Hello everyone,
I've been playing bass for close to 11 years now. I play well but I really want to step it up a notch. Lately I've been pondering coming up with a practice regiment but I really don't know where to start. My aim is to be a versatile bassist as opposed to a bassist that does one or two things or plays a style of music really well. I just want to be good all around. I want to be a well rounded musician. John Paul Jones is one of my heroes not because he can play bass well but because he is really a great, well rounded musician. I'm just using him as an example.
As far as a practice regiment goes I feel like there's so much I need to practice to get to where I want to be. Technique, theory, reading, ect. Like so many I'm a working family man so I need to make the most of my time. However, I have a family that is very supportive of music.
A little about me. Playing for close to 11 years. I know a bit about the rudiments of theory but nothing too advanced. I understand how chords and scales relate to one another. I know what intervals sound like. I can look at the bass clef and pick out a note and play it but really that's what I'm limited to as far as reading goes. Oh, and I can look at sheet music and tell what the interval is between two notes. I recently started playing worship music and it's been a rewarding experience. However, when my bandleader says something like, "hey, lets try doing this song in the key of F rather than C", well I'd be lost. Thankfully he's really patient and I've actually taught him a thing or two about music. My main instrument is a fretless J bass. That's just what I like. I feel like I have a pretty good ear. I can name pitches really well. When I listen to music I try to listen analytically rather than just casually. My main technique for my right hand is the plain 'ol alternating two finger method.
I like going into a situation that requires me to play music that is been rehearsed already but I don't want to be relegated to just playing music in those situations. I want to be able to be called up by a bandleader that knows I'll be able to play the music they're playing whether I've heard it before or not. Right now I'm not there.
I think that learning different techniques is important but only so I can be versatile.
I'm sorry about such a long winded post but it would be ridiculous for me to ask the question that I have without giving you all the above information.
FWIW, my financial situation is definitely going to improve in the forseable future and when it does I'll start looking for a suitable instructor but does anyone have any advice on a practice regiment until then. Thanks a lot everyone!
I've been playing bass for close to 11 years now. I play well but I really want to step it up a notch. Lately I've been pondering coming up with a practice regiment but I really don't know where to start. My aim is to be a versatile bassist as opposed to a bassist that does one or two things or plays a style of music really well. I just want to be good all around. I want to be a well rounded musician. John Paul Jones is one of my heroes not because he can play bass well but because he is really a great, well rounded musician. I'm just using him as an example.
As far as a practice regiment goes I feel like there's so much I need to practice to get to where I want to be. Technique, theory, reading, ect. Like so many I'm a working family man so I need to make the most of my time. However, I have a family that is very supportive of music.
A little about me. Playing for close to 11 years. I know a bit about the rudiments of theory but nothing too advanced. I understand how chords and scales relate to one another. I know what intervals sound like. I can look at the bass clef and pick out a note and play it but really that's what I'm limited to as far as reading goes. Oh, and I can look at sheet music and tell what the interval is between two notes. I recently started playing worship music and it's been a rewarding experience. However, when my bandleader says something like, "hey, lets try doing this song in the key of F rather than C", well I'd be lost. Thankfully he's really patient and I've actually taught him a thing or two about music. My main instrument is a fretless J bass. That's just what I like. I feel like I have a pretty good ear. I can name pitches really well. When I listen to music I try to listen analytically rather than just casually. My main technique for my right hand is the plain 'ol alternating two finger method.
I like going into a situation that requires me to play music that is been rehearsed already but I don't want to be relegated to just playing music in those situations. I want to be able to be called up by a bandleader that knows I'll be able to play the music they're playing whether I've heard it before or not. Right now I'm not there.
I think that learning different techniques is important but only so I can be versatile.
I'm sorry about such a long winded post but it would be ridiculous for me to ask the question that I have without giving you all the above information.
FWIW, my financial situation is definitely going to improve in the forseable future and when it does I'll start looking for a suitable instructor but does anyone have any advice on a practice regiment until then. Thanks a lot everyone!
