teachers: what's the first lesson?

[mambo4]

I helped a friend buy her husband a bass for a b-day present, and soon we'll be getting together so I can 'show him a few things'

He is pretty much a total beginner and new to music in general, so I'm wondering what the most valuable things I can show him are.

I've been playing so long I barely remember my first lesson, and i am afraid that I'll overwhelm him with info. especially if he asks a theory related question :P

I'd like to give him info he can easily retain and practice on his own to good benefit.

So, teachers, what's is your first lesson with a beginner usually like?

[Kraken]

I'm not a teacher, but the first thing I was taught was Always Tune

Both to pitch and relative.

Seems daft looking back at it but...

[fretlessman71]

My first lesson always includes the Major Scale, no matter how dorky people may think it is. No matter how bad your tone is, or your technique, or your whatever, if you get used to playing - and HEARING - the Major Scale, it helps develop your ear, which in turn helps you to hear what others are doing, which in turn helps you to be able to do the same on your instrument, which in turn keeps you interested in what the bass is able to do. Just my $0.02 worth.

[Thunderthumbs73]

I ask them what their aspirations and interests are that brought them to the bass. We'll talk about the basics of the bass in terms of construction/design and learning the string names, which way the tuners move and how that changes pitch, all in all, some very rudimentary things. I'll try to give some "take home" stuff or homework, with some very basic and simple plucking rhythms for the plucking hand, and perhaps a few fretting hand excercizes focused on a few notes. Whatever I do, I'm interested in relaying and building on the concept that the hands will work together in some coordinated fashion, while not being too overwhelming with info...

[locolobo85]

I always start with tuning.

Follow that up with basic fretboard knowledge.
-tone, semi tone from the nut to the 12th fret (use the keyboard as a teaching tool)
-importance of the 12th fret
-octaves

Then teach a simple song of your choice. Fact is, they're going to want to play something. Something like the opening riff for My Girl usually does the trick.

[bkbirge]

First lesson: show them the parts of the bass, how to string it, how to tune, where to put the fingers, and give them a name of a beginner's bass book to get started with by the 2nd lesson. Then teach them the smoke on the water riff. Followup lessons: follow the book, adding songs that the student would like to play.

[DudeistMonk]

Not a teacher...

but after basic plucking and rhythm and string names and all that stuff everyone posted about, I would say teach them the major scale and then go right into chords, before dealing with modes and all that, understanding chords and chord movement finally put bass into perspective for me.

Also teach the dude some songs, otherwise he will get bored.

[Stumbo]

+1 for all above.

Be sure to cover:
how to hold the bass
strap length/adjustment
wrist angle

[ColdSteelRain]

I found www.studybass.com helpful, and "Teach Yourself to Play Bass". I worked on my own with those for a month or so before finding a teacher.

The first lesson I had covered the basics of the instrument, how to hold it, tune, etc. We also went over using a metronome and a scale to practice (G pentatonic, I think), a warm-up exercise, and the chords for Smoke on the Water. Started with me just pounding out 1/4 root notes and my teacher playing rhythm guitar.

The two most important things for me in the early lessons was to realize that I needed to practice *every* day, even if only for 10 or 15 minutes on the warmup, and having a real song to work on.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by mambo4

I helped a friend buy her husband a bass for a b-day present, and soon we'll be getting together so I can 'show him a few things'

He is pretty much a total beginner and new to music in general, so I'm wondering what the most valuable things I can show him are.

I've been playing so long I barely remember my first lesson, and i am afraid that I'll overwhelm him with info. especially if he asks a theory related question :P

I'd like to give him info he can easily retain and practice on his own to good benefit.

So, teachers, what's is your first lesson with a beginner usually like?

The two most important things to drill into a beginner (IMO and IME) are (assuming the player is right handed):

1) Left hand technique. Most beginners grab the bass with their thumb parallel to the neck. This is a disaster, and is a hard thing to fix down the road. So, making sure that thumb is perpendicular to the neck is key for later development. If you get into the habit of playing with that thumb in the wrong position, it pretty much hamstrings the even use of all fingers across the neck as the player progresses.

2) Right hand technique: Even two finger technique. Most beginners use the index finger if not told otherwise. This again will limit facility and speed later on.

I really like having, as part of every lesson, various chromatic exercises up and down the neck, one finger per fret, and even two finger plucks with the right hand. That will really reinforce and build the facility to use all the fingers of the left hand evenly, and to get used to playing up and down the neck with even 'every other finger' plucks with the right hand. It can be a little like 'rubbing your head while patting your stomach' at the beginning, but it's well worth it.

Of course, the rest should be fun, and learning simple tunes and patterns at the beginning is key to generate interest, etc. But, ignoring the above early on can lead to disaster later.

IMO and IME!

[outtolunch]

Originally Posted by Stumbo

Be sure to cover:
how to hold the bass
strap length/adjustment
wrist angle

+1

I start with the parts of the bass, notes with the open strings, bass clef, etc., and HOW TO HOLD THE BASS.

[Willy2911]

Lesson 1. Get to know the student a little. Next - Teach them all of the parts of the bass, and what every thing is for.
Then I will teach them how to tune, and clean/ take care of the bass. Next I will talk with them about amps and sound.
Then I like to let them get a feel for the bass, by doing some simple finger dex. exercises - followed by simple scales.
to end the lesson I like to give them a little incentive - to practice, and I will usually play a song that they request, so they can hear just the bass parts - that always gets them fired up!

[Jim Carr]

Originally Posted by KJung

The two most important things to drill into a beginner (IMO and IME) are (assuming the player is right handed):

1) Left hand technique...making sure that thumb is perpendicular to the neck is key for later development...

2) Right hand technique: Even two finger technique...

I really like having, as part of every lesson, various chromatic exercises up and down the neck, one finger per fret, and even two finger plucks with the right hand...

Of course, the rest should be fun, and learning simple tunes and patterns at the beginning is key to generate interest...

+1

Lots of great suggestions in the other posts, too.
I would add a discussion of goals and favorite music/musical heros to a first lesson.

Also, covering many things is fine, but I usually write out any exercises or patterns with fingerings, though we seem to be bubbling over into the "first few lessons," rather than just the first lesson.

If you are charging money, be sure to set out the fee, length of lesson, schedule, rules about cancelation/lateness, etc.

Perhaps the most important thing is to demo and write out what to do in practicing. Learning how and what to practice is crucial.

[Groovy Bastard]

1. Show proper technique to avoid injuries. I tell them they're not going to get it at once, but that I at least want them to take knowledge of it. Also how to get a clean sounding note.

2. Play along with a drumtrack. I have a collection of Bernard Purdie tracks (only drums) that have a great feel and they're great for this. They need to know bass is an instrument that is typically played together with other instruments.
Also I find it extremely important to make music in the first lesson.

Lesson 2 includes the names of the strings, tuning with flageolettes and a first song.

[tomvelsor]

the FIRST lesson is correcting technique. usually just scope out what theyre doing and make changes only if its completely neccesary. for example, one student switched from 4 strings to 6..it was definately neccesary for me to introduce him to the floating thumb technique. by correcting technique i do NOT at all mean the way a classical pianist "must" play one specific way..just make sure theyre in good shape and make suggestions (consider raising their strap so their wrists are..almost straight..)

now, the first FEW lessons should include, quite obviously, simple music. beatles songs are a great place to start. i still remember learning "when im 64" and learning to read the music to it. introduction to the major scale is critical.

another very-first-lesson thing is to introduce the notes to them. if theyre litterally brand-new to music as a whole, teaching them that the notes go from A-G, what octaves are, is about as deep as it should get. maybe learning the notes on the first few frets wouldent hurt either..

[Joe Nerve]

Plugging in because I too am about to start giving formal lessons. Good stuff here thus far.

[JasonLamb]

for a first lesson i will agree that teaching the person how to tune the bass is important. From there I would start on learning the notes on the e and a string up to the 12th fret, then perhaps an easy blues riff or motown grove to get them going on an easy song.

[Stumbo]

Originally Posted by ColdSteelRain

important things for me in the early lessons was to realize that I needed to practice *every* day, even if only for 10 or 15 minutes

Ask "what's your commitment to practicing"?

The less practice, the less you can cover at each lesson because they'll never get to everything between lessons.

I also suggest writing out each lesson, handing out a print out each time and providing a 3 ring notebook for organization.

I know one teacher who records each lesson and burns it to CD for the student to take with them for study purposes.

[bassplayertom77]

I give private lessons, and one of the first things I teach is to ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS turn off or take your cord out of the amp before you unplug your bass.

Tuning and proper hand placement and a major scale to apply it to. That's enough to start without being overwhelming.

[Elrend]

First show him how to hold and pick the bass correctly, then start teaching him the notes on the fretboard.