This article is written by Toru Hoshino, a jazz bassist and instructor based in Japan who teaches online lessons to students worldwide.
A while back, I put out a call in my newsletter asking readers and students to let me write about their daily practice routines. I was happy to get lots of people willing to share.
Most of my readers and students are working adults or students, so I thought it would be valuable to show how real, everyday people fit bass practice into their lives.
Today is number five in the series — please meet Tany!
Contents
Tany’s Profile
Nickname:
Tany
Age:
34
Job:
Medical admin
Favorite genres and artists:
Lately: Snarky Puppy, Bad Religion, Art Blakey
(Hearing “Bad Religion” definitely triggered the former punk rocker in me.)
How long he’s been playing bass:
About 20 years — started in middle school
Bass he plays:
Freedom electric jazz bass (a Japanese boutique brand)
What got him started:
Got inspired by Kouji Ueno, the bassist from the Japanese rock band The Michelle Gun Elephant.
What he loves about bass:
The way it holds a band together — and the sound.
Current activity:
First studio rehearsal with a jazz band coming up next week.
What he’s practicing:
The songs for the upcoming studio session — walking bass and bass solos.
A word from Tany:
“I wonder how much I’ll actually be able to practice…”
Tany has been taking lessons since April. He already had a solid foundation when he started, so his progress has been fast — he’s improving quickly!
Tany’s Practice Log — July 2019
Day 1
Took a half day off and came home early — but had drinks and ended up not practicing.
Day 2
20:55–21:15 — Fingering exercises using F intervals, practicing holding each note out fully.
Day 3
Felt unwell and went straight to sleep.
Day 4
20:00–20:30 — Practiced solos and walking bass to songs planned for the studio session.
Day 5
Had drinks and went to bed.
Day 6
9:30–10:00 — Reviewed the lesson material in preparation for class.
11:00–12:00 — Lesson, mainly working on F blues and related material.
15:30–16:10 — Reviewed the lesson; focused especially on “Now’s the Time” — don’t want to forget that closing figure.
Day 7
13:30–15:30 — First jazz band studio rehearsal. Couldn’t get the solo at all — it was surprising how hard it was (laughs). Playing a bass solo with no backing is genuinely tough. Lots to work on.
Days 8–13
Work was hectic, wasn’t feeling great, and his wife was struggling with morning sickness — nothing got done.
Yes — Tany’s wife is pregnant right now. Managing all of that and still showing up to lessons is impressive!
Day 14
9:30–10:30 — Wrote out charts and listened through the material for a “Days of Wine and Roses” practice session that evening. Realized just how much is in that song.
15:30–17:00 — The study session: a four-bassist jazz session, which was pretty rare and a lot of fun.
Reflection after two weeks of keeping the log:
Looking back honestly, I didn’t practice much at all. Time to rethink how I’m building practice into my day.
That said, keeping the log helped me practice with more intention — and it helped me notice my own problem areas after lessons and studio sessions.
Figuring out how to carve out consistent practice time in your daily life is something you always have to actively think about.
Tany has work, family, and now a jazz band going — life is genuinely hectic. But let’s keep at it together!
Thank you so much for taking part, Tany!
Want Personalized Feedback on Your Playing?
This is exactly the kind of thing that’s hard to fix alone — and where having a teacher makes all the difference.
At Line on Bass, I offer an online lesson service where you send me a video of your playing, and I give you specific, detailed feedback — every single day if you want.
Students from around the world are using this to fix exactly these kinds of issues and steadily improve their jazz bass skills.