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Double Bass Jazz lessons

Slaphound

Slaphound

Jun 16, 2003
2,988
1,235
59
Staten Island, NY
#1
I’m going from a “rock&roll/rockabilly/Country music” style of bass playing to a jazz oriented style. What I mean is I want to start playing the bass without a baseball bat grip on the neck, with more intellectual walking lines over basic boogie woogie lines and holding the bass itself in a different way from the rib flush with my body to a more traditional way of holding the bass. I also want to become more proficient with scales over more of the fingerboard. And to learn the proper way to use thumb position.

There is plenty of books and YouTube videos to read and watch but I’m pretty sure I need a teacher to become better. Does anyone know of a teacher close by to me? I’m in Staten Island so Brooklyn, New Jersey or Manhattan would probably be my options. Should I consider online lessons?
Thanks
 
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#3
Slaphound said:
I’m going from a “rock&roll/rockabilly/Country music” style of bass playing to a jazz oriented style. What I mean is I want to start playing the bass without a baseball bat grip on the neck, with more intellectual walking lines over basic boogie woogie lines and holding the bass itself in a different way from the rib flush with my body to a more traditional way of holding the bass. I also want to become more proficient with scales over more of the fingerboard. And to learn the proper way to use thumb position.

There is plenty of books and YouTube videos to read and watch but I’m pretty sure I need a teacher to become better. Does anyone know of a teacher close by to me? I’m in Staten Island so Brooklyn, New Jersey or Manhattan would probably be my options. Should I consider online lessons?
Thanks
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Man — me too. I’ve been stuck in a rut with what I’ve been playing live for a while now. Naturally learning to read music and learn scales and chord progressions is the next step. I’m in South Texas and I only recently found someone to help me to learn some classical with the bow along with some jazz chops and who will do a mix of in-person and zoom lessons when we start next month.

You’re in the NY area and I bet you can find a bad ass teacher there — hopefully someone you don’t have to travel too far to either. Good luck with the search.
 
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#6
Slaphound said:
I’m going from a “rock&roll/rockabilly/Country music” style of bass playing to a jazz oriented style. What I mean is I want to start playing the bass without a baseball bat grip on the neck, with more intellectual walking lines over basic boogie woogie lines and holding the bass itself in a different way from the rib flush with my body to a more traditional way of holding the bass. I also want to become more proficient with scales over more of the fingerboard. And to learn the proper way to use thumb position.

There is plenty of books and YouTube videos to read and watch but I’m pretty sure I need a teacher to become better. Does anyone know of a teacher close by to me? I’m in Staten Island so Brooklyn, New Jersey or Manhattan would probably be my options. Should I consider online lessons?
Thanks
Click to expand...
You could look on Craigslist for upright bass teachers and also post that you are looking for one. There are so many in NYC. I would also pick up a copy of the Bible, aka New Method For Double Bass by Simandl as well as the Ray Brown book. As someone else noted, almost all jazz bass comes from classical bass. Also you could “audition” bass teachers via online lessons to find someone you click with, and then definitely go see them in person. They need to see how you hold the bass up close. Good luck. And congrats on wanting to dive in!
 
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#8
Geez, in New York City you're wondering whether there are any bass teachers?

I'd call the Manhattan School of Music and ask if they have any grad students teaching lessons.

I expect your toughest thing will be breaking your established habits. I'd suggest a course of standardized method book study. It sounds like most of what you need is a re-jiggering of your fundamental bass technique, not "jazz lessons" per se.
 
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#12
When you do start taking in-person lessons the best advice I can give is Don't Give Up. You will have the two issues of learning a ton of new info while getting rid of old habits at the same time. Adult students often have a very hard time with this. Figure you're going back to the very beginning and have never seen a bass before. That's the mindset to have. Remember your goals and that it takes as long as it takes to achieve them.
 
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#14
We’ll, I know Dave and he’s a wonderful player and nice cat. But at least give Joe a call. He’ll set aside an hour for you guys to talk and outline his methods and pedagogy and you can decide if it’s the direction you want to go. I don’t know if his article DOING IT THE SLOW WAY is still archived here at TB, but it’s worth a SEARCH and read through to see if it resonates…
 
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#18
Keith Rawlings said:
Let us know how it goes.
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Slaphound said:
Great advice. Thanks all. I also looked into and registered with the New York Jazz Workshop. I will look into all of the suggestions.
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NY Jazz workshop has great teachers, great people too. I took classes and have played for classes. The place in Manhattan has a bass too. I set it up. Should probably see if it needs tweaked any
 
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