Teaching Bass to a beginner!

[naypalm]

Hi guys.

New to the forum, had a quick look round and it's really good!

Was hoping some of you might be able to give me some advice!

I've been playing for 15 years, and consider myself a good bassist. At the moment i'm running a recording studio. I've had a phonecall today from a beginner requiring bass lessons, to which i agreed to!

However, although a very competent bassist i have never given a lesson. I was hoping for some tips on where to start with the guy.

I was considering some fundamentals like using 4 fingers over 4 frets and getting him to run up and down scales!

Thoughts?!

Nathan.

[johnny5string]

That's cool and all but it depends on the student's goals with the instrument. Show them some easy songs to play along with too so that they feel like they're getting somewhere. I find with or without you by u2 to be a great bass exercise for beginners. It was recorded with a click and the 8th notes are perfectly even. It's a good four note 5 min. 8th note étude for beginners. Also, the major scale won't hurt either.

[naypalm]

Cheers mate, keep the ideas coming!

Nathan

[VitalSigns]

Make sure he has fun. Don't bore him to death or else he might not want to keep at it.

[flaquito]

You might consider having him get a book like Hal Leonard Bass Method. I'm using it with a beginner student, and it does a great job of starting at the basics, and going through more advanced topics. It's three books in one, complete with play-along cds. There's some more discussion of it over here.

[Marty Forrer]

4 fingers on 4 frets doesn't work for everyone. Certainly not me. As a former teacher, I wouldn't enforce that. My short fingers require I play 4 fingers over 3 frets, as per Simandl method. Otherwise, teach him simple songs first off. This will retain his interest and spark the desire to learn simple scales and chord tones.

[fearceol]

Originally Posted by flaquito

You might consider having him get a book like Hal Leonard Bass Method.

I agree. It might be a good idea to get a book (the one above is good) and work through it with the pupil. You can always add tips/advice of your own.

Originally Posted by Marty Forrer

4 fingers on 4 frets doesn't work for everyone. Certainly not me. As a former teacher, I wouldn't enforce that.

+1. OFPF, especially on the lower frets (1-5) is not for everyone. With technique, explain to him that while nothing is written in stone, there are tried and trusted ways. You as his teacher can show him these ways, but in the end, it is up to him to find a technique that is safe, comfortable and suits him. Too many times I have seen noobies stating things like..."it's painful and uncomfortable, but my teacher says I should persevere. What do you think"?

While you have a lot of playing experience, conveying that to someone else is a different ball game altogether. Be sure you are up to the job.

[SurferJoe46]

It really takes a special person to teach someone else to play a bass - maybe any instrument really.

I know I'm NOT one of them to teach - although I have taught classes in Middle English and English Lit at inner city, high school level.

Music is totally different to me, and I find I don't have patience for teaching it.

Why not? Not sure - but I just can't do it. I can teach you how to rebuild a Cleaver-Brooks high pressure boiler or rebuild an automatic transmission.

Music? No way.

Congrats to those who do.

[MrLenny1]

Show him the Spyder exercise, 4 on 4 then shift up 1 fret to the next string, 4 on 4 etc.

[rodsnhawgs]

Here's has been my approach in a limited teaching setting. First and foremost, it must be fun!! With that, here's lesson ONE:

1. You must assess how the student learns - is he/she a visual learner, auditory, hands on, by demonstration, etc.
2. Taylor the lesson to #1 and also be attuned to the student's age and attention span.
3. Take the student on a complete tour of the instrument so he/she knows all the parts and how they work (body, bridge, pickups, controls, truss rod, frets and fretboard, head, nut, etc...you get the pic. Talk about body woods, neck and fingerboard woods and the tonal differences. If possible, have a few instruments available for the student to see the differences in 4 5 6 strings, fretted and fretless. All this won't take much time and the student will get a good foundational knowledge.
4. IMO, it is important to learn good finger mechanics - this includes 4 fingers over 4 frets w/ thumb behind the middle finger. I suggest taking a piece of firring strip (wood) and scribbing it to match the fretting on the student's instrument as a practice "neck" by which the student can train his/her fingers to reach as needed. He/she can keep this nearby wherever they are (work, school, etc) and do a little 4-finger stretch in spare times. Over time, unless the hands are obviously too small (a young student for example) he/she will develop the proper reach and hand stretch without doing damage. If it hurts, stop. Again, this is something to work with over time. Proper hand mechanics makes for a more efficient and effective bassist.
5. Discuss how ALL of western music is compiled of only 12 notes.
6. Set together at a piano so the student can see logically, numerically, and visually how music is laid out (the 12 notes). You can demonstrate middle C and where the bass and treble clefs come into play. Have a grand staff available to show him/her. With bass in hand, you can show how the bass is tuned in 4ths and how that relates to the keyboard. Finally, a simple C major triad and how those 3 notes can make up the most simple of bass playing philosophy. This is a great place to end this part of the lesson.
7. While you sit at the keyboard with YOUR bass, demonstrate how the notes are laid out on each string up to the 12th fret (one octave).
8. Work with the student so that he/she learns the notes up to the 5th fret on each string. Have a handout showing the fretboard notes as a take home sheet to study with. Also have a printout showing a keyboard layout so the student can continue understanding the logic of music.
9. Finally, let the student learn and play a very simple (I, IV, V) 3 chord tune at the end of the lesson so he/she leaves on a high after actually playing a song.
10. As an assignment, have the student be prepared to come back knowing all you went over and also to have learned all the notes on the neck up to the 9th fret.
11. Agree on a time to meet again.

IMO, these are some things to avoid like the plague:

a. TABS - a huge crutch that will hinder and limit the musicianship of the student forever
b. Resistance to learning how to sight read music - a foundational skill that will be useful in any gigging situation
c. Any hint that playing piano (at least the very basics of the instrument) is not necessary. This is a HUGE skill in being a proficient bassist.
d. Limiting and focusing skill(s) toward only one genre of music and/or avoiding learning any one particular skill - one never knows when the skill you skipped in the learning process is the one needed to get the great gig.
e. Bad and improper hand mechanics, both left and right hands.

[sammyp]

Early bass lessons...hal leonard book 1 if the student is going to have the discipline to learn notation.....if you don't sense this then hal leonard fast track book 1.

[fearceol]

Originally Posted by MrLenny1

Show him the Spyder exercise, 4 on 4 then shift up 1 fret to the next string, 4 on 4 etc.

IMO this is not a good idea for someone just starting out. The hands need time to adjust and develop for the new task being asked of them. This needs to be built up gradually. This exercise, if tried by a complete noob could result in injury through over stretching. You have to crawl before you can walk.

[kr0n]

Figure out his/her level of knowledge of music in general (so are you going to teach what notes and intervals are before you slap the Major Scale at him/her).

An easy song and some finger exercises for BOTH hands and teach him how to use metronome from the get go.

That should keep him busy for a month.

[naypalm]

Thanks for great responses guys. A bit more backgroud for you. the gentleman is 62, he has a good knowledge of music already, playing piano and sax. Now he wants to learn the bass because it's the coolest intrument to learn!

Was just wondering if anyone could suggest some simple classic basslines for me to show him. I think like previously mentioned it will keep his interest, and it's basically fun!

[Floyd Eye]

Get him a bass, give him copies of McCartney's first 2 albums AFTER The Beatles.

[SurferJoe46]

Originally Posted by naypalm

Thanks for great responses guys. A bit more backgroud for you. the gentleman is 62, he has a good knowledge of music already, playing piano and sax. Now he wants to learn the bass because it's the coolest intrument to learn!

Was just wondering if anyone could suggest some simple classic basslines for me to show him. I think like previously mentioned it will keep his interest, and it's basically fun!

All I'd ask him (and you) is: Does he FEEL the music? Bass playing is more than just reading notes and transferring that to the fingers.

Since piano has the left hand playing the C-clef all ready, I think it might be easier for him up front to translate that sight reading to his left hand, now inverted.

It's easy - try playing an imaginary note on the piano with your hand in the 'piano-playing' position. Then flip your hand over and try to play an imaginary note on the bass.

The brain can do that just as well as when you take your hand off the top of a steering wheel a place it on the bottom. The inversion of senses and responses seems almost natural, yet the brain has to reverse all the motions and muscle commands plus sense the feeling that are being sent to it, but now do it all 'upside down'.

Her's got a leg-up on most people with his piano playing experience. All he's gotta do now it train his right hand to find the correct string.

[Journey55]

When I'm 64 and Help! By The Beatles are nice and easy along with We Gotta Get Outta This Place by The Animals

[80'sRocker]

I would first show them the instrument, know your instrument (also know your amp). Exercises for dexterity, simple scales and how they relate. Common rock patterns (if rock related), 1-4-5 patterns/variations. Learn a simple song. Know your role. Practice timing/tightness. Learn Led Zeppelin 1

[madurolover]

Save all the exercises and knowledge about the guitar itself until later and introduce it slowly so they keep coming back. They probably don't know the bass is a rhythm instrument so talk about the role. Show them where all the notes are (major scale without saying major scale - scales are scary/boring to a beginner) Figure out the kind of the music they want to play. Get the guitar chords out for a song, perhaps one with GACD as the main chords and create a rhythm on the note to chord changing when the guitar changes and do it to music (CCR/Jimmy Buffett). They are playing songs on the first night and they are happy. Maybe use a bluesy song like ACDC The Jack, They will have it up in 10 minutes and you will have a happy customer wanting to comeback. When they are an advanced beginner get into scales so they feel the knowledge is coming.

Do that for two lessons, on the third lesson, show them a riff to practice. I use the bass riff in The Chain by Fleetwood Mac. Once they practice that there is a sense of acomplishment and a feel they can do anything (almost like I don't need you anymore), then teach them about the guitar and how it works along with another riff. Lesson 4 Penatonic scales. Spider exercises after that

[germ_77]

Like said above I would not strictly enforce the 1 finger per fret, especially not starting.

I started using it when I went to bass but I could already stretch pretty good from playing a lot of guitar.

Since I went through ed friedlands books I use the simandl type method in the first 5 fret range probably 80% of the time now instead as it is so much easier on your hand (and I dont have small hands, im 6'"5 but still find it takes a lot less effort).

I am by no means anywhere near ready to be a teacher but I have definitly gone to several instructors that I didnt stick with as they were not teaching in a way that worked for me. I would trade all of that time and money spent for what I learnt from the first 2 ed friedland books.

just my 2 cents