Questions On Practice Time.

[Alan Vorse]

I am in a fortunate position that I work in a music store that carries a selection of decent student to mid-line basses. What I have been doing for the last several months is after I finish eating my lunch, I'll grab a bass and bow and head to a lesson room to try and get 30-45 minutes of practice time in. Then when I get home, I'll put in another 1-3 hours.

I also recently discovered that two of my favorite players-Ray Brown and Dave Holland-always start their practice sessions by working with the bow. I would like to do this also.

So I was wondering if it would be do-able to spend my lunch time practice in Simandl with the bow, then go home and work on more jazz related things (tunes, transcriptions etc)?
Or is it more benneficial to work with the bow in the same practice session as the other work I'm doing?

[reedo35]

I believe any practice with the bow is beneficial. I don't see any problem with splitting up your practicing.

[Audiophage]

I never practice for more than 45 minutes at a time, I don't think it would be a problem, even if you had hours between when you break for lunch and when you get home.

[Michael Case]

It's fine, you just pick up where you left off the next day. But if you can get 3-4 hours in after work an extra 20 minutes with bow wouldn't cut into your other practice.

[David Kaczorowski]

I'd want to spend lots of time with the bow on my own instrument. Practicing slowly with the bow is how you develop a good tone. Do it on your own instrument and not in a small area, like a music store practice room. A small room will deceive you into thinking you have a good tone.

Do something else on your lunch, like work on a tune. If you're practicing 3 hours at home, spend at least first hour playing scales and arpeggios with the bow.

[Menacewarf]

Beside the obvious benefits of practicing with a bow I find starting with a bow is a great way to get reconnected with the bass each day. Starting with focus on the meditative side (listening and body awareness) literally feels good but also seems to have a carry over effect to the more intellectual aspects of practice.

[reedo35]

Somebody must have read "Effortless Mastery"

[Menacewarf]

Actually "The Inner Game of Music," but three cheers to any book that encourages one to try and face the reality of what making music is about.