Getting back in

[NYBassMan]

Good evening to all. It has been a long time since I posted in here. Just to preface I have been playing off and on since I am 14. I turn 40 this year. I recently acquired a new axe to get back into the groove. Can anyone recommend the best drills and exercises to make the most out of my 1 hour per night practice time? I have 3 children and had to take quite a long hiatus from playing. I look forward to hearing your advice. Thank you in advance.

-Anthony

 

[FatStringer52]

If you don't already know your chord tones and inversions, start there . . .

 

[Mushroo]

Learn your favorite songs.

 

[Groove Doctor]

I would suggest - some rudiments, some learning of new/challenging songs, and some reinforcing memory with songs you already learned.

Write down a list of 10-20 songs you'd like to learn/master and dedicate some time towards those each day. You can better measure your progress better, feel really motivated by your achievements, and can perform for your family what you've achieved with that time.

 

[NYBassMan]

Thank you all. It always feels so jarring to come back to it. I need to be looking it more positively. I played so much in my youth (bands, 3 hour a night practice sessions). Trying to do that with kids is going to be difficult.

 

[ruju]

I

Learn your favorite songs.

I agree, I'm assuming you are just planning to do this as a hobby. I could be wrong but I'm in the same situation and besides the occasion get together jam and local pub gig, I'm mostly just playing at home for my own enjoyment.
Learn some songs and have fun to start. If you decided time and interest want you to push further, move on to some guided lessons.

 

[Malcolm35]

Brush up your scales and arpeggios then let Google find some fake chord sheet music on the songs you used to play and jump in. It will all come back.

Headphone into the amp so you can practice and not wake up the whole house would be time well spent.

https://www.amazon.com/SONICAKE-Hea...uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl


Have fun.

 

[dreamadream99]

Scales and arpeggios form the basis of most things we play. They're boring to play, but an invaluable skill to have under your belt. But whatever you choose, make sure to fill your practice hour with some variety.

• Warm up. 10-15 minutes. Run your scales, major and minor, 1 and 2 octave, up the neck through the keys. Do some weird dexterity or finger independence exercises you picked up on some Norwegian's website.
• Develop a skill. 30 minutes. Work on whatever skill you're recently trying to master. Maybe it's rhythmic, or an etude, or speed related.
• Do something fun. Spend the last part of your practice doing some fun stuff. Turn on the radio and just play along; do some ear tracing or singing. Start learning that creepy Norwegian song you heard on that guy's website; jam to All of Me 10 times through the form—whatever is fun for you.

 

[larrysb]

Tick tock tick tock....

Metronome. Get that baby out and do everything with it going.

Recovering bass player here too. Glad I hung on to my Dr. Beat 88 and managed against all odds to take the battery out years ago, in spite of all odds, so it still works.

That's done more for me than anything else. Have to settle that time and get all them fingers and strings to keeping time nice and steady and on the beat, or at least off of it a precise and intentional amount.

Otherwise, how will the drummer know what to do?