Teacher in the Toronto area.

[JeffC]

I have been doing a lot of reading of posts and whatnot and it seems to me that many people have had a few teachers but one that really made a difference. I am on my first teacher, he is alright but don't feel that he is it for me.

I am currently taking lessons in the Toronto area and they seem to be going OK but my teacher is guitarist who plays bass. This isn't really a big concern on its own as he is a decent player and does play bass regularly but I know he is just picking up some of the more advanced techniques now and I am thinking that I may be better off with a bassist as a teacher.

I guess I am just wondering if anyone could recommend a really good bass teacher in the Toronto area or where I could inquire.

Thanks for the help
Jeff

[Bass Boy]

Orin Isaacs is in Toronto. He used to teach quite a bit. He is doing the Canadian Idol ( ) thing now so he may be busy. You can reach him through his myspace page I believe. You may want to give Dave Freeman at Clubbass a call. He knows all the bass players in the TO scene. He may be able to point you to a good teacher.

[JeffC]

Wow, thanks a lot, I wasn't expecting a reply that fast!

I'll go check those guys out. Thanks again.

[JeffC]

Ok, so I came across a pretty good player/teacher and have talked to him about setting up some lessons.

With my current teacher I'm paying $20 per 30 min lesson.

The new guy is charging $50 per 60 minute lesson and I have to take the subway to get there (+ $5 round trip).

I am interested in the new guys technique as he doesn't teach from a book but from his 20 years of teaching experience and what he finds works best. My current teacher teaches out of the Hal Lenoard Bass Methods Book.

$55 a week (or however often I go) goes seem really pricey though. Thoughts?

Here is a link to the new guy.

[Bass Boy]

Right on! Mike's a great guy. I had no idea he played electric. He used to live in Montreal when I first moved here.

[30hrz]

Actually I was gonna ask a similar question though my budget right now is like $50 a month! Think I need someone to just point me in the right direction then I'll do follow ups from time to time.

Anyone know Jennifer Gillmor who is teaching in T.O.?

I see a number of ads from differnt teachers but it's hard to tell you knows there stuff and who just knows more than me.

[Gyoon]

If you're as advanced as it seems, then you won't need a weekly lesson. Maybe monthly if youre really advanced. The idea would be for him to set you up with a lot of musical challenges to get you straight.

Come prepared with questions, SPECIFIC questions about things that really puzzle you.

At the start of every lesson, tell the teacher the things that you did in the last lesson (if he's busy then he won't remember your time together) and ask some followups. I LOVE it when my students do this. I can pick up my train of thought and develop from the lesson before.

$50 an hour in TO is reasonable.

[Sean S]

Originally Posted by Bass Boy

Orin Isaacs is in Toronto. He used to teach quite a bit. He is doing the Canadian Idol ( ) thing now so he may be busy. You can reach him through his myspace page I believe.

I used to try watch Open Mike! w/Mike Bullard just to see him and the band play...(when i was like 13 and wasn't allowed up past 11)

[JeffC]

Originally Posted by Sean S

I used to try watch Open Mike! w/Mike Bullard just to see him and the band play...(when i was like 13 and wasn't allowed up past 11)

I actually got in touch with Orin, as mentioned he said he was really busy With Canadian Idol over the summer but told me to cantact him in the fall. Im interested just not sure what position Im gonna be in then. Only time will tell I guess.

[Aaron Saunders]

There's a lot of really great players to look for lessons from.

Will Jarvis, Patrick Kilbride, Kieran Overs, Don Thompson, and Mike Downes are all on faculty at Humber College. Paco Luviano and Vaughn Misener are also great electric players.

Mike McClennan should still be in town. Then there's the legendary Dave Young, who teaches at UoT with Jim Vivian.

Any and all of these guys are absolute top notch.

[naturalkinds]

Sorry to resurrect this ancient thread. But anyone else have recommendations? I have an extensive background in jazz right now, having switched to the bass recently. So not necessarily looking for a jazz teacher. Would like to find someone who plays a lot of electric bass. Been thinking Marc Rogers or Rich Brown. Anyone know if either of them teach? Other recommendations?

[Kevin.Kevin]

I asked rich last spring about lessons (after seeing rinsethealgorithm for the first time) and he said he was getting pretty busy, but hey give ti a shot. I might as well haha.

Kieran Overs is a really cool guy. Taught me in college, tho im not sure how busy he may be right now. Same with will jarvis. I learned alot from both of them. There is a guy named Joe Orlando, who lives in the GTA outside of toronto. I could prob find his contact info if you PM me.

[R. Laevinus]

David Stone, at the Toronto School for Strings, is a great man and an even better bassist. I cannot reccomend him highly enough. In fact, if you're not careful to limit your lessons to the subject of bassplaying, he'll start teaching you theory - and you'll likeit.

Provided a rock had the desire to play music, David could teach it how.

http://www.torontoschoolforstrings.com/

[the_hook]

I'm very frustrated trying to find a competent bass guitar teacher in TO. I've been with 2 so far and both have left me almost wanting to give up.

The first showed up 15 mins late, jumped into learning chords (even after I told him I know very little theory so please start from the beginning), then cut things short for his next student. I went after and got my money back for that lesson and the others I'd paid for.

The guy I'm seeing now is probably very knowledgable, only problem is he can't teach. He keeps explaining stuff over and over, and I keep telling him to back up, try another angle to help me understand what he's trying to get across to me (theory-wise), only he keeps repeating the same steps.

Is there anyone in the Thornhill/Richmond Hill (or thereabouts) areas that can actually teach bass and theory? I work downtown but use the train, so I'd prefer to get someone locally to where I live.

[Mark Wilson]

Originally Posted by naturalkinds

Sorry to resurrect this ancient thread. But anyone else have recommendations? I have an extensive background in jazz right now, having switched to the bass recently. So not necessarily looking for a jazz teacher. Would like to find someone who plays a lot of electric bass. Been thinking Marc Rogers or Rich Brown. Anyone know if either of them teach? Other recommendations?

Originally Posted by Kevin.Kevin

I asked rich last spring about lessons (after seeing rinsethealgorithm for the first time) and he said he was getting pretty busy, but hey give ti a shot. I might as well haha.

Kieran Overs is a really cool guy. Taught me in college, tho im not sure how busy he may be right now. Same with will jarvis. I learned alot from both of them. There is a guy named Joe Orlando, who lives in the GTA outside of toronto. I could prob find his contact info if you PM me.

I studied with Rich last year and it was the coolest hang ever.
I'm studying with Pat Kilbride this year, Kieran in first year, and Will Jarvis is my ensemble leader.

All these guys are totally badass. SUPER busy but all great teachers.

It all depends what you guys are looking for in a teacher. If you PM me with what you're looking to study, i can hit you up with some suggestions.

If you're going for straight ahead bebop, Vaughan Misner is a freak!

[EADG mx]

Will Jarvis is indeed a great teacher.

[Toronto Bassist]

I didn't study with Willie Jarvis when I was at Humber, but he's a great player and his students learned a lot from him. I'm trying to track down my former teacher, Dave Levtov, with little success =/

[the_hook]

Originally Posted by R. Laevinus

David Stone, at the Toronto School for Strings, is a great man and an even better bassist. I cannot reccomend him highly enough. In fact, if you're not careful to limit your lessons to the subject of bassplaying, he'll start teaching you theory - and you'll likeit.

Provided a rock had the desire to play music, David could teach it how.

http://www.torontoschoolforstrings.com/

I called him yesterday. I got more out of 5 minutes on the phone with him than I did with the lousy lessons I just went through. Too bad his schedule is pretty full at this time.

[Steve Clark]

Originally Posted by Toronto Bassist

I didn't study with Willie Jarvis when I was at Humber, but he's a great player and his students learned a lot from him. I'm trying to track down my former teacher, Dave Levtov, with little success =/

Dave Levtov rings a bell for me way back before I went to Humber. Small world.

I'm curious to know, without naming names, what makes these teachers good teachers? What is it about their approach that has inspired you or made you understand concepts that you didn't understand before?

When I was in Humber I was motivated because I was there. If it was The Evolving Bassist or bassoon studies I was on it regardless of how the teacher approached it.

So what makes a good teacher?

EDIT: this Dave Levtov? http://www.facebook.com/people/Dave-Levtov/620380662

[Toronto Bassist]

Originally Posted by Steve Clark

EDIT: this Dave Levtov? http://www.facebook.com/people/Dave-Levtov/620380662

Whoa, yes! Different hairstyle, but same Pattitucci six string. Thanks!