What’s your practice routine, if you are using a method or book, which one?

[Willie5String]

What’s yours? Mine seems to be hit it for a while, then stop. Looking for something good that is sustainable.

 

[FatStringer52]

Pretty much the same as I answered last year . . .

Yes. I try to adhere to a rigid and strict practice routine. Usually I have two sessions a day -- at least, an hour in the morning (and I get up an hour early to ensure I get this time in most days) and at least and hour in the evening (if I'm not playing out).

The morning session is based around the keys. I used to work on a key a week, however, this year I decided to work on a key a month to enable me to do a deep dive. This month is dedicated to the key of E. I do all of the basic stuff like scales and arpeggios (multiple octave and fully extended), inversions, different fingerings. etc. But primarily focus on chord progressions within the key, technique, groove, articulations and so on.

The evening session is all song related. Working on new songs, working on the set list, creating new music, etc.

However, to keep things evolving, I have incorporated the modes. I'll start with Ionian (C for this example) and just using those eight notes of the scale pick a progression (say a ii-V-I). I'll then play that progression using root position arpeggios ( | D F A C | G B D F | C E G B | % | ). From there I'll experiment with putting the notes together in a more player friendly arrangement. For instance, ascend the Dm7 and start descending the G7 on the 3rd to get back to the Cmaj7. After that, I'll expand the scale to include all of the notes below the root and above the octave in that position. Now with a larger palette of notes, I can begin to explore starting on notes other than the root, inversions, enclosures, both diatonic and chromatic approach notes, and on and on. After that, I'll move up to D Dorian (still in C Major) and I'll start the process all over again. Find my root position arpeggios within the scale and then start figuring out how to play the ii-V-I within the scale. And then expand the scale and continue to put things together in a more user friendly manner. And I'll continue the process until I've gone thru all seven modes. After that I'll try and connect things between the modes and run ideas up and down the neck. The top 3 things I have garnered form doing this are (1) finger aerobics - playing root position arpeggios within a scale can really yield some challenging fingerings. (Don't hurt yourself if you try this) And some, if note most sound great, why wouldn't they, they're chord tones; (2) "seeing" the chord tones - this has really helped in seeing the chord tones and being able to start phrases on notes other than the root; and (3) fingerboard knowledge - moving up and down the neck has become much easier since I employed this into my practice routine.

 

[ryco]

Morning;
Read through some JS Bach pieces on fretless to work on intonation and fingerings.
Grab a fretted and stream classic rock and play along with and learn. Go to YouTube and find song if more work is necessary.
Back to fretless and stream classic jazz. Go find recording if more work necessary.
Back to fretted and YouTube to go through and/or learn cover songs for cover band.

Afternoon;
Practice slap sometimes with drum machine, mostly without.
Grab fretless, play through more Bach and then crank up the iPod and play whatever comes along.
Grab fretted and play with pick whatever comes up.
Grab fiver and practice original hard rawk original songs.

Have read thru a LOT of books through the decades. incl Ray Brown Method, Evolving Bassist, Carol Kaye & Valda Hammick Series
The best one I would recommend is Chuck Sher's
The Improvisor's Bass Method: For Electric & Acoustic Bass

I don't read through a lot of stuff anymore. Have gone full circle back to how I started = learning stuff by listening and playing along.

 

[Malcolm35]

Once I knew where the notes are in the first 5 frets. I asked Google for fake chord sheet music on the songs I wanted to play. I then followed the chords and pounded roots to the beat.

When that got boring I dipped into my theory and added the chord's 5 and 7. Maybe a 2, 3, or 6.

Called up a video of the song and played along. The playing along became practice.

 

[kevindahl]

Right hand warmup with etudes 15 mins.
Left hand warmup with 2 octave scales for stretching 15 mins.

Begin writing and/or learning parts/songs. If I wasn't in a cover band it would probably be quite different. Learning and practicing the songs takes the majority of my daily routine.