care of my home chores, dinner, and whatever social interactions or involvements, I usually sit down at the end of my bed and play for a good two hours or so. Usually, I'll fiddle around with stuff hoping to coax some inspiration to write new material. Otherwise, I'll move on to a snippet of finger exercises, some tapping and chordal experimentation, and then random diddling, typically involving my loop pedal. I'll play through some pieces that I had been experimenting with, and usually call it quits. Some of the progress shows, as my fingers have gotten quite comfortable with the width of the neck. However, I'm still finding it difficult to play speedy riffs (Stuff like "Runaway" by Jamiroqui, for example) fluently and comfortably.

Now, as I carry on and continue my dedicated practice schedule, I'm curious as to where I should go next. What skills should I develop? Slap bass technique is somewhat on the backburner, considering that due to the width of the neck and the effort required to silence all the strings it'll be a whole new experience of it's own as well.

If this seems a little rambly, or doesn't make much sense as to what I'd like to do, feel free to ask me to elaborate. What I'd like to most get out of this topic is some instruction or recommendations for some good exercises or (good) video lessons on improving my speed and fretting. Thanks guys!

[gustabass]

Hi mantrabass,

I have similar situation at home, work 8 hours at day, when I get home I can't practice properly.

What I did, that helped me is, I bought Bass Fitness from Hal Leonard and practiced it on daily basis (I'm not HL endorser). It helped a lot to build my dexterity.

A good video with tips about speed and fretting is John Pattitucci: Complete Electric Bass. It has nice topics and you can find it on internet.

To move on technique, have you ever considered going on fretless bass? It would involve buying another bass, but I would say it worths a lot.

Do you have any software where you can produce chord progressions? This is a good way of practicing musical exercises, it helps you to improvise better.

Anyway those are tips that worked for me, I hope they help you as well. In case not, please lets us know what works for you.

[Ryno]

Im posting mainly for an easier way to follow this as it progresses.

Been trying to play that same lick for a little while now too, super catchy!

[mantrabass]

Originally Posted by gustabass

What I did, that helped me is, I bought Bass Fitness from Hal Leonard and practiced it on daily basis (I'm not HL endorser). It helped a lot to build my dexterity.

A good video with tips about speed and fretting is John Pattitucci: Complete Electric Bass. It has nice topics and you can find it on internet.

I'll check both of those out, thank you so much! I'm not a fan of using YouTube, although I try to utilize it, I typically end up losing interest or not committing myself (especially if the video is split up into portions). Although I have found plenty of great instructional videos...

Originally Posted by gustabass

To move on technique, have you ever considered going on fretless bass? It would involve buying another bass, but I would say it worths a lot.

I'm not sure of the benefits to buying a fretless bass when it comes to improving my dexterity and tapping techniques, but I've definitely considered buying one. I was mostly GASing, but I feel like I'd get a ton of use out of one eventually. I'd like my next 7 to be fretless.

Originally Posted by gustabass

Do you have any software where you can produce chord progressions? This is a good way of practicing musical exercises, it helps you to improvise better.

I do have software. I've been using Fruity Loops for the greater portion of the past 5 or 6 years and I'm pretty good with utilizing it. However, much like my YouTube habit I often lose interest in favor of doing something else.

Thank you so much!

[slaphappychappy]

Marlowdk on YouTube.

[john grey]

I read and then re-read your post to get an understanding of what you want to do and it sounds to me that some of what you are dealing with is a motivational issue to maintain discipline. I say this for a reason. MOST people look for that one or two crown jewels of information to make them good at something but it's the discipline to put what you have into your head that eventually makes a serious difference. You must know the neck: every note - yet if you don't have the discipline to butt your finger right up to that fret, you will not sound so good. There are some excellent teachers here who have some excellent material on slap but that's also the same deal......discipline.

The methods to focus on discipline are different obviously for different people and their situations. I can only speak for myself & explain what I do as I don't teach. But I have found where I have "stumbled" over the years.

The first thing I do is relax with the instrument and set up what I need or have that setup in an area where I don't have disturbances. If I have constant disturbances, the practice session goes down the crapper.
I pick up the Bass and simply think for a short while about music & I suppose that would be almost meditating because I SLOW DOWN. I don't attempt to race through a practice session. I also will start very slowly. I can't play fast if my technique suffers. Playing very slowly allows me to concentrate on playing well. I don't concentrate on a mistake: I make note of it and move on. If I concentrate on a mistake (occasionally) I will continue to do just that.
I allow myself to ENJOY the sound of a well played scale. I generally always use a metronome. I used to play a lot w/ a drum machine but I switched becasue I wanted to hear more of the bass. I believe playing w/ a metronome is VERY important.
I also hum or "sing" what I'm playing in my head. Or if I'm playing something new; I "sing" it in my head for a little while. - That I found to be very significant when playing one rhythmic element to another; it's almost the only way I can play a slap rif and switch to another: I have to hear that pattern. I also made use of a few drum lesson books or download print-offs from the net. (study stuff is SO common, much of it is free if you look).
I collect enough practice material so that I am never bored. If I get something & perhaps it's not as good as it could be - yet I am bored of it, I can always come back to it. I switch up so that my practice sessions are challenging, yet fun. Having fun for me, is very important. If it's a chore, I will rush through it. So I settle down & find out why I want to get a lesson over with. many times it's that it's become a simple co-ordination exercise and I'm in the mood for music. Lets say I'm working on scales and I've had enough, I will switch to playing those scales w/ varying theorems, etc - yet stick to the scale. The trick is to maintain discipline, yet involve enough creativity so the whole concept is entertaining.
Discipline occasionally will not be fun. But it can be challenging. I can make it a game. If I'm working on something that is a simple coordinated effort, I will change my thinking from music to a physical game. & mentally reward myself when I "beat the challenge".

These are some of the ways I work on my practice sessions. They may work for you; they may not. I'm only speaking for myself obviously. But I HAVE found out some "truths" in many physical/mental agendas. CONSISTENTLY practicing or working at something yields results. It doesn't matter if it's 20 minutes or two hours, I need to be consistent. Perfect practice makes perfect: if I keep doing something incorrectly, I will ingrain it and it will become a PITA to get rid of. I have gotten pretty good at LISTENING to myself play & as a result of listening and having a metronome in the background, my beat in fairly on target. Playing slap is the same deal. There is a "idea" sound(s) and that accompanies a technique which demands a self examination that HAS to be internal. You really can slap anything you can listen to and internalize.
Get RID of disturbances! More than half of music may be mental/intellectual. If you have crap going on you can't get you're full attention to your agenda. Getting your head in the game becomes easier, the more you do it. Take a moment and think about why you enjoy music, bass, the sounds, the feel, the groove. - If you have some bummer issues going on - don't dwell on them. Instead think, "NOW I can get away from that crap & play a little. I don't have to deal w/ that crap for the next (whatever time frame)". "I'm FREE".

Understand everyone goes through having "good days" and "off days". Give yourself positive messages: don't get into the habit of saying "that sucks big time", but rather "I gotta' sharpen up on this" -- or something similar. It's these things that actually improve my playing. I have a LOT of physical material; but if I am not utilizing them for whatever reason.....they don't do me any good. You can have a library of books on chemistry but if you don't understand the elemental math of an equation, you can't solve formulas.

Have fun.

[henry2513]

1) Metronome
2) No T.V
3) Clear goal of what you want to accomplish
4) Detailed plan on how to get there
5) Consistent and focused practice schedule
5) Have fun

[Mayers]

Originally Posted by henry2513

1) Metronome
2) No T.V
3) Clear goal of what you want to accomplish
4) Detailed plan on how to get there
5) Consistent and focused practice schedule
5) Have fun

to that I will add to record yourself. For me it helped to discovered my mistakes and improve on it.