When is your most productive practice time(s)?

[catcauphonic]

I don't know about you guys (& gals), but I consistently get my best practicing in very early in the morning.

On a normal workday I'm up at 5am. After 2 cups of coffee while I do some catch-up on TB, I'll plug in and practice for about an hour & a half, pausing only to have a quick breakfast, before heading out the door for work at around 7:15am.

I spend 80% of my workday driving a 30' truck in and around the city. I usually get home somewhere between 3-5pm ... the start time of the afternoon rush. At that point I'm pretty stressed. If I try to pick up my bass as soon as I get in, my fingers and my brain aren't on the musical wavelength, and my sound really suffers. I usually can't get it back until after a few hours of just relaxing. Then I'll plunk around for at least another hour before bed. Luckily, the Wife doesn't mind if I practice lightly while we watch a movie or something at night.

So on workdays I'm rockinest' from 5:30-7am. Weekends I can play almost all day with very productive results.
I really hate being more than 2 hours away from my bass at all times!

When does your most productive practice time(?) happen?

[gmahoog]

+1 on the mornings for getting into a routine. It's good to get at least one hour every morning.

There are times late at night that I have some great practices, but the morning is the most consistent.

[Huge94]

I'm not a morning person so my best practicing is somewhere in the afternoon when I don't have classes or work, and then just after supper at around 7-8.

[mjac28]

Originally Posted by catcauphonic

Luckily, the Wife doesn't mind if I practice lightly while we watch a movie or something at night.

LOL Do you play louder when the Notebook is on? for me it's early afternoon then I take a break and come back in the early evenings before all of my shows come on.

[catcauphonic]

Originally Posted by mjac28

LOL Do you play louder when the Notebook is on? for me it's early afternoon then I take a break and come back in the early evenings before all of my shows come on.

Ha - I didn't know what that was before I just googled it Luckily, my Wife prefers weird/artsy/gory films.

Sadly, I can't really practice at any time with much volume.
We live on the 3rd floor of a 6 unit apartment building, so my 200watt 1x15 is hardly ever turned past 2

[MalcolmAmos]

We all have a best time. Mine is early in the morning. Afternoon after work, forget about it.

Vox, bass headphone amp is one soultion for this.

[Already In Use]

My best times are when I'm really feelin it. I play several times throughout the day...most intense in the evening as I try to be "ready" for shows at those times. I use headphones most of the time while alone. Our band puts in an average of 10 hours per week rehearsing.

[catcauphonic]

Originally Posted by MalcolmAmos

We all have a best time. Mine is early in the morning. Afternoon after work, forget about it.

Vox, bass headphone amp is one soultion for this.

Thanks, but my problem with the 'phones is the tones. I'm shy to get spendy on a quality pair that doesn't sound awful. I have not been pleased so far with the $20-$30 pairs that I've played through (and in this case it's not my playing )

[nightingale]

Whenever the bass is in my hand.
For some reason, I can't play other instruments for more than 1 hour.
With bass, I can play it until my fingers hurt. But best time? Early morning.

[Nashrakh]

Originally Posted by Huge94

I'm not a morning person so my best practicing is somewhere in the afternoon when I don't have classes or work, and then just after supper at around 7-8.

+1

For me productive practice is not about time but direction... Unless you just noodle away I find time to be of no concern - it's wether you practice something with intent or not.

My playing is usually best in the evenings, and on rainy days. Sounds weird but I always sound better on rainy days. Crazy, isn't it...

[seanm]

Late evening. For some reason 11:00pm seems good.

[gard0300]

In between my 3-5 beer.

[Wookieonbass]

Early Saturday mornings unless I played the night before.

[catcauphonic]

Originally Posted by Nashrakh

My playing is usually best in the evenings, and on rainy days. Sounds weird but I always sound better on rainy days. Crazy, isn't it...

If you move to Seattle you may become a virtuoso Daytime in the winter is very short & the rain is almost constant!

[leftiebass]

wow - I am just the opposite. The good thing is that you know when your best time is. For me, it is at the very end of the day (near midnight). The house is quiet and the day is done. One good thing that I found is that when I can't sleep - for whatever reason, I get out of bed and quietly play - ten or fifteen minutes and I'm in a better and more relaxed space. Usually can go right back to sleep.
Your routine sounds great - keep it up.

[Bassist4Eris]

I usually get the itch around 9 or 10 at night. In other words, right around now, so I'll see ya'll cats later!

[two fingers]

The afternoon of a show. That's when I finally get around to making charts, and learning songs. Waiting until the last minute produces some quality practice time. I get a lot done in a very short time.

[MalcolmAmos]

Originally Posted by catcauphonic

If you move to Seattle you may become a virtuoso Daytime in the winter is very short & the rain is almost constant!

And all the widow ladies have moss growing on their roofs. No husband around to spray the moss........

[BenBL]

My best practicing is usually about 3-5pm or like 9pm-midnight. My favorite time to write music is between 11:30pm and 2:00 am. Usually don't have an amp plugged in but I do work at those early hours.

[theretheyare]

early in the morning. brain is still fresh, the city quiet, and family members still asleep, allowing for the best focus and focused listening to myself, ime bringing best return on time investment. I sometimes practice unplugged, forcing myself to really listen.