The Practice Room

Let's go back to 2007. Kind of... Nov 29, 2020

I talk about a bunch of different stuff. But make sure you follow Roni Kaspi who is fast becoming my new favorite drummer. I jammed along to some of her playing on instagram in the episosde, so the least I can do is link you to her here: https://www.instagram.com/roniponi100/ One of the best young voices in music I've heard in over a decade.

The Practice Room | Episode 87 Jun 09, 2020

Study with Janek ► https://www.janeksbassstudio.com/

Our latest book is - Bass Player's Guide To Pentatonics: https://tinyurl.com/yclukay2

All our other books are here: https://store.janekgwizdala.com/

SUBSCRIBE to the YouTube Channel for FREE videos ► https://www.youtube.com/user/janekgwizdala/

The Practice Room | Episode 86 May 17, 2020

I am so exited, super proud, and a little exhausted still from the process, to present my brand new book Bass Player's Guide To Pentatonics. It's been some months in the process, and today's episode of The Practice Room takes an in-depth look at my practice routine, and how I use pentatonics for bass lines, melodies, composition, soloing, and technique building.

The book comes with over 100 video examples, and over 50 play alongs, all available for streaming or download with your purchase. Don't forget to leave some pentatonic related questions in the comments below, and enjoy the episode!

Pentatonic book digital: https://tinyurl.com/yclukay2

Pentatonic Book Physical: https://tinyurl.com/y8oq5o36

JG Bass Solo preset for the Line6 HX Stomp: https://tinyurl.com/y7yps2bj

Take your transcription to the next level by checking out the Transcription Vault at Janek's Bass Studio: https://www.janeksbassstudio.com/courses/the-transcription-vault

Sign the mailing list and be the first to know: http://eepurl.com/dCdyHz

And check out all the books we have on jazz vocabulary, chordal harmony, and bass playing at the store: https://store.janekgwizdala.com/

The Practice Room | Episode 85 May 10, 2020

Thank you for all your questions via Instagram for today's epic Q&A. We got questions ranging from "what bass strings do you use?" to "How do you transcribe fast Joshua Redman lines?".

It was super fun to answer all your questions, and always great to talk about music, and relive some old experiences in the hopes of helping you on your quest to becoming a better bass player.

We're right in the middle of the launch of our new book on on pentatonics which you can find here: https://tinyurl.com/yclukay2

I referenced two videos in the Q&A:

How to learn material you've transcribed: https://youtu.be/gUsa8WMILK0

Transcribing using the old pencil and paper method: https://youtu.be/CjlFrNBOFvQ

And with so many questions about transcription today, you might want to consider taking your transcription to the next level by checking out the Transcription Vault at Janek's Bass Studio: https://www.janeksbassstudio.com/courses/the-transcription-vault

Sign the mailing list and be the first to know: http://eepurl.com/dCdyHz

And check out all the books we have on jazz vocabulary, chordal harmony, and bass playing at the store: https://store.janekgwizdala.com/

George Whitty Interview May 03, 2020

George Whitty is one of the reasons I moved to America, due to his involvement in the live recording of the Return of the Brecker Brothers world tour in 1992, a VHS that I wore out on a daily basis and swore I would try and play with everyone in the band.

My dream of doing that has come true over the past 25 years, and not only that, but it has led to one of my most cherished musical friendships, both professionally and personally. George and I have been playing in a somewhat co-led trio Third Rail (we both contribute songs to the band, although it was George's idea to put the band together) since 2012, and have played in the US, Europe and Japan, releasing one live album in 2014 "Live Across Europe", with the great Tom Brechtlein on drums.

George is one of my favorite cats to be on the road with, and whenever we get a chance to play together, the music is always going to be big fun, and then the hang (something all musicians spend more time doing than playing music) even more so.

George's credits are so deep and far reaching, it's hard to list them all in one place. Aside from the four Grammy Awards and one Emmy, he's produced music, played with, and arragned for Michael Brecker, The Brecker Brothers, Chaka Khan, Herbie Hancock, Carlos Santana, Dave Matthews, Celine Dion, Richard Bona, and many more.

It was, as it always is, a real treat to sit down and pick his brain for an hour, and I'm psyched to be able to share this with you all.

Check out George's Lessons: https://www.jazzlessonsonskype.com/

Take your transcription to the next level by checking out the Transcription Vault at Janek's Bass Studio: https://www.janeksbassstudio.com/courses/the-transcription-vault

Sign the mailing list and be the first to know: http://eepurl.com/dCdyHz

And check out all the books we have on jazz vocabulary, chordal harmony, and bass playing at the store: https://store.janekgwizdala.com/

The Practice Room | Episode 83 Apr 26, 2020

Victor Wooten is arguably one of the most important voices not just in bass guitar, but in modern music. From his incredibly early beginnings, surrounded by a family of musical brothers who mentored and taught him, to worldwide success in bands like Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, and the all-star bass trio SMV with Stanley Clarke and Marcus Miller, the journey has been action packed.

Add to that, a stellar career as a composer and band leader, with 11 solo albums to his name, and you can start to build a picture of someone who lives and breathes music day in, and day out. But you would still only have half the picture. Now in its 21st year, Vix Camps host bass players and musicians from around the world, in one of the most successful music camps in history. With legendary guest teachers, live performances, and a hugely popular nature awareness component, Victor has cemented himself in history as a pioneer of music education, not only with his camps, but with best selling books, instructional videos, and a demand for him the world over as a clinician, and guest lecturer at the worlds most prestigious teaching venues.

I am hugely proud to call him a friend, a colleague, and on some level a mentor through learning so much from his music over the years. I'm lucky enough to be able to present this interview for you, and give you a look into his world, his process, how he's dealing with being forced off the road like the rest of the world right now, and what his plans are for the future.

Vic's Website: https://www.victorwooten.com/

Take your transcription to the next level by checking out the Transcription Vault at Janek's Bass Studio: https://www.janeksbassstudio.com/courses/the-transcription-vault

Sign the mailing list and be the first to know: http://eepurl.com/dCdyHz

And check out all the books we have on jazz vocabulary, chordal harmony, and bass playing at the store: https://store.janekgwizdala.com/

The Practice Room | Episode 82 Apr 19, 2020

Unless you've been living under a digital rock for the past 5 years, you probably already know who bassist and YouTuber Adam Neely is. But what you might not know, is how he came to hit 1 million subscribers this month, all from a very niche lane of music theory analysis and video essay production. From topics as diverse as microtonal lo-fi hip hop and Shakuhachi Music, Adam has maintained a consistent upload rate of one video per week for the past 5 years.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to his process. From posting bass videos and not having much of a working concept for the channel, to literally transcribing the internet, finding his niche, and reaching the coveted million-subscriber milestone this month, we unpack the journey of the bass player, turned YouTuber, turned music theory guru that is Adam Neely.

Adams Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/havic5/

A limited number of private lessons are now available here: https://tinyurl.com/ycj6n7wo

Take your transcription to the next level by checking out the Transcription Vault at Janek's Bass Studio: https://www.janeksbassstudio.com/courses/the-transcription-vault

Sign the mailing list and be the first to know: http://eepurl.com/dCdyHz

And check out all the books we have on jazz vocabulary, chordal harmony, and bass playing at the store: https://store.janekgwizdala.com/

The Practice Room | Episode 81 Apr 17, 2020

Working hard every day to add this new modular synth sounding element to my pedalboard with the eventide H9, and Iron Ethere's Dubterranea and Xerograph Deluxe. I'm getting more comfortable with the patch switching, but there's a long way to go with the signal chain, the routing of the pedalboard, and the overall control I have of it with the expression pedals. The pedals I used in today's video are linked below. A limited number of private lessons are now available here: https://tinyurl.com/ycj6n7wo

Take your transcription to the next level by checking out the Transcription Vault at Janek's Bass Studio: https://www.janeksbassstudio.com/courses/the-transcription-vault

Sign the mailing list and be the first to know: http://eepurl.com/dCdyHz

And check out all the books we have on jazz vocabulary, chordal harmony, and bass playing at the store: https://store.janekgwizdala.com/

Eventide H9: https://www.eventideaudio.com/products/stompboxes/multi-effect-processor/h9

Iron Ether Pedals: https://ironether.com/

Line6 HX Stomp: https://line6.com/hx-stomp/

The Practice Room | Episode 80 Apr 16, 2020

I was up until 4am last night programming some voicings in the Eventide H9's "Quadravox" algorithm, and today's practice session is what was born out of that. I love the fact that I can program up to for voices over four octaves, but have yet to find a solution for programming parallel voicings, and not being tied down to a mode or tonal center.

There's a lot of Michael Brecker EWI influence here, and I've been a big fan of Robby Kilgore and George Whitty who I know both did programming for Mike's setup. But there there is an equal amount of influence from modern pop and electronica producers as diverse as Diplo and Trentemoller.

There will be an upcoming episode of The Pedal Studio that deals with exactly how I got these sounds programmed, but for now, this is what I'm doing with them to integrate them into my setup, and make them work in a live situation.

Use the discount code JANEKSENTME20 and get $20 off your purchase of the Teletronix DI: https://www.teletronix.co/

Take your transcription to the next level by checking out the Transcription Vault at Janek's Bass Studio: https://www.janeksbassstudio.com/courses/the-transcription-vault

Sign the mailing list and be the first to know: http://eepurl.com/dCdyHz

And check out all the books we have on jazz vocabulary, chordal harmony, and bass playing at the store: https://store.janekgwizdala.com/

The Practice Room | Episode 79 Apr 12, 2020

When it comes to playing music with Benny Greb, I have come to expect the unexpected. He is a true improvisor behind the drums, and is a rare thing in today's fast past and internet driven music industry: He's a musician who just happens to be a drummer. More concerned with the collective live experience than he is with flashy licks, and clicks and views, he is a musical force with whom you can build something original every time you step onstage together. I've had the pleasure of traveling to far flung corners of the world with his trio "Moving Parts", and have learnt a lot from both my time on the road with Benny, and my time spent hanging out and simply talking about life, and about music. He is one of my favorite musicians period, as well as being a pioneer of sound and time when it comes to the drum set. We talk about tuning for sound and not for feel, ghost busters, how to practice, and tons more in this interview that could easily have been three times as long.

The Practice Room | Episode 78 Apr 11, 2020

Repetition is key when learning new material, and this is exactly how I work on it.

The Practice Room | Episode 77 Apr 06, 2020

I'm working on an incredible Adam Rogers solo from a Michael Brecker quartet concert in London from 2000. I'm breaking down a bunch of things in the solo, and talking about why I think transcription is perhaps the most important learning tool available to you when it comes to learning jazz vocabulary.

The Practice Room | Episode 76 Apr 05, 2020

The mighty force of Swedish bass, Henrik Linder, joins me for an awesome interview. We talk about practicing, playing live, Dirty Loops new album, effects programming, and what it's like to be the bass player in one of the most well known modern fusion trios.

The Practice Room | Episode 75 Apr 02, 2020

After warming up on a minor blues for a little while, I dive into triads on the minor melodic scale, and work them into my practice routine to increase fluidity up and down the neck.

The Practice Room | Episode 74 Mar 31, 2020

In a special extended episode of the podcast, this is from a live streaming masterclass I gave based around my Chordal Harmony book. Questions were coming in live via YouTube, and Chelsea was moderating them. Enjoy!

The Practice Room | Episode 73 Mar 30, 2020

I think the ideal way to practice bass groove is with other musicians, and preferably in a live situation. But when you don't have the luxury, and lets face most of us don't most of the time, there are many other options that can really enhance your playing. I'm working with some drum grooves by Nate Smith from the LoopLoft today, mixed in with a little keyboard from the great Larry Goldings. I do this way more than makes it onto the internet, and I'm going to make a conscious effort to do more of it in the podcast from now on.

The Practice Room | Gary Willis Interview Episode 72 Mar 29, 2020

Gary Willis was one of my musical idols as a young bass player, and remains so to this day. Some of my earliest memories of seeing musician live, and it having a life long effect on me, involved Gary on bass. A true pioneer of not just the electric bass, but more importantly of music, he is a shining example of originality, of humility, of calmness, and of being able to melt your face off at a show with his groove, having made you cry with a melody not 30 seconds before.

The Practice Room | Episode 71 Mar 29, 2020

Starting work early today with my morning practice routine, and getting back to regular programming here with what the practice room is all about. My main focus is always trying to listen to my body, see what needs the most attention, and then not rushing into the process. I also get to work on the Bottesini bass concerto #2 as part of my routine today.

The Practice Room | Episode 70 Mar 25, 2020

One of my favorite bass players, my great friend, and casually the owner of The Bunker Studio in Brooklyn, John Davis Ladies and Gentlemen! We chat via video call (including a few seconds of dropped audio where I stopped recording...) as John is the middle of mixing a new record for John Patitucci, who calls to check on the mixes half way through our interview.

The Practice Room | Episode 69 Mar 22, 2020

This is the kind of thing I'm looking to get out of my routine when I literally only have 20 minutes to practice. It's not always the same, this is an example of what it was today.

The Practice Room | Episode 68 Mar 21, 2020

I'm playing almost all of today's episode on the CNC prototype of Henrik Linder's signature 4-string by Mattisson Basses. This is fast becoming one of my favorite instruments, and I managed to find a ton of inspiration for today's practice session as a result.

The Practice Room | Episode 67 Mar 20, 2020

Sometimes you just don't feel as fluid or as consistent as normal. Today is one of those days. I cycle through a bunch of different ideas before calling it a day. I'm not sure if I was successful, but I did at least spend focussed, and meaningful time with the instrument, and for that I'm happy.

The Practice Room | Episode 66 Mar 19, 2020

Great fun to welcome my friend Mark Lettieri on to the podcast today. You will more than likely know him from his Grammy Award winning work with Snarky Puppy, his 5 solo album as a band leader, and for simply being at the forefront of modern guitar gurus both on tour and in the studio.

The Practice Room | Episode 65 Mar 19, 2020

I'm digging deeper into some of the stuff we got to in episode 63 with Gabriel Santiago, and really expanding upon the voice leading and resolution elements of those harmonic devices.

The Practice Room | Episode 64 Mar 17, 2020

Tim is one of the most interesting musicians I know, with experience in more walks of the music world than I can even comprehend. We get to gear, touring, corona, patreon, writing, recording, and much more.

The Practice Room | Episode 63 Mar 15, 2020

Quarantine, while the world figures out how to deal with this pandemic, is no fun for anyone. So I got Gabriel on the podcast today to discuss his practice routine, and give us some ideas for working with diminished vocabulary.

The Practice Room | Episode 62 Mar 14, 2020

I'm kicking things off with a pentatonic workout in today's episode, and then we get to an epic live Q&A via instagram.

The Practice Room | Episode 61 Mar 13, 2020

What to practice having come right off a tour is never an easy one to figure out. So I'm thankful to have the podcast to discuss it, and also to give me some discipline to get right back into my routine.

The Practice Room | Episode 60 Feb 23, 2020

I got back from Canada a couple of hours ago, and am leaving for Europe in two days. So today was spent trying to figure out what to practice between tours, and how to be best prepared to hit the ground running in Germany in a few days.

The Practice Room | Episode 59 Feb 19, 2020

I got a call yesterday from Steve Smith asking me to cover a tour with his band Vital Information at the last minute, and I can only do one of the shows unfortunately. But it's a big one, and I happen to be on the same festival with Benny Greb already, so at least some logistics are going to work out. But it is a ton of music, and this episode gives you a look inside my process for learning a huge amount of music, for both Steve and Benny, in a very short amount of time.

The Practice Room | Episode 58 Feb 17, 2020

I'm digging deep into the soundscape possibilities of the HX Stomp as I prepare for a bunch of upcoming touring. And by the end of the episode I get to a brand new composition that I'm really excited to find out where it goes.

The Practice Room | Episode 57 Feb 14, 2020

A solid episode of deep diving on technique up and down the neck today, as well as developing the chords changes to a new song.

The Practice Room | Episode 56 Feb 12, 2020

With a festival looming next week in Canada with Benny Greb, I start getting stuck into the process of being as prepared as possible for another one off with one of my favorite drummers in the world. I'm always trying to eradicate any doubt in the performance, so I generally start working on the material I need to reboot around two weeks out from the gig.

The Practice Room | Episode 55 Feb 07, 2020

So good to have some brand new sets of Hi-Beams from DR that arrived minutes before I started filming this episode. And I get into an extended minor pentatonic workout, playing minor pentatonic over major 7 chords.

The Practice Room | Episode 54 Feb 05, 2020

Searching for a new string company has been over a year in the making, and I'm so happy to announce that I signed a contract with DR Strings today. I will make an more in-depth video about the entire process on YouTube, but today marks the first day of being a part of the DR family.

The Practice Room | Episode 53 Feb 03, 2020

I first heard Gary at a clinic in London when I was about 16 or 17, and hearing his sound in person was one of the most life changing moments in my early development as a musician. There is no substitute for hearing live music, and I encourage you to get out and see your heroes play as often as you can.

The Practice Room | Episode 52 Jan 31, 2020

I'm working on a new course for Janek's Bass Studio diving into all the most important transcriptions I did when I first started playing the bass, and then on through my career. Today I'm looking at a Pat Metheny solo from the song Like Sonny, from Kenny Garrett's album "Pursuance. The Music of John Coltrane".

The Practice Room | Episode 51 Jan 29, 2020

I'm getting into the pitch shifting side of the HX Stomp, and am shooting it out with the Eventide H9 today to see which I like the best.

The Practice Room | Episode 50 Jan 27, 2020

Sometimes I have a day like this where the practice session turns into almost pure maintenance, because I'm not focussed or playing with the right intent to work on melodic content. The trick is to make the most out of this time no matter what you feel like playing.

The Practice Room | Episode 49 Jan 26, 2020

I'm getting closer to having a really nice array of sounds programmed in the Line6 HX Stomp, and today I got to an ambient idea with a momentary switch function (suggested by my friend Lars from Line6), which turned into a pretty cool looping performance at the end of the episode.

The Practice Room | Episode 48 Jan 25, 2020

I managed to connect with DR strings at this year's winter NAMM show in CA, and put a set on the Mattisson last night to check them out. Love what I'm hearing and feeling so far!

The Practice Room | Episode 47 Jan 24, 2020

Today's episode features a book/CD giveaway, as well as the first test of the Aguilar SL112 as my studio amp setup. I also get to your questions from instagram and get deep into playing melodically.

The Practice Room | Episode 46 Jan 21, 2020

About half way through today's episode I start working with the metronome on beats 2 and 4, playing through the changes of Moment Notice. It's not the most soulful duo partner, but it does keep you honest.

The Practice Room | Episode 45 Jan 20, 2020

Super lucky to be a temporary custodian of two prototype Henrik Linder production Mattisson basses after this years winter NAMM show. I have a 4 string and 5 string here, and give them both a work out in today's episode. Really happy for Henrik as these are stunning instruments, and the fact that the CNC versions of these basses are such high quality, makes me really excited for my own signature Mattisson instruments to go into production.

The Practice Room | Episode 44 Jan 15, 2020

In the middle of a super hectic week, I'm carving out just over 20 minutes today to keep some consistency in my playing.

The Practice Room | Episode 43 Jan 11, 2020

In preparation for a recording session in a couple of days, I'm putting in some time with my Japanese made medium scale jazz bass. I'm not sure if they're available in the US now, but when I purchased this about 10 years ago, I had to go to Japan to pick it up. Love this bass, and have it strung with nylon tape wound flats.

The Practice Room | Episode 42 Jan 10, 2020

There's nothing like time spent with the instrument to put me in the zone for recording or performing live. With two very important days of recording up coming up in three days, I'm hyper aware of wanting to be as relaxed as possible when we hit record, and not feeling like I could have done a way better job of prepping for these sessions.

The Practice Room | Episode 41 Jan 08, 2020

With the possibility of playing some fretless bass on an upcoming record date, I'm starting to spend some time with the instrument and get some fundamentals back into my playing and my intonation.

The Practice Room | Episode 40 Jan 07, 2020

I'm looking for a polyphonic version of my "Baby Elephant" sound (Boss PS5), and am digging into the TC Electronic Sub 'n Up pedal today.

The Practice Room | Episode 39 Jan 05, 2020

It doesn't always work out that I get to stick to my practice routine at a civilized time of the day. So today I'm getting to the instrument at 11pm today, and trying to make the most out of what little time I have left in the day to be productive.

The Practice Room | Episode 38 Jan 04, 2020

Have two fairly heavy gigs in town in Los Angeles two days apart isn't particularly regular for me, but this episode takes a look at my process for practicing when that happens.

The Practice Room | Episode 37 Jan 01, 2020

Today, that's exactly what happens half way through the episode. I start out by getting super psyched about programming my delay sound, and replacing the Nova Repeater on my board with the HX Stomp. And then the frustration sets in...

The Practice Room | Episode 36 Dec 31, 2019

It's a delicate balance when work gets intense, and I always find the first thing to go is my playing when I'm working round the clock on a production. Today is about having laser focus on trying to combine all three elements of my work week (writing, producing, playing), and making sure they each get the attention they need.

The Practice Room | Episode 35 Dec 29, 2019

I wish I could tell you what this pedal is, but the builder asked me to keep it secret while it's in beta testing mode. Super fun synth vibes that I think is going to be an awesome pedal. I also get to programming some new stuff in the HX Stomp, and work on some chord changes towards the end of the episode.

The Practice Room | Episode 34 Dec 27, 2019

It's crunch time with preparation for a record I'm producing, so I'm in full blown writing mode. I also talk about how I put together practice sets at home, and how that can not only help consistency in my playing, but also focus the way I'm writing.

The Practice Room | Episode 33 Dec 26, 2019

Christmas recovery session, getting some fluidity back with some metronome discipline, and answering some of your questions from recent episodes. Plus, I come up with a new song, and work on harmonies for the melody.

The Practice Room | Episode 32 Dec 24, 2019

Finally got all the pedals on the board with the new Boss ES5 switcher, and am starting to get some good delay sounds with the Line6 HX Stomp.

The Practice Room | Episode 31 Dec 22, 2019

Nothing but work on groove today, jamming to some live PJ Morton. Using both the single cut and the double cut Mattissons in this episode.

The Practice Room | Episode 30 Dec 20, 2019

25 minutes of being all over the place, but somehow managing to accomplish something and feel good about spending time with the instrument.

The Practice Room | Episode 29 Dec 19, 2019

I was up in the Bay Area today for a few hours, which meant spending most of the day on planes. Super happy to be able to get a solid 30 minuets of practice in before shutting it down this evening.

The Practice Room | Episode 28 Dec 18, 2019

The Boss ES5 has arrived! Not that I even get to plug it in in this episode, but it's here! Today I'm going back over some Michael Brecker solos, and working on some time and sound things with the looper.

The Practice Room | Episode 27 Dec 16, 2019

Today's episode carries on yesterdays work on the new song by recording a full demo of the track.

The Practice Room | Episode 26 Dec 15, 2019

A little look inside the programming of the HX Stomp from Line6. I'm looking at having this as one of two multi effects units on the board, both to be controlled by the Boss ES-5.

The Practice Room | Episode 25 Dec 14, 2019

I love it when something compositional comes out of a practice session, and today was one of those days.

The Practice Room | Episode 24 Dec 13, 2019

I'm always appreciative of the consistency and fluidity playing a show gives you. Especially the very next day when I feel invincible on the instrument and can push the upper levels of my ability during my practice session.

The Practice Room | Episode 23 Dec 12, 2019

I don't do a lot of playing live in town when I'm home, but this is what I try and do on the day of a gig when I have one.

The Practice Room | Episode 22 Dec 10, 2019

I was checking out the Animals as Leaders song "An Infinite Regression" from their 2011 release - Weightless. The opening lick is a grouping of 6 notes using a double thumb technique that I think sounds super original on guitar. I know Victor Wooten, one of my heroes and good friends, is one of the pioneers of this technique for bass, so it might seem to weird to come at it from a guitar standpoint. But either way, this is my first foray into using this technique, and it's inspired by my buddy Tosin. I estimate it will take around 4-500 hours of work on this new technique before I can use it comfortably. In this episode, you join in me in hour #3...

The Practice Room | Episode 21 Dec 06, 2019

Besides getting to two or three legitimate starting points for possible compositions today, I started working on some quasi flamenco technique on the right hand.

The Practice Room | Episode 20 Dec 04, 2019

Always feels good coming back to practicing after a little break. But that doesn't meant everything flows the way you want it to, as is evidenced by the exercise I start working on halfway through this episode.

The Practice Room | Episode 19 Dec 02, 2019

I'm a massive fan of Olivier Messiaen, and have been listening to his music for over 25 years. There's some incredibly deep harmony happening in his composition and his overall concept, and applying a little of that to my melodic vocabulary is the bulk of today's session.

The Practice Room | Episode 18 Dec 01, 2019

I'm in the middle of pre-production for an album right now, and have been using the demos I'm making as play-along tracks for my practice sessions. I'm working out some bass line ideas for the recording today.

The Practice Room | Episode 17 Nov 30, 2019

Having thought I wouldn't get to touch the bass at all today, I managed to get a nice little session in, and work on some V-I ideas once I got my s@#t together and focussed!

The Practice Room | Episode 16 Nov 28, 2019

Today felt like a totally forced session. I'm glad I only got 15 minutes into it before I figured that out. And to be fair, there were a couple of nice things to come out of it. But realizing when to stop is sometimes just as important as finding the reason to start.

The Practice Room | Episode 15 Nov 27, 2019

Working on some Usher and Fred Hammond today, and playing Chelsea's F Bass for the first time in a practice session.

The Practice Room | Episode 14 Nov 26, 2019

When I only have 15 minutes to practice, I grab the metronome, pick a shape, and go to town on tempo recognition exercises. This keeps my chops in shape, and helps me move at random to vastly different tempo zones.

The Practice Room | Episode 13 Nov 25, 2019

I grabbed my Goya Panther, my Mustang, and my Mattisson 4-string for today's practice session. I had a Nate Smith Looploft afro beat groove playing in Logic, and worked on basic time and sound in my groove to get the day started.

The Practice Room | Episode 12 Nov 24, 2019

I go back and check in with the Mute Math cover that is almost finished, and then get to writing some new material. This episode takes a behind the scenes look at my process for coming up with a basic idea, and then sequencing a crude version of it as the start of the demo process.

The Practice Room | Episode 11 Nov 23, 2019

I'm working on the melody of a song by the band Mute Math entitled "Noticed". The plan is to create an arrangement for a recording project, and future touring. This is a look inside my process of how an arrangement like this starts to take shape.

The Practice Room | Episode 10 Nov 22, 2019

Sometimes I feel loose enough to get right to improvising and looking for new ideas. I backed off a little in the middle of the session to work on some basic technique, found a new groove to play over, and then capped it off by revisiting what I had started with.

The Practice Room | Episode 9 Nov 21, 2019

With just a few more minutes available to me to practice today than normal, I was able to warm up a little longer, and then get through a few different key centers with my imrprovising towards the end of the session.

The Practice Room | Episode 8 Nov 20, 2019

It's almost an addiction for me to keep the consistency of practicing daily. In the long-run it makes me feel way better whenever I pick up the instrument, but in the short-term, like today, it can sometimes lead to a lack of direction and focus. In the end, I managed to salvage a few things in the 20 minutes I got to spend with the instrument, and learnt a lot from the experience. Back at it tomorrow, head down, ears open, and eye on the price.

The Practice Room | Episode 7 Nov 19, 2019

Managed to sneak in a quick birthday practice session. Found an old Bob Mintzer lick, and am starting to feel good in the hands after a week of keeping after it.

The Practice Room | Episode 6 Nov 18, 2019

We can't always have unlimited amounts of time to practice and spend time with our instrument. Today is one of those days where I had just over 20 minutes, and needed to make the most of my time, and continue to build upon the consistency I've been building over the past week.

The Practice Room | Episode 5 Nov 17, 2019

I pick up where I left off yesterday with the new composition, and come up with some new rhythmic ideas for the B-section. Then I get to work on some basic technique from The Bass Player's Warm-Up.

The Practice Room | Episode 4 Nov 16, 2019

I check out a Wynton Marsalis video where he's warming up backstage in 2009, then get my hands warmed up, and dig deep into a new loop idea which becomes the the start of a new composition. Perhaps something for the new Bob Reynolds record we're cutting next month.

The Practice Room | Episode 3 Nov 15, 2019

Although it might not be completely obvious from this session, my focus started to go towards the end, and I made the quick decision that it was time to move on, work on something else, and then get back to it later in the day. That is sometimes the hardest thing to do. You may be aware the focus is waining, but are still having fun, and that's when it gets tough to cut it short, and come back later.

A quick note about the audio in this episode: The Zoom H6 I normally use to record these didn't kick in right away, so the first couple of minutes is the audio from the GoPro.

The Practice Room | Episode 2 Nov 14, 2019

When I was publishing episode one yesterday, I had a thought about how long it might be before my next bad day for practicing. I was feeling quite good, and didn't realize it would be today... So you get a look at what the first 37 minutes of a practice routine feels like, before I find the catalyst that helps me find the next gear.

The Practice Room | Episode 1 Nov 13, 2019

Typical 5 minutes spent getting the hands warm today, followed by a solid 30 minute session including looping, repetition, metronome work, Tim Miller 2-1-2 shape, and connecting longer lines during a solo.

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