Jeff Berlin Discussing Music Ed

[JeffBerlin]

Jeff thanks for your comments. I've always found them informative and I'm hard pressed to think of an occassion when I've disagreed with you, albeit my love of all things Jack Bruce, and your comments regarding fretless bass come close.

I was curious if your school if accredited?

Any minute now! We are literally in the last couple of weeks before the accrditation organization meets to decide on our application that we made nearly two years ago. It takes a long time to get approved, and the inspectors loved the school and what we do. I would like to think that this will mean that we are accedited by this January. Drum role, Please!

 

[JeffBerlin]

Okay Dr. Jeff - I have a question:

I grew up on piano, moving to bass when I was 15 (back in '76!) - Most of the kids I played with in high school and shortly thereafter had a similar story... We may have learned to hate "piano lessons", but we all had a good basic grasp of theory.

It seems to me now that fewer and fewer kids are being brought along in this manner. When I was teaching bass, I found *very* few kids who ever had a single music lesson outside of the lukewarm stuff the public schools offer - - And they struggled.

The lesson I have taken away from this is that, for kids, piano is the right instrument to start - it allows a good visualization of the staff, is easy to play (as in to at least make a note happen, not to play music!) and is often a snappy piece of furniture.

Thoughts? If not Piano, then what would *you* suggest for a child (6-8 yrs old)?

thanks

There is no better instrument for a child to practice than piano. It is easy to play, and it is the only orchstral instrument in all of music. No doubt about it. When I took violin, I started at 5 years old. I even remember the time of my lesson: Saturday morning at 9:30am. Weird what sticks in your minds. This was the very first musically academic event in my life. With the violin I took mandatory piano lessons. That is the best instrument for kids to start on.

 

[JeffBerlin]

Got it! Time to bust out the old real book. I have a minor degree in Jazz Studies but it has been several years since I played through any of those tunes. I used that education to get the gigs I have, but they have been mostly rock/pop cover band gigs. Now I'm in an original group and am repsonible for creating interesting and musical parts again instead of just playing boogie oogie oogie correctly off the record. Time to dig in again.

Now if I could just get my kids to take care of them selves and not worry about my full time job I could put in the practice time I want! HA! I'll endure.

Thanks

I am sure that you agree that the kids come first. Just grab a little in-between time and enjoy the time. P.S. When my son Jason got cancer, I put my bass in my closet for close to two years and never looked at it. When he got healthy, I took it out, but only when he was on the mend. Kids come first, no doubt about it.

 

[Lonnybass]

Jeff-

Let's say you are like me and many other cats on TB - between day gig and family committments and other activities - there is only have a couple hours available each week for practicing.

Yes, this is a sad reality for me considering how much time I spent practicing in college - but I'll take what I can get and just want to make the most of it!

So, given a sixty minute window of time, how should this time be spent?

Lonnybass

 

[NWB]

Thank you Jeff!

First, for making wonderful music to listen to. I really enjoy your playing.

Second, for being a great dad and setting an awesome example for other dads to follow. I can't overstate my admiration for you in this regard.

And last, but not least, sharing your passion for music in the best way that you know how. You've been a great teacher and inspiration for many players (more correctly, musicians!)

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

There is no better instrument for a child to practice than piano. It is easy to play, and it is the only orchstral instrument in all of music. No doubt about it. When I took violin, I started at 5 years old. I even remember the time of my lesson: Saturday morning at 9:30am. Weird what sticks in your minds. This was the very first musically academic event in my life. With the violin I took mandatory piano lessons. That is the best instrument for kids to start on.

I feel so validated!

Thanks!

 

[pedro]

Jeff-

Let's say you are like me and many other cats on TB - between day gig and family committments and other activities - there is only have a couple hours available each week for practicing.

Yes, this is a sad reality for me considering how much time I spent practicing in college - but I'll take what I can get and just want to make the most of it!

So, given a sixty minute window of time, how should this time be spent?

Lonnybass

Where are you in school?

 

[JimmyM]

Jeff, even though I'll always be on your ----list (deservedly so, I might add), I just wanted to say that your opening letter in this thread was great, and will go a long way toward opening more people up to your POV. Everyone, if they reach down past the previous method of delivery, realizes that you know of what you speak. We can quibble about metronomes and tuners and the merits of other types of music, but deep down I think everyone knows that what you offer is a solid no-nonsense musical education that will work for everyone if they follow it. And regardless of what I thought of the way you went about explaining it, that can't be denied.

So even if your reaction to this is a big "whatever," I just wanted to say that I appreciate what it took to write your opening letter, and I hope it works for you.

 

[JeffBerlin]

Jeff-

Let's say you are like me and many other cats on TB - between day gig and family committments and other activities - there is only have a couple hours available each week for practicing.

Yes, this is a sad reality for me considering how much time I spent practicing in college - but I'll take what I can get and just want to make the most of it!

So, given a sixty minute window of time, how should this time be spent?

Lonnybass

60 minutes is a great chunk of time if you can use it well. Chord tone exercises plus soloing using them if you are at a level of playing where you can do this, reading out of trombone books, practicing imitating little quotes from jazz cd's and writing them out, then playing them on the bass. Let me know if these things are in your ability work on.

 

[Lonnybass]

60 minutes is a great chunk of time if you can use it well. Chord tone exercises plus soloing using them if you are at a level of playing where you can do this, reading out of trombone books, practicing imitating little quotes from jazz cd's and writing them out, then playing them on the bass. Let me know if these things are in your ability work on.

Jeff-

Thanks for the ideas here. Sadly, my playing these past 5-10 years has gotten to a point where most of my energies and available free time have gone into skills "maintenance" (in order to support my band's live schedule).

But for some time now I've wanted to get back to reading and dig more into theory and related exercises that will make me a more well-rounded overall musician - it's just that time has been at an extreme premium lately and I haven't quite put thought to how I can make the most of what playing time I do have.

Lonnybass

 

[NoobOnRoad]

I've got some generic question Jeff.

My teacher make me pratices almost my scales(Min and Maj) and arpeggios(6 of them) on 2 octaves.

(E,F,G,A,B,Bb,C)<---scales and arpeggios that I do for them moment.

So from what I understand you would suggest me to start on E4 and descend to E2 and then reascend to E4 instead of always doing the oposite?

I don't know if that maked much sense.


Second question.

I've got nothing against tab's but I am trying to almost just learn by SN, and almost all books that I approach have tabs underneath the notations. I would like to know if you know some studies/song books/theory books, that don't have tablature?


Also, I maybe offended you 1 years or so ago. I must excuse myself.

P.S. English is my second language and I still have some difficulties to search for the good words.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Essexbass]

Hi Jeff,
Glad to see you back here on TB. I used to buy GP when your column was in that magazine prior to it crossing over to BP. Continued to enjoy it in that particular magazine as well.

IMO the views laid out in each of your columns was quite heartfelt, & contained a lot of common sense. I think it's a bit of a shame that you've taken a lot of flak, but you always seem to rise above it.

Still enjoy reading your viewpoint & nuggets of advice. Hope you intend to stay around on here, because the bass (& music community) needs people like you around.

Cheers,
Essexbass

 

[JeffBerlin]

I feel so validated!

Thanks!

You are a validation dictorian. Bada BIIINGGG!

 

[JeffBerlin]

Thank you Jeff!

First, for making wonderful music to listen to. I really enjoy your playing.

Second, for being a great dad and setting an awesome example for other dads to follow. I can't overstate my admiration for you in this regard.

And last, but not least, sharing your passion for music in the best way that you know how. You've been a great teacher and inspiration for many players (more correctly, musicians!)

A million thanks. I appreciate this very much!

 

[David Jayne]

Hey Jeff, any more solo bass stuff? 'Clinton Country' is, frankly, amazing. I play it for people and they insist there must be overdubs, but I don't think so, am I right?

 

[JeffBerlin]

Hi Jeff,

First and foremost: thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts here on TalkBass!

I will also congratulate you on becoming more tolerant -- or less intolerant? -- of other techniques. To explain: I read most if not all of your BP columns, and largely enjoyed them. I certainly agree that you are entitled to strong opinions about the right way to learn music... I agree with many of them. However the problem with the rhetoric you have used is that the resulting controversies often overwhelmed the lesson you were trying to teach.

I'm sure this was unintended... you were merely trying to start a spirited discussion. But there's a fine line between that and a flamewar. One quick look at unmoderated internet discussion forums is proof enough that very few know how close to get to that line without going over. (Many don't even care, but that's another topic).

So, I applaud your decision to take a more positive tack when discussing your opinions. This has nothing to do with "political correctness" (that overused straw man). My point is that I believe you will deliver your message more effectively if you spend more time arguing in favor of it rather than against other options.

Yes, we all know that controversy generates ratings: every one of the infamous fire-breathing media pundits realizes this. However I would argue that inflammatory rhetoric only serves to keep those who agree with the speaker in line (and get the speaker ratings, but that is another topic). Those who do not agree -- i.e. the targets of the rhetorical attacks -- might get sucked into the fight, but it is to defend their honor: they are rarely if ever swayed into changing their minds.

Well put! I actually didn't come upon this decision during the last week, but actually has been something that I've been mulling over for a while. I have to be honest; I don't believe that a lot of sources of musical learning are worthy of the tuitions that one pays. But since some have disagreed with this, I decided to not say a word against anything anymore that some other may believe in. But I still will dole out what I believe to be true. Take it or leave it, it is all good!

 

[Commreman]

What specific trombone books do you recommend?

 

[JeffBerlin]

I've got some generic question Jeff.

My teacher make me pratices almost my scales(Min and Maj) and arpeggios(6 of them) on 2 octaves.

(E,F,G,A,B,Bb,C)<---scales and arpeggios that I do for them moment.

So from what I understand you would suggest me to start on E4 and descend to E2 and then reascend to E4 instead of always doing the oposite?

I don't know if that maked much sense.


Second question.

I've got nothing against tab's but I am trying to almost just learn by SN, and almost all books that I approach have tabs underneath the notations. I would like to know if you know some studies/song books/theory books, that don't have tablature?


Also, I maybe offended you 1 years or so ago. I must excuse myself.

P.S. English is my second language and I still have some difficulties to search for the good words.

Thanks in advance.

Your musical comments about E2 or E4 don't register with me. Also your scale letters don't work E,F,G,A,B,Bb,C, if this is a scale at all.

My guess is that your teacher may not be giving you what you need which is organized musical instruction. But I don't know this for sure and I don't know how to check him. I'm sorry, but I don't know how to help you from this letter. Can you get a guy who speaks English and let him write your thoughts to me?

 

[JeffBerlin]

What specific trombone books do you recommend?

The Rochet books can get super hard. The Ernest Clarke is a good beginner book. And the Chord Studies for Trombome is an advanced etude and approach note to chord tone book, maybe the best that I ever found. But, you have to know how to read and play a little bit to get any value from it.

 

[JeffBerlin]

Hey Jeff, any more solo bass stuff? 'Clinton Country' is, frankly, amazing. I play it for people and they insist there must be overdubs, but I don't think so, am I right?

No, no overdubs. I never overdub when I record and I rarely punch in fixes, unless it is something so horrible that I would go screaming into the night if this bit of music was ever released. What you hear, for better or worse, is me.

Frankly with genius solo bass players like Victor Wooten and Mike Manring around, plus with the blazing lines of Hadrien Faraud and Dominique Di Piazza (lately I've become the slowest guy in jazz. No joke!) I decided to leave the solo bass thingy alone and just concentrate on my playing in other melodic areas.