hi all,

i started thinking about giving lessons, in fact, the idea was that maybe giving some bass lessons i could afford some lessons for myself... theres allways stuff to learn... and theres a really good argentinian guy in town...

i cant teach a jazz cat, but i was thinking about giving beginners lessons... technique, aproach, harmony, bass lines, jamming...

but im not quite sure if im ready to teach... i dont want to harm anyone, i really want to be a good teacher or not teach at all...

so... WHEN IS SOMEONE READY TO TEACH?

Those who can't do... heehee.

In all seriousness, in my humble opinion, if you are only comfortable teaching beginners, I'd hold off a bit, or teach friends & friends of friends on the cheap, to start things out and see how it goes. I personally wouldn't hang out my shingle unless I felt comfortable teaching at multiple levels. It's like a language - would you want a Spanish tutor who only had a two-years-in-high-school grasp of the language? There's a tendency for people just starting out to believe they know more than they do, and the more you learn, the lower you rate yourself (because you realize just how much there is out there that you *don't* know). I'm not saying you're not capable, I'm just saying, if I couldn't say "Beginner through Advanced," I'd hold off.

Also, keep in mind that teaching is an entirely different talent than bass playing. There are some great teachers who are not that good when it comes to playing (but know their stuff), and some GREAT players who are stinky at teaching.

What makes you think you'd make a good teacher?

If you don't have a great answer to that question, don't charge people until you do... in my opinion, of course.

Hope this helps.

If you have to ask, you're not ready.

If you have to ask, you're not ready.

Once again you took the words out of my mouth.

If you have to ask, you're not ready.

Not true at all ;)

I'm not saying the OP is ready - I don't know him.

....but there are some people about that have much to offer, that are very humble or lacking confidence. Just because those people care enough about their prospective students to ask others doesn't mean that couldn't be wonderful teachers.

I'm not fantastic at playing the bass, but I can teach it. Not to experts, but beginner to a little over intermediate no problem. I'm studying to be a high school music teacher, so I can tell you that so much about teaching is not content-based. There are a huge amount of crazy-talented cats out there who couldn't teach a paper bag to hold things, so I reckon if you think you can teach, do it.

i dont want to harm anyone, i really want to be a good teacher or not teach at all...

so... WHEN IS SOMEONE READY TO TEACH?

Don't worry about doing them harm, that rarely happens. The worst thing a teacher can do to a student is waste their time.

I see in this thread a common thought and that is: if you aren't a really good player, you can still teach beginners. I would suggest that be re-thought.

I a lot of ways a beginner needs a really good player to help them. A player with a lot of experience will know to help the student begin with good technique, posture etc etc. (otherwise the student will develop some inefficent habits and that will waste their time in the future when they have to unlearn them). An excellent player too will know how to inspire the student and this is important for the 'down' times we all had when learning something new.

When are you ready to teach? When you truely believe you have something to give and you are ready to help students do something with music. You should NOT teach if the primary motivation for you is employment.

Not true at all ;)

I'm not saying the OP is ready - I don't know him.

....but there are some people about that have much to offer, that are very humble or lacking confidence. Just because those people care enough about their prospective students to ask others doesn't mean that couldn't be wonderful teachers.

+1

As long as you have gotten some lessons as well and know you know what good technique is, you know some theory, can read music fairly well etc, chances are virtually 0 that you will harm anyone.

When are you ready to teach? When you truely believe you have something to give and you are ready to help students do something with music. You should NOT teach if the primary motivation for you is employment.

That's worth repeating:

You should NOT teach if the primary motivation for you is employment.

The best way to learn something is to teach it. So soon as you start playing you need to find someone else to share what you're learning. A friend, or another noob, your grandma. Teaching or showing what you are learning means you fully understand the topic. You make mental notes of things you have difficulty explaining and know what to go back want review. Hook up with another bass player at your level and share what each other is learning and hopefully jam a bit they two of you will grow faster than if you just practiced by yourself.

IMO, you're ready to teach whenever someone is ready to learn from you. I would give some free lessons first and see how they go, find out if you can actually get someone to learn from you. Don't try to teach things you don't fully understand yourself, and you'll be fine.

When it comes to teaching I always think of reality shows like "So you think you can dance" and "American Idol"...

Some of the worst participants in those shows almost always say "Hi, my name is ***** and I'm man instructor"


I always love those auditions.

There is a big difference between showing a friend a few things you've learned and being a teacher for pay. The standards for pay are higher, and if you're going to charge, you shouldn't have to ask if you're ready. You should BE ready. And sorry, I don't subscribe to the idea that you shouldn't teach for employment as the motivation. All the teachers I ever had got paid.

....And sorry, I don't subscribe to the idea that you shouldn't teach for employment as the motivation. All the teachers I ever had got paid.

I wasn't saying you shouldn't be paid. If students don't pay, they don't take it seriously. I'm saying the reason to start (or continue) to teach is for reasons outside of the pay. I've taught school and private lesssons for over 30 years and I've been paid all the time.

I've seen too many, way too many private teachers who are doing it because they are just trying to make a buck, and don't have the motavation to be a good and effective teacher (or don't know what that means). Sadly, most of these teachers are guitar, bass or drum players.

I think it's one of those "You'll know when you know" situations. I'm a drummer, and I gave lessons from November up until a few weeks ago. I thought I was ready, but as time went on I just realized that I wasn't enjoying it, and I wasn't confident enough yet to adequately teach others, so I stopped. Being a good player is completely different from being a good teacher. Lots of great players can't teach to save their lives, and some great teachers might not be the best players. It's just one of those things that you'll know when you want to really get into it and as it goes on you'll know whether or not it's right for you to teach.

I'm going to ramble a little here 'cause I've thought about this a lot for a long time. Maybe a point will be made :D

I find teaching really difficult and scary -- so I really try and beg off. Then I feel crappy because I'm not sharing what I know, which is the truest act of love. People ask me to teach all the time. I generally will just stop and take time to show them what they want to know right then and there - not do lessons.

My concerns are I don't want to teach ppl the wrong technique since mine are half homemade and half learned. Having to unlearn poor technique would be beyond a waste of time.

Also hard for me to think in baby steps. I'm over my "students" heads in about three sentences and it's hard for me to express in detail what I take for granted as easy/basic after 40+ years. If that makes sense.

One thing that bothers me is assigning students charts or fingering diagrams and then they make no effort to study 'em on their own time. I imagine since lessons are new to them they may feel overwhelmed or just don't get the examples -- but at least make a small attempt. My teacher would assign me two pages and I'd come back the next week with five pages done. Otherwise it's like your folks are just giving me money for nothing. :eek:

My girl teaches many instruments and voice to all ages and my hat really goes off to her. All the love that her students have for her, and vice-versa, is incredible! She has two recitals a year and this little town really turns out to attend the shows. :cool:

Right now I'm trading out bass lessons for cooking lessons once a week. It's a casual deal, so no pressure. She's not really learning the stuff I give her, but I'm getting some great recipes! Last week was refrieds (YUM!), this week is stir-fry!! :hyper:

thanks for listening! :bassist:

I've been approached many times to teach bass and I've always declined.
It's usually someone who's seen me play somewhere & thinks maybe I'd be a good teacher for him/her or their son/daughter who's starting out.
There's a lot of reasons why I'm not.
I'm a gut/feel player.I learned to play the wrong way & jumped right in.I can't read music(I'm not proud of that!). I have a decent ear.I can read chord charts & know my way around the board.I have decent time & have played with a wide variety of people in different styles
so I can hold my own.I'm solid. I know gear well & usually get a pretty good tone. I also am a record collector/memorabilia guy.That was a big part of it.Listening & absorbing all kinds of music popular & obscure & seeing lots of great artists live has probably helped me more than anything.I've also have had the privlege of playing with people who are better than me.I feel honored that they like my playing & hire me.

But,I can't explain how I play & for as long as I've been playing I'm not that good at all.

I'll show anybody how to do a riff or a lick or a groove when they ask but to teach a beginner,Hell! I'd be going through the Mel Bay book along with them.
I tell beginner's where to find a good teacher &to learn sight reading,theory,etc.& not to just concentrate on scales & being flash if they ask me.
There was one kid who was insistent on me teaching him.I told him buy a bass & a tuner. Get a bass fingerboard chart .Get a bunch of alphabet stickers put them on the back of the neck & mark all the notes correctly.Put them on the fretboard if you want.Tune the thing correctly & start figuring out tunes.If you can't play 2dumbbutt rock songs after a month & a half hang it up. I was just being a smartass.
Well,he did.Four years later he's a full time bassist & he makes a lot better money than me!

There is a big difference between showing a friend a few things you've learned and being a teacher for pay. The standards for pay are higher, and if you're going to charge, you shouldn't have to ask if you're ready.

I think you missed the point.....

:)

Don't worry about doing them harm, that rarely happens. The worst thing a teacher can do to a student is waste their time.



__

Oh man, with all due respect, that is Not true.. Especially applying to beginner students.. I'm from New Delhi and there aren't too many bass players here, leave alone teachers.. I remember when I started playing, which was about five years ago now, the bass teacher I had really gave my playing a run for the money..

He gave me a good handle on technique, which I owe him for (i think), but that was where the buck stopped.. This guy, threw the major scale at me, without telling me what it was, and just told me it was something I had to mug up.. This was before he told me there were 'notes' on the bass.. Before I knew the notes, I knew the modes, but I had no clue what they meant.. the whole thing Killed me..It was only when I dropped into San Fransisco during one of my summer vacations and got a bunch of elementary theory classes that i was like Woah.

****, it was a good few months into my playing And lessons, I actually figured out, that if a guitar player played a C and I played a C it would sound right - I know this might sound exaggerated, and if not exaggerated then plain stupid, but man I promise you when you're not surrounded by a musical culture and no one around you really plays.. it can be a while before you figure the Most simple stuff out.

Haha, i feel like i'm telling a traumatic abuse story. I play jazz now. mm.

I'm studying to be a high school music teacher, so I can tell you that so much about teaching is not content-based.

I'm going to disagree here. I'm a college professor (Political Science, not Music), and, in my experience, the best teachers are those who know their material inside, outside, backwards, and forwards. I mentor three High School teachers who are supposedly offering the college freshman-level intro class (through our college) to advanced HS Juniors and Seniors, and I'm constantly underwhelmed by what I observe in those classrooms.

There's this delusion out there in Education Colleges that pedagogy (teaching methodology) is more important than content. This leads, unfortunately, to a lot of HS instructors, because they really don't know their subject very well, just teaching straight out of the book (and never knowing [1] if the book is right; [2] if there are alternative explanations or approaches that the book isn't covering; or [3] how the material on one topic relates to material on other topics, unless the book explicitly tells you so).

This is not to say that intermediate players shouldn't teach - as a few others said above, there's always more to learn - so, if only the "experts" taught, we'd have very few instructors to rely on. As long as you recognize that, and you're honest with yourself (and your students) about what you have to offer, and what your limitations are, then maybe teaching is worth consideration.

Try to take on a student or two. If they keep coming back, keep teaching them and try to pick up a few more. Repeat until your schedule is full. Simple as that.

I would take with a grain of salt TB member opinions (no offense to anyone) about whether or not you're ready to do this or that and charge for your services (although you did ask).

That's worth repeating:

You should NOT teach if the primary motivation for you is employment.

I beleive my wife and two children would disagree!!! Teaching is how I feed my family and put roof over their heads. Don't get me wrong, I love teaching. I just can't see supporting a family on gigs alone.