- I practice every day.
- Usually for at least an hour, often 3-4 hours.
- I tend to practice in the evening because I’m more of a night person that doesn’t wake up until around 8pm.
- The desire to improve, seeing results over time, and enjoying learning new things
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I pick it up every time I look at at it I probably play along with tracks 1 hour a day and then an hour or so later I’ll pick it up and run scales for 30 and run metronome until it hurts and then if I look at at it on my way to the kitchen or something something I’ll start noodling or just hit some more jam tracks.
That’s my daily routine. I probably avg. about 2 hours a day. At least.
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- 5-7 x per week
- An hour or more
- Kind of random but usually during the day on lunchbreak (work from home), and sometimes after work.
- A few things – A) I love playing bass B) I’ve noticed that taking extended time off from practicing negatively affects my skills/technique, and C) I’m in a cover band that requires learning new songs frequently, so can’t slack off too much.
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I start at 10 AM til 12…and I stop for lunch XD. I usually just go through my fretboard, the arpeggios, the scales, and couple songs I found to practice with. I just got my Bass so I can’t say anything out of experience, but I could work on my muting…;3
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Yea that’s a good idea I am like beyond obsessed with incorporating ghost notes in my phrasing. Unfortunately it takes away from my groove and I find my self like repeating the first half of a measure when the section passes lol
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Yes!…I have that problem too XD
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I practice 6- 7 days a week. Week days in the evening after dinner, usally do a lesson on B2B, then a 45 minutes to an hour practicing songs. Weekend, 1-3 hours, per day, depending on how busy my weekend is. When playing on the weekends my practice routine is random, sometimes it is first thing in the morning, sometimes 9 pm to midnight. This routine has been constant for the last 7 months, since I first started playing bass. The three things that keep my going is the small improvements I see. I chart my practice everyday, even the time I start and stop playing everyday. What i practiced, and tempos / speeds I am able to play songs at. The second thing that keeps me going is that I eventually want to do gigs. Nothing big, just bars playing covers, with some buddies. The last thing is the therapy of playing, it is awesome, kind of like working out. It helps stress, and takes my mind off other things.
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I have started the course 5 weeks ago and practice every day for about one hour. So far I have only missed 1 or 2 days. On saturdays and sundays I might practice more. I try to put in an extra workout session during those days.
Usually I start my practice with some chugging excercises with a drum computer to work on my right hand coordination and speed. The I practice some scales and finally spend a few minutes memorizing the notes on the fretboard.
If I have enough time, I repeat the lesson from the previous day and focus on teh parts that give me problems and try to improve. Then I start the new lesson.
Unfortunately I tend to waste time by watching some Youtube videos when I come home (mostly music videos or movie reviews/reactions. Music reaction videos are also fun and I have discovered some new bands this way). I need to cut down the time watching Youtube. That time is better spent practicing.
For me, the course is really exciting. Even when I have a day where I feel a bit tired, as soon as I start a new lesson, I feel like a kid on christmas eve, who is opening a new present. So far, every day has been a pleasant surprise, because I was able to play faster or more complicated stuff than I imagined before I started the new lesson.
I wish, this course would never end! 
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Great question @JoshFossgreen
I’m trying to hold an instrument everyday. I play everyday at least I try. As for practice or working on stuffs I do that no more than 2-3 times a week 20 minutes to half an hour is about all I can absorb. Repetition takes care of the rest. Every 3 months or so I’ll add a new things in the tool bag.
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[quote=“JoshFossgreen, post:1, topic:26511”]
- How many times a week do you practice (on average)?
7 days a week
- How long do you practice for?
Minimum 1 hour per day. Last 4 months it’s been at least 2 hours a day and longer on weekends.
- Do you do your practice after a certain event in your day?
I practice about half and hour after I’ve got home. After shower, catch up on emails etc.
- If you’ve had a consistent practice routine for months or years, what has helped you stay so consistent?
I separate my practice out into different parts. I currently have 6 technique issues that I work on every day. I have a little post in note on my Imac to remind me. These are a combination of things from the B2B course and new techniques that I’ve been taught on my current online lessons (Talking Bass). I learnt from previously failing at learning guitar to focus on a small number of achievable goals and not take on any new techniques until I’ve crossed one off the list. This list has been the same for the past few months. It’s really easy for me to get distracted by new shiny things.
I split these techniques up into things that I need to focus on with no distractions and items that are repetitious tasks i.e muting that I could work on whilst catching up with my YouTube music / bass / guitar education channels. @Snoopy mentioned wasting time watching YouTube. I still watch YouTube but practicing with bass in hand, so it’s win - win. I will then practice for example the Major and Minor scale all over the neck whilst watching something. I don’t need to look at my hands for this and I can hear if it’s not clean or I’m playing a wrong note. I’ll put a drum machine on for this on top of the YouTube I’m watching and I always practice to some kind of beat. This may be for up to an hour.
I do the focused undistracted tasks first, then reward myself with some YouTube and easy practice at the same time.
Then I’ll watch an online lesson (currently Talking Bass). It might be a new one or a repeat of something I’m working on to ensure I’m staying on track. I like learning online because I don’t feel the pressure to constantly learn something new. Consolidation of what i’ve already learned seems more important to me at present.
Then I’ll work on my current song I’m learning. I use a combination of Songsterr so I can isolate the bass line, slow it down and loop the part I’m working on. Then I’ll use Endless video to grab the song in YouTube and play along to the song (I can loop whichever part i want using the sliders)
I’ll also use the drum machine in my Zoom B1 if I just want to have no distractions and work on the part. I can slow the tempo until I’ve got it cleanly and then increase it up to full speed over time.
I usually finish with a song I can already play or a Jam track to wind down and remind myself that I don’t completely suck 
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- 2 to 3 days. I wish it were more.
- 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Usually evenings, after work. Lately after exercise and shower.
- A practice plan. Usually warm up exercises then the lesson.
Here lately, I started a journal for practice.
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I really like that jam track idea - that’s cool.
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Me mostly in the evening after dinner, anywhere from 30 min to 3 hours depending on what I’m working on.
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You too sir
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I practice every day since I bought a bass.
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Daily practice time is between one hour and three hours.
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Normally I do a midday and a late afternoon workout. I define one or two targets for every practice session (work on a song, work on speed, master difficult bass line sections, improve playing technique, find the appropriate bass tone for a song, etc.). The targets help to use the practice time more effectivly.
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Maybe I find some other oldies to play some Rock&Roll
Having short term and long term goals is a major key to keep motivation up and frustration low.
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- How many times a week do you practice (on average)?
5 times a week - How long do you practice for?
10 to 30 minutes - Do you do your practice after a certain event in your day?
after the kids have gone to bed - If you’ve had a consistent practice routine for months or years, what has helped you stay so consistent?
I have to admit that I practice keyboard more than bass because Simply Piano by JoyTunes provides me a great training plan. Since I finished your course, I have troubles to prepare a straight list what to do. I am waiting for your next course.
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Wow, thank you all for the detailed info! Keep it coming.
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- I try to practice every day, but sometimes “practice” means playing songs I already know rather than learning something new or working on fretboard knowledge. At least it gets the bass in my hands, which is the goal.
- I practice in the morning. After we walk the dogs, I make coffee and my wife inevitably has a Zoom call, so I practice without an amp. I usually play for an hour or two.
- Keeping one of my basses in the living room has been the key to staying with a consistent routine. It’s not like we’re having anyone over who’ll critique my choice of a bass as an interior design element. But if I have to trudge up to my 3rd floor office, plug in, and put headphones on, I’m less likely to bother.
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- How many times a week do you practice (on average)?
I generally practice 2-4 times a week - How long do you practice for?
1 to 1 1/2 hours per session - Do you do your practice after a certain event in your day? Like: practice after feeding your dog? Practice after watching a TV show? Practice after dinner? Practice after the kids have gone to bed? Or is it kind of random for you?
I practice in the evenings from 7.00pm to 8.30 pm
and weekends at no set time - If you’ve had a consistent practice routine for months or years, what has helped you stay so consistent?
being self motivated to always try and improve all aspects of my playing, and learning new songs etc.
Cheers Brian
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