How to prioritize practice times?

[baddarryl]

Hi I am a 45 year old who has fiddled with bass for years. I have a rock background and can play most things by ear. I started to study theory and re dedicate myself. I budget 1 and a half hours in the morning for theory and usually 1 hour at night for transcribing songs. my goal is to be able to go to open mic night at the blues Club and sit in with songs I don't know. This is my weakest point. How do I best divide that morning time to learn improvisation? I have a drum machine and lots of books. Thank you.

[two fingers]

You don't transcribe blues songs. You get a rough feel for how they go and then go play them. Blues is nothing if not improv. I was the house bass player for an open mic blues night once a week for years. Never saw a sheet of music or a chart.

Now, learn yourself some chord structure. That's where you can lay down some blues. Find some charts of songs you like and study the chords contained therein. Build your bass lines from a combination of your new-found chord structure knowledge and listening to the original recordings.

But really "studying" the blues is kind of like getting a degree in eating pizza. You don't need a degree to eat pizza. Figure out what you like, and then eat it.

[thrash_jazz]

Practicing improvisation on your own is never going to be the same as actually going to a jam. There's only so much preparation you can really do at home. As long as you know the basic blues forms and how to play over them, you're ready - go for it!

If you're still not feeling so sure, take a look at the songs you're transcribing. Rather than learn the songs note for note, analyze the theory principles the bass lines use - for example, triads, passing tones and tension/release.

[lwknives]

Originally Posted by two fingers

But really "studying" the blues is kind of like getting a degree in eating pizza. You don't need a degree to eat pizza. Figure out what you like, and then eat it.

You are cool.

[baddarryl]

Thanks guys. Let me add that have there been opportunities for me to jam with funk players that I have steered from because I don't feel to prepared. I am interested in Jazz, southern rock, country and all that stuff too. Wow tastes broaden as we age!

[MalcolmAmos]

Call up videos from the Internet and jam along to them at home. When you get comfortable take it public.

To jam you gotta jam. A jamming circle is a very safe place to be. As long as you are civil and look like you are trying everyone will go out of their way to help you.

Go for it.

On another note, that is how I practice now. We get the fake chord on 6 new songs each Wednesday (Praise band). I come home with the fake chord; call up a video of each song from the Internet and practice playing them with the video. Works great.

[bherman]

If you don't mind spending a few bucks an have an ipad, check out the irealb app and download some of the blues, etc playlists. Lots of classic blues tunes to play along with