Suggestions for 1-Hour Practice Routine

[RunngDog]

I try to set aside about an hour every day to practice bass. However, most often I find myself simply "noodling" around -- a little bit of this, a little bit of that -- wihout any real routine.

I'm wondering if any of you have suggestions as to a really good "standard" practice routine to help improve skills, musicality, ear, reading, etc.

[Jason Carota]

Lots of great routines here: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/search...earchid=694157

To add to the above, if you find yourself noodling after a while, take a 5 minute break. Get something to drink, stretch, then start practicing again. I find that about 30 minutes in, I start to noodle around. This tends to help me get focused.

[Kelly Coyle]

I like this book: Power Practicing. It's there at the middle of this page.

(Jason's link doesn't go anywhere.)

[Jason Carota]

Hmm.....worked when I posted......

Try this:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/search...earchid=694157

[RunngDog]

Worked fine for me, Jason. Thanks -- don't know why I came up dry with I searched before posting the thread. Perhaps a misspelling . . .

[Jace The Bass]

Try this since you onl;y have an hour

10 mins- Scales / Arppegios ( Warm up )
10 mins- Intervals www.good-ear.com
15 mins - Reading music (Split it in half rhythms & pitch reading )
10 mins-Hearing Chords
5 mins- Righthand Techniques ( Slap, Spectrum, etc...)
5 MINS-Lefthand Techniques ( vibrato,hammer-ons )
5 mins -Scales / Arppegios ( Warm down )

Although it's only a example remember you could rearrange it to include Learning song by ear / Theory or Improvising to give yourself a change so your practicing doesnt become dull
which is the main point you want to stay away from
Another thing is to do is since their are subjects that need more time perhaps it would be benefical to study/work on a few subjects but more time ie: Transcriping a song by ear or Theory ( paper & instrument ) on some days and other days split it evenly covering alot of areas like the example given
Anyway whatever you practice try to focus your mind within that hour and leave distractions ( turn cellphone off etc..)

[SunShine]

Good-ear just ate two hours of my life.

[jusaplaya]

Originally Posted by SunShine

Good-ear just ate two hours of my life.

It just got me for 30 minutes on my bosses dime.

[stephanie]

Jace the Bass provided a good example of a practice routine.

The key to creating your own practice routine is to sit down and examine your goals (and write it all down!). Figure out what you want to be learning. Figure out what you should be learning. And take it from there.

[cassanova]

Much good advice listed here. One thing I would like to add is: Try to focus on your weakness's. Work on those as well until they become a strength.

This is only a loose example: Its good to practice scales, arrpeggios, etc, but if you know them inside and out, it would be more beneficial to focus on, for example, something like sight reading if you aren't very good at it.

[jazzbo]

Practice Practice Practice