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Lack Of Bass Students


Pete Academy
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[quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1350927534' post='1845185']
Esperanza and Tal?
[/quote]
Not really know to most beginners though are they?

Most of the 'bass heroes' are players who you will probably find out about after you start playing. There
aren't many (if any) high profile players that are familiar to people who have yet to start.

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What about the issue that electric bass isn't a 'classical' instrument (and has very little in the way of established solo repertoire)? Drums have a lot of formal military stuff at its foundation, guitar has a strong classical/Spansh tradition, but e-bass started as either guitarists, or jazzers coming from upright.

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[quote name='LawrenceH' timestamp='1350930021' post='1845234']
What about the issue that electric bass isn't a 'classical' instrument (and has very little in the way of established solo repertoire)? Drums have a lot of formal military stuff at its foundation, guitar has a strong classical/Spansh tradition, but e-bass started as either guitarists, or jazzers coming from upright.
[/quote]

I'm pretty sure that would mean absolutely f*** all to your average 14 year old.

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For my tuppence-worth, I would suggest that bass is a more 'mature' instrument by it's nature in most settings. It requires a different mentality to be able, willing and eager to underpin the ensemble (be it pop, jazz, variety or more...) without, indeed, being the (apparent...) star of the show. Not true in all cases, of course (Lemmy & Co...), but in general the bass lends itself better (imho...) to those of a steady disposition, able to cooperate with the drummer to enable the others to shine. Not necessarilly the most glamourous for the youngsters..?

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[quote name='LawrenceH' timestamp='1350930021' post='1845234']
What about the issue that electric bass isn't a 'classical' instrument (and has very little in the way of established solo repertoire)? Drums have a lot of formal military stuff at its foundation, guitar has a strong classical/Spansh tradition, but e-bass started as either guitarists, or jazzers coming from upright.
[/quote]

True,but there are many guitar and drum teachers who don't teach,or know,this background-I know about so many
'teachers' who base all of their lessons around songs,Tablature and 'play and copy',and don't have any understanding
about of these basic musical concepts.

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[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1350901566' post='1844736']
This thread has gone on for 4 pages and no-one appears to have pointed out that the establishment in question is in Stoke - hardly a hot bed of musical activity...

;-)
[/quote]

Yep, that's Stoke...crap bands, rubbish musicians. You'd feel at home here.

;)

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[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1350899625' post='1844711']
Young kids dont seem to want to create bands or learn instruments ...
[/quote]
That is the opposite of my experience. In Brighton there are shed loads of young bands with many already proficient players. My son (18) is in two for a start: one is a guitar/bass/drums funk-blues trio; the other is a seven piece drums/bass/guitar/trumpet/accordion/viola/harmonica/vocals playing what they call gypsy-dub-folk. I asked him how many teenage/student bands there were in Brighton, he reckoned at least one hundred.

However, there are, as you suggest, lots of people making music at home on their computers too. The reason there are more of those is because it's become technologically possible. Sometimes the people in the bands are the same ones making stuff at home.

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Guest bassman7755

[quote name='The Dark Lord' timestamp='1350845780' post='1844220']
Are you seriously suggesting that Geddy Lee just thunders out root notes? If you are suggesting that - then there may be something wrong with you. Go see a Doc.
[/quote]

Hey Rush were trendy once I think about erm .... 1975 :-)

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF7U8F2aars[/media]


Oh and that, kids, is how to back a solo in a 3-piece.

Anyway if your only going to play one note, do it with style (3m 14s in ..) ...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbLVytqg_yg&NR=1&feature=fvwp#t=3m14s[/media]

Edited by bassman7755
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  • 2 weeks later...

The place where i get my music lessons that only has one bas teacher now has 2.... they asked me to be the new bass teacher on a premises they are opening soon :)

Hopefully i can persuade a few young antrim people to buy lessons off me :) although i'm not expecting anything great from it, but i'm happy to be asked to be a teacher :)

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I've had a few lessons and although I can't commit to going regularly, it made me realise just how much [i]I didnt know[/i] and how many corners I'd cut. theres a certain value in that. He also praised some things that I'd taught myself so it was quite an affirmatory experience.

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[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1351869483' post='1856420']
I've had a few lessons and although I can't commit to going regularly, it made me realise just how much [i]I didnt know[/i] and how many corners I'd cut. theres a certain value in that. He also praised some things that I'd taught myself so it was quite an affirmatory experience.
[/quote]

indeed, i noticed the same thing myself when i dropped my lessons for a year, then resumed them, and realised i had done myself a massive dis-service, because yeah, i was playing my favourite songs, but no, i hadn't developed any sort of musical ability in myself other than playing other peoples songs. so i decided to just jam alot more and read up on theory. Theory is something i want to incorporate into my lessons, it really helps if you are a theoretical person, like me. Good luck Geek99!

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Thanks dude. It does do you good to realise where your weaknesses are and even a few lessons should do that. I recommend learning to do your major scales via the circle of fifths - helps with recognising key signatures too. I run round the scales in order in my head if I can't sleep

You can easily work out a formula for getting to the next scale - start with C, sharp the fourth then take the fifth note as the start of the new scale , then just keep going till you hit c#. There's a formula for doing the anti clockwise flat keys also

Edited by Geek99
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[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1351872627' post='1856481']
Thanks dude. It does do you good to realise where your weaknesses are and even a few lessons should do that. I recommend learning to do your major scales via the circle of fifths - helps with recognising key signatures too. I run round the scales in order in my head if I can't sleep

You can easily work out a formula for getting to the next scale - start with C, sharp the fourth then take the fifth note as the start of the new scale , then just keep going till you hit c#. There's a formula for doing the anti clockwise flat keys also
[/quote]

cheers for that! when i said i want to incorporate theory into my lessons, i meant the ones that i will be teaching. I did take theory lessons for a few months and i still read up and practice scales etc. although theory for a new starter won't involve much really. i would focus more on the actual playing ability first and get that up to a decent level, then introduce them to scales and such.

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[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1351874308' post='1856512']
maybe getting a lesson from a guitarist isn't such a bad thing? i know some guitarists that are really good on bass, and they well tell you if you are picking up bad habits from not getting proper lessons.
[/quote]
Sorry but i am gonna disagree with this. It should be a lot different getting lessons from someone who is primarily a bass player than someone who is primarily a guitarist. The role of bass in any ensemble/band/group whatever you want to call it is very different to that of a guitar and in some ways the teacher should convey that whole approach throughout the teaching rather than just a few licks that sound good on bass and guitar. You might be lucky but i would think you would be better off finding a decent bass teacher who is also a bass player.

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[quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1351885541' post='1856682']
Sorry but i am gonna disagree with this. It should be a lot different getting lessons from someone who is primarily a bass player than someone who is primarily a guitarist. The role of bass in any ensemble/band/group whatever you want to call it is very different to that of a guitar and in some ways the teacher should convey that whole approach throughout the teaching rather than just a few licks that sound good on bass and guitar. You might be lucky but i would think you would be better off finding a decent bass teacher who is also a bass player.
[/quote]

you can disagree all you like, because somebody learned guitar first doesn't mean that they aren't also as good on bass, or maybe even better. The point is, and we have already established this, music teachers, especially bass teachers, normally play more than just bass, because teaching bass on it's own does not make enough money. my guitar teacher was a drummer for many years before he was a guitarist, that doesn't say anything about his guitar ability at all. I think i know what you are thinking, - "loads of guitarists only think they can play bass" and i agree, but then, loads of guitarists can actually play the bass.

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[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1351886922' post='1856703']
you can disagree all you like, because somebody learned guitar first doesn't mean that they aren't also as good on bass, or maybe even better.
[/quote]

True...but there are a few things that I would personally look out for. Firstly technique-a lot of primarily guitar teachers
don't have the greatest bass technique,particularly with the right hand. Secondly,how familiar are they with the bass
clef? For that matter,do they understand treble clef? Thirdly,do they actually 'play' bass? Meaning,do they actually
understand the role of the instrument in real world situations rather than treating it like a lower guitar?

You'd be surprised (or maybe you wouldn't) of the number of guitar teachers who 'play a bit of bass' that don't
understand these things.

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[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1351889471' post='1856730'] You'd be surprised (or maybe you wouldn't) of the number of guitar teachers who 'play a bit of bass' that don't understand these things. [/quote]

I don't think i would be surprised at all, i did say that loads of guitarists only think they can play bass, but then there are the ones who can play bass. Would you not recommend that teacher on the basis that he gets more guitar students than bass students? because that is what it is in essence.

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I have mixed views on this chestnut. Never had a bass lesson, am of an age when 'lessons' did not exist in the rural backwater I grew up in. Good bands and musicians did exist (your taste may differ), Mott the Hoople, Free, Bad Company, Sabbath (to name some). I now realise thanks to youtube how much faster my progress could have been with lessons. I would say to anyone have lessons to get started, then listen & watch & play (youtube is your friend), then have lessons to advance further. Had youtube / internet been around in my youth I might have made a fair guitar player, it has certainly improved my technique over the last few years.

As far as music tuition in school goes, it is a thorny issue, driven by finance and budgets as well as quality. I will say no more on that one.

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I think musical education in schools is a must. and it should be funded better in my view. if there are kids in first year now who are anything like me at all, they should get into music, because that could be their saving grace come exam time. Don't get me wrong, i am not saying they are stupid by any means, just that school isn't the environment they flourish in. sadly, pre-GCSE's, i had no musical ability at all, so i really just did well in science, and scraped through every other subject. that is not the only reason, If a kid hates school, they are going to try and not go, and that's an issue, because they could be causing trouble or get themselves hurt, if you give the child something that they want to turn up for, then they will, and it could be music for a lot of potential mischief makers.

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[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1351896376' post='1856822']
I don't think i would be surprised at all, i did say that loads of guitarists only think they can play bass, but then there are the ones who can play bass. Would you not recommend that teacher on the basis that he gets more guitar students than bass students? because that is what it is in essence.
[/quote]
Personally I would be looking for someone who is predominantly a bass teacher,especially if technique is
an issue.However if the guitar player in question was the better musician/teacher who knew how to approach the
bass in various style,could read and had good knowledge of music then they'd get the recommendation...unless,of
course,there was a bass player who could do all of this.

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[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1351904178' post='1856889']
Personally I would be looking for someone who is predominantly a bass teacher,especially if technique is
an issue.However if the guitar player in question was the better musician/teacher who knew how to approach the
bass in various style,could read and had good knowledge of music then they'd get the recommendation...unless,of
course,there was a bass player who could do all of this.
[/quote]

there isn't a dedicated bass teacher in the lads area, that's why he doesn't get lessons.

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