Jeff Berlin

[Tim Schnautz]

I don’t know. I really enjoy his short videos. He calls them “exercises.”
I don’t know what he’d be like teaching one one one though.
But to think his dad was a holocaust survivor who was rough on the whole family while he was growing up, and Jeff was also a young virtuoso on the violin.
Some of his temperament could have naturally been passed down to him from being raised by one of such temperment , causing a lot of frustration. But I don’t know.
I like him though..

 

[Dominic D]

My impression of him from the things he’s said over the years is that his approach is the only correct way and you’re an idiot if you suggest otherwise.

 

[Veldar]

Jeff is right to be critical of the move to guru style bass education, however he is stuck with a pedagogy style of years gone and isn't open at all to newer teaching methodology regardless of any academically proved backing.

 

[Bass Jones]

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.

Sometimes it's just as simple as this. Even if it were objectively true that someone is wrong about something, is it really necessary for 10,000 people to pile on?

 

[mdogs]

Jeff has calmed down greatly over the years. I have told him on numerous occasions that I agree with everything he believes about his method and the shortcomings of many other teachers at his level. I have also told him that pretty much everyone who should be hearing his message has stopped listening. He spends far too much time trying to tell everyone why they are wrong and not enough time showing why he is right. But, one area where he has not softened is in being told that he might not be correct about something.

 

[Dlew919]

I enjoyed his columns in guitar player. They definitely helped me become better at bass.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Jeff Berlin is adamant about traditional education and he is right. Jeff Berlin benefitted from getting a solid foundation on violin as a youngster. He was bit like Marcus Miller in that he had reading and theory under control before he picked bass guitar and his driven personality allowed him to quickly become a world class player. His approach makes sense but it is a tough pill to swallow for older players who have learned by ear, have developed some ability, but do not have the knowledge or innate talent of Jeff Berlin. I started taking lessons maybe six years ago and it has been a hard slog although things have begun to click for me, and I am starting to see a real difference in my playing.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

Those who are experts at teaching should just start your own thing.
If you're a student, just absorb.

 

[roycroft_88]

Jeff was a teacher when I was a student at MI (BIT) in the early 80's. He always seemed cool and patient with a very lost 19yold me the few times I dropped into his pod. That's all I got..

 

[LetItGrowTone]

You don't find a teacher in order for you to correct him. Just find another teacher.

 

[Bob_Ross]

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've told this story on TB before:

Jeff does seem to wear that "if you play fretless you'll sound like Jaco" thing on his sleeve pretty overtly

Thing is, he's right about it more often than not

My favorite refutation of this though was at a clinic Jeff did in '79 or '80 where he said "every single one of you guys who's picked up fretless bass, you're doing it because you wanted to sound like Jaco. Every one of you."

From the back of the room someone yells "Bullsh!t!"

It's Victor Bailey

...who then goes on to say "I picked up fretless bass because I wanted to sound like Alphonso."

 

[Dr. Cheese]

You don't find a teacher in order for you to correct him. Just find another teacher.

+100

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I've told this story on TB before:

God bless his soul. I wish Victor Bailey was still among us, playing his beautiful music.

 

[MCF]

My impression of him from the things he’s said over the years is that his approach is the only correct way and you’re an idiot if you suggest otherwise.

Waiting patiently for the rack mount 360. I will be buying one.

 

[DuluthDank]

He more or less says that the only thing you need a teacher for is to teach you formal/academic applications for learning and applying music theory. All the other stuff that people might try to sell you (how to groove, slap, lock in with a drummer, etc.) is all fluff and can be self taught. I think this is true, but for some reason a lot of people get REALLY mad when they hear him say it.

I do think that technique is reasonable to teach to absolute beginners though.

 

[Matt O]

Dude actually got banned from his own pro forum on TB. So, there’s that.

 

[Super Bass]

I totally respect the man...

 

[WG Plum]

hillbillies!

This is the correct nomenclature.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

Jeff believes in the tried and true methods of teaching music that have worked for many years. It's not until the last 25 years or so that bass methods such as "groove", technique, reading tab and slap (etc...) have come out. Just because bass often plays a supportive and often simple roll in a lot of modern music, does not mean that bass players do not have to learn music.

I think where some of the "arguments" come from is that a lot of his audience are mostly casual players; meaning they just want to learn some songs and play a bit - not career players. So, with limited time and effort, they may not want to learn academically and that is okay.

To learn the skills to be a proficient professional musician, you need to learn actual music (what he often refers to as "the good stuff"); musical facts, if you will.

The other discussion that often comes up is that all music has to be artistic and so learning music is also an artistic process. Learning music is not about art. The two are very seperate things and there are facts of music you have to learn and if you are serious about learning them, then the best way is to learn is academically from a qualified teacher. Once you have the musical knowledge, then you have the tools that can be used to create art.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

He helped me on FB with one simple yet profound observation:
"When rehearsing don't perform. It's rehearsal not performance. Your flying pinky will soon be under control once you absorb and apply this.".
He was right!
And it did.