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Double Bass How to find a teacher

Bassman316

Bassman316

May 27, 2008
845
115
Longs, SC
#1
Hey guys and gals

I've been poking around the threads here on the DB side of TalkBass for a while now (and enjoying all of it- lots of great info here). A little history on me: I've played electric bass for roughly 15 years now. Self-taught, never took a lesson. I'm into lots of kinds of music- jazz, classical, bluegrass, rock, blues, world music, jam bands, old country. Right now, I'm playing mostly for fun. I've done some recording with my guitarist friend for a project we've been working on, but no gigging or professional recording, etc. I also dabble a little bit in guitar, mandolin and drums.

I also have a beautiful Upton Standard that sits (or stands, rather) in my living room. Not long after I purchased it, I started school again and it took a backseat to everything else. Now that school is done, I'm itching to properly learn the instrument. And I know from the years of lurking in the DB forums that the single most common recommendation for beginners of DB is to get a teacher. I can understand why. Even though I love thumping around on my upright, I know that not having taken a lesson yet is like driving a car that won't shift out of first gear (or in my case, maybe out of park!!). I know that electric bass fingerings and techniques don't translate to DB much at all.

I want to know, from my fellow bass players here, how you went about finding a teacher when you were starting out. I've lived here in the Myrtle Beach area for most of my life. I know of only a couple of music shops in the area. Would that be a place to start? I've seen it mentioned in other threads that some have even approached local symphony orchestras and asked if any of the musicians offer lessons. Even better would be if any of you here are in the area that could point me in the right direction.

I most sincerely appreciate it.
Brian
 
#2
You can, in 2015, take lessons over FaceTime/Skype. It's not as good as in person, but it's not bad, either.

There are teacher directories - is there one here on TB? I know I am listed in the teacher directory on the Gollihur site.

Another option is to check with local public schools and colleges. When I decided to take viola lessons, I went to the person who had been my kids' teacher in elementary school. Just about anyone who is an adjunct professor (read: part-time) teaching bass at a local college almost certainly also teaches privately.

Last but not least, if you're self-taught, I will assume you don't read music. If I'm right about that, consider taking a few piano lessons before you take bass lessons. You can get a touch-sensitive keyboard with 61 keys for less than $200 brand new and that will do to get you started.

Best of luck to you, whatever path you take.

-S-
 
#3
Steve Freides said:
You can, in 2015, take lessons over FaceTime/Skype. It's not as good as in person, but it's not bad, either.

There are teacher directories - is there one here on TB? I know I am listed in the teacher directory on the Gollihur site.

Another option is to check with local public schools and colleges. When I decided to take viola lessons, I went to the person who had been my kids' teacher in elementary school. Just about anyone who is an adjunct professor (read: part-time) teaching bass at a local college almost certainly also teaches privately.

Last but not least, if you're self-taught, I will assume you don't read music. If I'm right about that, consider taking a few piano lessons before you take bass lessons. You can get a touch-sensitive keyboard with 61 keys for less than $200 brand new and that will do to get you started.

Best of luck to you, whatever path you take.

-S-
Click to expand...


Thank you very much for your reply, Steve.

I wasn't aware that there were teachers that offer lessons over FaceTime and Skype. Interesting. One thing I didn't include in my original post is that I have several instructional DVDs- Rufus Reid's Evolving Bassist, Ed Freidland's Jazz Upright Bass, Todd Phillips' Essential Techniques for Acoustic Bass. I've worked with those in the past, and although they offer some great instruction, DVDs are DVDs. You can't get any reaction/criticism from a DVD, whereas, at least, with FaceTime or Skype you could.

I also wasn't aware of the directory on the Gollihur site. I am very glad you mentioned that- there are currently only two listings for South Carolina- and they are both in the Myrtle Beach area! What are the odds of that!? Hopefully the information on the Gollihur site is up-to-date; I plan on contacting them as soon as I can.

The community college that I went to (across the line in NC) is a very small college and didn't have much of in the way of music classes. However, my sister attended a community college several years ago in Wilmington. She was able to get instruction on violin there.

You're mostly correct in your assumption about me not reading music. I have a VERY basic understanding of both the bass and treble clef, notation, etc. Luckily I have been able to find lots of great information online on learning to read music. I'm currently in the learning process with that. I appreciate the suggestion of piano lessons; I never considered that. I do have a 49-key MIDI controller that I use to trigger Reason on my laptop, and I've dabbled, but that's been about the extent of it. I would imagine a few piano lessons would help my learning to read music. Again, thank you for that.

I look forward to this learning process. I feel as though I've learned a lot on my own, there's still much, much more to be learned. You never stop learning when it comes to music.


EDIT: I just came across the sticky at the top of the forum outlining the rules, one of which being that students cannot start new threads. My apologies- mods, if you could move this thread to the appropriate forum, I'd appreciate it.
 
Last edited:
#6
Thank you for your responses, fellas. I'm actually about midway between UNCW and Coastal Carolina, maybe a bit closer to Coastal. I'll definitely keep that in mind.

Funny you should mention Coastal. One of the things that really got me itching for DB is the bluegrass jam sessions they had there on Saturday nights. A friend of my dad's through his work was a DB player, and I remember once there were about ten bass players in the lobby of the auditorium at the university jamming together. It was great, and I've never forgotten that sound.

Thanks again,
Brian
 

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