Do you play everyday?

[arthurhenry]

Do you play bass everyday and do you consider daily practise to be a basic expectation of someone who is serious about, or just enjoys, playing music? I always feel uneasy when I turn up to a gig or rehearsal and a band mate admits that they haven't played for a few days, or even since the last time we met. Is there a general disparity between the amount of practise each player does in a typical band? In my experience, there is.

[Woodinblack]

Almost always practice every day, but some days things happen which prevent it. Obviously in a group you are going to have variations

[gary mac]

I do play everyday, although I have to say that more often than not, it's more of a general noodle and finger exercise, rather than structured practice.

[Coilte]

I think there is a big difference between "playing" every day, and [i]practicing[/i] every day. How the time is used is very important. Some people spend maybe hours noodling around or practicing stuff they already know. IMO a half an hour to an hour spent on intense and focused practice, say twice a week ( though regularity is best...i.e. everyday) is more beneficial than an hour every day simply messing around on the bass.

It's the quality...not the quantity.


As for my self, I practice every day generally. I concentrate on practicing what I consider to be my weak points, as well as learning new songs for my covers band.

Edited July 3, 2016 by Coilte

[Number6]

Finger coordination, speed and scales. Daily if i can unless life gets in the way.

P.S. forgot a bit of music reading theory too.

Edited July 3, 2016 by Number6

[JapanAxe]

I probably average 5-6 days per week, usually working on something for an upcoming gig. As well as 2 regular bands I do a lot of deps and 1-offs, so there's always something to get up to speed with.

[Lozz196]

I play pretty much every day, and mostly that consists of playing along to my fave tunes on youtube, or learning more fave tunes off of youtube. I rarely practice my onw bands material at home, and if just noodling will do more up and down the neck keeping the fingers stretched type stuff.

[FinnDave]

I rarely open my bass case in the house, only at rehearsals or gigs. I am currently spending quite a bit of time noodling on my synth, though, so the brain is thinking music even if the fingers aren't on the fretboard.

[Truckstop]

I pick it up for 15-20 minutes almost every day but don't actually 'practise' unless I have stuff to learn.

[Geek99]

I wish. Sadly real life prevents me doing so on anything resembling an even infrequent basis

[arthurhenry]

Just "keeping in shape" is important if you're in a working band, in my view. How good will a band be if the drummer never plays drums apart form at gigs and rehearsals and the guitarist only picks the guitar up on a Saturday morning? How would the bass player feel about this if she or he plays bass everyday in order to maintain fluidity and consistency? Perhaps they should be paid more....(!)

Edited July 3, 2016 by arthurhenry

[JimBobTTD]

I wish...I play for a few minutes of noodling a few times a day, sometimes longer, sometimes not at all. I wish I could have the time and energy to have more structured practice time. Oddly, I still have time to read Basschat and Facebook, where I read about other people's lives instead of living my own.

[quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1467543248' post='3084367']
...if the drummer never plays drums apart form at gigs and rehearsals ...
[/quote]

Most of the drummers with whom I've played have done this. One was in so many bands that this was not a problem; he rehearsed four times a week and gigged almost every weekend before he had to give up our band due to, as you can guess, having too many bands on the go.

One drummer I knew, though, was 17, absolutely fantastic, and would spend a couple of hours in the rehearsal space most days. We played together for two years until the guitarist went back to the US and the drummer went off to university...and stopped playing drums.

My most recent drummer was so naturally talented that playing in rehearsals only was ok for him. The one before, though, was rusty even after half an hour of warming up...during our 90 minute rehearsal!

[Staggering on]

Pretty much every day.I try to keep things fresh by varying what I do each time and spend from a few minutes to a couple of hours each time.I play my EUB most of the time since that is my main instrument when I gig but also play BG once in a while for variety.I mix in sight reading(Real Books etc.),scales,working on problem bits,trying different fingerings(sometimes good things happen),working my way to the dusty end of the fingerboard or frets,working with a metronome or Zoom B1on and playing along to recordings.I also try to find better lines in some of the music my band plays-always interesting since it is easy to get into a rut.No set routine,lots of variety and daily attempts to develop muscle memory and improve intonation on the EUB.I find a short session as often as possible works better for me than one or two long ones,besides it's fun.Believe it or not some days I play for a few minutes early in the morning before work and that does wonders for my attitude for the whole day.Also a good way to work through a sleepless night.

Edited July 3, 2016 by Staggering on

[AustinArto]

I probably do *something* music-related every day or near as damn it, but it's rare I pick up a bass guitar at home. If I practise it's the upright, but more often than not I'm working on recordings or patching stuff together in software.

I don't have to be that good at bass guitar, frankly! I've been good enough at that for years.

[RhysP]

Every day? I don't even play every month.

[paul_5]

I play every day. Some days it's 'the other' guitar, but most days it's bass.

On the 6 stringer it's running through Jazz standards and experimenting with chord voicings, but on the bass it's mostly running through band material (NOT jazz!)

Occasionally a bit of drums too, but that's more of a treat than 'practice'.

[Delberthot]

I remember when I was about 15 reading an article I think about Jack Bruce and he said he went days or weeks without picking up his bass and I thought at the time that would be my idea of hell. I wanted to play every day and did for years.

These days I pick up my bass if I have something to learn, have a rehearsal or a gig.

It helps keep my carpal tunnel under control and I'm playing as good or better than I ever have done in the past.

I never practiced scales and have no idea what they are, I get mixed up with what is a major and a minor scale yet I don't feel that it has ever held me back. I don't read etc, I just love playing live.

[blue]

Many of you know I'm single, I don't work a proper 9-5 and I've never had any ambition other than play bass and singing in a rock band. So, yes I play several hours on a daily basis. And I'm gigging at least twice a week.

Keep in mind I'm one or those guys that have to practice to keep my chops up as well as dexterity and finger strength. Some guys don't have to practice and they are still ace on the money.

Blue

Edited July 3, 2016 by blue

[blue]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1467563225' post='3084568']
Every day? I don't even play every month.
[/quote]

I wonder if Rhysp represents a majority or a small percentage of bass chat members?

Blue

[Highfox]

Nearly everyday I would say.
No structured practice, learning songs I like or trying to record stuff when it's at home.
Practice with the band(s) is usually a couple of times a week and gigs roughly each month.
The more the better for me, it is a type of therapy,

[Highfox]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1467573362' post='3084646']
I wonder if Rhysp represents a majority or a small percentage of bass chat members?

Blue
[/quote]
I'm sure there are a few full-time musicians on here.

[blue]

[quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1467538154' post='3084300']
I think there is a big difference between "playing" every day, and [i]practicing[/i] every day. How the time is used is very important. Some people spend maybe hours noodling around or practicing stuff they already know. IMO a half an hour to an hour spent on intense and focused practice, say twice a week ( though regularity is best...i.e. everyday) is more beneficial than an hour every day simply messing around on the bass.

It's the quality...not the quantity.


As for my self, I practice every day generally. I concentrate on practicing what I consider to be my weak points, as well as learning new songs for my covers band.
[/quote]

I put it this way if your having fun, your playing, if your struggling your practicing.

Blue

[RhysP]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1467573362' post='3084646']
I wonder if Rhysp represents a majority or a small percentage of bass chat members?

Blue
[/quote]

I'm probably unusual in that while I'm still interested in guitars & basses I don't actually play them anymore.

[mrtcat]

I practice most days (30 mins ish of scales, fingering, chords etc then anything from 5mins to an hour or so on band stuff) but rarely play anything other than a little noodle on the day after a gig. If I didn't I'd suck come gig time.

[wateroftyne]

I'll pick a bass up and plunk every day. Usually it's just noodling, but at the minute I've got loads coming up so it's more structured.