Advice for a young bass player.

How about just asking him what he wants to play? Nothing like playing stuff you don't like to bore you to tears. Made all the diff when I was a youngin.

 

My daughter is 8 and doing Suzuki violin. She doesn't seem to mind that the content is 100% classical. So far as I know, there is now a complete set of the Suzuki method books for the bass. At the very least, your son would be able to progress at his own pace, which might go a long way towards alleviating the boredom. My daughter is rather competitive, so she is easily motivated by the prospect of getting ahead.

 

A good way to keep him interested is to have him play melodies that he's familiar with- it may lead to a solo career
But as far as Scales go, I actually found a bit of useful information on the BG side.
This is Pacmans approach to practicing scales, and I thought it was interesting:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50170&highlight=scales

 

Have you tried introducing him to the styles of music that DB is used in?
For example, bluegrass, rockabilly (the main choice for young people, as I've read), blues, jazz (maybe a bit too advanced for a 9 year old) and maybe a touch of tango? I've always found tango exciting. Lots of spiccato.

Just play some music on the CD player, not necessarily to him, but so he can hear it. Then ask him if he likes any of the stuff he hears from the CD player. I dunno, just a suggestion; let me know if it works. If you wanna try it. I dunno the situation.

And I don't know if he can learn stuff by ear, but I suppose it's a good skill to start learning.

 

Well, in the way of books, I won't be any help at all. Maybe you could suggest for him to attempt songs that he already knows in a different key...?

 

Got it. If its from a parent, it just don't fly, if it smells like "teaching" at all.

My four-year old is doing swimming lessons, among other things. Any stranger that we meet on the street could probably get her using a kick-board in the pool within five minutes, but with dear old dad, she doesn't even want to talk about it...and she's only four; what will the teenage years bring (shudder)?

Actually went to a little seminar yesterday on this very subject. The gist of what the leader said was, "Don't teach, include, inquire, and collaborate." General guidance, but it sort of made sense to me, when dealing with the resistance you mention...

 

Isn't that something! Well show him how to play "Jailbreak" or "Up to my neck", these are pretty simple, a little obscure, really fun and easy on DB.

I saw the BallBreaker tour, it was great, my buddy got knocked out by the flashing lights (had a seizure) in Thunderstruck, ha ha!