First Gig as a Bass Teacher

[pocketbass]

Hello,

I just got my first gig as a bas teacher and I was wondering if there are any tips on how I should go about teaching the bass. Is there a specific way I should tackle this? My student is newbie to the bass, so I feel that I have enough skill to get her through the basics.

Some ideas I had in mind are:
-having student pick a song to learn
-teaching major scales in one position
-reading tab
-simple blues progression

Thoughts?

Thanks!

[narud]

go take some lessons from an experienced teacher and see how they operate.

[bassandbeyond]

A simple blues line is a good idea for the first lesson. The first few weeks are the hardest, just getting basic coordination together, but I think it's helpful if you can give them a little "real music" to play right from the start.

One other piece of advice: remember that not everyone who picks up an instrument for the first time does so with the same serious professional intentions that you may have. It's okay to keep things fun and simple, while nudging them in the direction of more serious music study. Good luck.

[fenderfunker]

I hate tabs...where's the rhythm? Make the lessons fun, that way, they'll want to come back, and they'll do their homework. Also, I show them the relationship between chords and scales. Helps to demystify things. IMO
Blues is good. + old jazz progressions for walking bass. Good for augmented, diminished inverted chords etc. and timing, triplets etc ..blah blah

[MKoby]

Do you have bass method book(s) you favor?.

What are your goals as a teacher?

As a student my goals in no particular order:

Have fun.
Learn to tune/play in tune.
Have a musical experience
Listen to recording (tape or CD) of something I will learn to play
Listen to teacher play something I will learn too play
Learn about music--reading, rhythm, tone, time signatures, keys, theory to use ie intervals, harmonization of chords for major and minor scales
Be exposed to different genre of music that I may not have otherwise heard
Learn pieces I can play for others, solo or with an accompanying part
Hear other musicians--other students play, teachers play, good players--bars, clubs, halls, schools as a kid with teacher/class, as adult made aware of performances
Hear teacher perform --gigs, concerts
Meet other students, players, teachers, performers


This is a long range plan for a solid student and teacher.
Not instant. You will have to plan.
Settle on a method and work through it.
(you may need to go through several to see which you like best. My last teacher wrote his own, it's now published by Carl Fischer)

I would avoid tabs altogether. Ask your student to avoid tabs also. It will not help you overall to be known for teaching with tabs.

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by pocketbass

Hello,

I just got my first gig as a bas teacher and I was wondering if there are any tips on how I should go about teaching the bass. Is there a specific way I should tackle this? My student is newbie to the bass, so I feel that I have enough skill to get her through the basics.

Some ideas I had in mind are:
-having student pick a song to learn
-teaching major scales in one position
-reading tab
-simple blues progression

Thoughts?

Thanks!

go next door to jeff berlin's thread......its a long read but worth while

[MalcolmAmos]

Are you gonna wing your lessons or do you have a plan? Good instructors have a lesson plan to follow. Get one of the "How to play bass guitar" instruction books and use that as you guide.

Best instructor I ever had gave me three things - in writing - for me to take home at the end of each lesson. 1) a new song to work on. 2) a short theory lesson tied to the new song. and 3) drills for the week, scales, patterns, etc. Because it was in writing I did not have to rely upon remembering what he said I was to do, I always knew what was expected.

Good luck.

[metzgermeister]

In the first lesson my teacher taught me the standard tuning, the major and minor scale and one song (My Girl). Told me to practice playing them every day, and from there went to pentatonics and explanations of the triads and basic music theory over the next few weeks. Worked pretty well I thought!

[CoffeeJanitor]

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

go next door to jeff berlin's thread......its a long read but worth while

Agreed!

[62Jazzbass]

Originally Posted by pocketbass

I just got my first gig as a bas teacher and I was wondering if there are any tips on how I should go about teaching the bass.

OK, congrats and all, and good luck, but.......

Shouldn't you have thought about this BEFORE soliciting work?

Not exactly fair to your students is it?

[LM Bass]

I feel strongly that one shouldn't take money from students until they are sure they are delivering good lessons. I'm not casting aspersions on your teaching, just making a general comment about the state of electric bass lessons.
For a beginner student, playing along with a favourite song is a great way to go. Then maybe show the student some basic harmony, like I IV V progressions that happen in a lot of songs. Don't emphasize scales and modes too much in the beginning, but focus more on chord tones and arpeggios. Make sure the student learns good technique, that frees them from tension and bad habits.

[pocketbass]

Originally Posted by 62Jazzbass

OK, congrats and all, and good luck, but.......

Shouldn't you have thought about this BEFORE soliciting work?

Not exactly fair to your students is it?

Fortunately I did not have to solicit work. A co-worker of mine heard me play the bass (I actually took her bass gig from our work band) and she asked me if I could teach her daughter. Lucky, I guess.

[pocketbass]

Originally Posted by MalcolmAmos

Are you gonna wing your lessons or do you have a plan? Good instructors have a lesson plan to follow. Get one of the "How to play bass guitar" instruction books and use that as you guide.

Best instructor I ever had gave me three things - in writing - for me to take home at the end of each lesson. 1) a new song to work on. 2) a short theory lesson tied to the new song. and 3) drills for the week, scales, patterns, etc. Because it was in writing I did not have to rely upon remembering what he said I was to do, I always knew what was expected.

Good luck.

I like this advice. It actually reminds me of how I teach my 8th graders! Always give them an objective and have them take something with them at the end. Thanks.

[Buslady7803]

Well, my teacher's been at it for a long time and we're just working through a Hal Leonard book...quickly though cos i can read music; but it's a good way to start a rookie cos I'm doing very well with it.
Oh and lots of patience.

[Reaper Man]

Originally Posted by pocketbass

I like this advice. It actually reminds me of how I teach my 8th graders! Always give them an objective and have them take something with them at the end. Thanks.

right, teaching is teaching. Whether it's your 8th graders, my high schoolers, etc. Good teaching is good teaching- just some of the terminology changes.

Good luck

yea, the hal leonard book is a lot of sight reading at first