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Jeff Berlin
- Thread starter Willie5String
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He is really intense. Too much for some folks. Intimidating.
I've read that he's "mellowed" a bit in recent years. FWIW.
I've read that he's "mellowed" a bit in recent years. FWIW.
hi Willie 
The story is that people talk more about his opinions than about bass playing.
That's good when you sell opinions.
Not so much when you teach bass playing!
Wise(b)ass
The story is that people talk more about his opinions than about bass playing.
That's good when you sell opinions.
Not so much when you teach bass playing!
Wise(b)ass
You summed it up in your OP.
There’s not much more to it unless you’re curious about his childhood and if it would make for a decent Chuck Lorre sitcom, or you’re a writer for said sitcom and are drying up on material…
Some people are Doers, some are Teachers. Jeff is a Doer who tries with limited success to teach.
There’s not much more to it unless you’re curious about his childhood and if it would make for a decent Chuck Lorre sitcom, or you’re a writer for said sitcom and are drying up on material…
Some people are Doers, some are Teachers. Jeff is a Doer who tries with limited success to teach.
He admits he can be a dick, I don't care, cat has been owning it for fifty years!
Just listen to him play. He is one of the greats.
I support his teaching method and style.
I've watched the bass forums, starting with The Bottom Line, for years. I've noticed a couple of cases where a "famous player" fell into the trap of allowing themselves to be baited, and they got flamed off of the forums. Maybe the famous player wasn't being as diplomatic as they could be, but the response was disproportionate.
This happens on web forums.
This happens on web forums.
I met him once at a NAMM show. He seemed really nice, and was teaching at a Cort booth. Maybe if I was his student I'd fee differently but he seemed chill.
I jumped the shark on JB after he told me in a FB forum that I could only ever aspire to being a Jaco clone on fretless.
I was tempted to ask him what bassists who play his signature Cort aspire to be, but I didn’t want to make a nasty situation worse.
I was tempted to ask him what bassists who play his signature Cort aspire to be, but I didn’t want to make a nasty situation worse.
JB is serious about doing it by the numbers, sight reading, theory, etc., with no short cuts. Supremely gifted and accomplished, often when he was younger, we'll just say he didn't suffer fools easily, and could be notably cantankerous at times.
Like most of us, he's mellowing with age, and has always been very committed to musical education in the best way, if not a bit strident about it at times.
I think his 'difficult' rep has been far larger than his truth, and people being people, have painted him with it way past done . . . or fairness. A player's player, as good as they get, and an educator.
I think he deserves a break and a fresh appreciation.
Like most of us, he's mellowing with age, and has always been very committed to musical education in the best way, if not a bit strident about it at times.
I think his 'difficult' rep has been far larger than his truth, and people being people, have painted him with it way past done . . . or fairness. A player's player, as good as they get, and an educator.
I think he deserves a break and a fresh appreciation.
Many bassists hate his learning ideas and unlike many other players of his stature, he chats online with average players who can be very opinionated just as is Jeff. Few have Jeff's background or any teaching materials they put out either but people love to opine anyways. Just his idea that bass players should learn to read music angers many and blows minds in general. I can't tell you how many times I've read "(insert idol) never learned to read music or anything about theory and they did ok" "If I learned to read music I'd just be connecting the dots and would lose all creativity, I mean I know people that read music and they don't have any feel and can't play without their pages" etc.
There's even a FaceBook page dedicated to crying about and insulting Jeff Berlin, he gets under skins and then lives in people's minds LOL
There's even a FaceBook page dedicated to crying about and insulting Jeff Berlin, he gets under skins and then lives in people's minds LOL
I made the remark in another thread that this forum has never seen a “why are Foderas so expensive” thread and that it’s a novel and new argument that’s never been done to death on this board - ever.
Same with this Berlin thing - since the topic has never been explored or even alluded to, ever, in the history of Talkbass, we’re certainly going to uncover some new ground and make some real discoveries here.
Same with this Berlin thing - since the topic has never been explored or even alluded to, ever, in the history of Talkbass, we’re certainly going to uncover some new ground and make some real discoveries here.
Yep. Totally agree Doc. He has played on some great albums and toured with the best.
Here’s an old ABWH vid of Heart of the Sunrise with him guesting.
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