How Many Practice Electric Bass Unplugged?

[Big Shrek]

What, pray tell, is a "Mongo grip"? I've never heard of it.

Realizing that many of you younger kids have been deprived
of the greatness of Mel Brooks...This is Mongo.

 

[Madvora12]

I only get a chance to plug into the amp on weekends. When I do, I spend all day on it. During the week, I have a bass next to my desk when working. Every free minute I get I run though walking bass lines, songs and sight reading unplugged.

 

[chris_b]

No. I stroke the strings, so I could imagine what I'm playing, but not hear any of it.

 

[lermgalieu]

All the time. Many get pedantic about this, which is silly. The important thing is playing. Plug it into a loaf of bread for all I care.

 

[Adamski22]

Yep

 

[Big Shrek]

I do both, but mostly due to having a really weird Anthony Tsai bass.
It's natural sound unplugged is actually why I bought it..to play
unplugged while the kids were sleeping. My guess is that it does have such
good reflective sound due to the routing of the body.

Although now it's sitting and will probably be for sale soon, since I got a Peavey Foundation and a
Getaria 2.5ghz wireless transmitter/reciever so I could walk/dance around the room while I play.
I like the sound of the Foundation better when its plugged in.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

I did it a lot in the past until I realized it was messing with my amplified playing. If all your basses seems to have developed fret rattles, start practicing plugged in and turned up, using your playing technique as a volume control. It’s one of the the best ways to eliminate fret rattle....

 

[mambo4]

I practice like I gig as much as possible. I unplugged there is too much NOT happening that needs accounting for.

The exception is to explore hyper focused on some isolated aspect. Finering patterns, rhthym, etc.

But for anything where sounding good actually matters: strap on, plug in, turn up.

 

[BurningSkies]

Most of my home practice is unamplified...especially right now when I'm also work-from-home. I can sit with a bass in my lap all day long and work through finger exercises, scales, etc.

When I'm rehearsing songs, I usually am amplified and playing to recordings.

 

[Deleted member 341607]

Everyday...

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I do it a lot. Not for long periods, but mostly just picking up the bass and figuring out what something I heard was. I'm trying to learn what I'm hearing and how it's played without a bass in my hands.

 

[BasementWarrior]

almost everyday

 

[Ric Vice]

My Lined Fretless 55-94 is great for practicing unplugged. Since I have. Fodera Private Practice Amp.

I usually fire that up.

 

[Pings Bass]

I get the allure of no cables or amps, and the urge to play untethered strikes me frequently. But when it strikes, I just grab my upright.

 

[levis76]

I do, but only so as not to bother other people. I have headphone capability and I do use it from time to time, and about once or twice a month I have the house to myself for a few hours and I'll plug into the amp and let it fly.

 

[MegaSwing]

If I’m alone, and that’s all I have, it’ll do.

 

[Rezdog]

Greetings from the North,

Since I've shed my rehearsal space and have a new man cave where I'm at, I now plug n play most of the time. But I do like the sound of my basses acoustically too.

Rezdog

 

[Element Zero]

“Practice”? Never. Dink around for a couple minutes that leads to plugging in and playing for at least an hour? Almost everyday.

 

[mattj1stc]

I almost always practice by myself unplugged. If I can play in a way that I can hear myself cleanly and clearly with no mistakes or buzzing, then I will sound great amplified.

 

[Jefenator]

I’m going the opposite direction. Got a low powered tube head that adds so much personality, it makes practicing more fun!