Jul 8, 2026 · 21 min · 10 segments
‘Practice in all 12 keys’…It’s advice we often hear, but do we really need to??? [**★ Support this podcast ★**](https://www.openstudiojazz.com "★ Support this podcast ★")
Okay, so when you're saying, uh, when, when we, when we pose this question, and when I... and we've heard this over our, uh, you know, careers-
Mm-hmm.
Yeah
... our bass playing, uh, time, yeah, uh, have you done that on a, in an expe- extensive manner over your career? Be honest about that.
I have.
Okay.
Yes.
Mm-hmm.
Uh, not...
And it is a very common question that we get asked and also that that is out there.
People have talked a lot about this, so we are framing all this from our personal perspective, and that's all you're getting here at Upright Citizens-
Okay
... today, right?
Mm-hmm.
Um, and I'll speak for myself.
So yes, there's, to your question, yes, there had been times in my lives where I, in my life, where I've practiced in all 12 keys.
I have an indelible memory in my brain of buying the Jamey Abersold, the white book, it says Rhythm Changes in All 12 Keys.
Mm-hmm.
Came with the little CDs in the back, you know, with a great rhythm section, and charts, different melodies that Jamey put out, uh, or put, you know, over the rhythm changes, but practicing in all the 12 keys and rhythm changes.
The same with the blues.
I don't know why I'm going to the Abersold stuff, but that's the thing that first got me thinking that I needed to practice in all 12 keys.
Right.
And, um, and I've definitely done that with tunes-
Mm
Okay, so when you're saying, uh, when, when we, when we pose this question, and when I... and we've heard this over our, uh, you know, careers-
Mm-hmm.
Yeah
... our bass playing, uh, time, yeah, uh, have you done that on a, in an expe- extensive manner over your career? Be honest about that.
I have.
Okay.
Yes.
Mm-hmm.
Uh, not...
And it is a very common question that we get asked and also that that is out there.
People have talked a lot about this, so we are framing all this from our personal perspective, and that's all you're getting here at Upright Citizens-
Okay
... today, right?
Mm-hmm.
Um, and I'll speak for myself.
So yes, there's, to your question, yes, there had been times in my lives where I, in my life, where I've practiced in all 12 keys.
I have an indelible memory in my brain of buying the Jamey Abersold, the white book, it says Rhythm Changes in All 12 Keys.
Mm-hmm.
Came with the little CDs in the back, you know, with a great rhythm section, and charts, different melodies that Jamey put out, uh, or put, you know, over the rhythm changes, but practicing in all the 12 keys and rhythm changes.
The same with the blues.
I don't know why I'm going to the Abersold stuff, but that's the thing that first got me thinking that I needed to practice in all 12 keys.
Right.
And, um, and I've definitely done that with tunes-
Mm
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