How Much Do You Practice?

[lowendrachel]

As of now if I’m lucky. 15-30 minutes a day. Two hours in a rehearsal once a week.

 

[TerribleTim68]

If a bass is out and on the stand next to the amp, every day, compulsively. If the basses are put away, it doesn't happen. If you're like me, keep a bass out -

Yeah, for sure. Now days I keep them on wall hangers -

I find I'm much more prone to picking one up that way. Luckily the wife let me create this little room in our new place.

 

[rutrho]

Yep, pretty much that.

 

[Jeff Scott]

Most every day, bouncing back and forth between bass and guitar, working on original material, always.

 

[MF-Winzlow]

Sounds oddly familiar!
View attachment 3515433 View attachment 3515434
I seem to have a thing for pointy basses!

Being that you played mostly original, have you found it to be an issue now? When I was in bands back in the day, we only played originals. So I never learned a bunch of songs off the radio, we wrote our own stuff. So now I find myself going "I don't know what to play because I don't know any songs off the radio."

Naw..I have always enjoyed trying my hand at covers...so not new...it was always a great way to practice and warm up.

 

[Muttleybass]

I get Monday's off, usually +/- 2 hours, 2 1/2 hour rehearsal Tuesday with cover band A, 2 hour rehearsal with original band Thursday, play Friday or Saturday with cover band B. If I'm not doing anything I'll pick it up and learn stuff for an hour.

 

[FenderBassist]

Generally I like to play 1-2 hours every day because it's one of my favorite activities. Sometimes I'll throw in 30 minutes of hand exercises to keep the hands loose, but I'll always throw on some albums from my huge collection

(or one of my audition CDs I burned, of which I have many saved)

and playback at low volume and play along to them through a practice amp equally low. Before I was a player, I listened to music daily as a hobby...so it fits in to play along as well.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

For 5 minutes before curtain time at a gig.
Gotta loosten the knuckles.

 

[carlos 1955]

Damn I have no ideas how you guys make it work....I used to practice from after school to time for bed from age twelve to somewhere around 20... 7 days a week... had 2-3 bands gig every week.. then it got more complicated... With work, the all around thing to take care and maintain around the house, the kids, the dogs to walk... by the time everything is done my first break is around 8-9 in the evening... I really wish i could go back to practice a couple of hours a day... for now it’s mostly a couple of hours a week... and I usually keep 35-40 min just for hand exercise to keep my hands loose... I really like to lookup on yt for lessons and stuff....

 

[Siggy]

I play in one band but do a lot of sub work with a wide range of music, (think ABBA to Zappa). If I'm learning new music I practice daily for 20 to 60 min. If I'm gigging weekly with my band, hardly ever.

BTW I retired in 2002 so I have al the time I need.

 

[Nebula24]

30 mins every other day. Sometimes more or less. Bit more on weekends.

Mid40s (married, 2 kids) and repicked up bass after finding out I love short scales. No plans to ever play outside my home just wanted to be able to play a few tunes so the bass in house wasn't just a fixture. Old long scale just sat in closet 364 days a year..1 day a year attempted to play but never bonded.

Love tab apps too. Use them to learn songs I like and then I play them from memory. Then play around with new patterns and runs I learned. Think about why/how/what the notes are doing but not real studying. Works for me. Better than not playing and having that nagging I should try and play.

Also getting back into bike riding around neighborhood. Same 30 mins every other day.

 

[Alfonso Alba]

I started two years ago and I have tried to practice everyday since then, even if it's just for a few minutes. Some days I practice for an hour or more, other days I practice for only 20 minutes. There have been days when I don't get any practice, but they are few; less than once a week. I mostly practice along songs, but sometimes force myself to do fingering exercises.

I don't have any big plans, but I'd like to play with a band. But it would have to be with friends who like the same kind of music as I, and all of them are pretty busy.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I'm sure this has been debated a million times, and I know a bunch of you are going to say "If you can't dedicate the time required then you shouldn't bother...." But seriously, for those of you who play as a hobby, guys who are NOT in a band, have no intentions of playing live, just like to sit at home and noodle on a chunk of wood, how much do you really practice? How often do you pick it up and how long do you goof around on it before you set it back down?

I'm not looking for any sort of "This is how long you need to do this" answer. I'm just curious. My days of playing in a band are long behind me. Been there, done that. Now days I just occasionally like to sit in my room and thump out some notes or goof around on some rhythm I came up with in my head at 2am when I couldn't sleep. I work a full time job, have a wife who I like to spend time with and have some other hobbies that eat up some time too. I'm just curious, of the guys out there like me, how much do you sit down and play, and for how long?

And to cap it off, for the guys like me who are NOT in a band actively playing and have no intentions of going down that road, where do you turn for improving your skills? Or do you bother with instruction at all?

Pretty much if I’m not gigging or prepping for. Recording session. I’ll play my acoustic guitar. From a chops stand point, sitting around thumping by myself doesn’t really prep me for serious playing much. Oh, I can work on fingerings and stuff like that , but when the lights go on, I’m 100% more dynamic, and I just can’t duplicate that at home by myself.

To answer your question, I’ll do some scales for about 5-10 minutes a day to keep the fingers loose and callouses built up.

 

[2112]

Typically 10-15 hours per week.

 

[zubrycky]

I practice everytime I can.

 

[DoctorZee]

I have a wife who I like to spend time with

You lost me at this part.

Seriously, I think if/when I stop playing in bands, I’ll probably play very little bass at home. I love this instrument because of its role in an ensemble. If I was just entertaining myself I think I’d pick up guitar again or learn a new instrument.

 

[juancaminos]

Right now an hour a day only because I am trying out a new band and I have an acoustic gig commitment coming up. But I get very little pleasure in practicing. To me, as I've said so many times before, I am a stage guy. I get very little pleasure and see very little reason to play in the garage or bedroom.

 

[hieronymous]

At this point for me, the most important reason I would practice would be to keep my chops up. But it that's the only motivation then I can guarantee I won't do it. I need the pressure of a jam or a rehearsal or (ideally) a gig to get me to put in the work. But I tend towards lazy and that's my own issue...

OTOH, I did play along with stuff today for 20 minutes or so - Allman Bros. "Elizabeth Reed", Bob Marley "Exodus" & "Jammin'" - felt good! I stopped if I felt discomfort and was able to jump right back in (only a couple of times). Actually, I played along with my volume off the first time through, then with my volume up, so I might have been up to 30 minutes - those are long songs lol

 

[Spidey2112]

As much as I can, without interfering with life's other responsibilities... when I first started, I bet I was putting in 3-4 hours... a day. No lie... I didn't know any better.

I played the crap outta that POS I had for my first bass...

 

[TheDirtyLowDown]

i play every day. i gig when i can. i practice (tunes) as the need arises.

Well put. It's the same for me.
I find that need to do focused practice shows up for me when I'm learning a new tune, or when I listen to a recording I've made and want to improve something, or if I'm trying to refresh old material. The last intense practicing I did for weeks on end was for the exercises in Anthony Vitti's Finger Funk Workbook. [If you don't know it, check it out -- that's the single best practice book I've found for funk] I should probably run through it again...someday.