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What to practice?
- Thread starter funkybass
- Start date
-Technique like :scales, arpeggios, fitness on bass
-Sight-reading
-transcriptions
-ear-training
-listening great music and new styles
-time and groove
-piano and harmony
-etc.......that will keep you busy for a little while ;-)
-Sight-reading
-transcriptions
-ear-training
-listening great music and new styles
-time and groove
-piano and harmony
-etc.......that will keep you busy for a little while ;-)
Youtube some short instructional technique things to try and create good habits, then just play the music you like that will keep you playing.
One idea might be to contact the instructor you want, and tell him you know he's full for now, but ask if you can 'sub in' when somebody cancels- if you do two or three of those concentrating exclusively on technique, then you'll know you aren't creating any bad habits in whatever you do by yourself.
For me, playing with other people was the most significant key, though. Especially a solid drummer. Keeping a good groove is at least 10,000% more important than chops, and playing with people with good rhythm is the way to get there.
One idea might be to contact the instructor you want, and tell him you know he's full for now, but ask if you can 'sub in' when somebody cancels- if you do two or three of those concentrating exclusively on technique, then you'll know you aren't creating any bad habits in whatever you do by yourself.
For me, playing with other people was the most significant key, though. Especially a solid drummer. Keeping a good groove is at least 10,000% more important than chops, and playing with people with good rhythm is the way to get there.
And here's another one I just thought about, Victor Wooten said something about it in Bass Player a lot of years ago, and I got some good out of it as well.
Play with a metronome. Start with it set at quarter notes (1,2,3,4), and use a moderately complicated bassline you're already comfortable with, or freeform if you like. Play for a while. Halve the time on the metronome, and play the same things while the metronome hits on 1 and 3. Then switch over so it's on 2 and 4. Halve the time again, and play for a while with the metronome hitting on each beat (1, then 2, etc). Halve it again, and have it play on every other measure. It's quite a workout to play something complicated, and keep good enough rhythm that you land on the 3 of every other measure right when you hear the click, but it does wonders for your time!
Play with a metronome. Start with it set at quarter notes (1,2,3,4), and use a moderately complicated bassline you're already comfortable with, or freeform if you like. Play for a while. Halve the time on the metronome, and play the same things while the metronome hits on 1 and 3. Then switch over so it's on 2 and 4. Halve the time again, and play for a while with the metronome hitting on each beat (1, then 2, etc). Halve it again, and have it play on every other measure. It's quite a workout to play something complicated, and keep good enough rhythm that you land on the 3 of every other measure right when you hear the click, but it does wonders for your time!
Hi there. This is obviously a massive subject but you can't really go wrong with what slybass3000 added. What i would say is try to be structured within your practice. It's human nature that we naturally want to play the stuff we're good at so without a structured routine sometimes certain things get overlooked. Past practice schedules of mine went something like this...
Arpeggio exercises- 30mins
Scale exercises- 30mins
Right hand technique exercises- 20mins
Walking bass lines- 30mins
Soloing- 30mins
Obviously this is just an example, the routine would be more in depth but i'm sure you get the idea. Also when it comes to scale and arpeggio exercises it really pays off to make sure your not just running them up and down. Sure, you have to be able to do that, but that is literally only scratching the surface. The scale and arpeggio exercises are the key to total harmonic freedom, on any instrument.
When you've got a practice schedule together, and stick to it, your practice will really start paying off.
Take it easy,
Scott.
http://www.scottsbasslessons.com
Arpeggio exercises- 30mins
Scale exercises- 30mins
Right hand technique exercises- 20mins
Walking bass lines- 30mins
Soloing- 30mins
Obviously this is just an example, the routine would be more in depth but i'm sure you get the idea. Also when it comes to scale and arpeggio exercises it really pays off to make sure your not just running them up and down. Sure, you have to be able to do that, but that is literally only scratching the surface. The scale and arpeggio exercises are the key to total harmonic freedom, on any instrument.
When you've got a practice schedule together, and stick to it, your practice will really start paying off.
Take it easy,
Scott.
http://www.scottsbasslessons.com
Hi funkybass, there are so many options that i could literally write a book on it (which i am doing at the mo Lol!). A good way to start is to learn the arpeggios starting on different fingers of the left hand. For instance lets take a C major 7th arpeggio. The notes are C, E, G, B. The most common way of playing this arpeggio would be to start with the second finger on the C, play the E with the first finger on the next string, the G with the fourth finger, then the B with the third finger on the next string. But you can also play it like this... C with the first finger, E with the 4th finger (same string), G with the second finger on the next string, B with the first finger on the next string. Or you can start it with your little finger. C with your little finger, E with the third finger on the next string, G with the first finger on the next string and finally B with the little finger on the same string.
It sounds complicated when written out like this but it's easier in practice. You should be aiming to learn each arpeggio so you can play them from 3 different fingers of the left hand. Then you should do the same with the scales.
Really try to 'see' and memorize the shapes of the arpeggios and scales. People learn bass and guitar in a visual fashion and you can use that to your advantage.
Hope that helps,
Take it easy,
Scott.
http://www.scottsbasslessons.com
It sounds complicated when written out like this but it's easier in practice. You should be aiming to learn each arpeggio so you can play them from 3 different fingers of the left hand. Then you should do the same with the scales.
Really try to 'see' and memorize the shapes of the arpeggios and scales. People learn bass and guitar in a visual fashion and you can use that to your advantage.
Hope that helps,
Take it easy,
Scott.
http://www.scottsbasslessons.com
