Breakdown of practice?

[Memphaustralian]

Hi y'all

I am a former pro drummer (still drumming semi-professionally). I am trying to be a bassist too and can probably put in about 1.5-4 hours a day on top of my 3 days of rehearsals a week on bass.

1. What is y'all breakdown of non-gigging practice per day?

2. What would you guess would be good for me (I am into funk, hiphop, blues, rock, fusion, electronic music, jazz...well kinda everything).
I want to get my skills up to where i can gig in any genre in real quick time (I have been playing about 6-9 months and know some basic theory and can play about 100 covers and play about 10 originals in my band.)

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

[sal87]

for general practice, i'm trying not to be too specific because everyone has their own style and own agenda during practice, i would do a quick warmup (some chromatic scales and major scales up and down the fretboard using all 4 four fingers at varying speeds) and listen to records picking out bass parts to develop my ear and to hear how different bassists play with drummers, should be easy for you since you've been on the other end for so long. focus on getting your playing together so that you can play with others well and you'll get far.

i just recommend listening to a lot of records and learning lots of songs...just learn to pick up stuff by ear, bass is everywhere, whether its parliament or thelonious monk or gwen stefani or slayer they've all got distinctive bass parts that will help you learn and learn to play different styles.

[Memphaustralian]

thanks for the input. that's really been what i have been up to so far. and i like where it has put me

I was now just wondering how i might also delve into more theory and get my hands faster so i can not think about them and look at them so much

thanks

[Earthday]

If you have Guitar Pro or Powertabs, one exercise I do a lot is downloading Guitar Pro files, turn the volume off on the bass, and listen to the song through without it. Then I try to add what I would do for a bassline. After I feel like I have something good, I'll listen to and learn what their bassist did, and compare.

[Freaky Fender]

Usually it's something like

1. Stretching ( around 5 minutes)
2. Finger exercises (warmup exercises with metronome, 10 minutes)
3. Set goal for practice (could be long term like approaching a BPM on a part by starting slow and working up to fast, could be nailing a part, improving technique, whatever. Lasts anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes usually, up to 40 if I feel I'm making heavy progress)
4. Transciption/Improvisation (Read: rocking out while playing along to music. Music should be fun! Always include rocking out in your lessons. I generally do it last as it's a good way to end by doing Pete Townsend style windmills. Can last from 10 to 20 minutes)

[Memphaustralian]

thanks y'all. Keep it coming, I would like to hear as many peoples practicing routine as possible

[theunknowndude]

mine is pretty simple but I havent been playing that long,...

generally spend 5 mins stretching and doing chromatic scales on fingerboard and lil warm ups like that,... then spend another 5 on some songs I know very well as a warm up to just get into the "groove" a bit,... then spend another 5-10 on whatever techniques im doing right now (atm learning slapping and good control of muting all strings with left hand while playing,... coming hard to me cos I just perfected playing on the fingertips... DOH!) then usually practice on whatever song im learning, then run through a few songs I usually play (try to mix it up a bit) theres nothing worse than not playing a song for ages then going back and having to "re remember it" so to speak... I think I just have a pretty bad memory!!! whenever I feel like im hating my practice session or not getting anywhere I just crank the distortion and start playing 'for whom the bell tolls'... even if it sounds like crap like freaky fender said, you HAVE to have fun!