Practice time

[msaone]

Just curious as to how much time you (on average) you spend practicing everyday?

Currently I get in around an hour at least running scales and difficult runs while watching tv

[Kmonk]

I have been playing for 34 years and have never seen the need to practice everyday. I learn very quickly and can stop playing for a month or more and pick up right where I left off. I play for about 4 to 6 hours per night on Friday and Saturday. Except for rehearsal, I rarely play during the week.

[msaone]

Try to play everyday to keep the chops up. Just getting back into it and the band I'm playing with wont be playing as much as you. We play all instrumentals with a fair amount of duty put to the bass. If I rest too much it's like starting over for me.

[Pacman]

I manage between 3-4 hours every day during the week, not counting rehearsals. Weekends tend to be trickier, but I still manage some shed time.

[bolophonic]

I try to play as often as humanly possible. I am always getting better when I play more frequently.

[msaone]

I'd love to play 3-4 hours a day, that's great.

[Art Araya]

Originally Posted by msaone

Just curious as to how much time you (on average) you spend practicing everyday?

Currently I get in around an hour at least running scales and difficult runs while watching tv

I did LOTS of this - running scales and exercises while watching TV. It has its place - it develops some pretty good dexterity.

But make sure you spend time working on your ear, your feel/groove, etc... There are other elements of bass playing that require your mind to be engaged which you can't do while watching TV. Otherwise your playing will fall into the rut of mindless scale runs. This happened to me and it was very hard to break out of.

[Art Araya]

Originally Posted by Kmonk

I have been playing for 34 years and have never seen the need to practice everyday. I learn very quickly and can stop playing for a month or more and pick up right where I left off. I play for about 4 to 6 hours per night on Friday and Saturday. Except for rehearsal, I rarely play during the week.

Geddy Lee has a similar story as yours in that he doesn't need to practice too much. Most people I've met are not so blessed - most of us require time daily on the instrument to grow in our playing or at very least to maintain the muscle memory in our hands.

[Already In Use]

I try to play 1 to 2 hours per day over the last few years. I currently rehearse with a trio 3 to 4 hours twice per week and have been playing with a start up band a couple of hours each week one day per week. In a happy place for sure! Peace!

[mbbassmojo]

I'm doing good to get in 45 minutes to an hour a day probably 5-6 days a week. Found the best time to practice is during my lunch break at work, lucky enough to have room to set up at work. The kids and wife make it harder to find time at home or turn up loud enough at night.

[msaone]

Originally Posted by Art Araya

I did LOTS of this - running scales and exercises while watching TV. It has its place - it develops some pretty good dexterity.

But make sure you spend time working on your ear, your feel/groove, etc... There are other elements of bass playing that require your mind to be engaged which you can't do while watching TV. Otherwise your playing will fall into the rut of mindless scale runs. This happened to me and it was very hard to break out of.

I hear ya. I've been playing for about 25 years. I took a break about four years ago, then discovered the error in my ways thus past spring.

I've got a good ear. I can read music but most of the songs I know on bass were by ear.

[Already In Use]

Originally Posted by mbbassmojo

I'm doing good to get in 45 minutes to an hour a day probably 5-6 days a week. Found the best time to practice is during my lunch break at work, lucky enough to have room to set up at work. The kids and wife make it harder to find time at home or turn up loud enough at night.

Get headphones.

[wilberthenry]

I was getting a fair amount of time (maybe 2 hours a day), but I now have band practices/gigs/jam sessions I attend 4 nights a week. I am playing a lot and getting better in some ways, but most wouldn't consider this practice. It has helped with parts of my playing in ways that practicing just doesn't-at least for me.

[mlisen]

When the band is active, we write songs and jam and practice two or three nights a week. Outside of that I generally mess around a bit every day and follow some instructional videos a couple of times a week. So basically there is no structure to my practice.

[Duckwater]

I practice/study theory for about 1-2 hours a day, then I play for about 4-8. For me music is pure enjoyment and I have nothing else to spend my time on.

[Clef_de_fa]

I play 1h30 to 2h a day for the past year. I had moment in my life where I would practice 5h a day and in other moment maybe 30min a day sometime less.

[drummer5359]

I practice seriously about a half an hout per day, figuring out things by ear, doing scales and working on various techniques that need help. Besides that I spend some time "noodling" on the bass as well. Many here and elsewhere have comented that it's not "practice" and I get that. It has it's place though, as I understand that playing bass is supposed to be "fun" too.

[Anonymatt]

Practice stuff that's involving enough that you can't look at the tv while you're doing it.

[henry2513]

2-4 hours a day shedding on different things.

[msaone]

Originally Posted by Anonymatt

Practice stuff that's involving enough that you can't look at the tv while you're doing it.

I do. it's just convenient to play that way after the kids go to bed. The stuff i'm learning now for a buddies band is crazy.
The one song has a sixteenth notes four bar lick at 220bpm.

That will take your attention from the tv.