Private lessons, or self teaching???

[Psycho]

I've reached a point now in both my life and my bass playing where i've decided i'd like to make a career out of it or involving it.

Now, here's my question: I know for sure I have to be able to do things such as read music, know time signatures and all the different notes and all the rest of that, but is it a better choice to self teach all of this, or go to a private instructor?

[Jayhawk]

As a rule, you'll learn more under some sort of formal instruction. Depending on your age, goals and financial situation, that instruction can take on various forms. Of course, like any rule, there are exceptions and you will find people that are phenomenal musicians that have little or no formal training ... but this is not the norm.

[waleross]

+1 one on what was just stated. Do both get an instructor that is working in your local area if possible and maybe if you can try a piano/theory teacher to help you with your reading and theory knowledge. In the long run this will aid in your playing performance. Good luck ......................

[Psycho]

Thanks guys! I'm 18 and just out of school, and right now i've got a burning in me to get something done. Jobs are slim, so I figured i'd put time into my musical education and such. Are there any recommended books I should look for to help with learning and retaining the knowledge?

[HugeInJapan]

Defintely get a teacher who is working in the area. Being a successful full time musician requires more than just music skill. Someone with experience will be able to give you advice on finding jobs as well as instructing you how to play.

[chaosMK]

If you don't already have a strong background in music (reading, theory, etc), take some lessons until you do.

I never had any training on bass, but had some sort of instruction for most of the eight instruments I knew how to play at the time.

If you get lessons, don't limit yourself though. Practice whatever that cat suggests, but don't be afraid to pursue your own avenues at the same time if you got that "fire."

Making a living with bass... there are some other skills involved than just playing bass.

[251]

Originally Posted by Psycho

I've reached a point now in both my life and my bass playing where i've decided i'd like to make a career out of it or involving it.

Now, here's my question: I know for sure I have to be able to do things such as read music, know time signatures and all the different notes and all the rest of that, but is it a better choice to self teach all of this, or go to a private instructor?

You don't say what you already know. If you're at the beginning take a look at; Wheat's BassBook 5.2: A Comprehensive Method & Resource for the Electric Bass Guitar. It's not the only online book of it's kind. More URLs will likely follow from other TBers.

Does you local library have any Bass, Cello or Trombone practice books for loan? They're really good for reading practice. Any music staff is good for reading. Just treat it like bass clef. FWIW, alto sax books (Eb charts) are the same as bass clef, if you ignore any chords written above the staff. If you can develop the dexterity of an alto player on bass, you've done really well. LOL.

Transcribe music you listen to, learn to play some music by ear, then write a chart. Sing music you are learning, write out your transcriptions, ideas ... then transpose them into other keys. Your practice day should be like a school day. Time spent playing scales, songs, etc, time writing charts, time studying charts to recognize the distance between notes (intervals), arpeggios, parts of scales, time practicing performance pieces, time with a metronome (check this out; http://www.korg.com/Artist.aspx?artist=647)

Schedule things to a clock like you would in school. Mixing up the tasks keeps you from getting bored or causing an injury from over doing it. Leave time for breaks. Start slow & tolerate mistakes when practicing.

Find a music tutor if you can. A teacher has a plan to follow to get you going. A tutor will guide you toward the music you want to play. Your tutor should be able to play bass but it need not be his/her primary instrument. That also means you can easily hear both parts when playing duets. I always have trouble hearing what I play when there is another bass or a Baritone Sax in the mix. As soon as possible, start playing with other musicians. Alone, in a practice room there are no distractions. Hearing, in an ensemble, needs learning. Responding to other musicians so you all make music together, takes practice.

A single word of caution, sometimes the limit to being self taught is, your teacher did not know what they were doing.

Good luck & go for it.

[Marty Forrer]

You dont need a bass teacher necessarily, a jazz piano teacher will work as well or better even. I say this because a jazz pianist will be able to accompany you as you are working through stuff, and jazz players know everything you will need for a career.
You will also need to aquire good small business skills, and have an understanding of taxation, basic accounting etc.
A constantly updated CV, and networking skills aint gonna go amiss either.

[KingRazor]

I'd say I'm a mix.

I have never had private one on one lessons with a bass teacher. However, most of what I've learned about bass didn't come from me just sitting down with a bass and discovering things. Most of it was from books, people here on talkbass, and bass players I've chatted with IRL.

But I have definitely learned a few things on my own as well.

I think you can get pretty far on your own, but you need to motivate yourself, look for information online or read some books, and listen to a whole lot of music, and practice, practice, practice.

[Fergie Fulton]

Point one to make a living from playing is that you play.
This detail is often forgotton by new freelance pro players that the object is to make money, not make money from a single style of genre.
So first off you work out what is in demand in your area and then fill the gap.
Focus you attentions on working and learning as you go, and then fill in any other blanks as you come across them....don't pre-empt situations....take them as the come and react to them in the correct way. If that means turning down a job or two because of lack of skills or experience, then turn them down. Remember you are otherwise engaged, busy or not available for work you turn down, never not up to it. Remember you have to work in an area, so get it wrong at the start and your rep will follow you, so always be honest with your abilities and skills and work on filling in the blanks on the situations you encounter the most.

[Ric5]

Private lessons, or self teaching???

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

get both

[staindbass]

you dont need to know time signatures or how to read music, you just need to be able to play the song better than the other guys auditioning. you can have success either way. i am self taught and make a good living off it.

[bassybill]

Originally Posted by staindbass

you dont need to know time signatures or how to read music, you just need to be able to play the song better than the other guys auditioning. you can have success either way. i am self taught and make a good living off it.

True enough for some folks. That's worked well for some musicians, though it wouldn't work for everyone. And of course, it's also possible to be self-taught and "know time signatures and how to read music", too.

Some people can learn very well from being self-taught. Lots of others make better progress with a (good) teacher. My advice to the OP would be to try a bit of both and see how you get along. If you enjoy playing and feel like you're making steady progress, maybe occasionally getting frustrated but still staying motivated, then that sounds like learning to me, either with a teacher or without one.

[tekdiver500ft]

You say that you want to make a career of music. What kind of career? If you want to teach, then you do, indeed, need to know theory. If you want to be in a single band that makes good money, then you just need to be able to play better than the rest, as Johnny April said. If you want to be a fill-in player or a studio musician, then you need to be able to do all of the above. Only one of the three options does not require formal instruction.

[randysmojo]

First, I agree with getting an instructor. i want to add though that if you go to someone and they seem like a great player and have a good resume for teaching, but you don't feel like you understand them or their approach, don't give up on it. You might have to try several teachers to find the one that you connect with the best and can get the fastest and best growth with. Good luck in all your endeavors!

[oniman7]

Did the private lessons thing for a year... I barely got to any theory. I learned intervals, and a couple weeks before I stopped, my teacher taught me the modes of the C Major scale (with no real emphasis behind it).

It was after I left and signed up for Talkbass that I started learning. I learned intervals and what they meant. From there I constructed knowledge of scales. Learned the fingerings for every mode, as well as every interval. Can play any mode of any key now. Have not gotten around to Harmonic and Melodic minor, but because of the way I learned, I will be able to incorporate them as soon as I learn/memorize what the intervals are. I also learned how chords are made and time signature stuff. Never did read a single measure until I auditioned for a classical guitar class at my school... learned to read in a week, auditioned, forgot it the whole summer, and now I'm picking it back up in the class.



My point was, my teacher laid the groundwork, but I believe I certainly would have learned without him because of my motivation. Music theory actually makes sense most of the time when you learn the rules and the why behind them. If you feel like you can learn without a teacher, do it. You know your learning styles better than anyone else. For example, I can teach myself things like playing the bass, but if I tried to learn a core school subject at home, I'd skim it and learn nothing unless it really fascinated me and I wanted to learn more. For some a teacher will help, others will learn better on their own.


Also, I believe knowing some music theory never hurts any musician. I know guys who know nothing of it (like my singer, who writes every part for about half of our songs). He produces amazing work, but it's frustrating trying to communicate with him sometimes because he doesn't understand theory at all.

[Dustin Teel]

A little bit of theory is good, but don't let it take the soul out of your playing. Music that translates feeling is infinitely superior to the most technical song with no soul.

[bassybill]

Originally Posted by Dustin Teel

A little bit of theory is good, but don't let it take the soul out of your playing. Music that translates feeling is infinitely superior to the most technical song with no soul.

How much theory you need really depends on what music you want to play. For some music, "a little bit" isn't enough. There's no reason that should stop anybody playing with soul though. Some people can communicate feeling in their playing and some can't, and it's not got a lot to do with how much theory they know.

[lfmn16]

I don’t know why so many musicians think that it is ok to stay ignorant. Or that learning somehow sucks the soul out of your music. Although some people do very well being self-taught, I think that players who reach their full potential without some time spent with a good teacher are the exception, not the rule.

If you want to make a living playing, you need every advantage you can get. I used to play with a guitar player that was great but when you asked him what key something was in he’d start playing and say, “This key.” It’s very hard to communicate with people like that and if a job comes down to two players of equal skill it will likely go to the person who is easiest to communicate with.

Having too much musical knowledge is like a writer knowing too many words, an artist having too many colors or a craftsman having too many tools – it’s not possible. It’s not the knowledge; it’s how you use it.

My recommendation is to find a good teacher (plenty of them here on talkbass), practice your ass off and read biographies of great musicians. I just finished Victor Wooten’s “The Music Lesson” and Jaco Pastorius’ biography. Victor’s book was truly life changing for me.

Good luck.