If you were starting today, what’s the best way to learn?

[Useless Eustace]

4 minutes ago, Mrbigstuff said:

In person lessons are great with a good teacher that inspires you. Otherwise they’re a waste of money and you won’t see much improvement. I wish I had Scott’s bass lessons when I was younger, the breadth of classes is quite astonishing. 

Scott’s lessons?

[itu]

I have been taught by several teachers. I would suggest a young student that is at the end of her/his studies. Knows a lot, is eager to spread all the information, and isn't just playing dimished chords up and down the neck. 

 

For you @Useless Eustace, I would suggest you to sit down and write on a paper the stuff you are interested in. With that you would have the chance to tell the teacher about your ambitions as well as give a good vision of your wishes. 

[Mrbigstuff]

47 minutes ago, Useless Eustace said:

Scott’s lessons?

https://scottsbasslessons.com

[SteveXFR]

I tried Scott's Bass Lessons. Didn't get on with them at all. I found them quite uninspiring and too much based around jazz and blues music. The biggest problem was the lack of any feedback until I got in a room with other musicians who were honest enough to tell me that my timing sucked

[Gizmo]

If starting today i have trained my ear up faster/earlier , i did theory up to grade 5 in my first few years of playing & while it was great for knowing what i could play it i later found out that what i could play really isn't the same as what i should play

 

For the styles you listed id say get your motor skills & timing worked on/up (not the same as playing music) and pick some tunes you love some easy, some hard(er) and jump in, there are 1000's of tab/play along and breakdowns on YT for almost any song these days and if you know someone who knows someone who plays try and hook up with them for a few informal lessons before you try and find a tutor, GL

[Geek99]

2 hours ago, Mrbigstuff said:

https://scottsbasslessons.com

Theyre a bit marmite 

 

 

[SteveXFR]

I can't stand Scott. His American clone, Ian is pretty good though. 

[Mrbigstuff]

10 hours ago, Geek99 said:

Theyre a bit marmite 

 

 

It seems they are. But the content is solid, they’re not teaching bad habits. The online world is a minefield at the best of times so I wouldn’t take the chance on anyone else.

[fretmeister]

I would have in person lessons in a way classical instrument players approach it. The system is very successful for a reason. I would also take theory grade exams (as in no-playing, just understanding of theory), and do dedicated jazz studies.

 

I've seen it in many classical instrument players - zero to grade 8 within 5 years of a properly structured programme - and then being ready for conservatoire study if wanted.

 

Grade 8 exceeds 95% of bass work so that would set me up to play most things for the rest of my life.

Separating the academics of music from art is a well established way of doing it very efficiently.

 

If I won the lottery I'd quit my job and do it now!

 

 

[Matt P]

i was playing for about 10 years before i had any lessons (i started as a g******t and did have lessons when i was starting out)

 

I had weekly lessons and within about a month my bandmates noticed the difference, i continued for a good few years and only stopped when kids came along and i had less time (and a brief period without a job)

 

Find a teacher that you gel with and explain what you want to learn, If i'd gone for online lessons i doubt I'd have put in the practice required and it would have all been a waste of money YMMV obviously, i found that as i was paying for the in-person time every week i was far more motivated to practice.

 

don't worry about the kit you have, IMO getting good technique is more important than how fancy/expensive your kit is, provided it's well enough set up you can learn on any modern bass, the quality of budget instruments is amazing compared to how it was 20 years ago.

 

Matt

[Useless Eustace]

5 minutes ago, Matt P said:

i started as a g******t 

 

Matt

 

It took me ten minutes to work out what that was 🤪

 

I’m trying to find a teacher in the area.    Plenty advertising the above unmentionable, but can’t see any Bass.   I will keep looking.
 

So are we saying Teacher only?   No online?

 

Or if online is OK along side face-to-face, would it be this Scott or the Beginner to Badass?

I’m intrigued that not a single comment on the Beginner to Badass.   It’s the one that tops the google searches (well my algorithm maybe).   Is there a reason?    

 

 

[Dad3353]

1 hour ago, Useless Eustace said:

...So are we saying Teacher only?   No online?

 

Or if online is OK along side face-to-face, would it be this Scott or the Beginner to Badass?

I’m intrigued that not a single comment on the Beginner to Badass.   It’s the one that tops the google searches (well my algorithm maybe).   Is there a reason?    

 

Firstly, no, we're not saying 'Teacher only', simply that it's by far the best method for each individual, especially when starting out from scratch. Once some of the basics are in place, there are many on-line courses, or excellent method books, in all sorts of styles for all sorts of players (from beginner to virtuose, and everywhere in between...). There are, however, those very important steps that have so many pitfalls, whereby one takes on, unwittingly, bad habits, which can be long, difficult, and sometimes impossible to rectify. Getting off to a Good Start is more important, I'd suggest, than anything else, and need not take long, nor be costly.
One thing a face-to-face lesson can do, that no book nor screen can do, is correct issues immediately, before they become Issues. Stupidly simple stuff, such as Posture, height of strap, choice of fingering and position, breathing, keeping in time, with a regular tempo, at the right speed (neither too slow nor too fast...) and much, much more. Once these fundamentals are acquired, there is a whole lifetime of honing one's skills, choosing songs to play, learning to play with others, recording, at home or 'out', enjoying a new style etc...

I'm not saying that either of the courses mentioned are not worth their cost (there are many others, too...); just that none can see what you're doing (right or wrong...) from the very first moment. As early as possible, find a Bass tutor and take at least an introductory lesson, explaining what it is you wish to achieve with your bass journey, and take from there. He/she will also  have tuition material for practicing, and will be able to advise on other courses, too.

That's my opinion; others may offer different advice. 

 

Edit : Just to say that Google search algorithms are not constructed to produce the best 'quality' at the top of their results, but the most commercially interesting for themselves. To be kept in mind at each Search, I suggest. 

 

Edit again : North West UK covers a lot of land. Where is your nearest Big Town..? It may help in hunting down a Tutor. 

Edited 37 minutes ago by Dad3353

[Matt P]

Have you had a look through the Tutors available section? it might be worth posting a request there, I see a couple of North-west based listings, definitely worth going past the first couple of pages as well.

 

https://www.basschat.co.uk/forum/26-tutors-available/

 

Matt

[Geek99]

1 hour ago, Useless Eustace said:

 

It took me ten minutes to work out what that was 🤪

 

I’m intrigued that not a single comment on the Beginner to Badass.   It’s the one that tops the google searches (well my algorithm maybe).   Is there a reason?    

 

 

Antibiotics are amazing. @Matt P

is better now. The filthy infection has gone and he treads the path of the righteous man and woman by sticking to a great instrument and ditching the weedy things. 
 

If it were me, I’d take a few months of lessons to get confident. Online makes you sound great to you. As someone above noted, you have to sound good to other people to make tangible progress. 

when you can confidently tell strings apart, find notes and not think about which fingers to use, then consider online. 
 

think about it like this- if you were starting to drive cars, would online/only be a good option ? However once youre changing gear without thinking or looking down, you might want to consider hazard observation training or motorway skills but only a human teacher could get you there to that point

 

 

Edited 35 minutes ago by Geek99

[Dad3353]

Here's a list of Tutors in the North West. Any good..? 

 

North West Bass Guitar Teachers ...

[Mrbigstuff]

2 hours ago, fretmeister said:

I would have in person lessons in a way classical instrument players approach it. The system is very successful for a reason. I would also take theory grade exams (as in no-playing, just understanding of theory), and do dedicated jazz studies.

 

I've seen it in many classical instrument players - zero to grade 8 within 5 years of a properly structured programme - and then being ready for conservatoire study if wanted.

 

Grade 8 exceeds 95% of bass work so that would set me up to play most things for the rest of my life.

Separating the academics of music from art is a well established way of doing it very efficiently.

 

If I won the lottery I'd quit my job and do it now!

 

 

I have to say I disagree. I’ve met too many people who have completed grade 8 in an instrument and can play a piece note for note but do little else. In the gigging world, there’s lots of trips and hazards where you need to be agile and able to improvise. Learning a bass part is 10% of the gig.