How Far Do You Travel For Lessons?

Online bass course from top flight bass instructor for me.

 

Look up Ed "the bass whisperer" Friedland.

 

Back in 1998-2000 I used to travel 20 miles in one direction twice a week for lessons. It established filters that nowadays I use to select other instructional materials/sources, some of which are online lessons, inculding Skype.

 

1700 miles

Anthony Wellington Announces Bassology at Sea 2019

 

When I was in Jr High and High School back in the 70's I used to ride my 10 speed about three miles each way balancing my Fender P in a hsc to take lessons from this jazz cat back in Newport News Benny Beckham. Everybody in town took lessons from him, guitar and bass.

 

56 miles round trip because of his skill level and teaching abilities.

 

I knew Benny.

I have ex-Navy friends who took guitar lessons from him when we were stationed at Newport News shipyard while pre-commissioning a couple of aircraft carriers in the 80's. I saw him play around town a lot there and Norfolk. I wasn't playing music then, but it was during that time that my interest in it started.

There's a guy who lives down the street from me now, in Maryland, who took bass lessons from Bennie. He was like THE guy to study with.

For piano, which is where my interest went, it was a guy named Ed DeAlphonso. He was the coolest guy. He dug that I was into jazz and Bill Evans in particular, so a lot of times he would give me lessons for nothing. He didn't need the money since he was like a retired Air Force Colonel. He prolly knew with me being an enlisted guy that I didn't really have much money lol. After the lesson, we'd go up to his loft/study and spin records, sometimes for hours.

 

Cool deal. I took lessons from him on and off for three or four years in mid 70's. Everyone in Newport News who wanted to play guitar or bass regardless of what genre you wanted to play took lessons from him at some point. He taught me the invaluable skill of being able to follow along with anyone. Just because you don't know the song doesn't mean you can't play it.

If they were with the USS Carl Vinson I spent one summer helping to build that one. In spite of me it is still afloat.

 

To my basement.
I teach myself.

Someone once said "if you're teaching yourself something you don't know how to do, you have the worst teacher."

Probably why I'm still learning 30 yrs later...

 

Having a decent teacher even if just for a short while, will save you years of floundering in the dark.

 

About 8 blocks 4 each way. And he is a PHANTASTIK (like how I spelled that?) teacher