How much do you practise?

[HandsFree]

How much do you practise?
Especially if you're at the level where you can play anything you're asked without studying?
I'm not counting just learning new songs that are already within your level of playing.

I didn't practise for years, just played the (cover)songs we were doing. My playing probably advanced a bit by gaining experience, but a lot of if was just going on auto pilot.

When I started learning again I tried to find songs or solo's that were too hard for me, wrote them down and try to play them (almost) every day.
I prefer studying something in a musical context to just doing scales or chords.
But it's hard to keep motivated, knowing that you'll never play those songs on stage.
So to motivate me to to keep practising until I can play it as well as possible at this point in time, I thought I record myself and put it on youtube. Not to show off, they don't get any views anyway, but just to have some goal and work towards it.
(And then it's blocked in x countries because of protected content.)

So do you still, or again, practise? If so, what?

 

[two fingers]

I go in stages and it really depends on how much music I have to learn during a given time period. If I don't have a ton of music to learn I practice skills more. If I am cramming tons of new music into my head then technique stuff has to wait.

 

[Bob_Ross]

Not nearly enough!

The only time I practice is when I get new material to learn in advance...which reminds me, I have a piece to learn before Wednesday, gotta go!

 

[amusicalperson]

Not nearly enough!

The only time I practice is when I get new material to learn in advance...which reminds me, I have a piece to learn before Wednesday, gotta go!

It seems I'm not the only one playing on TalkBass instead of practicing!

 

[rufus.K]

I play everyday

 

[bonespatrol]

 

[ZenG]

I don't practise for practise's sake.
I practise to improve.

I'm always listening to bass lines and bass tracks in songs. Sure... I can play bass to that song...but can I play it with all the nuances etc that the player in the song did.

Soon as I hear something that I currently can't do...I pick up the bass and start working on it.

I also like to invent my own bass lines, runs, and finger exercises.

I get tired of pumping out generic "must know" bass riffs. A typical song usually has a variety of switchups, changes and accents in it rather than just one same bass line throughout.
So I look for those instead of the signature riff.

No matter how good you are there is always room for improvement.

You practise the same old stuff all the time you get stale and bored.

 

[BassChuck]

A couple hours a day. I always have a goal. Sometimes it's learning some music I have to perform, mostly its reviewing and keeping basic technique (scales, chords, fingerings). Reading is very important for me so lots of time with that. I want to be able to go to rehearsal or shows and not make mistakes, be prepared. Early in life I gave up the possibility of several professional gigs to finish school and get a teaching degree. Shortly after was marriage and family. Now my major goal is just proving to myself that I could have made it.

 

[pacojas]

lately, i've been simply practicing grooving. just a simple line like, "I'll take you There". just drill it until i scream from the reps.

 

[RoadRanger]

If you get boored just put the radio on and try to keep up . Or join a bunch of projects - I just took on another project and a fill-in gig last week. Now I gotta weed out a few, nine plus the fill-in is a bit much LOL.

 

[beaglesandbass]

I try to play for at least 30 minutes every day.

 

[spade2you]

I have 2 young kids and a gnarly job. Not nearly enough. I get to practice every now and then.

 

[jjmuckluckjr]

A couple of years ago, I decided to scrap everything I've done in 30+ years and start from scratch. My playing had become stale and predictable (woo, go root 5 th). So practice is now more than just learning new songs. I focus on dexterity, as you get older the term repetitive use injury creeps into your lexicon. And I want to be able to do more than the bass equivalent of a Barre chord. Now, is simpler better? For the most part, yeah. Still, it's nice to have a few tricks up your sleeve.

 

[neckdive]

I started playing later in life and have been dedicating a lot of hours playing 'catch up' to make up for not playing in my youth. My goal is get 20 hours per week of shed time which I can do when the family goes to sleep late at night (2-3 hours usually). I rehearse with a band once a week for about 3 hours.

 

[FrenchBassQC]

I have 2 young kids and a gnarly job. Not nearly enough. I get to practice every now and then.

Ok, rent one of your kids and get an easier job, you'll see that will help...

 

[Ninevolt]

I try a min of 30 min a day. If I spent as much time practicing as I do on this website I'd be better

 

[alembicguy]

Usually at least an hour before work and at least another hour after work.
Days off are different. I can practice right around 4 hours spaced out over the course of a day.

 

[SirMjac28]

Lately I've been downloading backing tracks from YouTube and coming up with my own bass lines I tend to get a little busy so I'm learning to dial it back a bit.

 

[RED J]

I don't practise for practise's sake.
I practise to improve.

Lately I've been downloading backing tracks from YouTube and coming up with my own bass lines I tend to get a little busy so I'm learning to dial it back a bit.

I play or practice every day. I can nail a pop funk or rock gig,that's what I always did. Now I'm not in a band, so replaying the same old stuff got very stale.
The backing track thing is a blast nothing like recording to show up your weaknesses and highlight your strengths. I re-track it until it's flawless, no way that becomes boring.
I'm also enjoying learning how to record in general.

I am also going to theory and technique lessons on the net. Jim Stinnett or Scott Devine really show you the difference between learning songs and learning music without being dogmatic or elitist. I'm using things I learn to build on what I already know, and see a lot of benefit. I wish I had had these resources when I was first learning by ear scratching up LP records !

I love TB, but we really do waste a lot of time arguing and nit picking about the mechanical part of our love, gear, when that really means much less than learning music and to continue to progress.

 

[AaronVonRock]

I like to play but I don't like to practice unless it's in a band setting. Usually we have band practice once a week. I play at home alone 2-3 days a week.