criticize my practice routine! please.

[yazmeister]

hey guys, i just started playing bass again after a long break. here's my practice routine i've been using the past 3 days:
- warm up/ work on scales
- "clap to metronome" for rhythmic accuracy (like five minutes)
- practice some classical sheet music pieces
-learn/work on a song (right now, "Desecration smile" by rhcp)
this takes me about an hour and a half but could be longer if i made it

I'm gonna buy this book: http://www.amazon.com/Bass-Fitness-E...7826620&sr=8-1
and practice with it for a half hour or so in addition.

i feel like i'm missing important stuff. this was hastily put together based on what helped me with trumpet and what i've heard.

also, How do you guys practice scales? I've been learning them one at a time, one octave in all positions it can be played on the bass (like the G scale starting with 3rd fret on e string, and also starting with 10 fret on a string)

thanks!
edit: i always practice with a metronome btw

[waleross]

One thing you might want to do is learn the fretboard. With the metronone on at a slow tempo , play every note in all positions on the neck.Speed it up as you find your way . I have done this also on the guitar. Easier said than done....Everybody is different , hope this helps...........

[Skitch it!]

As far as the scales are concerned, try to practise them in different patterns and finger combinations too.

Say the A major Scale, just as an example, you start on the Middle finger 5th fret E string pattern for the most recognised pattern, play the scale in the other two patterns below too,

Pinky 5th Fret E string
Index 2nd A
Ring 4th A
Pinky 5th A
Index 2nd D
Ring 4th D
Index 1st G
Middle 2nd G

You will cover 4 strings with this pattern.

Another is the 3 note per string, 5 fret pattern (beloved of legato guitarists for flow),

Index 5th E
Middle 7th E
Pinky 9th E
Index 5th A
Middle 7th A
Pinky 9th A
Index 6th D
Middle 7th D

These will come in very useful for alternatives when you need them, and lend themselves to different approaches/ideas/flow too. My 2 pence ; )

N.B. Try to find shifting exercises to play your scales over 2 octaves, this will open up the fretboard more and practise your scales in 3rd's, 4th's, 5th's, 6th's. Start with 3rds, ascending and descending, lot's of finger combinations involved there after the 3rds and shifting around, but it's all good for you

[Stumbo]

Originally Posted by yazmeister

: i always practice with a metronome btw

For sight reading, I suggest to start w/o the metronome until you get the notes down. Work on the rhythm separately (w/o the notes) until you can put both the notes/rhythm together slowly. Once you get it down then add the metronome and work up to speed.

No use to practice stuff incorrectly.

You might want to check out the link in my sig. below for more great TB threads that can help you out.

[devine]

Sounds like your on the right track. A couple of months ago i replied to a similar thread, here's what i put...


"Anyway... advice...
Ok, Yeah get a practice routine together and really try to stick to as this is going to be the key to your progress. As you can guess, the harder you practice the faster it all starts coming together. I always aimed for at least 3 hours per day 5 days a week, which at times was a struggle but i was absolutely uncompromising about it so i just made it happen. Some days i'd get up super early just to get a couple of hours in then do another hour later in the day. By practicing like this you begin to rack up an amazing amount of practice hours... 3 hours a day (5 days a week) is 15 hours per week, so thats around 60 hours a month... thats around 720 hours a year! Now you can only start to imagine what will start to happen if you practice 720 hours!!!

The next thing is what to practice as if your doing 3 hours a day you don't want to be just noodling. I used to split up my routine to focus on separate things. I used to do around an hour on continuous arpeggio exercises and scales, half an hour on technique exercises and then an hour and a half on playing over standards and transcribing what other guys were playing on the same material. When i say transcribing i don't literally mean writing out, i just mean learning their solo or parts of their solo on my instrument. Many times i'd get carried away and spend all day transcribing, soloing over tunes etc but i always made sure i did the strict 3 hours.

What i also found is that when i'd been doing it for a few weeks it started to become natural and i stopped thinking about it. What you'll probably find is that when you start to do this kind of intense practice it's quite hard to get into it to start with as to keep your concentration levels up is sometimes tough. Also, some of the material your practicing can sometimes be a little boring. Don't worry though, do it for a few weeks and it'll just become part of your everyday routine. I should add... don't feel like you have to do it all at once, you could split it up into 3 one hour sessions if that'd be better for you.

So to become a good musician... get in the shed! "

I've got a bass lesson website with lots of free video tutorials on their. It's a little specific at the moment but i'm right in the middle of doing a re-design which is going to have a lot more material in it. The tutorials i would recommend for you are these...

http://scottsbasslessons.com/video-t...ice-arpeggios/

And...
http://scottsbasslessons.com/video-t...actice-scales/

Hope that helps.

Scott.

http://www.scottsbasslessons.com

http://www.scottdevinemusic.com

[azureblue]

This is a great to learn how to internalize "pocket". Begin with a simple clap to every click, until you can clap exactly with the click, then clap on two and four. then work on clapping ahead of the beat and behind it, especially on beat four - clap lightly on two and harder on four.

I also would add: walking in a circle to the metro,or just sit and pat your foot, while clapping on two and four, and, adding in singing your bass part while you do this. You can also try clapping other rhythm patterns, like sambas, etc. This is probably the best thing you can do when you want to practice without your bass. It engages your whole body and mind. It is also an extension of "visualizing" your bass playing, where you imagine and focus on every aspect of your hand movements, both left and right, until you can clearly "see' it in your mind, from start to finish.

[yazmeister]

thanks for the replies!

I used to do around an hour on continuous arpeggio exercises and scales

What do you mean by "arpeggio exercises?" I've never really understood what these are, sorry.
i'm trying to avoid "noodling" except at the end- that's all i used to do and i didn't get any better because of it. i'll check out your tutorials, thank you!

thanks for the advice on scales, i'll incorporate that into my practice. also, when you practice scales, do you do them as a easy paced like 90-120 bpm warmup or a intense more technique based thing?

practise your scales in 3rd's, 4th's, 5th's, 6th's. Start with 3rds, ascending and descending, lot's of finger combinations involved there after the 3rds and shifting around, but it's all good for you

what do you mean by practise in 3rds 4ths 5ths and 6ths? sorry.

stumbo- i've been doing that too; i found its too hard to try and sight read with a metronome like you said.

thanks again everyone

[Skitch it!]

Originally Posted by yazmeister

The advice on scales, i'll incorporate that into my practice. also, when you practice scales, do you do them as a easy paced like 90-120 bpm warmup or a intense more technique based thing?

what do you mean by practise in 3rds 4ths 5ths and 6ths? sorry.

At the Guitar Institute in '95 the mark was 120bpm for grading, but well played not rushed, each note value. I'd just build from easy/comfortable up, but I wouldn't overdo it in bpm. Though for general groove it is a good idea to work in the slower tempos too for the sake of your internal clock.

A Major Scale in 3rd's ascending,

Mid 5th E
Index 4th A
Pinky 7th E
Mid 5th A
Index 4th A
Pinky 7th A
Mid 5th A
Index 4th D
Pinky 7th A
Ring 6th D
Index 4th D
Pinky 7th D
Mid 6th D
Index 4th G
Pinky 7th D
Ring 6th G

That's in one position, play descending too, extend if you can especially with a 5 or 6 string. That's the Major Scale over 1 octave in harmonised 3rd's, the scale note and it's relative 3rd in the key of A Major.

The 4th's, 5th's and 6th's I'll leave to you

Then learning/working them in the scale patterns in my previous post, later on down the line will be v.useful ; )

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by yazmeister

hey guys, i just started playing bass again after a long break. here's my practice routine i've been using the past 3 days:
- warm up/ work on scales
- "clap to metronome" for rhythmic accuracy (like five minutes)
- practice some classical sheet music pieces
-learn/work on a song (right now, "Desecration smile" by rhcp)
this takes me about an hour and a half but could be longer if i made it

I'm gonna buy this book: http://www.amazon.com/Bass-Fitness-E...7826620&sr=8-1
and practice with it for a half hour or so in addition.

i feel like i'm missing important stuff. this was hastily put together based on what helped me with trumpet and what i've heard.

also, How do you guys practice scales? I've been learning them one at a time, one octave in all positions it can be played on the bass (like the G scale starting with 3rd fret on e string, and also starting with 10 fret on a string)

thanks!
edit: i always practice with a metronome btw

As a former classically trained trumpet player i can tell you you are on the right tracks. Bass fitness is a great book and a usefull tool.

You may not realise it but if right handed your plucking hand is in good stead because you used it to press valves in many combination. This gentle exercise of using three fingers should be encouraged on the bass.

When doing scales move out of the traditional view of eight notes. Your G scale for example its lowest scale note on a trad. four string bass is E. So play the scale, E-F#-G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G-A-B-C-D is about as far as you can go on a standard scale Precision.
As you see you are playing all the scale notes, including the scale. So practice this method with all your scales, with variations on fingering...there are many and in every case you cover the complete fretboard.

Arpeggios are chord tones with in a scale so to speak, so the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 8th for major and minor, 1st 3rd, 5th and 7th for maj7 and min7 and so on. The are extensions of basic triads 1st 3rd and 5th wich are the building block of chords and harmony.
The same applies here as with the scales play from the lowest note to the highest on the bass, not just what the sacle presents.

So again the G triad is G-B-D-G-B-D-G-B-D
The G arpeggio is the same but lacks any 7th to define it as such..or 9th..or 11th etc. The foundation may be the same but the foundation of 1st, 3rd, 5th does not truely define a chord, other than maj. or min. It will work within it, but it does not make for example, a 7th chord, but the note will work in a maj, maj7 or dom.7 chord, the 1st and 5th will also work in a minor chord. Jeff Berlins now legendary Chord Tone Exercises, simplifies all this to incorporate a more more straight forward approach...he simplifies it to the basics to cover all options.

Incorporating this type of work pays great dividends in the future because you explore and learn options other than just the notes. I have a great Jeff Berlin Chord tone studies sheet i can e-mail if you want to see how it works and the benefits it can bring, drop me a PM with an e-mail address if you want it.

[Marty Forrer]

Jeff Berlin told me the 3 Ts are what makes a great player.... time, tone and taste. Sounds like you're working on the time, but in reality a drum machine is a better tool than a metronome. The tone comes from playing with a light touch and in a relaxed manner (not, as many would believe, from swapping out pickups and changing amps every five minutes), and from having a really well set up bass. Taste is remembering the role of the bassist.... anchor the groove and support the song. Listen to the way the great groovemeisters play only what is necessary to make the vocalist sound good. Lee Sklar and Nathan East are two of the best at this. Nathan flies his own plane because he supports the singer so well, and Lee aint too far behind.

[Rusty the Scoob]

Personally I don't really believe in a "routine", especially if you're past the beginning stages of playing. You should always be self-assessing your own playing, putting in an honest effort to identify your weaknesses, and using your practice time to specifically attack them.

[yazmeister]

sorry to resurrect this thread, i didn't want to start another one about practicing.
a few more questions:
what do you guys think about sight-reading at every practice? getting material to do so is no problem, i have a ton of music from my high school band career in addition to a 1000-ish page book full of (trumpet) exercises. I've been playing these, and there's so many i can sight read something (though in case of the exercises it's not very musical) new every practice. Do you think sight reading a lot will help (i suck at it), and is it beneficial to play/practice trumpet parts? they are a lot different than bass parts, but its fun.

i had a few more questions, but i forget them now... time for some beauty sleep

[Billnc]

Originally Posted by yazmeister

sorry to resurrect this thread, i didn't want to start another one about practicing.
a few more questions:
what do you guys think about sight-reading at every practice? getting material to do so is no problem, i have a ton of music from my high school band career in addition to a 1000-ish page book full of (trumpet) exercises. I've been playing these, and there's so many i can sight read something (though in case of the exercises it's not very musical) new every practice. Do you think sight reading a lot will help (i suck at it), and is it beneficial to play/practice trumpet parts? they are a lot different than bass parts, but its fun.

i had a few more questions, but i forget them now... time for some beauty sleep

Yes, sight read all the time. Various things, I work on bass stuff, trombone stuff and since I'm working on Joe Pass on guitar doing the same single note lines on bass. Oh cello music is good too.

If something is not good music I mark it so I never grab it again. If it's ok music I work on it til I'm no longer 'searching' or stumbling for notes, just slow and even playing. If it's cool I mark it, to steal.