Regarding Practice

[percy_jones]

Hi, I´m 19 and I started college this year and I´m having trouble with my time management in my practice routines. I can´t get to crop everything to 2 daily hours. It´s like I spend too much time with scales and aprpegios, its the only thing I ve been doing lately, this consumes my rythmic studies (Another thing that worries me, how can I aproach to them? I´m thinking to do Chuk Sher`s improviser´s bass book chapter on rythm, what would yo recommend?), my transcription activities, and my practice with tunes.
I made the following routine for studying scales and arpegios based on different aproaches I read here and there. I first study every position in the neck (from the lowest to de highest pitch without changeing postions), I try doing 10 minutes per postition. Then I play 2 adjacent positions at the same time switching from one to the other, I do this with all postitions playing 10 minutes each pair. And as the last step I play the scale/arpegio in one string, and then in two. All this I do it singing the notes and improvising, with a drum track and some strings playing the corresponding chord for the scale/arpegio.
What do you guys think? How can I do to take the most out of it without spending that much time? Any other considerations regarding practice routines or the things I want to include in my routine are welcomed. Thanks!

[Martin Bormann]

Originally Posted by percy_jones

Hi, I´m 19 and I started college this year and I´m having trouble with my time management in my practice routines. I can´t get to crop everything to 2 daily hours. It´s like I spend too much time with scales and aprpegios, its the only thing I ve been doing lately, this consumes my rythmic studies (Another thing that worries me, how can I aproach to them? I´m thinking to do Chuk Sher`s improviser´s bass book chapter on rythm, what would yo recommend?), my transcription activities, and my practice with tunes.
I made the following routine for studying scales and arpegios based on different aproaches I read here and there. I first study every position in the neck (from the lowest to de highest pitch without changeing postions), I try doing 10 minutes per postition. Then I play 2 adjacent positions at the same time switching from one to the other, I do this with all postitions playing 10 minutes each pair. And as the last step I play the scale/arpegio in one string, and then in two. All this I do it singing the notes and improvising, with a drum track and some strings playing the corresponding chord for the scale/arpegio.
What do you guys think? How can I do to take the most out of it without spending that much time? Any other considerations regarding practice routines or the things I want to include in my routine are welcomed. Thanks!

A good way to condense your practicing (and helps keep your mind in to it) is to just combine exercises. Let's say you're working on scales right now. You can combine that with rhythmic studies by practicing different rhythmic patterns with the scales.

[PaulMacCnj]

You're covering a lot and that's good. Now, it's time to add some "fun learning". Pick some songs that you enjoy play along with them. It's important to practice in the context of a band. The dynamics are quite different than playing solo. I suggest either using your rig while playing the songs through an audio system with speakers or, what I usually do is, use something to mix your bass with the song and practice (quietly to others) with headphones. The Korg Pandora is an option. Keeping up with the other musicians playing something in real time is an excellent way to learn.

Also, jam as much as you can with other musicians. Use what you know to fit the music, find out what doesn't work, whatever it takes to put your skills to test. This will make you realize very quickly where more or less practice is needed.

Most of all, relax and have fun!!!