start lessons next week

d_squad54 · #1 01-12-2006, 01:28 PM

i figure personal lessons are the best way to go. I need someone who I can talk to and ask questions when they come to me. Anyway, any advice involving teachers? How do I know if he is actually good and knows what he is talking about? I went to a legit music store and I am getting lessons in there studio at the store.

sethlow3 · #2 01-12-2006, 11:37 PM

Where abouts do you live?

AxtoOx · #3 01-13-2006, 12:02 AM

I've had 2, I learned a lot from both. Although I like the one I have now much better.
The first one had a collage degree and was very by the book and sometimes I left unhappy.
This one is a practicing musician and I'm learning more faster and always feel good when I leave.
I guess if you don't feel good when you leave, don't quit taking lessons. Get another teacher.

d_squad54 · #4 01-13-2006, 09:54 AM

Around the Kansas City area in the midwest. Thanks for the info guys. I will see what happens.

Daniel Baskin · #5 01-13-2006, 10:20 AM

I would say that *almost* any teacher that teaches in a music store or the like is qualified. It is when teachers give lessons independently that you are presented with a range of bassists from not knowing what they are talking about to master players.

Try to first find someone who teaches bass exclusively. If there is no one like that or you don't like that teacher, taking lessons from someone who teaches guitar isn't completely taboo. The guitarist teacher could be a legit basssit for all I know.

d8g3jdh · #6 01-13-2006, 11:03 AM

Cross reference what he is teaching with the advice given here. if he recommends a soft touch, clarity before speed and ear training and the like, he probably is cool.

SteveC · #7 01-13-2006, 11:23 AM

Give it a little time, too. Give the teacher a chance. One lesson isn't enough to make a decesion.

...and now a slight rant...

The fact that someone is teaching at a music store means nothing. I know plenty of "teachers" at music stores that really shouldn't be teaching. Contrary to some popular thought, just because you can play doesn't mean you can teach.

Teaching requires knowledge in learning styles, curriculum, planning, evaluation, etc. There's a reason we go to school for a number of years and receive degrees.

I'm not saying that there aren't exceptions, I'm just saying...

d_squad54 · #8 01-13-2006, 11:34 AM

How about time and how often? I definitely want to go once a week to keep expanding. But how long do the lessons usually last? My first one is for 30 minutes. I don’t see myself learning a lot in 30 minutes. Of course I could be wrong. I mean I really don’t know how lessons work; I have never had any kind of lessons. Could anyone elaborate? I really have no idea.

SteveC · #9 01-13-2006, 11:41 AM

30 minutes a lesson is plenty. Your teacher will give you some things to work on over the week. Next time, you'll play those things for soem feedback. Then you'll get new stuff to work on, etc., etc.

I'm not a fan of lessons longer than 30 minutes. That's all I ever do with my students. It's plenty.

Stingrayz · #10 01-16-2006, 03:32 AM

Your lucky you can actually find a teacher, it took me about 5 months to find a bass teacher here in kuwait

lol

mksolid · #11 01-16-2006, 06:36 AM

I had a bad experience with a teacher. Got a bunch of money for lessons given to me as a gift, and I came out of all the lessons not much better than I was beforehand. All the guy wanted to do was tab out songs.

AxtoOx · #12 01-16-2006, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mksolid

I had a bad experience with a teacher. Got a bunch of money for lessons given to me as a gift, and I came out of all the lessons not much better than I was beforehand. All the guy wanted to do was tab out songs.

Poor teacher, nothing about music theory? Nothing about building your own bass lines? Nothing about cord prgession and what to do w/ them. I would have gotten anoter teacher. Mine Makes me learn stuff, he doesn't just tab out what I would like to play. He's also teaching me to read music. I don't blame you for being discouraged.

Growler · #13 01-16-2006, 05:25 PM

One thing that has helped me out tremendously, is that in some lessons, the last 10min is dedicated to us jamming. We'll turn on a drum machine, the teacher will pick up a guitar and we'll jam.

Couple of things I've noticed that help:

-*Listen* to the drum machine to you can sync up with it.
-The teacher should be able to point out when you're nolonger with the drum machine.
-This isn't an opportunity for the teacher to "show off" with their skills, but often times they play something that is almost exactly like your bassline so you get the timing down.

and one thing that you can't do from home....

-Adding a guitarist (or some other instrument, besides the metronome/drum machine), at first can throw you completely off your game. I might work on a song at home and have it down pat with the tab/metronome/drum machine, but then when the teacher plays along with me, it completely screws me up. It's just makes it more complex, but at home it would be impossible to experience this "jam environment" on my own.

One other thing: This isn't Freshman Physics... it should be fun.

Kroy · #14 01-19-2006, 12:32 PM

I teach what the student is interested in learning. So I split the time between showing them techniques that I think they should know and songs they want to learn. I try to incorporate songs that utilize the techniques I'm showing them. So I somtimes tab out a song (or part of it) for them. But then we work on that until they get what I think they need from it. I have one bass student who works on nothing but theory with me so for the past 3 months we've just been doing scales and spelling chords. Now we're taking some simple songs (blues tunes to start) so we can break down the chord progressions and see how the bassist in the song came up with their line from the chords and how that can transfer to the students playing. I agree with a lot of what's been said. Each week you should hopefully get something out of it that you can spend the week working on. Contrary to popular belief, your lesson isn't where you'll do most of your learning, it's your practice time. The teacher is just there to help you find the things to practice that will be most helpful to you.

StevieC - Is there a Teacher's Thread or forum on this site (I'm brand new)? A place where instructors can sort of compare notes and talk about how they teach certain things?