Hours to studying and practicing bass

[Leftybass12]

Not too long ago I posted on here asking how many hours a day is considered a good amount of time to practice bass. I would like to restate that. I am currently 21, in college, and have finally decided to become a music major. Currently it is music performance. I've been playing bass for 4 years and I am very dedicated to the instrument, I honestly cannot find much of anything else that helps calm me down and makes me feel like I'm worth something in this world. I go out once every week, soon to be twice a week to jam nights, primarily blues, but I still find the learning experience from the jam nights extremely valuable. It's also kind of cool to see that I'm the only person under 40 playing an instrument there, haha. I do have a private teacher, an extremely good one too, but because of the music departments requirement to have a department private instructor I now have two. I find this to be terrific. So, with all that being said on average I like to practice about 1 1/2 a day, give or take, to just technique. There are breaks though in this practice time. Reading up on it, I'm very aware of carpal tunnel and such, that is why I've taken good measure into stretching all my fingers, both arms, even shoulders. After reading all of this honestly, how much time should I spend a day to practicing technique and studying bass? Please provide as much information as you can.

[fearceol]

If you have the time, then I dont see why you should not practice for as much as you like.

You seem to be aware of the physical implications, i.e. taking lots of breaks, doing warm up (and down) stretches, keeping hydrated, good technique, etc.

Having said this, I think regularity is as important as actual time per practice session.

However, very long practice times can have it's toll in the long run. Have a look at this link and see what this has done to a fellow TB'er (post # 5 ).

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showth...t=#post9399625

In the end, it's your time, your hands, .... and your call.

[DrayMiles]

How much technique do you need?

ask yourself that question...

I remember when I was in high school, Yngwie was opening for AC/DC. Everyone said he'd blow Angus off the stage due to his technique. After the concert, everybody was shocked because that wasn't the case at all.

Personally, I would rather have a guy with great ideas and a superior ability to shape the time.

Practice as much as you enjoy it, or your curriculum demands...

Just my opinion, and good luck.

[Thunderthumbs73]

Originally Posted by Leftybass12

After reading all of this honestly, how much time should I spend a day to practicing technique and studying bass? Please provide as much information as you can.

Should?

This is like asking someone else exactly how many hours of "adult relations" you should have with your wife per week so that she remains happy and fulfilled.

Sorry, but I just think you're really barking up the wrong tree. In my experience, the teachers and instructors would not give a finite number answer to this question, at least the responsible ones would not. I will do the same in kind, as I think it's the responsible advice to give. And also as I have been through music school and have a music degree to show for it. The amount of time you need to practice is what it takes to make progress and to hopefully achieve the practice and progress goals assigned by your instructors.

What will likely end up happening is that due to college and life itself, you'll find you are never able to always and consistently practice as much as you WANT, but you may find yourself able to always and consistently practice as much as you NEED. And sometimes you are not even able to practice as much as you need.

You instructors, your teachers, and your friends all have interests in your time, to say nothing of your time with yourself. The idealism inherent in the question of how much time (exactly) should you spend will be begrudgingly pushed aside to give way to the pragmatic realities and needs of workload, life and practice.

[BassChuck]

+1 to Thunderthumbs.

I too have gone through music school and have a degree and extented study also... on trumpet and french horn. I've never studied bass. I'm assuming that the degree program you are dealing with has you playing DB and EB. It should.

But to answer your question about time. Always set a goal when you practice. And work to your goal. Make the goal simple and attainable, but something that you need to work towards. Having no goal is a waste of time. Having too high a goal is a sophisticated way of being lazy (if the goal is too far away from where you are, you'll never reach it, and will stop trying). ALWAYS be prepared for your lessons.....ALWAYS, no exceptions, no excuses. If you hear or are asked to play a song at a blues jam that you don't know, DO NOT show up again not knowing that song (and in a few different keys too). Work as hard as you can to improve your ear training....this will never stop... you will always need to improve, always.

Practicing is part of being a musician. Never confuse it with rehearsal.... never confuse it with performance. If there comes a day you can't stand the idea of getting out your axe and practicing, you're in the wrong field.

[Leftybass12]

Originally Posted by fearceol

If you have the time, then I dont see why you should not practice for as much as you like.

You seem to be aware of the physical implications, i.e. taking lots of breaks, doing warm up (and down) stretches, keeping hydrated, good technique, etc.

Having said this, I think regularity is as important as actual time per practice session.

However, very long practice times can have it's toll in the long run. Have a look at this link and see what this has done to a fellow TB'er (post # 5 ).

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showth...t=#post9399625

In the end, it's your time, your hands, .... and your call.

Thank you very much for that. I did not know about that condition that man has.

[Leftybass12]

Originally Posted by Thunderthumbs73

Should?

This is like asking someone else exactly how many hours of "adult relations" you should have with your wife per week so that she remains happy and fulfilled.

Sorry, but I just think you're really barking up the wrong tree. In my experience, the teachers and instructors would not give a finite number answer to this question, at least the responsible ones would not. I will do the same in kind, as I think it's the responsible advice to give. And also as I have been through music school and have a music degree to show for it. The amount of time you need to practice is what it takes to make progress and to hopefully achieve the practice and progress goals assigned by your instructors.

What will likely end up happening is that due to college and life itself, you'll find you are never able to always and consistently practice as much as you WANT, but you may find yourself able to always and consistently practice as much as you NEED. And sometimes you are not even able to practice as much as you need.

You instructors, your teachers, and your friends all have interests in your time, to say nothing of your time with yourself. The idealism inherent in the question of how much time (exactly) should you spend will be begrudgingly pushed aside to give way to the pragmatic realities and needs of workload, life and practice.

You are exactly right. And with the consistently practicing as much as I want compared to what I need...that was dead on. I do understand that the realities of life are demanding and such, but the ultimate goal for me is to become a professional musician, not a rock star and such, but to be a real musician who understands many musical aspects and always to never feel like I've learned everything I can, but to always strive to attain something new.

[Leftybass12]

Originally Posted by BassChuck

+1 to Thunderthumbs.

I too have gone through music school and have a degree and extented study also... on trumpet and french horn. I've never studied bass. I'm assuming that the degree program you are dealing with has you playing DB and EB. It should.

But to answer your question about time. Always set a goal when you practice. And work to your goal. Make the goal simple and attainable, but something that you need to work towards. Having no goal is a waste of time. Having too high a goal is a sophisticated way of being lazy (if the goal is too far away from where you are, you'll never reach it, and will stop trying). ALWAYS be prepared for your lessons.....ALWAYS, no exceptions, no excuses. If you hear or are asked to play a song at a blues jam that you don't know, DO NOT show up again not knowing that song (and in a few different keys too). Work as hard as you can to improve your ear training....this will never stop... you will always need to improve, always.

Practicing is part of being a musician. Never confuse it with rehearsal.... never confuse it with performance. If there comes a day you can't stand the idea of getting out your axe and practicing, you're in the wrong field.

Like the other two that have responded to this, that is very correct and very helpful. I am in the program for electric bass. The one private teacher I have, he actually is the bass player for the band that plays before the jam nights that I go to, introduced me to the jam nights and I have my lesson with him the day after the jam night and he does pay close attention to what I do. He doesn't sit in the room right in front of me or anything like that, mosty he'll be outside of the room to where he can still hear me or out of my line of sight. Whenever I don't know a song and have to play it, that night I'll go listen to it again and again, then the next day I'll go and figure it out and such. I would like to also add that for the past 6 months he has been influencing me with a lot of jazz, which for obvious reasons I am really understanding chords and the importance of knowing them, but that also goes with the blues jams too. As far as the goals...my main "idol" is a way to put it, is John Myung of Dream Theater. I love that band. I would very much like to play on or around the same level as Myung, but I understand with the goal setting. I always make small goals to achieve, mostly on a weekly basis or monthly basis. I saw that you are from Cincinnati...I'm assuming Ohio, I'm actually in Cleveland, I just thought that was kind of cool.

[aidan784]

Some great responses. I would add that you should practice enough so that you are comfortable with the homework that I assume your private teachers are setting for you. It's interesting what you say in that you only practice technique, as you say you want to be a musician. When ear training by learning by ear bass in hand, you're practicing technique, when reading music with bass in hand, you're practicing technique.
These are things you should work on IMO, as they are what will make you a better musician, and like someone before me said, you can never be too good. Your attitude seems right about looking at learning long term.
Oh and interesting about John Myung I know he went to musical school at least and wasn't it Berklee if I'm not mistaken? Chances are his technique comes from the ways I mentioned above. I hope to do a music degree in a year or too so you're basically more experienced than me but I'm pretty sure I've got a decent idea of how to go about learning and practice. Best of luck!
PS: Just checked, it was Berklee.

[Stumbo]

So you want to be a music major?