Sub_Drop Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Not sure if there's a topic based on this already but here we go either way. Do any of you struggle to find time to practice? I seem to try constantly to put aside time during the day and night but end up having to do other things which I can't put off till later. What do you do to make time to practice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earbrass Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Think of practising as one of the things I can't put off till later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 [quote name='Sub_Drop' timestamp='1349796767' post='1830654'] What do you do to make time to practice? [/quote] Upset the wife, disappoint the kids, let the house fall apart and turn up late for work, how about you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sub_Drop Posted October 9, 2012 Author Share Posted October 9, 2012 [quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1349798072' post='1830680'] Upset the wife, disappoint the kids, let the house fall apart and turn up late for work, how about you? [/quote] I don't have a wife or kids but if I did that would probably be my life right now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lfalex v1.1 Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I'm busy. I take the kids to school every day. I look after them 3 nights a week. I work 40 hours in the other 4 days. Bands are simply not an option, but I still get plenty of practice. Can't sleep? Get up. Play bass! Watching tv? Stop. Play bass! Idly surfing... Oh, you get the idea! Anything more than 30 spare minutes can accommodate a practice. I use headphones , btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brensabre79 Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Sometimes it gets like this, but I always make a promise that if I drop practicing one day for something that needs to be done NOW! then I try to do double the next. Although I don't practice on a gig day unless I have to learn a new tune for the gig. And I don't practice the day after a gig unless I want/need to. The rest of the time its 30 mins a day or else 1 hour the next. My best time to practice is when I put something in the oven for dinner. Everything takes half an hour at 200c so instead of watching it cook I get on the bass instead Also, sometimes you don't have to have a bass to practice, if you travel on the bus with your ipod you can imagine yourself playing along (best with a tune you know how to play a bit) - if you concentrate on the playing, as far as your mind is concerned you've practiced playing the tune - certainly helps me when time is a rarity, next time i play it's just that bit more together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 candles Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 you will find time if it is important enough to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Like 4 Candles says, I think if you enjoy playing then you'll play whenever you get a chance for the most part. I find it a way of relaxing as well as it being my job, I love plugging my headphones into my amp and playing along with my favourite tracks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 You just keep at it. I get fallow periods and periods of plenty; depends on whatever the other intruding things are. Big issue for me is maximising practice time rather than just noodling. I try to work on some transcriptions, scales, tunes whatever, don't just sit there wiggling my fingers. Had a late start this morning so got 20 mins double bass in. Reading rhythms practice in work sometimes. Whatever. Just remember you get better in tiny increments and a little and often is better than 4 hours one day and nothing for a week. It's surprising how easy it is to find a few minutes here and there. It's the same with writing. If you always have a pen and pad at hand, you can always writei things down. Sam with sheet music. All sorts of ways of 'getting some time in'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrig Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Why are you on Basschat starting new topics? [i][b]Shouldn't you be practising?[/b][/i] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I don't practice really, very rarely at least. I only play when I need too. If I need to play something I can't, I know how to practice to get me playing it (not Portrait of bloody Tracy of course). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blademan_98 Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I get up early and practice before the hours commute to work. Then every weekend I put time aside to play. It means a lot to me so I make time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earbrass Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 (edited) [quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1349809096' post='1830887'] Just remember you get better in tiny increments and a little and often is better than 4 hours one day and nothing for a week. It's surprising how easy it is to find a few minutes here and there. [/quote] Good point. A tip I heard a while back was to commit to spending at least one minute every day playing your instrument. It's too easy to put it off until you've got time to "do it properly". One minute may sound too little to be of any real use, but the value lies in the commitment to play at least a few notes every day - I think the idea is that once this becomes a habit, you find you are practising more overall than if you try to make time for longer practice sessions less often. [quote name='silddx' timestamp='1349809411' post='1830895'] I don't practice really, very rarely at least. I only play when I need too. If I need to play something I can't, I know how to practice to get me playing it (not Portrait of bloody Tracy of course). [/quote] I also have a lot of sympathy for this approach. Not being content with being a just a mediocre bassist, I spread my meagre talents accross several instruments and am also mediocre on the keys, guitar, melodeon and piano accordion. Generally, I only practise the instrument I am currently gigging with - so that's the melodeon at the moment. The other instruments only get any serious use on my recording projects, which being classic "underdeveloped hobby music", take ages for me to complete. So it might be a year or more between me playing, say, guitar on one track, and the next. I do a bit of practice in advance of the recording sessions, but it's usually pretty focused on the parts I'll need to play for the track, so, like Nigel, it's more of a "learn what I need in order to play the parts I have to play" approach rather than practice aimed at generally improving technique. Edited October 10, 2012 by Earbrass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Keep your bass on a stand or hanger, not in a case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Job, two kids, lots of demands on my time, but... I jut find the time. Rather than read a book or watch a film, I'll work on tunes. It's either that or I look a right eejit when I play all the wrong notes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1349870018' post='1831493'] It's either that or I look a right eejit when I play all the wrong notes... [/quote] Sounds like you need to perfect "The glare". As in, when you play a wrong note, you throw filthy looks at somebody else to suggest to the audience that they've done bad. Of course, I wouldn't suggest this in a room full of musos... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve G Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 (edited) [quote name='TimR' timestamp='1349866299' post='1831431'] Keep your bass on a stand or hanger, not in a case.[/quote] This. Mines hung on the wall at home, with the strap left on it. Easy to grab and do a few minutes. Example: On the nights I cook I just grab it while the spuds are cooking or whatever. Evenings it is stupidly hard to get away from the TV sometimes. I am also very fortunate at present in that my employer has just moved to a new office and I have claimed one of the small conference rooms for a lunchtime practice. With an hour for lunch I've no excuse really. In the summer I sat in a folding chair in the carpark and did it. Edited October 10, 2012 by Steve G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinynorman Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Classical guitarist John Williams, asked what distinguished him from rival Julian Bream, said "Julian needs to practice." I guess that's the difference between me and you lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leen2112 Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Garry Moore once said 'if you walk into the room where your guitar is and don't pick it up or don't think to pick it up then maybe it's not for you' Luckily my bass stand is next to the pc and i've always got it on when i'm sat at the desk, comes in handy when I'm thinking of stuff to write on here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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