Trying to set up a practice routine

[ARCtrooper225]

Hi guys, for the past two years, I've pretty much been learning bass by not practicing. When I say that, I mean, I never sat down and drilled through scales with a metronome and such. So now I'm trying to set up an actual routine, tell me how this sounds to you guys.

30 minutes - right hand finger speed training (with metronome)
30 minutes - slap speed training (with metronome)
30 minutes - left hand drills (with metronome)
30 minutes - sight reading
30 minutes - ear training

Is there anything you would change/add/subtract at all? Any suggestions are welcome

[Earthday]

Personally I would never just plain practice speed. I would focus on something like playing all the chords in a key all the way up and down the neck, playing scales all the way up the neck etc. in which you are getting technical training while getting musical training. Why spend a half hour on your right hand, a half hour on your left hand, and a half hour on sight reading when you could just sight read for an hour and a half and still be working your fingers out, in a much more musical and practical way? But that's just me. If chops are your thing, go for it.

Just to throw some ideas out there, this is generally how my practices go.
20 minutes of scales/chords, inversions, in different patterns, through the cycle of fifths, in different rhythms, at different speeds.
20 minutes of reading/going through a book if I'm working on one.
20 minutes of structured creativity (jamming along with a few songs, walking charts, improvising to charts)

Then every 3rd or 4th time I practice I'll just spend an hour or so listening to records and transposing. Sometimes I'll play it/write it in every key.

[steve66]

Originally Posted by Earthday

Personally I would never just plain practice speed. I would focus on something like playing all the chords in a key all the way up and down the neck, playing scales all the way up the neck etc. in which you are getting technical training while getting musical training. Why spend a half hour on your right hand, a half hour on your left hand, and a half hour on sight reading when you could just sight read for an hour and a half and still be working your fingers out, in a much more musical and practical way? But that's just me. If chops are your thing, go for it.

Just to throw some ideas out there, this is generally how my practices go.
20 minutes of scales/chords, inversions, in different patterns, through the cycle of fifths, in different rhythms, at different speeds.
20 minutes of reading/going through a book if I'm working on one.
20 minutes of structured creativity (jamming along with a few songs, walking charts, improvising to charts)

Then every 3rd or 4th time I practice I'll just spend an hour or so listening to records and transposing. Sometimes I'll play it/write it in every key.

+1

[manicbassman]

10 minutes - warmup (left and right hand together)
10 minutes - scales, different one each day (not just plodding up and down, put some feel into them)
10 minutes - arpeggios (again not plodding up and down them)
10 minutes - work on a mode other than major or minor
10 minutes - basic box patterns for blues (again with feeling)
10 minutes - chord progressions

all of the above on metronome or drum machine set to 80 at the start then work up to 120 by the end of the hour as I warm up

that's an hour, by then I'm nice and warmed up...

then I work on learning tunes while practicing reading sheet, not tab

[El Bajo]

I found putting time scales to practice routines difficult, I always run over by getting carried away or increasing metronome speeds. I do it by days with a standard warm up of scales and some licks of difficult songs that I cant nail made into exercises. Then dedicate the rest of the practice time to say:
Mon - Slap bass
Tue - Transposing/learning songs
Wed - Instructional book for sight reading
Thurs - Study a style (classical at the moment).
Fri - Improv
Weekend - Composing as I feel its not something you can cram in to an hour.
Works for me because I dont have much time in the evenings

[DocBop]

Originally Posted by El Bajo

I found putting time scales to practice routines difficult, I always run over by getting carried away or increasing metronome speeds. I do it by days with a standard warm up of scales and some licks of difficult songs that I cant nail made into exercises. Then dedicate the rest of the practice time to say:
Mon - Slap bass
Tue - Transposing/learning songs
Wed - Instructional book for sight reading
Thurs - Study a style (classical at the moment).
Fri - Improv
Weekend - Composing as I feel its not something you can cram in to an hour.
Works for me because I dont have much time in the evenings

First those focusing so much on speed are wasting time. Speed develops on its own. Practice playing fast just develops slop you have to spend even more time later on correcting. Focus in playing things perfectly no matter where you have to set the tempo. Then as you develop speed it will be playing cleanly and musically.

For El Bajo you will learn more faster doing everything, everyday, even if only for a few minutes each. Especially things like sightreading need to be done daily. If you time is limited, limit how the number of areas you're working on. Even composing write daily even if only a couple measures a motif or bassline. Better 10 focused minutes a day on sightreading than hours once a week.

[needmoney]

Originally Posted by DocBop

First those focusing so much on speed are wasting time. Speed develops on its own. Practice playing fast just develops slop you have to spend even more time later on correcting. Focus in playing things perfectly no matter where you have to set the tempo. Then as you develop speed it will be playing cleanly and musically.

For El Bajo you will learn more faster doing everything, everyday, even if only for a few minutes each. Especially things like sightreading need to be done daily. If you time is limited, limit how the number of areas you're working on. Even composing write daily even if only a couple measures a motif or bassline. Better 10 focused minutes a day on sightreading than hours once a week.

I agree and disagree to an extent. I don't think it's important to get too wrapped up in how many minutes or hours you do certain things in a day. If you want to be strict about it, sure.

I feel that if there's something you want to practice, or would like to get down sooner than other things, I find (personally) that it's better to stay focused on that task until you have it down or at least a good capable level, rather than designate shorter sessions each day, whilst doing a heap of other stuff at once. I don't know about others, but I find it's more of a brain-strain trying to focus on 6 different shorter tasks in one day rather than spend a good solid amount of time on 1 or 2 tasks and then work on something else the next day.

Certainly there are things you should practice EVERYDAY, for me it's 2 hours a day working around 1 particular key (scales/modes/patterns), moving around the cycle of 4ths daily. Sight reading is another good thing you can do daily. But for me, things like transcribing, soloing, walking, etc. are all better practiced in a less routine, structured way (i.e; 10 mins this, 10 mins that, 10 mins this, etc).

You really just need to find out what works for you, and what your brain and fingers can handle. Everyone is different

[DocBop]

Originally Posted by needmoney

I agree and disagree to an extent. I don't think it's important to get too wrapped up in how many minutes or hours you do certain things in a day. If you want to be strict about it, sure.

I feel that if there's something you want to practice, or would like to get down sooner than other things, I find (personally) that it's better to stay focused on that task until you have it down or at least a good capable level, rather than designate shorter sessions each day, whilst doing a heap of other stuff at once. I don't know about others, but I find it's more of a brain-strain trying to focus on 6 different shorter tasks in one day rather than spend a good solid amount of time on 1 or 2 tasks and then work on something else the next day.

Certainly there are things you should practice EVERYDAY, for me it's 2 hours a day working around 1 particular key (scales/modes/patterns), moving around the cycle of 4ths daily. Sight reading is another good thing you can do daily. But for me, things like transcribing, soloing, walking, etc. are all better practiced in a less routine, structured way (i.e; 10 mins this, 10 mins that, 10 mins this, etc).

You really just need to find out what works for you, and what your brain and fingers can handle. Everyone is different

It's just a matter of keeping track where you leave off on a topic when your time slice is done so you can pick up from that point the next day. Practicing in short time slices and having to stop when time is up you start finding your practice becomes more effecient. You start focusing more and learning faster because you know you only have a few minutes to work on that topic.

Using a timer during practice is a get tool for overall learning. Also best not to try and do marathon practice sessions. Guys talk about shedding for hours, but dig in and they usual don't get a lot done. They might have their instrument in their hands, but concentration goes fast and time slips away. In general use the timer and practice 45-50 minutes then take a 10 minute break. On the break get up and walk away, do something oral; drink some water or ???, smoke, eat something. We are animals and as such like oral gratifacation. Practicing like this with the break every hour you will find you can practice all day AND get something accomplished. All this comes from research called Learning Cycles on how the mind and body prefers to learn. Also like the short time slices we can teach ourselves to learn faster if we put ourselves in that situation.

Just sharing things I've learned over the years.

[needmoney]

Originally Posted by DocBop

It's just a matter of keeping track where you leave off on a topic when your time slice is done so you can pick up from that point the next day. Practicing in short time slices and having to stop when time is up you start finding your practice becomes more effecient. You start focusing more and learning faster because you know you only have a few minutes to work on that topic.

Using a timer during practice is a get tool for overall learning. Also best not to try and do marathon practice sessions. Guys talk about shedding for hours, but dig in and they usual don't get a lot done. They might have their instrument in their hands, but concentration goes fast and time slips away. In general use the timer and practice 45-50 minutes then take a 10 minute break. On the break get up and walk away, do something oral; drink some water or ???, smoke, eat something. We are animals and as such like oral gratifacation. Practicing like this with the break every hour you will find you can practice all day AND get something accomplished. All this comes from research called Learning Cycles on how the mind and body prefers to learn. Also like the short time slices we can teach ourselves to learn faster if we put ourselves in that situation.

Just sharing things I've learned over the years.

Cool.

So what's a solid practice regime on a day to day basis for you personally? (including tasks, allocated times, breaks, etc.) Just curious for my own benefit as I may be heading in the wrong direction

[manicbassman]

don't get too tied up with how many minutes for this and how many minutes for that... I don't have a clock running on my 10 minute "slots"... it just feels like 10 minutes on each... it's the weighting I give to each slot...

I usually take an hour to get through all six slots... which is where the 10 minutes per slot comes from...

If I'm pushed for time, then I make sure I do the first three... (warmup, scales & arpeggios) the others get dropped

[Mikey D]

This is my new routine as I am in serious mode at the moment. I try to do a bit each day, even it is only a little but on average I am dedicating about 8-10 hours to it.

1. Attentive Listening to music
2. Transcription
3. Ear Training
4. Learning new standards/tunes (melody, form, chords, walking through it and soloing on it)
5. Walking!
6. Arpeggigation of all chord types (up to 13th) w/inversions through cycle of 4ths (ascending and descending, also using enclosures and approach tones on the arpeggios) and through a selection of tunes
7. Using 3/4 note melodic shapes from these arpeggio 'stacks' and using them through tunes with embelishments
8. Pentatonics/Hexatonics/Cells
9. All common scales (ascending/descending/in patterns/3rds/4ths/5ths/6ths etc)
10. Having Fun playing whatever I feel like (tends to be learning latin or groove parts)
11. Free playing either on own or over a chord sequence or tune
12. Double Bass (some of the above, mainly walking!): 2hr
13. Piano (general musicianship and chord knowledge. I'm lucky enough to live with a jazz pianist so pick his brain for what I need to work on): 1hr

This list is in a rough order of how important I feel the exercises are with listening and transcription at the top. I used to spend a lot of time on right and left hand technique especially using all 4 fingers on both properly, but now I feel comfortable with the level both hands are at I let them develop on their own as part of all other exercises.

I should note that I do take breaks 10 minutes or so between topics and an hour for lunch. If I want to take a day or few hours off to go out iwth friends or whatever, I do. Practice isn't the be all and end all of life!

I also visualise everything before I play it, so even if I'm not physically practicing, if I'm out walking about I might be working out how I actually can do something. Its something I picked up from a Bergonzi book and it has helped me no ends and has helped me improve a bit quicker than I used to.

[Mikey D]

Originally Posted by ARCtrooper225

Hi guys, for the past two years, I've pretty much been learning bass by not practicing. When I say that, I mean, I never sat down and drilled through scales with a metronome and such. So now I'm trying to set up an actual routine, tell me how this sounds to you guys.

30 minutes - right hand finger speed training (with metronome)
30 minutes - slap speed training (with metronome)
30 minutes - left hand drills (with metronome)
30 minutes - sight reading
30 minutes - ear training

Is there anything you would change/add/subtract at all? Any suggestions are welcome

I've put mine above, but of course most people aren't fortunate enough to have the time to dedicate to this sort of thing (i'm a fulltime music student). Looking at yours and the time you have available I would recommend something like this (in order of importance):

30 minutes - attentive listening/transcription (this involves physically doing it by learning the part, you don't even need to write it down)
30 minutes - ear training
30 minutes - scales and arpeggios (with metronome)
30 minutes - Learning styles/parts either by ear or reading (latin, jazz, pop, rock)
30 minutes - having fun with whatever. Grooves, slap, creating your own lines, soloing etc

If you only have an hour, do a bit of listening/transcription, a select few scales and have a play on something new.

To be honest though, it all depends on where you want to get to and what you want to achieve. This is what should define what you practice and as such your practice routine should be re-evaluted at intervals. Too many people (myself included in the past) end up practicing the same things over and over and your playing doesn't improve and your passion for the instrument dissapears. A bit more info on where you want your playing to be would be good.

[DocBop]

Originally Posted by needmoney

Cool.

So what's a solid practice regime on a day to day basis for you personally? (including tasks, allocated times, breaks, etc.) Just curious for my own benefit as I may be heading in the wrong direction

That is different for eveyone. I think the topics people are mentioning are good, I just disagree with spliting thing by days. When my time is limited I will shorten the list as necessary. Usually dropping technique type topics since working challenging music serves the same purpose. If you are taking lessons work out a practice plan with your teacher. If on your own list your current topics priority, short and long term. Then take the time you plan to have and number of time slices available. Now juggle the list. Don't forget this is essentials for daily practice, if you have extra time add what you want stuff to keep playing fun.

[ThunderLizard]

ARC-
Are you currently in a band? In addition to your studies, I'd suggest that you find some other folks to play with; perhaps even outside of any regular band setting you might be in. That also takes an investment of time.
Good Luck To You!!

[skaliwag66]

Originally Posted by Earthday

Personally I would never just plain practice speed. I would focus on something like playing all the chords in a key all the way up and down the neck, playing scales all the way up the neck etc. in which you are getting technical training while getting musical training. Why spend a half hour on your right hand, a half hour on your left hand, and a half hour on sight reading when you could just sight read for an hour and a half and still be working your fingers out, in a much more musical and practical way? But that's just me. If chops are your thing, go for it.

Just to throw some ideas out there, this is generally how my practices go.
20 minutes of scales/chords, inversions, in different patterns, through the cycle of fifths, in different rhythms, at different speeds.
20 minutes of reading/going through a book if I'm working on one.
20 minutes of structured creativity (jamming along with a few songs, walking charts, improvising to charts)

Then every 3rd or 4th time I practice I'll just spend an hour or so listening to records and transposing. Sometimes I'll play it/write it in every key.

Short, simple, effective

I like this routine!

[kynoch]

My Practice goes something like this at the moment:

Warm up..left right hand speed....plus Scales and triads= 30mins

Playing songs I have learned (I'm not in a band at the moment as I have just moved) This helps me keep playing song beginning to end Important!!! = 30mins

Learning new songs/ear training =30 mins

Walking Bass by Ed Friedland as thats what I wanna learn = 30 mins.

Thats me. I would also appreciate tips on practice as I always feel i need to do more.

[Geezerman]

I'm really looking to develop a decent structured practice schedule. I play a lot, but I get no where because I just noodle for 4 hours a day

[phektus]

Originally Posted by ARCtrooper225

30 minutes - slap speed training (with metronome)

Hey there friend, how do you go about this? I'd like to do this thing too.

[Factory Owner]

Hello ARCtrooper225!

Developing a practice routine is a challenge! I hope you find one that works for you!

Here's my approach to practice. It's what I have been doing for 15 years now and I always see improvement.

This is my practice routine: I spend a lot of time thinking about purpose. I may ask myself many questions like,..."What kind of bass player do I want to be?"

I find this question to be very important. I feel that purpose determines the practice!

For example: If I wish to be a bass player that is hired for my competancy, then I practice developing my ear, learning my standards, learning to read chord charts, etc...

or...

If I wish to be a bass player that can play freely and expressivvely, then I practice developing weopons that allow me to be free on bass, such as concepts, technique, etc...

That one question alone can save you countless of hours in the practice room!

Every person desires something different when it comes to being a bass player. So, the only really best way to practice is one that is inline with your values and purpose!

Here is my practice plan that I have used for 15 years:
1. Know your purpose (what you want)
2. Plan what needs to be done to get there and how you will get there.
3. Understand that your purpose may by very different than most teachers believe your purpose to be!...Stick to your original plan!
4. Be happy and continue to enjoy playing music.