Where to pick back up after a few years off?

[JimmyO]

I recently did the same thing. I had to build back up to playing shape the only way there is, putting the time in.

You can have fun with it though, like just sitting in a room with a bass, playing along with music you love. It reminded me of when I first started to learn as a kid. Except, with streaming music? So much easier than having to constantly put the bass down to go change the CD/tape/record!

But now you're just kickstarting your muscle memory and rebuilding strength! Couple months of that and you'll feel a lot less discouraged.

 

[pepj]

5 years is a long downtime.
I think it will take you 6 months of dedicated and consistant practice to get back ...
And thats by shredding a couple of hrs a day, pretty much everyday.

You will not have lost all your facility but enough to be way way off your former pace.
You really have to work hard or that 6 months will be longer, imv

 

[ryco]

I'd start by listening and learning songs you want to play - just like when you started out.
It's kind of fun being rusty because everything feels so loose.
Anyway don't sweat it --- unless you have to learn 60 songs in two weeks for a new working band.