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Jeff Berlin Bass Education Packages
- Thread starter BrotherMister
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- berlin jeff berlin
Thanks for the tip! I’ve been curious about these for a bit. It looks like he’s got a few new videos up on his YouTube page as well.
I keep meaning to update on this post. But I have been using these packages in my teaching and if you do it consistently they work big time. I've been scarily impressed with the rate some of my students have progressed from having absolutely no knowledge of the instrument to being able to read fluently and actually know whats going on with the neck.
During my cover downtime I've been working through taking all the etudes through every key as well, which has been pretty time consuming but it's a great work out, pretty much from package 3 onwards you are required to take the exercises through every key so you might as well start as soon as you have a firm grip on the first couple. I would recommend them to anyone genuinely looking to improve their bass playing.
During my cover downtime I've been working through taking all the etudes through every key as well, which has been pretty time consuming but it's a great work out, pretty much from package 3 onwards you are required to take the exercises through every key so you might as well start as soon as you have a firm grip on the first couple. I would recommend them to anyone genuinely looking to improve their bass playing.
Sorry it's taken so long, I forgot this thread existed to be honest. The target and meaning is that you are learning appropriate musical material. By that I mean if you are learning to read music then the first package starts ultra simple from open strings and ends fairly involved reading combining ties, rests, dotted rhythms and note durations from wholenote to semiquavers. The package is linear so, for example, you won't be reading crotchets until you've nailed whole notes, half notes and the rests of them etc. He always introduces one new idea at a time rather than a bunch. Even in terms of how far up the stave you are reading, that increasings gradually as well rather than suddenly reading low E and the 5 bars later you are reading an E two octaves above that with zero context.
As for the second question they are sequential. Package 1 the entire reading is all C major, package 2 you are reading in all 12 keys. Starts in F so one accidental, then Bb, that's 2, then Eb that's 3 etc etc . Each exercise is pretend with a key signature and all written as accidentals, why? because the exist in the real musical world So if you can't read music and jump into package 2 you'll struggle because the foundations of reading music haven't been established, which is what package 1 does. Package 3 is focusing on different scale types so each lesson is all built on that scale. All of which are in C, at this point Jeff trusts you enough to realise your job is to take each lesson and transpose it into all 12 keys. It's very methodical and an academic approach. Jeff doesn't recommend that is the only thing you practise, he absolutely encourages you to work on other stuff you want to work on, but he recommends working on that academic stuff at least half an hour a day as well.
Hope that helps!
@BrotherMister Thanks for your continued feedback in this thread. What do you feel it is about these packages that makes them do exceptional? Or what makes them stand apart from other instructional materials? I’ll likely going to take a chance with one but am just trying to understand what makes them stand out.
I have to say that I was a bit underwhelmed by the latest YouTube videos. They seemed very scattered to me and didn’t really present a clear concept. I have been quite impressed by Jeff in some of his other videos so this isn’t intended as a slight. I hold him in very high regard.
I have to say that I was a bit underwhelmed by the latest YouTube videos. They seemed very scattered to me and didn’t really present a clear concept. I have been quite impressed by Jeff in some of his other videos so this isn’t intended as a slight. I hold him in very high regard.
I can’t comment on the YouTube stuff since I don’t really check that stuff out these days. I guess it largely depends on what you are hoping to get out of it? And what other instructional materials you are looking at?
I’ve not yet came across a book that presents reading from the very start and builds on it in such a methodical way and structured way. Let alone the content of each etude actually having real harmonic depth to it and being well thought out.
If you are aware of the John Patitucci melodic etudes book packages 2 & 3 are in the same vein as that. Only for every scale John has an etude for Jeff has at least 3. 4 and 5 dig into arpeggios and enclosures a lot more. By that point you are really required to put the work in and actually think things through more than just reading dots on the page though. 1 - 2 you’ll get a ton of mileage just reading the dots on the page, 3 as well but every scale type in 3 is in C and you are expected to take that round every key.
1 and 2 get used all the time in my teaching because they are the really big ‘learning to read ones’ so even just doing them as they are you’ll get fluent in reading. 3 onwards I use for students who can already ready and know keys etc.
I’ve not yet came across a book that presents reading from the very start and builds on it in such a methodical way and structured way. Let alone the content of each etude actually having real harmonic depth to it and being well thought out.
If you are aware of the John Patitucci melodic etudes book packages 2 & 3 are in the same vein as that. Only for every scale John has an etude for Jeff has at least 3. 4 and 5 dig into arpeggios and enclosures a lot more. By that point you are really required to put the work in and actually think things through more than just reading dots on the page though. 1 - 2 you’ll get a ton of mileage just reading the dots on the page, 3 as well but every scale type in 3 is in C and you are expected to take that round every key.
1 and 2 get used all the time in my teaching because they are the really big ‘learning to read ones’ so even just doing them as they are you’ll get fluent in reading. 3 onwards I use for students who can already ready and know keys etc.
Thanks for the update. I want to take advantage of the sale before it expires. I'm a good, self taught, reader but not a great reader and I want to be a great reader. I play with a big band reading notated (dots) charts and I've done enough theater pit work to be dangerous. I do notice enough holes in my reading to want to improve methodically. For example I'm comfortable playing I flat keys from playing with sax players but not sharp keys. I can sometimes get caught up in complex rhythms too. In your opinion would I benefit from Package #1 as it progresses or should I just start with Package #2? Thanks.
It depends largely on the holes in your playing are. Some theatre parts are far more intense reads than this stuff as are some big band charts so it's a tough one to measure, but most stock arrangements of big band stuff the bass parts are always fairly tame, as are older theatre parts.
Here is what you can expect to be reading by the later stages of the first package. Bear in mind that the very first lesson is whole note open strings but you build to this point
Here is roughly what you are looking at in the second package:
The second package he includes enharmonic keys as well so you'll be reading etudes in Bmajor and Cb major etc. Note all reading in this package is major, but a great exercise is to change it to minor. The first package everything is written in C, but you are encouraged to write out every etude in every package in every key!
Here is what you can expect to be reading by the later stages of the first package. Bear in mind that the very first lesson is whole note open strings but you build to this point
Here is roughly what you are looking at in the second package:
The second package he includes enharmonic keys as well so you'll be reading etudes in Bmajor and Cb major etc. Note all reading in this package is major, but a great exercise is to change it to minor. The first package everything is written in C, but you are encouraged to write out every etude in every package in every key!
That's very helpful thank you. Leger lines are another sticking point for me and I see that I will gain a lot from Package #1. I'm going to take advantage of the package deal and purchase all five. It will be money well spent.
@BrotherMister Thanks so much for sharing those samples. I was tempted to skip over package one but it’s clear I shouldn’t.
Have you spent much time with the videos? If so did you find them helpful?
@Rhythmman535 I’m with you on this. It really seems like the bundle is an incredible value. I’ve got to get to selling some of the other instructional materials I’ve amassed over the years. This seems like a great approach.
Have you spent much time with the videos? If so did you find them helpful?
@Rhythmman535 I’m with you on this. It really seems like the bundle is an incredible value. I’ve got to get to selling some of the other instructional materials I’ve amassed over the years. This seems like a great approach.
I honestly wouldn't recommend skipping any part of it if you are unsure of things. Initially I purchased them looking for instructional material because there is a huge gap in bass guitar materials in getting students to read, and material that is based in well thought out music. In my own experience I've been doing reading gigs for the past 16 years and studied music at university etc so much as actually reading the notes hasn't ever been an issue what I found was that maybe 6 bars down the line of an etude I had to rethink where on the neck I was playing stuff because I encountered a musical problem. Problems are good for getting better! So I'd suddenly have to play places in the neck from the offset that aren't the standard ways to play stuff, I found myself really sinking my teeth into this stuff. A lot of is super basic stuff on the page, and on the instrument maybe about the half way point in package one you are suddenly finding yourself really having to think where the best way to play stuff might be and thus really solidifying your knowledge of the neck. Great musical material since you are not only learning to read, but actually learning to execute what you are reading across the neck.
As for the videos I've never actually watched them, as far as i'm aware he's recorded like 200 odd videos of him playing the etudes and you get the link to them all very soon. Let me log into my account and check a few out for you.
So there is literally a video for every exercise and you can download them all as well.
Wow! That’s great to hear. Thank you for looking into that.
Once again, I really appreciate your responses to the myriad of questions I’ve had on these packages. It’s great hearing from someone who has worked through them as not a student and teacher as well.
Thanks GastonD... I just purchased Package three.
I'm currently re-starting package two.
Months ago I was on lesson 10 package two. Then the pandemic began... I had to stop rehearsing with my band, which we did about twice a month. I also practiced less and less.
I don't know... I just didn't want to practice or play bass. I used to practice at least an hour a day, every day. Then the practice became every other day, then it became every 3 days... once a week...and finally I'm lucky if I grab my bass once in two weeks
I need to get out of this rut... so I decided restart and relearn package two, starting from lesson one.
Hi everyone!
I'm a longtime guitar player, non-reader but with a pretty good knowledge of the neck and music theory.
About 18 months ago, I fell in love with your beautiful instrument and decided to become not just a guitarist who plays bass but a real bassist. And a reader.
I purchased the 5 packages because I love the way Jeff teaches.
The other reason is this thread and the way BrotherMister described the course.
I wanted to say thank you for that.
I think I'll stay a while on package 1 as I struggle a lot on ties and rests.
Do you think it would be a bad idea to work in parallel on some more melodic exercices of packages 4 and 5 ?
I'm a longtime guitar player, non-reader but with a pretty good knowledge of the neck and music theory.
About 18 months ago, I fell in love with your beautiful instrument and decided to become not just a guitarist who plays bass but a real bassist. And a reader.
I purchased the 5 packages because I love the way Jeff teaches.
The other reason is this thread and the way BrotherMister described the course.
I wanted to say thank you for that.
I think I'll stay a while on package 1 as I struggle a lot on ties and rests.
Do you think it would be a bad idea to work in parallel on some more melodic exercices of packages 4 and 5 ?
I think Jeff intended the course to be tackled in order and that seems to be what BrotherMister has eluded to as well. If you’re a beginner reader that would likely be the best approach in my opinion. I would say that it’s important to not let the apparent simplicity of whole notes allow you to race past them. This is speaking from someone who did and is now revisiting them; there’s a reason they call them fundamentals. There is definitely something to be said for honoring the note length as it is written which is much more challenging than it seems....record yourself and let your ears decide. Just my $0.02.
Yes, I fully understand and I will follow your advice.
I didn't mean to skip any step and I will certainly revisit a lot these lessons.
I just feel packages 1 and 2 are the "reading ones" and 3, 4 and 5 are more vocabulary oriented.
I didn't mean to skip any step and I will certainly revisit a lot these lessons.
I just feel packages 1 and 2 are the "reading ones" and 3, 4 and 5 are more vocabulary oriented.
I am a bass player of 27 years, with reading background from studying saxophone in high school, and I learned the notes on the bass, but I've never really applied reading to my bass playing. I've learned and written bass parts and songs strictly by ear. I recently decided to dig deep in to theory and reading, so I purchased Jeff's Package 1. Even though I know how to read notes, rests, ties, etc, these etudes have helped me read and locate the right notes and hand positions on the fretboard, and my playing has increased drastically. Most folks who have heard me play will say that I didn't need to improve nor do I have any room to improve (HA! Ludicrous!), but believe me, I notice a serious improvement in my playing, and my reading is at an advanced level already (most likely because I already know how to read). I just purchased Package 2 at the discounted rate, so I'll begin digging in to the different key signatures very shorty. I can't wait to hear how much more I can improve!
Hi all and thanks for all the useful infos about Jeff packages. I am still looking to understand a little bit better how the video and explanations work. Let's suppose we are in package 3, and we are working on a Lydian etude: does Jeff explain theory about where we use Lydian scales, where they come from etc. etc. on the video? The question is also possible for packages 4 and 5...does he provide explanations regarding WHY things have been done, or just how to practice the etude? The 50% off is really interesting, but I am not sure about theory explanation...I would not be interested in getting another tons of exercises without theory explanations.
