No backing tracks.Just relentless practising.It does get boring and frustrating at first, but it gets more enjoyable when you start getting the scales into memory.I am assured that you have to be bored, before it gets better, which is the case in most things.But i am enjoying it.
No pick, just the two fingered walking method.
The reason i took Bass lessons, is because i have arthiritis in my hands.I always wanted to play the guitar, but the restricted movements in my hands, i thought Bass might be easier, as i only have 4 strings, with wider gaps in between.I would do well to be average, as i am learning that you need a wide hand to cover 4 frets with 4 fingers.My pinky isn`t very manovarable, so it may restrict me, but it is getting betterI have new treatments which has stopped it getting worse for now, so thought it may help to get them moving.Anyway, that is the reason i took bass.