You’ve got 15 minutes. Maybe it’s a borrowed bass in a new hall before soundcheck. Maybe it’s your own bass at home, with life about to catch up with you. Either way: what do you actually practice?

Bob DeBoo and Reuben Rogers open with a live Ray Brown Trio recording of "St. Louis Blues," proof that a great bassist sounds like himself on any instrument, then share Ray Brown stories from a UNT master class and the festival circuit. Reuben walks through how he gets to know an unfamiliar upright fast: finding his reference notes, singing intervals before he plays them, and targeting notes without cheating on intonation. Bob breaks down the melodic triads warm-up he uses to learn a new fingerboard, and how hearing ahead works on electric bass too. Plus: why the bow is its own instrument (after a tour of 25 cities, 25 basses, and 25 bows), and three rules for making any 15-minute practice session count.

Click here to watch a video of this episode.

(00:00) What Do You Practice in 15 Minutes?
(00:51) The 15-Minute Challenge
(01:26) Listen to This: Ray Brown Trio
(02:52) Why Ray Brown Sounds Like Ray Brown
(03:57) Ray Brown's UNT Master Class
(05:14) Ray Brown Practiced Every Day
(06:28) New Bass? Find Your Reference Note
(08:54) Ear Training: Sing Your Intervals
(09:53) Target Notes: Don't Cheat Intonation
(11:20) Hearing Ahead on Electric Bass
(11:58) Melodic Triads Warm-Up Exercise
(16:32) Be Intentional With 15 Minutes
(17:24) One Tour: 25 Basses, 25 Bows
(18:37) Short Sessions, Long-Term Reps
(19:19) Takeaways: Focus, Sound, Be Realistic

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Click here to view the episode transcript.