how to teach a non beginner?

[redname]

i've been asked to coach someone from church on how to play bass but i have no idea where to begin with.

he has music backgrd and able to play the piano and guitar, so we can skip some basic stuff but how far can we skip?

and are zoom lessons able to work? kind of concern of the latency if there's any

 

[Jazzdogg]

I'd start with "The Cycle" (circle of fifths), including relative minors), and tone centers, to assure he's able to think like a bassist.

Physically, I'd start with how to play with a minimum of physical effort to control the strings, prevent unwanted sounds, and avoid repetitive stress injuries.

In between lessons, I'd have him watch YouTube videos of a world class bassist, like Ray Brown, to see and hear how a great bassist sounds.

Time is critical for bassists. If his time isn't already great, introduce him to time keeping exercises.

Good luck!

 

[Snarf]

i've been asked to coach someone from church on how to play bass but i have no idea where to begin with.

he has music backgrd and able to play the piano and guitar, so we can skip some basic stuff but how far can we skip?

and are zoom lessons able to work? kind of concern of the latency if there's any

Well, skip the stuff he already knows. Listen to him play and find out what his weaknesses are and address those. If there are timing issues, work on exercises related to that. If he wants to play "more" and get away from simple lines, show him pentatonic scales and ways to phrase them, using real world examples.

It's tough to give really specific advice because I don't know the people involved, but the above is where I'd start. Also, you should work with the student on achieving their goals, not necessarily guiding them down a pre-approved curriculum.

 

[Diplock]

Ask them what they want to achieve with you. Then ask them to play a bassline. That'll tell you where to start.