Teaching a mature beginner

[hublocker]

A very good friend of mine has asked me to teach him how to play bass.

I'm not quite sure how to go about it, but just to get him going and to demonstrate how easy it really is to play simple stuff, I showed him "Gloria" in A and "Louie Louie" in G last night and how to play the bass to "Jambalaya" on open strings.

Then I realized I was spending a lot of time telling him what the names of the notes were, so I just found and emailed him a web site with a chart of the neck and what the notes are on each string.

My plan after he learns the notes is to show him how to accompany other simple country songs with a root-five bass line first, then progress to root-third-fifth bass lines for blues and rock and roll songs.

I guess I'll show him major and minor scales too, but what else?

I've never had a bass lesson in 32 years, but learned from books and by playing so I don't know proper fingering for example. I'm self taught on the upright too, and even now when I play electric I kind of mix up acoustic and electric fingering, but I don't know what to suggest for him in fingering scales for example.

So far I have shown him how to do everything with the first, middle and ring fingers.

Is that okay or should I get him to use his little finger too?

[Muusers]

I use the "one finger one fret" method. Trains your pinky real well, which you need if you're going to play harder songs with bigger spans. For example, when playing C Major, start your middle finger on the C on the A string. Then the D is your pinky, E first finger, F middle, G pinky, A first, B ring, C pinky. Let him play this scale up and down.

Also, ive got a finger exercise especially to training strength in your pinky. And it also teaches you all the church-scales. I'll see if i can refind it.

[lomo]

How about suggesting a professional teacher after you've given him a little taste/push?