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what to look for in a teacher

E

esp50

Jan 14, 2004
11
0
vancouver
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#1
?
my teacher right now is sorta whacky,hes cool though,but hes teaching me stuff i dont feel the need to learn,and making me alternate my finger style,like finger 1 fret 1 finger 2 fret 2,why cant i just use a main finger and move it over?is it to build strength in all my fingers?
also hes teaching me how to keep on beat,i guess thats good...and how to read music but im totally lost on that one..anyhelp for how to read music?
and is he a good teacher?i dont really feel i learn to well with him,maybe its just because hes teaching me the boring stuff right now?:hmm:
 
#2
Maybe it's because you're unwilling to work for your instrument. You've gotta drudge through the "boring stuff" for a little while. After all, you've gotta learn the rules before you can break them. Get over it, do the work, and then you get to the fun stuff!
 
#5
The reason why you have to split up your fingers like that is that you can play faster and more accurate when you don't have to move around all the time. My teacher kinda reminds me when my fingering isn't the most efficient and usually suggests I move it but doesn't force me, this includes when I do my "Jamerson hook" playing on my right hand once in a while. He's doing a good job, what I really like about my teacher is that he has perspective not only on bass but on music as a whole too. There's so much you can learn about the bass just by going out and watching good players and listening to them and my teacher is aware of that, he shows me clips of good players and suggests good stuff for me to listen to.
 
#8
Originally posted by abaguer
Your teacher sounds like a good teacher and you sound like a poor student.

You actually have to invest time and effort in your instrument to sound good.
Click to expand...

Actually, no offense but I agree with him. Just keep working on it, nothing he's teaching you is wrong, fretting with different fingers is important, keeping beat is important, and reading music is important too (although you can get away with reading chord charts, but its much more useful to read music). Just keep working at it, you'll get it eventually, if you can't commit to it and practice hard while enjoying it, I suggest keeping at it for a bit longer and if you still don't like it maybe you should play something else? Just my 2 cents, no offense to you meant.
 
#12
A musical instrument is something that must be respected. Wash your hands before you play. Wipe down your strings after you play. Be proud that you play a musical instrument. Put the time into it and it will reward you a thousand times over. Work hard and you'll never find anything so satisfying. Most of all, have fun. Do your lessons that your teacher gives you and then take time for yourself after your work to explore the bass. Find out what you enjoy about the instrument. Learn some of your favorite tunes. Also, express to your teacher how you're feeling. Your teacher should ultimately balance the essential information with straight up fun.
 
#14
Originally posted by esp50
?
my teacher right now is sorta whacky,hes cool though,but hes teaching me stuff i dont feel the need to learn,and making me alternate my finger style,like finger 1 fret 1 finger 2 fret 2,why cant i just use a main finger and move it over?is it to build strength in all my fingers?
also hes teaching me how to keep on beat,i guess thats good...and how to read music but im totally lost on that one..anyhelp for how to read music?
and is he a good teacher?i dont really feel i learn to well with him,maybe its just because hes teaching me the boring stuff right now?:hmm:
Click to expand...
You're calling your teacher wacky because he teaches you technique and how to read music? Man, I was expecting you to say he's wacky cuz he's a show off or doesn't know what he's doing. :confused:

I'm not sure what you were expecting in your teacher. Did you think he was just going to show you some tablature and that will be that? Like Schwinn said, "gotta learn to crawl before you can walk." If you want to get anything out of your lessons you have to have the dedication, patience, and discipline. The best teachers help you open new doors, they listen, they help you, they open you up to the language of music.

And if your teacher is a good teacher at all he will help you with any questions you have. If you are lost on reading music, tell him such. If you don't let him know you are lost, he may move forward and you will become more lost. The teacher is not the only one with responsibility. You have a voice as well.

Good luck.
 

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