Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I already asked this question in the "Your favorite songs to play on Ric bass?"-thread.
"jps" suggested to start a new thread. Here it is:

So, how do you practice?
I got a 35 watt Orange Combo which I rarely use.
I rather plug to my Line6 Tone Port connected to a MacBook on which I play along midi-files.
It's simply more fun to play along a whole arrangement than just bass and a metronome.

What's your choice and why?

I play either via a Boss GT-10B and and a H&K Crunchmaster (which only gets >1 Khz, below goes directly) through my Rickenbacker RB-120 amp in the living room, or non amplified/via my Macbook in garageband in the computer room. On Holidays I use The Tascam MPBT1.

I have an SWR LA-10 that's perfect for home noodling but I rarely use it. If I'm just going over stuff I already know I play unplugged and run through the song by memory. If I'm learning something new I play it on my Powerbook and, again, play along unplugged. That's usually good enough for me to get it close then I fine tune it at band practice where I run through my full stage setup with effects and whatnot. Also if I nail a bass part perfectly with the original it is usually a waste of time because I almost always have to alter it since I'm in a 3 piece and have to play things differently to fill sonic holes left by the lack of a rhythm guitar player. This is the hacky method that has gotten me through so far so why change now!

I was using a small practice amp . But, I have been using my old SVT with a single 15" ampeg cab . It sits in my living room (practice spot) now since i dont drag it out much anymore .There is nothing like that tone in the world

I've got a 20w Orange practice amp. All 3 of my Rics are kept in their cases, but on a daily basis, I tend to pick one and just jam to whatever I'm listening to.

However, this week, I've got new stuff to learn for my main group, and other stuff for an audition to another (different style)....so it's practice/practice/practice!!

I plug into a Zoom B2.1u which is connected to a Terratec DMX 6fire 24/96 audio interface in my pc, with the audio output to my stereo hi-fi amplifer and speakers (or headphones). This way I can play nice and quiet and avoid annoying family members or the neighbours and can play along and mix my bass sound with CD's or anything I like on the internet, or any audio/midi arrangements I've created. It works for me.

Most of the time I practice songs in either iTunes or GarageBand. I run the output of my 20" iMac into a Raven Labs PHA-1 pre/headphone amp, which I have my bass/guitar plugged into. I can then balance the levels together with their separate volume controls. GarageBand comes in very handy with it's loop function to isolate a section of music to work on. If I am not working on a specific piece of music I just plug into one of my amps; Markbass Minimark, or F1 into a custom EV B-110 cabinet for bass, or my early '70s Fender Princeton Reverb Amp for guitar, except with the Larrivée, then no amp is required (actually, most of the time I don't use an amp with my electric guitars, either, all of them being hollowbody models).

I practice by performing a lot. If I am not gigging heavily, I whip out the books, sit at the organ, and play through headphones plugged into a practice amp (Bass Ace). Every now and then I dedicate big chunks of time to learning one song really well--like a year ago when I decided I had to know "Spain" like the back of my hand.

I play constantly, alone in the quiet or to whatever sounds are going on around me. Unplugged, or with one of my partner's many vintage amps at his place, with Logic, out in the fresh air acoustically, or in bed with my Vox Amplug, all of the above - if I can find some new ways I'll do them too. The best practice is onstage.