feedback on my current practice routine

[germ_77]

Hey guys just wondering if I could get some ideas of other things I could throw in.

Currently I am working on Major scales, memorizing the notes on the fretboard (I have the first 5 frets down pretty well but have never taken the time to remember the higher notes so instead of just knowing it I have to work it out in my head first which I want to fix), timing, and memorizing the circle of fifths/fourths so those come natural to me without thinking about as well (Ie playing a f# I can just instantly know the 4th and 5th of it without having to use the finger patterns to know it.

Basically what I have been doing lately is I made two progressions in band in a box, one going through the circle of fifths and one going back through the circle of fourths. Each chord gets 2 bars.

I usually play through it the first time playing through the Major scale as quarter notes using your normal start on the low note and go up through the scale. Then I will play through it the next time playing 1/8th notes so I will go up the scale and then back down it, then the next time through I will randomly change it like first 4 notes of the scale as quarters and then 1/8th notes up and down the bottom half of the scale, etc.

The next one I really suck with currently, I just added it in to the practice today but basically playing through the same progressions starting on the high note of the scale and playing down it, Example for C starting on the g string 5th fret then playing the same finger pattern for the Major scale to the low octave. So far this one is really helping me remember the notes on the D and G strings which I really dont know worth a damn without finding the low octave first.

I am not too sure where to go next from here, should I start doing the same thing using the minor scales instead of the major? or would it make more sense to start doing the same thing using arpeggios instead of the scale to really get them down? I know the basic major and minor arpeggios but not well enough to be able to play any way other than the normal finger position of root with middle, 3rd with first finger, and 5th with pinky.

I am looking for any ideas of beginner stuff to learn that I have never actually learnt over my years of playing without lessons. I have been trying out some teachers lately to find one that I 'click' with so hopefully that happens but until then I am looking for new things to work on.

As usual thanks in advance for all the help you guys give me on this forum.

[waleross]

While scales are important, don't stress yourself out over them. I would try chord arpeggios, including major, Dom 7 and minor 7th. The great studio bass player Carol Kaye has books based on chord studies among other subjects, it is worth looking at. I worked with her books when I was first taking electric bass lessons. Good luck ......................

[GeoffT]

A great teacher is the best way to go. If you don't have that, master your chord tones. 7th chords. From any finger on the root. Not just up and down, learn the inversions and the notes below the root. More importantly, practice creating lines over a given set of chord changes (real songs not cycle of 4th/5ths). The most common situation you will likely encounter is being given a chord progression, either a chord chart or verbally, and having to create a bass line over it. You need to spend a significant amount of your time practicing that, BIAB is great for that. Start simple, make it groove, and use all the possible locations for each root on the neck, this is how your really learn the fretboard. There is a big difference between being able to name or find 1 note on the neck at a time and knowing where all the options are for a given note in real time while the chords are racing by. Scottsbasslessons.com has some great videos on both arpeggios and creating bass lines over chord changes using chord tones.