BASS
HOW TO PRACTICE EFFECTIVELY: THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A PLAN | Adam Nitti
If you are really serious about improving your concepts that I will present in this article are and stay in a steady state of development and
bass playing, at some point you are going to really just some basic guidelines that you can improvement, even if it means breaking a sweat
realize that you need to have a solid practice follow when getting started with a new practice every time you practice. The true meaning of
plan in place. Merely working on a random routine or overhauling your old one. Also keep “practicing” requires that we commit ourselves
variety of exercises or picking up your bass in mind that your routine should be continually to the pursuit of conquering of the unfamiliar,
arbitrarily between performances will not put dynamic, meaning it should grow and change the physically demanding, and the mentally
you on the fast track to solid and consistent as you grow and change as a player. As you challenging. As bizarre as it may sound, you’ll
progress. If your goal is to be a well-rounded continue to improve and make progress, you know you’re practicing something effectively
player, skilled in a variety of feels, styles, and will find that you’ll need to make adjustments when you find you are barely holding on to it,
techniques, you have to have an effective plan and fine-tune your routine to always keep it using every last bit of focus and concentration
for your development, and the discipline to stay challenging and effective. available to try and successfully execute that
on course. However, the creation of a perfect
concept or exercise.
practice plan can sometimes be as challenging THE DEFINITION OF “PRACTICE” as the skills, themselves. How do we know how It is important to differentiate the concept of For me personally, when I’m doing serious
long to practice? What to practice? When to “practicing” from “playing” or “performing.” study I try to practice as if I’m on the borderline
practice? These are all questions that need to There are some players that spend their of struggle with whatever it is I am working
be addressed. Vince Lombardi, considered one practice time playing things that they already on. To some this may sound like the furthest
of the greatest football coaches of all time, is know, or working on exercises that never really thing from enjoyable, but I have learned that
credited with one of my favorite quotes of all go beyond the realm of patterns. I will go ahead my greatest periods of musical growth have
time: “Practice does not make perfect. Only and say there is nothing wrong with spending been borne out of my greatest challenges and
perfect practice makes perfect.” I have really your time in this way. In fact, many players find struggles in the practice shed.
tried to embrace this philosophy as I have their greatest level of musical fulfillment comes worked to improve my playing. from simply playing their favorite tunes or PUTTING TIME ON YOUR SIDE
learning bass grooves that make them smile. How long should you practice? This question
I should probably start by emphasizing that Everyone has different goals, and for some the doesn’t necessarily have a single definitive
no practice routine is one-size-fits-all. Different thought of going out of their way to struggle answer. The common thought is that we
players learn in different ways, and sometimes with exercises and lines they might never use should practice as much as we can, and I
we have to experiment with different methods doesn’t make a lot of sense. However, the wholeheartedly agree. However, it’s important
before arriving at an educational strategy that concepts that I will be focusing on in this article to point out that practice time is much more
works best for each of us. Therefore, the mostly apply to those of you that want to try about quality than it is quantity. Fifteen focused
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February 2020
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