What should i be practicing?

[BUMNOTE]

Hi first thanks too those of you who replied to my post of..How did you join a band..but what should i be learning if the chance came along..all scales,blues scales my music tastes are soul,motown,ska,jazz,rythym and blues,big band music..thanks for help.Dave.

 

[BigMartin]

If you haven't been playing that long, my advice would be to learn the major scales and arpeggios really thoroughly first. That's the foundation for just about everything in western music, in my opinion. Play them upwards downwards, in thirds, with occasional changes of direction, anything you can think of. And keep listening as you play them so you really get used to the souds as well as the fingerings. Eg, a C in a C major context sounds completely different from a C in Bb major.

 

[kevgermany]

Try finding a blues/jazz based tutor. Scales are good, but tedious on their own. Need to blow some music as well... Even if it's 3 blind mice...

 

[BigMartin]

Try finding a blues/jazz based tutor. Scales are good, but tedious on their own. Need to blow some music as well... Even if it's 3 blind mice...

Good point. I was interpreting the question as being just about scales.

 

[Jules]

A good bit of advice I try and stick with is learn one new tune a week (fluidly in its normal key and in as many other keys as you can face- if you're not going to do all 12 keys, do try and vary which others you learn as much as possible)