You know what happens when students love what they're practicing? They practice more. It sounds simple because it is simple.
Think about your own experience. When you're doing something you enjoy, time flies. When you're stuck with boring, academic exercises, every minute feels like an hour. The same thing happens with double bass students.
Research shows this clearly. A study from Frontiers in Psychology found that students with high vitality and engagement "played much more frequently and addressed a relatively larger amount of exercises and repertoire." When students find their practice enjoyable, they naturally spend more time with their instrument.
The Problem with Traditional Bass Exercises
You know, most traditional exercise books focus purely on technique. Sure, technique matters. But when students face page after page of scales, arpeggios, and mechanical exercises, motivation drops fast.
Students might push through for a while, but without genuine enjoyment, they eventually give up.
The Trinity College London reveals something interesting about practice motivation. They found that "dislike of practice" reaches its peak at certain grade levels where practice demands increase. This happens when students face more challenging but less engaging material.
The Benefits of Playing Fun to Learn Pieces
When students work with an enjoyable repertoire, several things happen:
They practice without being reminded. A study shows that motivated students naturally spend more time practicing. Fun pieces create this intrinsic motivation that academic exercises rarely achieve.
They develop musical expression. Technical exercises might improve finger placement, but engaging pieces help students understand music as communication, not just notes on a page.
They build confidence faster. Playing something they genuinely enjoy gives students a sense of accomplishment. This confidence then carries over to more challenging material.
They stay in music longer. It is clear. Students who enjoy their practice are more likely to continue their musical journey through high school and beyond.
Your student walks into the room excited about their next piece. They're humming it under their breath. They actually ask if they could practice a little longer. This happens when music speaks to them personally. When the melody gets stuck in their head. When they feel proud playing it for friends and family.
Fun Practice Materials
This is exactly why I created “The Exercise Book” with a different philosophy. Instead of dry, mechanical exercises, I included pieces that students actually want to play.
The exercises may help you develop:
- Bow technique through familiar melodies
- Rhythm skills with music you want to play
- Position work that doesn't feel like drill
- Musical expression through pieces you enjoy
The feedback I get proves this approach works. You might find yourself practicing these exercises because you want to, not because you have to.
My Approach
Honestly, I could write a book full of scales and arpeggios. It would be technically complete. But would students practice it? Probably not consistently.
This isn't about lowering standards. It's about raising engagement. Different students enjoy different styles. Some love pop songs. Others prefer folk melodies or movie themes. The key is finding music that speaks to you. When you connect with a piece emotionally, you may practice it naturally.
Research backs this up. Practical experience proves it. And when you see students genuinely excited about their next practice session, you know you've found the right approach.
The exercise book represents this philosophy in action. It proves you could develop a solid technique while actually enjoying the process. Because at the end of the day, music should be something that draws you in, not pushes you away. Want to experience the difference? Check out The Exercise Book now!