Bass Lessons by Professional

Music Biography Link

My approach is to assess a student’s skill level in several areas and then find out what they want to achieve from lessons and their playing of the bass. From there I cover techniques and topics that will help the student achieve their goals. My goal is work with you every other week for four to ten sessions to get you self sufficient to learn your instrument and then take lessons as you reach your plateaus and feel a need more instruction.

I do initially stress proper hand positions and provide several exercises that will facilitate achieving that. I personally believe a basic knowledge of scale modes and key signatures is part of a foundation needed to get beyond rudimentary playing. After that, the sky is the limit as to where you want to go. As for soloing “flash”, I can show you some tapping/slapping techniques that are good for getting attention and show/discuss styles used by known greats such as Jack Casady, Jack Bruce, Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Clarke, Ray Brown, and many others.

Theory 
Scales 
Chords 
Song Forms
Blues 
Rock
Latin
Country
Rockabilly
Jazz
Swing 
Funk 
Metal
Punk
 
Classical techniques for Upright (hand positions, bowing/arco, pizzicato)

Care, maintenance, restringing, and setting intonation
How to purchase an instrument

Basic reading skills (Staff, Chord Charts, TAB)
Various concepts of Improvisation

How electronics can affect your sound to enhance various style

Technique
Rhythmic development
Developing bass lines
Soloing
How to play with a band and make others sound good
How to play "in the pocket" making the music groove

Lessons include:

how to hold the bass
right and left hand techniques
using fingers, pick, slap and tap, French or German bows (upright bass)
intonation
music theory
scales and modes
time signatures
chord progressions
rhythmic exercises
walking bass lines
song forms
writing charts
ear training
fundamental musicianship
steady time (your inner rhythm)
Listening (inner and outer)
rhythm exercises
how to count
internalized metronome
syncopation
accuracy in phrasing
swing feeling
articulation
creating bass lines
expanding your musical vocabulary
hearing long phrases
(2 bar, 4 bar, 8 bar, 16 bar, 32 bar)
call and response
rhythmic aspects
harmonic aspects
how to read chord charts
Standard progressions
recognizing intervals

diatonic exercises
chromatic exercises
walking bass lines
composition
starting with bass lines
starting with melody lines
starting with chord progressions
experimental
improvisation
soloing over chord changes
creating grooves on the spot
soloing on a theme
how to play fills
variations
interpretation
survey of musical literature
analyze and assimilate bass lines from recordings
transcription (learning by ear)
communication with band
cues
tags/endings
interaction
counting off tunes
music jargon

The Bottom Line Bass Group Online group of Bassist for the discussion of Bass and related subjects