No bass again. When I was trying to play the melody again, a different one emerged. But I like this one better than the one I thought of yesterday.
I put in 40 minutes I think.
I put in 40 minutes I think.
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The PRACTICE Journal
- Thread starter wompwomp
- Start date
Practiced about 40 minutes, got a call, finished up an hour after the call. Now I'm in the middle of a second session, taking a little break.
Noodling 5 to 10 times of everything from 10 to 40 minutes a time a day.
Every once in a while I do practice specific stuff like tapping, getting better at flamenco guitar style finger flicking technique, chording, scales across the board, or specific tricky phases that I somehow came up with but struggle to play properly, or work on composing, or whatever, but most of the time it is just more or less total random noodling.
I do not have a scheduled practice routine, on the other hand I do play a lot, out of simply love for playing my instrument.
I'd rather be ineffective, but constructive, than playing becoming a chore and something I hate to do.
And I am a firm believer that 2 hours of passionate love for playing each day can give you just as much as 20 minutes time effective sour work, and ultimately make you a happier player.
What she said too, by the way...
Every once in a while I do practice specific stuff like tapping, getting better at flamenco guitar style finger flicking technique, chording, scales across the board, or specific tricky phases that I somehow came up with but struggle to play properly, or work on composing, or whatever, but most of the time it is just more or less total random noodling.
I do not have a scheduled practice routine, on the other hand I do play a lot, out of simply love for playing my instrument.
I'd rather be ineffective, but constructive, than playing becoming a chore and something I hate to do.
And I am a firm believer that 2 hours of passionate love for playing each day can give you just as much as 20 minutes time effective sour work, and ultimately make you a happier player.
What she said too, by the way...
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Practiced about 35 minutes this morning, then another 20 or so minutes. Just finished another hour.
my back hasn't been good enough to play bass but I have been working on double stroke rudiments on drums most days for the past few weeks.
a fairly complicated mechanism to drop/catch the stick and play open-handed! I'm making good progress.
it's such an important foundation to play open handedly I'm taking my time and getting it right
a fairly complicated mechanism to drop/catch the stick and play open-handed! I'm making good progress.
it's such an important foundation to play open handedly I'm taking my time and getting it right
I don't really understand the logic here.
If you have a "passionate love for playing" then there is no such thing as "sour work". It is all just practice, which improves your playing, which in turn makes you a happier player. I have never believed that idly noodling achieves very much. I suppose it all depends on your goals.
Put in at least two hours. I went back to practicing jazz since one of my friends, who learned jazz the same time as I was, asked me if we can go to a jazz open jam next week. Although I'd go there just to chat with her about her plans, there's a small chance that I'd play.
The first thirty minutes is for practicing the intro and solo of Why Not? That's What by Oscar Pettiford. I also wanted to record myself playing it flawlessly. I did it for the intro, but for the solo, there are some licks that I need to practice. These are licks where the finger placement feels unnatural if you're used to non-jazz licks, I guess. So I'd practice it some other time again.
The second thirty minutes, I allotted to practicing Tricotism. There's a small likelihood to play this song on an open jam. I'm good with walking bass line, as I have already memorized its form. However, my fingers still stumble when it comes to playing the melody for the third and fourth four-bars.
I also realized that maybe I should focus more on the other jazz standards listed for the open jam, so I went practicing So What and Autumn Leaves. For the former, I can already play the head (it's just simple) but I found myself getting lost with the chord progression while walking (even though it's just two chords! Ha!) while for Autumn Leaves, it's fine. The last few minutes, I played Spain just for fun, and tried to remember how to play the melody in different parts of the song, not just the lick.
And also, except for So What and Spain, I practiced these songs using iReal Pro. I don't know if it counts as a metronome but there's a pre-programmed drums in the app. For So What, I practiced along the original track while for Spain, I practiced along a live version.
The rest, I allotted to practicing four songs of my funk band that we'll perform on Sunday evening. Two songs have weird structures that's a recipe for mistakes, while the other two, I need to practice slap bass since the speed makes it difficult to do so. The last song is even harder because it causes my fretting arm to fatigue during the middle part. Then I also tried to remember some of the difficult parts in the other songs.
The first thirty minutes is for practicing the intro and solo of Why Not? That's What by Oscar Pettiford. I also wanted to record myself playing it flawlessly. I did it for the intro, but for the solo, there are some licks that I need to practice. These are licks where the finger placement feels unnatural if you're used to non-jazz licks, I guess. So I'd practice it some other time again.
The second thirty minutes, I allotted to practicing Tricotism. There's a small likelihood to play this song on an open jam. I'm good with walking bass line, as I have already memorized its form. However, my fingers still stumble when it comes to playing the melody for the third and fourth four-bars.
I also realized that maybe I should focus more on the other jazz standards listed for the open jam, so I went practicing So What and Autumn Leaves. For the former, I can already play the head (it's just simple) but I found myself getting lost with the chord progression while walking (even though it's just two chords! Ha!) while for Autumn Leaves, it's fine. The last few minutes, I played Spain just for fun, and tried to remember how to play the melody in different parts of the song, not just the lick.
And also, except for So What and Spain, I practiced these songs using iReal Pro. I don't know if it counts as a metronome but there's a pre-programmed drums in the app. For So What, I practiced along the original track while for Spain, I practiced along a live version.
The rest, I allotted to practicing four songs of my funk band that we'll perform on Sunday evening. Two songs have weird structures that's a recipe for mistakes, while the other two, I need to practice slap bass since the speed makes it difficult to do so. The last song is even harder because it causes my fretting arm to fatigue during the middle part. Then I also tried to remember some of the difficult parts in the other songs.
Practiced for an hour. Some exercises vame out easily, some I struggled with. Made a little progress on a new exercise.
Practice for an hour. First fifteen minutes consisted of practicing the solo for Why Not? That's What! slowly, and then practicing the head of Tricotism and Spain. The rest is for practicing difficult parts and songs for tomorrow night's gig. I didn't extend my practice time tonight since I need to do other more important stuff.
Instead of folks saying, "Yeah, I practiced an hour today…", it'd probably be more helpful for readers and aspiring bassists to know WHAT you actually practiced, and/or HOW you practiced. For example, "I practiced naming the notes up and down the neck…" or "I practiced sight-reading show tunes…" Know what I mean? Ok. Go!
bad back so no bass BUT
got an amazingly excellent hour and a half of drum rudiments in (disclaimer: I don't play drums but I do practice them). practice pad and also pillow work.
i've been nibbling specifically on the double stroke roll for 6 months or maybe a year as a way of really tuning up my sense of grip, fulcrum, fingers, etc. with the idea of revisiting wrist fundamentals with the stronger more sensitive hand/finger approach. super focused on my weak side .
today was a lot of fingersnapping the stick (no wrist), drop sticking the head with just the fulcrum, drilling across hands (the best/worst exercise today was dropping the strong stick to cue the double stroke on the weak side. merciless!)
but even through the work today I could totally feel myself gaining the facility, super pleased
got an amazingly excellent hour and a half of drum rudiments in (disclaimer: I don't play drums but I do practice them). practice pad and also pillow work.
i've been nibbling specifically on the double stroke roll for 6 months or maybe a year as a way of really tuning up my sense of grip, fulcrum, fingers, etc. with the idea of revisiting wrist fundamentals with the stronger more sensitive hand/finger approach. super focused on my weak side .
today was a lot of fingersnapping the stick (no wrist), drop sticking the head with just the fulcrum, drilling across hands (the best/worst exercise today was dropping the strong stick to cue the double stroke on the weak side. merciless!)
but even through the work today I could totally feel myself gaining the facility, super pleased
Spent an hour practicing at work. I spent about 20 minutes playing riffs outside of my practice regimen and noodling.
couldn't sleep last nite and I've been nibbling on basic theory so I strapped it on and spent an hour working through the circle of fourths.
this was the exercise: start with g major on the e string and play through the entire position. then play c maj starting with the same g on the e string and play through the same position, and then move on to f maj etc. I got through e flat major so I sort of drafted and studied through the one position.
thinking through how the flatted 7th becomes the 4th, hearing the key through the sequence of intervals, absorbing the relationship of the keys as a broader palette. not sure when I will use any of this but it didn't help me sleep at all lol
this was the exercise: start with g major on the e string and play through the entire position. then play c maj starting with the same g on the e string and play through the same position, and then move on to f maj etc. I got through e flat major so I sort of drafted and studied through the one position.
thinking through how the flatted 7th becomes the 4th, hearing the key through the sequence of intervals, absorbing the relationship of the keys as a broader palette. not sure when I will use any of this but it didn't help me sleep at all lol
It goes in gradually by osmosis then comes back out fully-formed just when you need it...
I completed an hour of practice earlier, and just finished a second hour. I went into an exercise that I didn't intend to, but I made it through it most of the way fairly cleanly.
Tried to practice, had a really hard time focusing. Only got in about 30 minutes. Will try again later.
I think I've over-practiced; I should've only gone for one hour and thirty minutes but then played up to two hours. I was really glad to get back to my bass after two days of stress.
If I remember correctly, the first thing I tried to do was practice Autumn Leaves in G minor. I tried to recall the melody first by ear, and then I remembered there should've been a melodic minor at the last bar of the A section so I searched for sheet music online to verify. Then I tried doing the arpeggio for the different chords and sometimes I'd try to connect to different chords together in preparation for the walking bass. When I finally practiced on iReal Pro, I keep forgetting that the A section is played twice. I think it's due to my poor sleep during the past two nights, and this is the reason why I initially wanted to practice for a short time.
I left Autumn Leaves, thinking I'd go back to it after trying Blue Bossa. This one ended up being easier for me. Did the usual drill; recalled the memory by ear, then get familiarized with the arpeggios for the walking bass. Then I tried playing alongside iReal Pro, I think I did fine. I got thrilled when I tried improvising solos because it simply clicked for me. I think I was improvising for five minutes. I was able to play around certain parts of the melody, I got flow, I got rhythm, I felt the adrenaline and excitement, I changed the dynamics from time to time. I almost didn't want to stop lol.
Then I tried to learn some licks from a bass solo of a Spain performance. I had some interesting findings that was posted in the Double Bass forums and also it was fun realizing that the double bassist was just trying a descending arpeggio. Looking at the notes in the iReal Pro reminded me of the actual chords used, and thus realizing the modes that I can use for each chord, and also relating the notes of the head to the chords used. I practiced playing Spain with a track and while I felt fine with backing up the instruments, I wasn't satisfied with the improvised parts I tried. I can do the licks that I've learned but unlike what I did for Blue Bossa, I think was bit lacking in flow and creativity. I should've also took note of the arpeggios for the chords.
Finally, I tried practicing Tricotism with iReal Pro. I just practiced the head, and then did walking bass. I can still do the walking bass without looking at the chord chart.
Anyway, I'm still not confident to play at the jazz open jam tomorrow. I just went there to talk about music to one of my friends who wanted to pursue jazz vocals. But yeah I have to sleep now.
If I remember correctly, the first thing I tried to do was practice Autumn Leaves in G minor. I tried to recall the melody first by ear, and then I remembered there should've been a melodic minor at the last bar of the A section so I searched for sheet music online to verify. Then I tried doing the arpeggio for the different chords and sometimes I'd try to connect to different chords together in preparation for the walking bass. When I finally practiced on iReal Pro, I keep forgetting that the A section is played twice. I think it's due to my poor sleep during the past two nights, and this is the reason why I initially wanted to practice for a short time.
I left Autumn Leaves, thinking I'd go back to it after trying Blue Bossa. This one ended up being easier for me. Did the usual drill; recalled the memory by ear, then get familiarized with the arpeggios for the walking bass. Then I tried playing alongside iReal Pro, I think I did fine. I got thrilled when I tried improvising solos because it simply clicked for me. I think I was improvising for five minutes. I was able to play around certain parts of the melody, I got flow, I got rhythm, I felt the adrenaline and excitement, I changed the dynamics from time to time. I almost didn't want to stop lol.
Then I tried to learn some licks from a bass solo of a Spain performance. I had some interesting findings that was posted in the Double Bass forums and also it was fun realizing that the double bassist was just trying a descending arpeggio. Looking at the notes in the iReal Pro reminded me of the actual chords used, and thus realizing the modes that I can use for each chord, and also relating the notes of the head to the chords used. I practiced playing Spain with a track and while I felt fine with backing up the instruments, I wasn't satisfied with the improvised parts I tried. I can do the licks that I've learned but unlike what I did for Blue Bossa, I think was bit lacking in flow and creativity. I should've also took note of the arpeggios for the chords.
Finally, I tried practicing Tricotism with iReal Pro. I just practiced the head, and then did walking bass. I can still do the walking bass without looking at the chord chart.
Anyway, I'm still not confident to play at the jazz open jam tomorrow. I just went there to talk about music to one of my friends who wanted to pursue jazz vocals. But yeah I have to sleep now.
Still had a hard time focusing, but not as bad as yesterday. Put in an hour and 20 minutes.
Put in another hour for the day. I skipped the simpler exercises that were making me bored. It's like once the boredom was established, it took time to break out of it, even if I had moved on to more stimulating exercises.
This time, not doing those exercises, I was able to move through the more interesting exercises much more fluidly, and I feel like I got a lot more done even in less time than the last session.
This time, not doing those exercises, I was able to move through the more interesting exercises much more fluidly, and I feel like I got a lot more done even in less time than the last session.
