When I first started out on the bass, I spent a huge amount of practice time on technique and learning my fretboard. That gave me more of an edge than I realized.
Back then, a lot of bass players were stuck in the same pentatonic shapes, running the same patterns. The more familiar I became with my fretboard, the more adventurous I felt to explore.
It’s like hiking through a dense forest: the more you know the terrain, the more likely you are to step off the beaten path. And because of that, I automatically started to sound different.
Fast forward to today—returning to my instrument after a long hiatus—my focus has shifted. My practice routine is no longer just about mechanics. My priority is my ear. The technique will come through repetition, but it’s your ear and imagination that