I have a student I take for an hour each Sunday. I usually break the hour down into some theory, some practice (scales, exercises, etc) and finish up running through a song (which I try show him the applications of the theory we've studied) - usually break it up as so the lesson is somewhat interesting.

I have two issues I need advise on:

1. He doesn't really practice. He'll learn the scales in one octave but gets lost half way up the second octave. We break any pieces into chunks and piece them together. I find it easier to learn as well as easier showing practical application of theory. He learns somewhat the easy "chunks" and ignores to the most part and of the slightly more difficult parts.

2. Theory. He's getting 90% of the theory. He does ask questions, so, it's not he's just nodding his head and just not getting it, but there was a few bits he wasn't too sure on, so, I decided yesterday to sit down with him and review modes, intervals,time and key signatures and inversions making sure I slowed down and explained as best I could if he was in any way confused. He seemed happy at the end, but the basses only got less than ten mins play time during the lesson, and am wondering was I right to spend basically more or less one full lesson reviewing the theory.

Any ideas?

1. Explain to him that if he doesn't practice, you can't move forward until he does. Dave LaRue once made me pay $40 to repeat a lesson I had two weeks before because of me not practicing. Never happened again.

2. Bass is about music. If you need to spend the majority of the lesson going over music, so be it, although I'd probably squeeze a little more playing time out of it so he has fun.

1.good point. Taken on board.

2. Yep - I usually do break the hour down betwen playing and theory as so he won't end up packing the whole thing in! I felt I spent an inordinate amount of time during this one particular lesson on theory and was probably getting a bit frustrated in anticipation of this happening again!

I can only echo the above. The student/teacher relationship has to be interactive. If he's not practicing, it's ultimately his own loss but your time and energy is being wasted.

When I've taught - and studied - there were many sessions where instruments weren't touched. I applaud your approach in teaching music...the really key thing. If the student wants to be successful, there's as much listening, writing, and grasping of theory involved as there is playing. Obviously it's up to you as the teacher to manage the dynamic, but it sure sounds to me like you're on the right track.

one thing i would like to add is as long as time will permit it for both of you dont be afraid to go over the hour in certain cases to make sure he understands a point or to fit in something that you wernt able to do earlier in the lesson. i know that this is basically giving your time for free but as long as the student apreciates the extra time, it isnt time wasted and hopefully the student will thank you for it.


Dave

Creating the "appetite for knowledge" is a huge challenge for a teacher - but if you can make a tangible connection between the subject matter and your student's use of it in the real world - you may be that much closer to your goal.

How? That's a biggie - but I will take a whack:

Challenge 1: Scales - one octave fine, more than one, not so much...
Real-world connection: Identify some songs that are popular with the students in general - ones that will embrace the lesson and actually have lines where being able to successfully navigate the neck above one 8va applies - make playing that part of the lesson. (Yes' "Heart of the Sunrise" would tickly my fancy!)

Challenge 2: Theory - get's it on paper, sort of - not in application. This is a very broad topic, but can be broken down into it's requisite components:
a) Modes
b) Intervals
c) Time signatures
d) Key signatures

Once again, each sub-component of theory has some real-world counterparts out there that the class in general can most likely relate to. If you can successfully tie lessons about the modes like;
Mixolydian - one of the most popular modes in rock and roll...
- or -
This song sounds too flippin' happy! It needs an Aeolian enema!
- or -
Major, sure... Minor, uh huh... But how to I make it sound interesting?

I don't know man... I think teachers are the most important people on the planet and I salute you for taking such an interest in getting through!

My teacher always make splits lessons into 3 categories.

Theory
Technique
Musicallity

That is to say, one lesson we'll work on Theory, the next we'll work on Technique and so on. I think this works really well. He also gives me a lot of info and doesn't expect me to know by next week. It's more up to me what I work on. I could spend the rest of my life just working on what he taught me in the first month. So the lesson kind of introduce new things that are extensions of things we've already covered. I keeps me interested because it's never something totally new (i understand it) but it shows me new things to do with something old. And don't know if that makes any sense but it works for me. Plus my 1 hour lessons usually go 2-3 hours which is nice.

I just wanted to thank "lowenduser" for this post, and all of you who replied. I'm new to bass and am taking lessons. I do my best to articulate to my teacher (who's great!) what direction I want to go, but struggle within myself to identify the relationship between specific goals and what I need to learn to get there. IOW, I don't just want to learn "songs" or "styles" (I do, but stay with me) - I want to learn the "hows" and "whys" of what makes a particular song "work", or a particular style "work". (but I'm having lots of fun getting there).

BTW Blue209, what kind of car did you get your teacher for Christmas? You pay for a 1 hour lesson and get 2-3 hours? Your're one lucky guy.

i usually get about an hour and half out of my one hour lesson if time permits it.

the funny thing when i have a lesson my tutor never touches his bass, maybe he will grab mine for a minute to demo something for me but most of the time we will work through stuff he will acompany me on piano.

i think that is a much better way to lear this stuff because straight away you are applying it to music and using it, especailly when you are first starting off and learning scales, arpeggios and modes you actually hear the chord behind it and connect things that way.


Dave

I do my best to articulate to my teacher (who's great!) what direction I want to go, but struggle within myself to identify the relationship between specific goals and what I need to learn to get there. IOW, I don't just want to learn "songs" or "styles" (I do, but stay with me) - I want to learn the "hows" and "whys" of what makes a particular song "work", or a particular style "work". (but I'm having lots of fun getting there).


If there is one piece of advice I wish I had when I was starting it would be something like, "follow your bliss" or "don't be distracted from what your gut tells you" - something along those lines.

Being younger, less mature and subject to the pushes and pulls of peers, I found that I ultimately compromised my "true" goals for the sake of playing with friends and "rockin' out". Not that I feel I did not benefit from the experience, but I do feel like I spent a large amount of my formative years developing very limited skills.

As a kid and young teen, I was always drawn to the Jackson 5, the Beatles, The Monkees, and later, Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Hendrix, Cream, Stanley Clarke, Jaco (Weather Report and Joni Mitchell) - But because I was surrounded by my friends who were either guitar players or drummers - and not "school trained" but self-taught - they tended to gravitate toward the flash and glitz of metal and hair-metal (excuse me... I just threw up in my mouth a little)... So when it came to jammin' - I got stuck jammin' with "chunkachunkachunka WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, WOOOOOoooooooo.....ooooooOOOOOOO EEEEEE, DEDLEDELDELDLELDLEDLELDLELDELDEEEEE, CRUNCHA....fizzle, snap, crackle, pop"

So, if I may offer - when things get swirly and confusing, relax, sit back and ask yourself - "what really makes me happy" - if you are lucky, you little voice will be easily heard and will help you make good choices regarding musical direction.

1. I don't care if my students practice. It's their money, and if their only practice is the one hour per week they spend with me, I have no problem with that. I do make them aware that practice will make progress much faster.

2. Sometimes I'll spend most of a lesson on music theory. Students need an understanding of the notes they're playing in order to more easily create musical ideas of their own. It's far more important than technique, IMO.

As far as I'm concerned, your approach is fine.

I just wanted to thank "lowenduser" for this post, and all of you who replied. I'm new to bass and am taking lessons. I do my best to articulate to my teacher (who's great!) what direction I want to go, but struggle within myself to identify the relationship between specific goals and what I need to learn to get there. IOW, I don't just want to learn "songs" or "styles" (I do, but stay with me) - I want to learn the "hows" and "whys" of what makes a particular song "work", or a particular style "work". (but I'm having lots of fun getting there).

That's cool man. I'm new to bass as well, and I see stuff the same way. I have a younger brother that more or less wants to "rock out." Whenever I've told him I enjoy learning about what makes music tick, just as much as I do actually playing, he tells me that that's what kills musician's love for music, and that I'm going about it all wrong. He feels it turns it into a giant math equation. To each their own, I guess. But like you said, I'm all about the "hows" and "whys" myself.

That's cool man. I'm new to bass as well, and I see stuff the same way. I have a younger brother that more or less wants to "rock out." Whenever I've told him I enjoy learning about what makes music tick, just as much as I do actually playing, he tells me that that's what kills musician's love for music, and that I'm going about it all wrong. He feels it turns it into a giant math equation. To each their own, I guess. But like you said, I'm all about the "hows" and "whys" myself.

The best musicians, including the ones he rocks out to, would not have gotten as far as they have without music theory.