Would you spend $2000 to learn to play jazz online?

[tb-player]

I am a lifetime member of Scott's Bass Lessons. I signed up years ago, at a greatly discounted price, when whey were doing a quick cash grab. These days I don't go on the site that much. But this evening I was poking around to see if there was anything new there.

Turns out, there is something new... the SBL Jazz Lab. I didn't read the whole thing because the ad is a ridiculously long, click-bait style essay designed to give just enough info to keep you reading. I just fast-forwarded to the end.

It's basically a combination of different styles of instruction...

• SBL Mesh Framework Curriculum
• Flexible Video Lessons
• Weekly 1:1 Video Feedback
• Live A-List Masterclasses
• Weekly Live Group Workshops
• Excel at 3 Jazz Standards

They go on to say that this level of coaching would cost $5200 at Berklee. But they're marking it down from $5200 to a mere $2000.

I choked.

So I went back and read more and I'm just not seeing it. Am I missing something? For $2k I could do a good amount of private lessons with some pretty decent teachers. Or maybe that's what this is and I just don't see it?

Did anyone here see this and sign up?

 

[MuseChaser]

Listen to great recordings of great players. Practice constantly. Play with people in real life. Jazz.is human. Spend your money going to hear great players live, keeping your axe in good shape, and lessons in person with an exacting, articulate, passionate teacher if you don't think you're making progress on your own.

One of the worst things that happened to school music programs, and learning in general, was going to "remote learning" during the Covid lockdowns. You can't learn musical human interaction by watching a screen.

 

[MrB64]

No.

 

[tb-player]

Listen to great recordings of great players. Practice constantly. Play with people in real life. Jazz.is human. Spend your money going to hear great players live, keeping your axe in good shape, and lessons in person with an exacting, articulate, passionate teacher if you don't think you're making progress on your own.

One of the worst things that happened to school music programs, and learning in general, was going to "remote learning" during the Covid lockdowns. You can't learn musical human interaction by watching a screen.

Exactly. Human interaction. Plus, to compare online lessons to attending Berklee is a massive stretch.

 

[JumboJett35]

$2k gets me a very adequate bass and plenty of inspiration to practice on it. I would have to really want to learn jazz otherwise.

 

[lowdownbp5]

A great piano teacher(friend) once told me that if you play a note that doesn't sound right it's wrong. If you do it a second time it's JAZZ

 

[winegamd]

This video goes over what they are trying to accomplish. Scott has put in many podcasts and videos he wants to move more towards real course work Iinstead of just video lessons.

The course will offer live group sessions and video feedback with Todd Johnson as well as Scott. This is also a multi month course with a curriculum. $2k is a lot, but what is a semester at most schools? This also has a 60 day money back trial that most schools don't offer.

 

[Lava]

If I could afford it, yes. SBL do good work.

 

[mcrawfordmusic]

You would be better off paying Ron Carter that for like 10 Lessons

 

[Pings Bass]

First of all, "learn to play jazz for $2000" rubs me wrong about ten different ways. The only way to learn to play any genre is to PLAY IT. You have to do the work; it can't be bought or sold.

Any decent teacher can point you in the right direction and provide all the materials you need. If you don't have one locally, you can definitely do zoom lessons (I did a master class lesson with a teacher in LA; it was great).

 

[WG Plum]

No. If I'm going to drop $2k on lessons it will be in person.

 

[Captain Chaos]

No. Learning online it’s not the same as learning one on one and getting feedback and asking questions.

This is my opinion and not based on a musical setting. It’s the perspective I got from doing a couple online college classes.

 

[BazzaBass]

I am a lifetime member of Scott's Bass Lessons. I signed up years ago, at a greatly discounted price, when whey were doing a quick cash grab. These days I don't go on the site that much. But this evening I was poking around to see if there was anything new there.

Turns out, there is something new... the SBL Jazz Lab. I didn't read the whole thing because the ad is a ridiculously long, click-bait style essay designed to give just enough info to keep you reading. I just fast-forwarded to the end.

It's basically a combination of different styles of instruction...

• SBL Mesh Framework Curriculum
• Flexible Video Lessons
• Weekly 1:1 Video Feedback
• Live A-List Masterclasses
• Weekly Live Group Workshops
• Excel at 3 Jazz Standards

They go on to say that this level of coaching would cost $5200 at Berklee. But they're marking it down from $5200 to a mere $2000.

I choked.

So I went back and read more and I'm just not seeing it. Am I missing something? For $2k I could do a good amount of private lessons with some pretty decent teachers. Or maybe that's what this is and I just don't see it?

Did anyone here see this and sign up?

View attachment 5447638

Why is it we would never consider doing this for a sport yet would do it for music?

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

Why is it we would never consider doing this for a sport yet would do it for music?

Parents can spend tens of thousands of dollars a year on elite coaching/training/travel for teens in sports and adult cyclists I know spend easily 2k a year on coaching.

 

[cxcxcx]

Try a Private teacher, study Jazz piano, play Jazz with others, listen to a lot of Jazz, don't sleep on Barry Harris, and have a sincere interest in the art of Jazz that’s stronger than an interest in looking at Reverb all day. That’s how you become a proficient Jazz musician. There’s no supercharged shortcut reserved for the overprivileged who can pay the freight.

This is all easier read and said than done, and might up costing more than 2k over a lifetime, but it is a lifetime endeavor.

Most people that buy a 2k tuition for an online course like this will look at it twice, quit and/or lose interest.

 

[BazzaBass]

Parents can spend tens of thousands of dollars a year on elite coaching/training/travel for teens in sports and adult cyclists I know spend easily 2k a year on coaching.

Yes and most of it is a scam

 

[LiptonJigglers]

First; SBL is not Berklee, so it's not a "reduced" rate at all.
Second; $2000 in any currency buys a lot of chemical refreshments that will turn you into a Jazz musician overnight and when you eventually come back to reality, it'll be out of your system for good.
Fingers crossed.

 

[Killing Floor]

Not online. No.

 

[r_bnks]

Lol

 

[5StringBlues]

Scott needs his head examined.