Double Bass Sneaking in practice time

[Ketbass]

Because of the demands of the DB, I find myself thinking about practice all the time. My OCD problem, not yours I’m sure. I found a great little 30 minute time slot on a lot of given evening when my wife and I are getting ready to go out somewhere. She says, “ Just give like 10 minutes to get ready.” After 40 years this means, “ I need 30 minutes, but I’m going to tell you 10.” At this point, I go into my studio/music room and work on my bow work, which needs a lot of work. But having this 30 minute time slot is perfect for a few quick exercises. Just curious, anyone else have undefined moments they sneak away and get a quick intonation check or long bow note exercise in? Or work out a few walking lines/solos over some tunes for the next gig?

 

[Jimbo Williams]

Anytime my wife leaves the house and my daughter is gone I'm practicing. I do lots of ear training and practicing to music so it's kind of loud.

 

[AGCurry]

...anyone else have undefined moments they sneak away and get a quick intonation check or long bow note exercise in? Or work out a few walking lines/solos over some tunes for the next gig?

Sure. However, I concentrate better on just about anything when I don't have a time constraint.

 

[AdAlonso]

It is helpful to have a backup bass always on a stand close to the sofa/tv just to catch it any time you have to wait for your wife. It works for me. 10 minutes are always 30/40 in the wife's dialect. I think these pieces of free study time are more valuable than any 2-hour practice because they let your brain develop the idea you've been practicing, all by itself.

 

[AGCurry]

I think these pieces of free study time are more valuable than any 2-hour practice because they let your brain develop the idea you've been practicing, all by itself.

The value of what you call "free study time" depends on what you want to achieve in practice. I practice to improve my technique and prepare repertoire, not to develop ideas. I play some exercises that tend to give me trouble, then carefully go through challenging passages in pieces I will have to perform. That kind of practice demands a hefty chunk of time, without interruption.

I do often pick up my instrument and play for a few minutes, but that time for me is kind of like flipping through a magazine - keeps me out of trouble, and I might learn something, or not.

 

[Keith Rawlings]

The value of what you call "free study time" depends on what you want to achieve in practice. I practice to improve my technique and prepare repertoire, not to develop ideas. I play some exercises that tend to give me trouble, then carefully go through challenging passages in pieces I will have to perform. That kind of practice demands a hefty chunk of time, without interruption.

I do often pick up my instrument and play for a few minutes, but that time for me is kind of like flipping through a magazine - keeps me out of trouble, and I might learn something, or not.

I’m hoping to be able to devote myself more to more focused practice like you describe once the wife and I begin our “empty nester” phase next year. For now it’s one solid session a week by myself with little snatches of practice like the OP posted about when I can get them in.

 

[Ketbass]

The value of what you call "free study time" depends on what you want to achieve in practice. I practice to improve my technique and prepare repertoire, not to develop ideas. I play some exercises that tend to give me trouble, then carefully go through challenging passages in pieces I will have to perform. That kind of practice demands a hefty chunk of time, without interruption.

I do often pick up my instrument and play for a few minutes, but that time for me is kind of like flipping through a magazine - keeps me out of trouble, and I might learn something, or not.

Fair enough. I’m not a classical player, mostly jazz and folk/roots. I use those 30 minutes to put my hands on the bass to just get some time each day. I’m at that stage of development where anytime my hands are on the bass, it’s good time and I glean a few things. I do usually have focused time most days, a couple of hours, I try, and that’s where I work on development, technique and difficult passages. For me, that’s anything to do with classical/arco work. I just switched to German bow and it is dramatically easier to work with on the right hand. Both hands still need a ton of development. I should be alive for awhile, so there’s time.

 

[AdAlonso]

The value of what you call "free study time" depends on what you want to achieve in practice. I practice to improve my technique and prepare repertoire, not to develop ideas. I play some exercises that tend to give me trouble, then carefully go through challenging passages in pieces I will have to perform. That kind of practice demands a hefty chunk of time, without interruption.

I do often pick up my instrument and play for a few minutes, but that time for me is kind of like flipping through a magazine - keeps me out of trouble, and I might learn something, or not.

As my old teacher used to say "you have to start playing with your mind". I took this idea seriously and I can find myself thinking about grades, finger positions and intervals while attending a dinner or any other social event. It's quite challenging but it works for me. I also find myself quite often warming up my fingers using whatever i find: a napkin, a fork, or even "air bass guitar". Yeah, sometimes people stare at me with the *** look.