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Lessons or no lessons

Super_Mikey

Super_Mikey

Guest
Apr 10, 2014
29
2
52
Roswell, Ga
#1
I'm new on the board so if this is answered somewhere else please let me know. I started playing bass when I was 20 and played in an all original band for 7 years. I pretty much taught myself a little and our guitar player helped me with some things since he was a multi instrumentalist. I never really took any lessons but always wanted to learn how to really play and not just follow the guitar. After the band broke up I pretty much stopped playing till my wife bought me a bass and amp for my 40th bday. Yes my wife is a bad ass like that! Lol! So now that I'm old and a little wiser I really want to know my instrument and how to truly play. What I'd like is if y'all can give me some advice on whether taking lessons would be worth it or if self teaching is the way to go.
Thanks for any help!

Mike
 
#2
Just one guys opinion here...


Get the Hal Leonard book by Ed Friedland about learning to play bass. There's a whole thread dedicated to it maybe a few threads down from here. Work your way thru he book a ways and THEN get some lessons. By the time you get more basics under your belt you will know what you want from he lessons you get.
 
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#3
I would always recommend knee to knee instruction if you can swing it. If not there is enough stuff on the Internet, so self study is something you could consider, however, realize it'll take you twice the amount of time if you teach yourself, because your instructor does not know what he is doing. No really you will waist a lot of time trying to teach yourself. If you can carve another $100 bucks out of the budget spend it on a months worth of lessons.

The post above this one recommends you get the basic stuff yourself and then take on some lessons. That has merit. Weigh your time and money and you decide how and when to do it. You do need knee to knee instruction at some point.
 
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#4
Agreed with the above post. Getting lesson usually make u progress faster than self taught. There are just too much information everywhere that it just hard to know where to start with.

your teacher not only showing you what are the right materials to practice, but also teach yourself how to self taught in long term.
 
#5
MalcolmAmos said:
I would always recommend knee to knee instruction if you can swing it. If not there is enough stuff on the Internet, so self study is something you could consider, however, realize it'll take you twice the amount of time if you teach yourself, because your instructor does not know what he is doing. No really you will waist a lot of time trying to teach yourself. If you can carve another $100 bucks out of the budget spend it on a months worth of lessons.

The post above this one recommends you get the basic stuff yourself and then take on some lessons. That has merit. Weigh your time and money and you decide how and when to do it. You do need knee to knee instruction at some point.
Click to expand...

I had a really good bass instructor the first time I started learning. Too good, really. Not enough structure and rote progression for me. I would have been better off if I had been learning via a Hal Leonard book but I was learning some patterns and some random licks and songs. I think the reason I drifted away last time was this lack of linear progress to suit my personality type. For a lot of other people this guy would probably be perfect, and another year from now I would want to see him yet again. For me personally, the linear HL style is perfect.

I suggest this to the OP because he already has some playing time in, but no real understanding behind it. HL/Friedland gives you a lot of that basic stuff to fill in the gaps. A good teacher would be icing on the cake. And by good I mean one that relates to the student's style of learning.

I have personally taught people how to row a scull (one man single rowing shell) in an hour or two. I have taught people to telemark ski in a few hours. These are not easy things to teach people in very short periods of time. And no, they were not great at it, but they could function in each case enough to have fun. I was able to do that because as a teacher, I kept looking for what was 'clicking' with the people I was working with and when I found what they related to I went down that road. Not every teacher can or does do that. Lots of times I think the student also has no idea what it is they need to learn until they have tried or experienced something as well.

So just to clarify my position, I think a good teacher who relates well to a students personality, needs and learning style is excellent. And the best student is the one who knows those things. This does not happen in every case, so my view is try a little on your own first and then get the help.
 
#6
A good instructor is worth whatever s/he asks for. Yes, you will learn things that would take you years on your own. Trust me, I know. As a self taught musician for many years, and then getting instructed at a university level, and then becoming a teacher myself. You will thank yourself for lessons (with a good teacher)
 
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#7
drumsnbass said:
I had a really good bass instructor the first time I started learning. Too good, really. Not enough structure and rote progression for me. I would have been better off if I had been learning via a Hal Leonard book but I was learning some patterns and some random licks and songs. I think the reason I drifted away last time was this lack of linear progress to suit my personality type. For a lot of other people this guy would probably be perfect, and another year from now I would want to see him yet again. For me personally, the linear HL style is perfect.

I suggest this to the OP because he already has some playing time in, but no real understanding behind it. HL/Friedland gives you a lot of that basic stuff to fill in the gaps. A good teacher would be icing on the cake. And by good I mean one that relates to the student's style of learning.

I have personally taught people how to row a scull (one man single rowing shell) in an hour or two. I have taught people to telemark ski in a few hours. These are not easy things to teach people in very short periods of time. And no, they were not great at it, but they could function in each case enough to have fun. I was able to do that because as a teacher, I kept looking for what was 'clicking' with the people I was working with and when I found what they related to I went down that road. Not every teacher can or does do that. Lots of times I think the student also has no idea what it is they need to learn until they have tried or experienced something as well.

So just to clarify my position, I think a good teacher who relates well to a students personality, needs and learning style is excellent. And the best student is the one who knows those things. This does not happen in every case, so my view is try a little on your own first and then get the help.
Click to expand...

I think there is good teachers are those can teach systematically, patience and make sure their students not to be overwhelmed by the information they have learnt. There are many good or even top players who teach but i cannot regard them as good teachers. I took lesson from them and i know how it feels...
 
#8
A good teacher will not only show you the fundamentals in the beginning, but will crucially remove the self doubt that comes with starting off being self taught. Am I doing this right? Am I doing that right? That feels weird? Is this the right interval? scale? etc... an instructor can answer those questions and give you the knowledge and the confidence to proceed on your own when you get more comfortable. My first teacher showed me basic theory and technique, and my university professors were checking my Bird transcriptions I decided to do on my own volition. Point is a teacher becomes someone to lean on for guidance as you grow.
 
#9
Teaching yourself can be done, but the problem is that you don't have the knowledge base of the teacher, so that limits what you can teach yourself. A good teacher with a strong basis in jazz is is the best thing you can do to get your playing together quickly and efficiently.
 
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#10
You are forty years old, you have a wife, kids maybe, a dog?
Honestly, either you are a super man or self instruction is just an illusion.
I finally learned how to swim when going or not going to the swimming pool was not an option anymore.
The instructor was there, waiting for me, and I already paid for the lesson. Better just go.
 
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#11
Self-teaching is OK, even if it is proper theory and fundamentals. I am doing alot of that right now using Ed's instructionals, Studybass.com and YouTube videos, as well as JUST PLAYING A LOT. However, as diligent as I have been, I have had to admit that - while I am getting some very solid pieces together - I can't put them together in the way I would like. Combining years of "feel-based" playing with proper theory and technique is a huge gap to bridge. As a result, I have had to relent and start seeking out lessons from those who know more than I do.

Sometimes, it feels like my first day holding a bass, but I know that I'll eventually be 10x the musician because of it.
 
#13
drumsnbass said:
...........
I have personally taught people how to row a scull (one man single rowing shell) in an hour or two.
Click to expand...

There is a two man Alden on our dock right now. We live on a lake and I love to scull.

Why a two man -- When I bought mine the salesperson asked my weight, and after being informed how much told me I needed the 18' two man........ What's a fat guy to do? No telling what I'd weight if I did not have the Alden.

Not to hijack the post, but, there is not that many of us out there. Had to say Hi.
 
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#15
Super_Mikey said:
Thanks guy for the advice! I think I'm gonna try the Ed Friedland HL books and see how that goes to start.

After reading the 14 pages of the Hal Leonard page it sounds really good!

I'll let ya know how it goes!
Click to expand...

It is really good. I got the 3 volume HL method to start with and then I got the blues one, and then the walking bass ones. I also have weekly lessons, mostly based around jazz (standards and improv). I work on the books by myself, and sometimes I take them to my lesson if i need anything expanded or clarified.

Good luck mate
 
#18
MalcolmAmos said:
There is a two man Alden on our dock right now. We live on a lake and I love to scull.

Why a two man -- When I bought mine the salesperson asked my weight, and after being informed how much told me I needed the 18' two man........ What's a fat guy to do? No telling what I'd weight if I did not have the Alden.

Not to hijack the post, but, there is not that many of us out there. Had to say Hi.
Click to expand...


Rowing is one of the coolest things I ever did in my life. And from one 'fat guy' to another, I lost about 50lbs last year going "paleo" and have only added back 4 lbs over the past 5 months basically. Winter is much harder to keep the weight off with the cold and dreary sunless weather. I hope ot lose another 20 lbs this year over the summer months. A big part of all of that loss was rowing 8-10k almost every day on a rowing machine.
 
#20
I can't say enough about private lessons... all great. With that said, I took a lot of time finding the right instructor and a method for structure and a progressive plan.
I had/have a trillion questions and instructors supply the answer(s).
The trick is finding a great instructor - In your quest, consider private lessons via Skype. Many of the best players/instructors you read about, hear about or even listen to their music offer them. I discovered this venue about two months ago and I'll never again allow the lack of local talent hamper my learning.
 

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