Bass Guitar Instruction - What to Look For in a Teacher or Method

The purpose of this article is to help you know what to look for when choosing a bass instruction method or teacher. Electric bass is a great instrument that can be incredibly fun to play. Whatever the style of music, chances are the band needs a bass player. Whatever goals you have in terms of playing, the right bass lessons with the right teacher will make the process much faster and easier. The greater your knowledge of the instrument, the the greater time you will have playing, as well as the amount you will work or perform. Whether you are into rock, metal, funk, or jazz, there are fundamentals in learning how to play bass that will serve you well regardless of genre. This guide will help you know what to look for in a teacher or instruction method.



Naturally, the actual instructor (or perhaps author) is an important factor. There are a number of qualifications to look for, some of which may require a very small amount of research. Do many different musical artists hire (or have hired) them? Remember that almost all bands need a bass player, and this means there are plenty of bassists "in bands." Many will call themselves professionals and offer to teach, without having much experience or solid foundation themselves. Look for someone who is or has been hired to play in a variety of situations, generally the higher the level, the better, as it shows they have a variety of skills and know how to achieve higher levels of playing.

It is important that your instructor or course of choice shows proper physical technique for playing the bass, not only for speed and sound, but for ergonomics. With poor posture or playing habits, it is surprisingly easy to develop soreness or even issues like tendonitis.. Be sure to develop good habits from the start, even though this is not always the most exciting part of the process. Though everyone has a different body type and it is not always possible to "copy" someone else for good posture, a good teacher or course will cover the fundamental principles of sound technique.



Of course, you will also want your bass guitar instruction to cover the physical skills of developing dexterity and sound. While your particular bass, amplifier, strings and other gear naturally influence the sound, much of tone control comes from your hands. A good teacher or course will cover the different types of attacking (finger style, slapping, thumb playing, playing closer to the bridge or neck, and so on,) muting, fretting, and all physical components of creating a variety of desired sounds from the same instrument.Though speed is important, you will want someone that can teach how to play at any tempo with an even sound.

Make sure your teacher or course has a solid background in music theory and can show you at least the basics. There will be a wide range in interest among those of you reading this, from those who will find music theory fascinating to those who want nothing to do with it. I promise you that getting some of the fundamentals under your belt will be so useful and enhance your playing so much that you will be glad you studied it. Rather than having to memorize your favorite bass lines and songs note for note and discovering fingerings or positions, when you are able to see the "big picture" it will accelerate your progress dramatically. Literally thousands of your favorite songs fit into musical formulas that you will be able to hear, recognize, and most importantly, already know how to play when you have a basic foundation of the scales and chords on which these songs are based.

Creating a groove is one of the most important, as well as most fun aspects of being a bass player. This is more involved than simply playing "in time," though that should be covered by your teacher as well. Groove is what makes the music feel good, and the bass plays a huge part in creating it. This has much to do with note lengths, attacks, and the general attitude or energy in your playing. There is nothing better than making the band groove, and few qualities are more loved by your band mates as well as the audience. Check out clips online of players like Victor Wooten or Marcus Miller playing solo or duo with a drummer, and pay attention to how the beat feels. Make sure your teacher can groove and explain the physical and mental aspects involved in creating one.

Also on the subject of groove, perhaps the best way to develop it is also the most fun, which is playing with drummers and rhythm sections that know how to groove hard. Besides being enjoyable, this will naturally adjust your own playing as you connect to what the other musicians are doing.. Once the feeling gets deeply ingrained into your hands and body, you will be able to express it on the instrument by yourself. A good teacher or method will provide, or be able to help you find resources for this (there are excellent records to play along to, as well as specific "play-along" tracks where the bass is able to be isolated or removed.)

Last but not least, you will want a teacher or course that can provide the right balance of moving at your own pace while still being able to push you to the next level. Moving too advanced too quickly will just make you feel frustrated, whereas moving too slow or not having enough variation will make you feel bored.

Perhaps the best integration of all of this in the most effective and thorough manner has been put together by a seasoned pro named Roy Vogt. His DVD course covers all the points and more: him being a world class, working player, great physical and theoretical foundation, groove, tone and technique discussions, combined visual and audio examples, and play along tracks with a professional rhythm-section combined with his own performances. Because it is a DVD course, you can move at any pace (from basic to quite advanced) and replay the lessons as many times as you want.

There is also forum access online that allows you to ask questions and post videos of yourself playing. Most high level professionals can easily charge in the range of 50 to 100 dollars per lesson, so having such a thorough course to revisit limitless times makes it a great investment, or even a strong supplement to your current studies.. As someone who plays and teaches professionally, this course is very impressive.

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