good answer.

How many gold stars do I get?

There is certainly a lot to be learnt from practising the Bach cello suites. I'm working on number 1 - still trying to nail the end of the prelude, but just about got it. I like the way that it takes me out of my comfort zone. I can almost feel myself getting better when I practise Bach.

Good practice is the key to getting better.
 

Good practice is the key to getting better.

Want to learn about tone? Listen to Gary.

Daily rehearsal.

Learn in slow first. Speed it up to faster than you will play it, then slow it down.
Learn it with the bow first, even if it's a pizz part
Learn it with an alternate fingering.
Learn to make both fingerings sound the same
Learn it an octave higher / lower
Learn it backwards (read the score from end to beginning)

Then you know it backwards and forwards.

Play with other musicians as often as possible.

Slowly but surely, I'm getting better.

Great advice, but I'm too lazy to learn some things up & down octaves and with alt. fingerings. I know you're right though! Well, I do tend to do this with some of my jazz heads.

First day off school. Put my 78 Jazz into standard tuning, to please Stan who never seems to talk to me these days.

Nothing personal, Richard. Just had a very busy holiday week. The family has been keeping me way too busy. I've barely had a chance to practice at all, and got ill to boot . . . I still check in to read the Down Under thread, and still think you ought to do some writing that's not for an internet bass forum, but, whatever.

So, how do you get better at your P-Bass? I've got a hybrid ('66 Jazz neck on a mid-70's precision body) which has basically become a decoration. I seriously haven't even touched it in more than 2 years . . . Someday I'll be able to get to all of the things I've been wanting to do, and that bass may get plugged in.

Hey, Stan, so good to hear your writing again! (this is actually correct grammar)
When I put my Jazz into tenor tuning, I relearnt all the notes for the new tuning... that was quite a few years ago... so now all the triads, chords, etc. that I worked on have two names. I need to do lots of practice now to get out of thinging of those tenor strings. I've put together a 12 tune solo repertoire that I'll work up... it won't take too long, as I've worked on the tunes before, but they now sit in different places on the neck.
I have GHS strings on, which I've always liked, but the E string has a bit of a funny sound... it should sound more 'full' but sounds a bit hollow with a slight echo. If you want to get that P-Bass going, I suggest that you start playing your major scales and triads around the cycle of 4ths.
Don't neglect that big violin though!
I hope your illness has cleared up and that all your family are well. I'm going to see my daughter (Stephanie) today, which should be nice. She lives about 40 minutes away in a place called Newtown. My wife (Shelley) has some Easter eggs for her, which I don't feel good about because of how Easter discriminates against certain days (see the Down Here (NZ) thread for the full story).
Hope to hear from you on the Down Here (NZ) thread soon.
Your pal Richard

I'm only practising double bass now. Total focus.

Total focus
 

:mad: Yes. Discipline, man. :mad:

Stan, Sie sind auf es!

You guys absolutely kill me. I had a problem student a few years ago who never practiced or applied himself in any way while still having his sites set high. After 2 years I lost it and told him this." If you won't practice and work on this thing, you have no choice but to lower you expectations so you are happy playing bass as badly as you said you want to". Goal achived:D

I had a great double bass teacher many years ago. One time I asked him,
"What should I do when I don't feel like practising?"
He replied,
"Watch TV."

Before you berate him, think!
There was a lot of truth in what he said.
I believe he was a very wise man.

Was that Harry? ;)

Got it in one.


Wow! That reply sounded very yankee!