mic Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Hi all bass players out there. Just wonder, how many of you have taken lessons in playing bass guitar, or is it all something you have learned yourself??? Reason I am asking is, for the first time ever, after having played bass for little more then 10 years, tomorrow I am going to have my first lesson. Yes yes I know it might be a bit late, should really have been then I started playing the bass, but better late then never, sure hope to pick up a thing or two. All the best Michael Dublin, Ireland Fender Jazz 2011 mex. Support people with Autisme :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard W Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Welcome to the Forum, Michael. I never picked up a bass until I was 45 and took weekly lessons for almost six years. Once I got into a band, I stopped taking lessons as all my practice time was mostly devoted to learning songs. Haven't taken a formal lesson in probably three or four years. Obviously, one can be a great bass player without ever taking a lesson. In my view, taking lessons is a good idea and it certainly helped me tremendously--not only with sound fundamentals and technique, but my teacher was both patient and encouraging. A good teacher is a gift. In your case, it will be interesting to see if there's a gap between what you've taught yourself and what your teacher says, in terms of technique, etc. Your teacher might ask you to "unlearn" things. But on the other hand, if it works for you, it works. You can learn a lot on this Forum as well. "Everyone wants to change the world, but no one thinks of changing themselves." Leo Tolstoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Never too late. I never took electric bass lessons. I did study upright bass. At age 46 and after playing for 35+ years, I had a lesson with a pretty big name player a couple summers ago. I'm an orchestra teacher by day. I think you can always learn something from someone. Even a poor teacher usually has one or two things you can take away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mic Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 i do wonder what the "gab" will be. and as long as i can just take one thing away from the lesson, it is money well spend. also looking forward to learn a thing or two on this forum Fender Jazz 2011 mex. Support people with Autisme :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butcherNburn Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Even if you learn a thing or two then continue on your own, it's a good thing. It could also be good if you need a push to have some direction in your playing. A number of people here have made the comment that it's best to have a bass teacher as opposed to a guitar teacher that also teaches bass. The gap may be in technique. Good advice there may make you a more efficient player which, in the long run may help in other areas like speed and the ability to play longer without fatigue. If you think my playing is bad, you should hear me sing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcadmus Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I took a few when I was a kid. "Tours widely in the southwestern tip of Kentucky" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 As someone who has been teaching bass for 40 years, I'll chime in here. Technique can be cleaned up.....if the student really wants that and works at it. However, bass guitar is one instrument that can be successfully played without having great technique. Try that on a trumpet, sax, or violin some day and see if you get away with it. I've had many students who had played for years, were in bands, and yet didn't know the names of all the notes on the bass neck. They also didn't know what all the chord names meant. Yes, you can get away with playing the root. You can get away with having the guitarist show you your part, but there is way more out there in the world of bass playing. A good teacher will help you fill in the holes in your knowledge. Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Sweet Willie_ Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I taught myself to play when I was 15. Then I took lessons the next two years. I've taken lessons on and off since then, and typically get something out of the time I spend w/ each teacher. I think I wrote about my experience taking lessons again as an adult on this forum. I'll search for the thread. Peace. --SW spreadluv Fanboy? Why, yes! Nordstrand Pickups and Guitars. Messiaen knew how to parlay the funk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Brown Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Yes. Off and on with a guy I like to learn from. local teacher and player. I learn about music but also talk about being in a band, etc... I am not a lesson guy, per se, but have seen value in taken a few. "When I take a stroll down Jackass Lane it is usually to see someone that is already there" Mrs. Brown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basshappi Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Mic, It is never too late. I started playing bass when I was 13. I was very lucky to study with a fantastic bass teacher named Mike Robberson who got me off to a great start. In fact I would say that his influence had a significant impact on my entire life. He changed me from a kid who just thought it would be cool to be in a rock and roll band into a serious musician who wanted to make music my life pursuit. Fast forward 30 years and I began to feel like my playing was in a rut. Everything I played sounded completely stale and the methods I had relied upon to get me over those flat spots were getting me nowhere. It just so happened that Ed Friedland lived in Tucson at the time and I was privileged to study with him for a year before he moved to Austin. I made more progess in that one year than I had in the 10 years before. I am still benefiting from the lessons he taught me because he also showed me how to study more productivly on my own. Ed reminded me that musicianship is a journey not a destination, I had forgotten that. Find a good teacher and then put your ego aside and commit yourself to being the best student you can be. In time you'll look back and be surprised at far you've improved over where you were before. Good luck to you. Nothing is as it seems but everything is exactly what it is - B. Banzai Life is what happens while you are busy playing in bands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wally Malone Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Mic, It is never too late. I started playing bass when I was 13. I was very lucky to study with a fantastic bass teacher named Mike Robberson who got me off to a great start. In fact I would say that his influence had a significant impact on my entire life. He changed me from a kid who just thought it would be cool to be in a rock and roll band into a serious musician who wanted to make music my life pursuit. Fast forward 30 years and I began to feel like my playing was in a rut. Everything I played sounded completely stale and the methods I had relied upon to get me over those flat spots were getting me nowhere. It just so happened that Ed Friedland lived in Tucson at the time and I was privileged to study with him for a year before he moved to Austin. I made more progess in that one year than I had in the 10 years before. I am still benefiting from the lessons he taught me because he also showed me how to study more productivly on my own. Ed reminded me that musicianship is a journey not a destination, I had forgotten that. Find a good teacher and then put your ego aside and commit yourself to being the best student you can be. In time you'll look back and be surprised at far you've improved over where you were before. Good luck to you. Ed's teaching methods are great and have gone through a few of his methods. The other bass player I find has a great way of teaching is Todd Johnson and recently have been working through his Improv Method. Todd now lives in the Phoenix area and not only does private lessons there but also by Skype. Wally I have basses to play, places to be and good music to make! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I started taking piano lessons when I was old enough to read, then sax lessons beginning 6th grade. Both of those continued through high school. In college, I had a room mate who played bass and I started playing around on his. He gave me tips on technique. I eventually bought my own bass, but just played as a hobby, while playing keys/sax in bands. Finally at around age 29, I joined a band playing bass that I was in for about 5 years. Those 5 years were when I made the most progress. My next band was back to keys/sax/rhythm guitar, and now just keys and sax. But I'll be back on bass soon in a duo I'm putting together - looking forward to it! Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cthulhu Fhtagn Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Took lessons when I decided to go to the upright. Was more concerned about proper technique, posture, et. al. Self-taught on the bass guitar. Me and about a dozen different Hal Leonard books and CDs. Wouldn't hurt to find a teacher and do something about my jazz chops, but real bass teachers in my area are a bit hard to find. Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottom End Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Find a good teacher and then put your ego aside and commit yourself to being the best student you can be. In time you'll look back and be surprised at far you've improved over where you were before. Good luck to you. +1, and that applies to more than music instruction. "Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me, yet you cannot play upon me.'-Hamlet Guitar solos last 30 seconds, the bass line lasts for the whole song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric VB Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 I had music store lessons when I was 11. Since I had already learned how to read music through the school band (on trombone) the music store quickly ran out of things to teach me. When I was in college, not a music major, I took lessons from a bass professor. He had a lot of things to teach me but unfortunately I did not have a lot of room in my schedule to keep up the lessons. Have fun with your lessons! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Schmieder Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Um, there's a downside to that, which I'm still "paying" for today. I wasted untold amounts of cash in my 20's taking jazz guitar, folk guitar, classical guitar, classical voice, saxophone, and bass guitar lessons, because I was brainwashed that you had to take lessons to learn an instrument (since I studied classical piano and clarinet during school). Only the classical piano and harpsichord lessons taught me GOOD technique that I can still call upon today. All the other instructors were bad and taught me the OPPOSITE of good technique. Those were the days before the internet, so we didn't know any better -- especially if living out in the boonies as I did, with the one or two locals being gods and heroes. So, use YouTube first, and learn from those videos what is working for you and not, and use that to judge a good in-the-flesh teacher if you have the luxury of good teachers in your area. Then be prepared to spend massive amounts of dough. :-) Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1, Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b5pilot Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Took guitar lessons in my teens and got decent enough to even teach beginner guitar to a couple of students. Never had formal training on bass. Started playing bass in bar bands where we learned songs either by ear or chord sheets. Had no need to read and I let that ability slip away from me. I regret that and also having never learned to read in bass clef. I believe a lot more musical opportunities could have opened to me if I did. Or at the least I would have picked up a lot more about playing bass a lot quicker if I had taken a few lessons back then. So congrats Mic. Take your lessons and keep it up! Lydian mode? The only mode I know has the words "pie ala" in front of it. http://www.myspace.com/theeldoradosband Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mic Posted January 20, 2014 Author Share Posted January 20, 2014 Hi All. thanks for all the super feedback (not that we want feed back then we play) lol I had my lesson, all I can say WOW, it was an eye opener, we talked about a good few things. did not play a lot, more like finding common ground, so we could move forward. so what did I get out of it.... 1. right hand technique.. Not too bad, just needs a bit to be as it should be. 2. left hand technique.. need a lot more work, so we spend some time on that, now it is just up to me. 3. Advice me that it is allowed to use all of the freed board, not just part of it LOL. 4. Theory for chords and note for the bass now I only had one hour, but it felt good, and there was a good atmosphere, so I am going back again for more. i will keep updateing, how it is going All the best from Ireland to all of you out there Michael Dublin, Ireland Fender Jazz 2011 mex. Support people with Autisme :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottom End Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Good on ya! "Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me, yet you cannot play upon me.'-Hamlet Guitar solos last 30 seconds, the bass line lasts for the whole song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard W Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 3. Advice me that it is allowed to use all of the freed board, not just part of it Still working on this one myself... "Everyone wants to change the world, but no one thinks of changing themselves." Leo Tolstoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mic Posted January 20, 2014 Author Share Posted January 20, 2014 i think it is too easy, to get stucked at the same place, and therfore never to try something new. so you end up always play the song the same way, and not to try something new, and who knows, that something new might sound better LOL Fender Jazz 2011 mex. Support people with Autisme :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brainless Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 I started taking lessons when I turned 44 after talking about it for years (and never having learned any instrument). It's been 5 months and I am so glad I did it. I'm playing once a week with other musicians now (a loose jam session). I have learned so much about the music I have been listening to all my life. Wish I would have done this 30 years ago! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johngoldsby Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 That's great Mic, that you've gotten one lesson under your belt. As long as you put some effort into the lesson material, it will be fun and inspiring. Congrats also to Brainless (also on the 1st post) taking lessons for 6 months and now doing jam sessions. Great. BTW Mic, I'll be in beautiful Sligo, Ireland in July teaching at their jazz workshop probably along with another yet-to-be-named bass teacher. Check it out: Sligo Jazz Project. www.goldsby.de Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mic Posted January 22, 2014 Author Share Posted January 22, 2014 next lesson planed for saturday 1.2.2014 cant wait :-) John i dont think i have ever put so much effort into playing (learning) sins i cant even remember lol. but it is fun. i know that i am all the way back to bacis, but doing it right makes it more fun. john i'll check out that sligo jazz, could be fun :-) Fender Jazz 2011 mex. Support people with Autisme :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mic Posted February 3, 2014 Author Share Posted February 3, 2014 ok, just had lesson number 2.... (i should have done this years ago) i feel that i over the last 2 weeks have moved more forward, then i have the last 5 years .... and to top it up, i have never been so happy, just sitting down and practice, doing scales and stuff like that. have to say the teacher, he knows what he is doing, and he tells it in a nice and simple way. one of his top tip is: slow down and get it right before adding speed... sound simple, but i am sure a lot of people, just like myself is doing the other way, speeding up, and you just end up getting frustrated. Regards Michael Fender Jazz 2011 mex. Support people with Autisme :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddiePlaysBass Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 I'll revive this thread rather than start one. I'm still looking for a good teacher, and am becoming slightly disillusioned with the whole ordeal. I found a teacher close to my work, with whom I really hit it off on a personal level. However, I feel (from the two lessons I had with him) that he has great chops but lacks some of the theoretical background I am looking for. I can figure out pattern playing on my own, after all. Mailed another guy who's associated with a music school close to work. I sent him a link to some recordings and told him what I am looking for, and he replied saying he mostly deals with beginners, not intermediate players, and that he probably had little to offer. I have a third option: my soon-to-be ex-band held auditions and one of them has a degree in music and teaches privately. He turned down the band's offer to come to a second audition, but he's a friend of one of the new singers, and said singer said he'd talk to him again to reconsider. So I'm wondering if it would be weird to contact him If this turns into another loose end, I will give up the search for now and just carry on doing what I have been doing lately. "I'm a work in progress." Micky Barnes The Ross Brown Shirt World Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicklab Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 Weird kind of left-field angle here, David: have you considered taking lessons with someone via Skype? It's something that seems to be gaining some momentum with teachers. And the added bonus is that you're not really that limited by geography in searching for a teacher. Still, you'd have the same challenges with finding a teacher: a good rapport, a teacher who understands your current level of education, and will work with you on your goals. You also want a teacher who's going to push you and help you realize what you can really do.... and not just take your money. Obligatory Social Media Link "My concern is, and I have to, uh, check with my accountant, that this might bump me into a higher, uh, tax..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul K Posted November 3, 2014 Share Posted November 3, 2014 Just find a jazz cat and take jazz lessons. Doesn't matter if'n you hate jazz. It's about learning how music is constructed. When you stop progressing in a timely fashion,then take guitar lessons instead of bass from this jazz cat. In both phases, punch your weekly lessons into Band-in-a-box. It would not be weird to contact that cat who auditioned for the band. Things are just the way they are, and they're only going to get worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I'm sort of in a different boat having had music theory/lessons on piano, but later picking up bass by ear. I've learned hand positions and patterns, and have improved my technique, but now that I'm playing bass full time in a band, I struggle with communication. When we're in practice and talking about changes, and someone asks what I'm playing, I have to stop and figure it out. I know my open strings and the first several frets (and thus the 12 and up a few), but most of the space I find myself playing I can't just spit out what the notes are. In fact, I have to visualize a piano keyboard in order to know if it's a black key or 2 white keys next to each other, lol. I think as I practice these songs, I'm going to force myself to say the notes as I okay so I teach myself note recognition on the fretboard. Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michele C. Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I think Paul K has hit a good point, learning about music the jazz way is a good way to understand a lot of different music, especially pop. I choose this path, and found out that I am not able to learn to read as fast as it would get me a place in a big band. I also found out that my admiration for those fast paced bass lines that power bebop is not enough for taking the role. I still can hold my ground in different kinds of music and am so glad anyway for having learned so much. -- Michele Costabile (http://proxybar.net) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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