Good daily practice routine

mcnaire2004 · #1 03-18-2006, 10:16 PM

Does any have a good daily routine for bass practice? I really am inconsistent and I am trying to put together a good daily routine and practice time a day. Right now I just warm up on my youth symphony music and a scale or to. Then I get to work on the Bottesini Concerto No. 1. The only thing is I don't really have a schedule or any good type of organization. Some times. I can practice from 30 mins to 5 hours. The only problem is I no consistency. What type of daily routine do some of you do to consistently get better?

trajectory fish · #2 03-19-2006, 12:38 PM

As my time evaporates more and more quickly while working to become a Master of Architecture, I have found that getting up early is the key to having time and energy in the day to do everything I want to do. I get up at 6:00 and eat something, usually a bowl of oatmeal or grits, then practice guitar while I drink a cup of coffee. Around 7:45, I go to the studio (architecture) until about 10 at night, with an hour for lunch and an hour for dinner in between. When I get home, I practice DB for about an hour before doing the sleep thing.

I have a sandwich approach to practicing both instruments. I warm up by having fun with the instrument, then I practice some exercises, learn a new song, or do some transcribing. I usually spend 15 minutes at the end of the practice session having fun with the instrument again.

The key is to eat a decent breakfast and to set aside a regular time for practice every day, even if it is only an hour.

Hope this helps,
-Bennett

Bruce Jackson · #3 03-20-2006, 04:57 PM

Signor Petrachi has a nice little exercise routine in his "Higher Technique" book. There are different levels, fairly difficult, more difficult and most difficult. If you use a metronome (slow at first, then faster) you'll have a decent workout in not a lot of time. But you do have to make the time.

Anon2962 · #4 03-21-2006, 07:55 AM

One idea that has been working well for me is to find some really good studies. Once you know them inside out, you can use them as warm up pieces. I have 5 studies now that i play every session. I think it's nice to see how it feels to play some of these when i'm not fully warmed up, (although ALWAYS stretched!) as the time always comes when for one reason or another we have to 'perform' (either in concert or in rehearsal) when we are not 100% warmed up.

All the studies are from a now out of print study book and are a collection of studies from different composers. if anyone is really keen to see them i might be ablt to send you a copy.

1) A study that works my bow arm with short strokes and very little to do with the left hand (slow stepwise motion).

2) A study which is similar but involves string crossing in sextuplets, the bow hand changing string for each note: G-D-A-D-G-D. I then play this slurred six to a bow.

3) A piece with faster notes for the left hand but which requires smooth bowing.

4) A pieces which is pretty darn fast for the left hand and is more complicated for the bow arm. Mostly chromatic.

5) A study by nanny which spans most of the range od the bass and involved several different techniques.

After this, which usuallyt takes about 40 mins, i'm fully warmed up, and can work on one of the studies individually or move on to whatever i'm working on. The more i play these studies the more i learn. Being able to play something which is complicated but remaing relaxed and in control is a great thing to take into the rest of your playing.