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 17 hours 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 17 hours 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.

[Useless Eustace]

37 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

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

 

North West Bass Guitar Teachers ...

 

Thanks Dad3353

 

Nothing near me (St Helens / Widnes), I’ll go to Liverpool if I can’t find anything nearer.     There’s a music school nearby that I will contact this week.

[Geek99]

A good teacher will cover hand technique, tuning, basic shapes. Your short scale will make this much easier 

[Geek99]

Theres also the minor point that learning vocabulary and concepts from a teacher will make understanding online videos much easier as you’ll have a better idea of what theyre trying to express 

[FretsOnFire]

A pc, a copy of Rocksmith 2014 and customforge DLC

[fretmeister]

12 hours ago, Mrbigstuff said:

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.

That’s not a fault of the classical system. That’s a fault of the student ignoring the art element of music and not going out and playing with others outside of the educational structure.

 

I absolutely agree that many classical only students don’t improvise because it’s not a genre that ever requires it.

 

That’s why I said I would also take jazz studies - jazz is the biggest use of improvisation and it is taught and encouraged.

 

Studying both is important but saying playing the line is only 10% just isn’t true. Bass generally requires far less improvisation outside of jazz as it’s used as a foundation for the rest. Playing the part right is always at least 90% of the job.

[SumOne]

I'm gonna disagree with the consensus here and say that Bass isn't an instrument you particularly need formal lessons and grades for (how many people here have done Bass grades vs people on a Piano forum? I'd say much more for Piano as it is more of a solo technical instrument that needs music reading) but Bass is a very 'sociable' instrument - you need to pay along with others to get the feel of what works with a band. So as soon as you can head along to a rehearsal with others, even to just listen in then try and do it.

 

Things like the 'Bass method' books are decent. And there are so many free online resources. I'd say paying for lessons is a 'nice to have' rather than essential.

 

Caveat being that I'm talking from my perspective as a gigging pub covers band sort of Bass player where I feel just listening to recordings to learn what to play, playing live for timing and knowing when to shut up are more important than reading music or knowing what Mode is playing. If you want to read music etc and play at west end musicals then formal training I'm sure it's very important. 

[Useless Eustace]

10 hours ago, FretsOnFire said:

A pc, a copy of Rocksmith 2014 and customforge DLC

 

I just googled that, thanks!   I’ll have a look.   

[Dood]

On 22/02/2026 at 12:23, MacDaddy said:

Bit of a minefield. There's no 'regulation' just because someone is teaching bass doesn't necessarily mean they know about good technique. Plenty of teachers are great players who are passing on their own bad habits 😆

If i was paying someone to teach me some bass, minimum requirements would be theory, improvisation, and Alexander technique.

YMMV.

 

Yes to this! I've taken on students from other teachers and there has been, well, lets just say, a certain amount of retraining required. Not just theory and technique, but the way  that they have been taught previously. For example, not being able to retain information or identify theory elements.

On top of that, "teachers" being unable to identify the student needs and that each of us absorb information in different ways. This week alone I am probably 10 different teachers rather than a one-size-fits-all course trying to fit paying customers.

 

Thing is, for a new student, how will they know this is what they are walking in to? It's difficult. I try to explain my 'ways of working' as best I can and openly invite new students to feel comfortable to choose if they wish to progress with lessons with me. I'm lucky I guess, I have a long waiting list.

 

Oh and to answer the question about lessons and online - yes it can be helpful having more than one person explaining the same information as it can aid retention. I also like it because I ask my stidents to challenge what I teach. It also always opens up new conversations and avenues for lesson content. 

 

The comment about finding a teacher that inspires you is really important too I feel. Someone who is excited about their subject.  I have kids and my eldest is mature enough to identify which teachers she has are tired, bored, fed up with their jobs or lack the acumen to be effective. I'd hope that if I ever get to that point, I move on to something else that fills me with as much joy as my current career. 

[SteveXFR]

14 hours ago, Mrbigstuff said:

 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.

 

Like those times your guitarist forgets what song you were playing as he goes in to a solo and drifts off in to a different chord progression. If you have the skills to spot it quickly and follow the daft b*****d you will save your band from many embarrassments.