Lesson Situation

[Belgian Spice]

So...I'm taking lessons and I've been going there for approximately 3 weeks. My teacher seems to prefer the guitar and other variations, but plays the bass. The three times I've been there, he hasn't touched his bass. He told me to buy a book to learn how to read bass clef...and all we do for a half hour is: we both sit down he opens the book and points at the notes and we just go through the book...he then looks at how i'm playing and tells me if i should be alternating fingers or what I'm doing wrong. He says after this book we'll be looking at the 2nd version of the book. The book is called "Electric Bass Method-1". I'm curious...is this guy any good ? Should I look around for any other lessons? If so, does anyone know any GOOD bass teachers around Central, New Jersey area that could seriously teach me well?

 

[chaunceytoben]

WOW...sounds incredibly like my first teacher. Hes a guitar player first, bassist second. Ditch him. Look around for music shops that offer guitar lessons, usually a more variety of teachers, and you can find one thats good. these schools that send people to your house have a limited number of employees, so they have guitar players teach bass.

However, ive found that the book ure using is used by most teachers to begin with. its a really good book for theory. However if thats all your doing, your not going to get any better.

 

[WhiteKnuckles]

Don't be too quick to assume he's a guitarist first, bassist second, just because he doesn't touch his bass.

My instructor very very rarely picks up his bass during my lessons. He plays his guitar... but he is a bass player. A damn fine one at that.

Why would he not play bass during bass instruction? Well, he's teaching me how the two work with each other...how to recognize chords by ear and play accordingly. At first I was skeptical on how it would work, but stuck with it and am better for it.

I'm not saying this is the case with yours, so why don't ya talk to him before giving him the axe? You are employing him...so cut to the chase.

 

[santucci218]

sometimes teachers like that are what kids need. I wish i stuck with a teacher like that. unforunitly, i made the mistake of advancing my physical playing to insane levels before i could read a 12 bar blues >.>

Now i have to go back and sit there and stumble on said 12 bar blues while in the meanwhile i could be ripping 32 note slap solos.

Funny how that works out huh? And now that i can make a majority of people say im good when i play, i have no motivation to learn to read really.

(stick with the teacher or you will end up like me.)

 

[MtManiac]

I can't honestly say what you need in a teacher - it may be that for your playing level, etc. this is what you need to advance. What he's teaching you seems to be very rudimentary. Playing a bass while teaching you those things is not essential. I believe everyone should learn to read, and it sounds like that is what he is focusing on with you. Are you learning anything?

PS, you should have posted this in the General Instruction forum.

PPS, listen to Santucci - he may look like Frank Zappa, but he's a wise cat.

 

[DeanT]

I think it's good that he plays guitar. My teacher plays guitar, bass and piano. During our lessons he mostly plays guitar and some piano. It helps to learn how to interact with those instruments. It also helps you to learn how to follow the guitarists. Too bad we don't have a drummer available.

 

[PocketGroove82]

From what the OP wrote, it's hard to tell if the guy actually has a plan or if he's just phoning it in. But I will comment on him not picking up his bass during the lesson, because some of the best lessons I've ever had did not involve the instructor playing a note. Hell, some of the best lessons I've ever had didn't even come from bass players!

A lesson isn't a jam, and I don't think you should be worried that your instructor doesn't pick up his bass. He really doesn't even need to be able to play bass to teach you something worthwhile.