Questions about Practicing

[Beto]

Hello, Mr. Neher. Before I get to the questions, I want to thank you for taking your time to address your questions to all of us, I think that it's really helpful for everyone of us.
My name is Alberto Jara, I am from Costa Rica, and I have been studying DB from about three and a half years.
Something that I have been struggling with, it is my practicing routine. My teacher is an excellent double bassist and great instructor, but he hasn't been able to explain me, how a good practicing routine could be. I know that's something I have to learn by myself, but a little hand could be nice, . Before I present you my questions, I think you should know this things first: I use French bow (I think it is important for you to know it)I have from 4 to 7 hours per day to dedicated to the double bass (except for Sundays, in which I have "0" hours!!!); my "etudes literature" have been Simandl II and 30 studies, Kreutzer; I have a "scale-routine", by playing each mayor scale in three octaves on long/slow bows on the fifths circle, after that I focused on one scale and play it in different bowing, in thirds, fourths, etc., with the minor scale(eg CM-Cm) and their respective arpeggios; whit repertoire, I just sing it a lot, and then focus on some phrases (this next semester assigned repertoire it's gonna be the Song without Words by F.Mendelssohn, Piece in G minor by Gabriel Pierne, and the Concerto in F Mayor by G. Capuzzi.
These are my questions:
1) What should be a good warm-up for me?
2) How do you see my scale routine? On what things should I focus when studying scales and arpeggios?
3) What should be the right way to practicing studies? How should I choose them? What do I need to focus on them? How do I know if an study it's right to correct any technical problem?
4) What it is the correct way to study repertoire?
5) Should I take some time to study some orchestra excerpts?
6) And finally, how can I distribute the time for all this aspects?

P.S.1.: What can you say to me about my repertoire (Mendelssohn, Pierne, Capuzzi)?

P.S.2.: I'm sorry if there's something difficult to understand, but my english isn't that good .


Thank you, thank you a lot!!!. ALBERTO

 

[PNeher]

Hi Alberto!
Thank you for the warm comments and the questions. By the way, your use of English is perfectly acceptable, and is better than many native English speakers, so.. congratulations. In fact, the way you studied English may be just right for studying the bass as well.
You ask so many questions that are related, I will have to refer you to former forum threads here on TalkBass that discuss practice routine. It also sounds like you are dedicated and focused... these two aspects will easily guide you to the "way" to practice that is right for you. I would suggest that there is no "Right" way to do anything and that trying to do something "right" often makes the anxiety worse that the acheivement. What I mean is, you can pressure yourself too much and that can lead to physical and mental stress. So, excell at playing but there is no "right" way for any of it other than what works best for YOU! Suggestions can be received from others and you can take those, think about their worth to you, and apply those you wish.
I believe, from what you have told me above, that you already have a practice routine that is creative, focused, and results in accomplishment. Adding orchestral repertory studies is a great idea, as the music is wonderful and likely you will be playing a lot of it. Of course to get a job in a symphony, you must audition on this repertory, so the sooner you know it the better. Play along with recordings to get many pieces under your fingers. You can add this "play along" to your weekly routine. Then you can really focus on passages that are more challenging to play.
One last attitude: Generally, EVERTHING is accomplishable. You only need a GOAL and it only takes TIME. So give yourself the time! Nothing is "hard" or "difficult". Again it only takes TIME to overcome the CHALLENGE. Challenge is positive and without it we would not strive to acheive and be more skilled tomorrow than we are today.
Ciao, i buena suerte!
PN