would any of you use a tutor who doesn't even own a bass?

[WalMan]

[quote name='Inca' post='195994' date='May 10 2008, 02:34 PM']Help - should i get rid of this tutor and carry on looking ......?[/quote]
Yes definitely.

[quote name='Inca' post='195994' date='May 10 2008, 02:34 PM']i have been turned down over the phone by 2 other tutors for being a girl and for being too old (27!!!) apparently my small girls hands will mean its too hard to teach me[/quote]

Good grief what a ridiculous attitude. To turn you down without even meeting you. Frankly if that was the attitude you got I doubt you would want to take lessons with them anyway

The last batch of lessons I had were with a female bass player who had already completed a degree at a respected music college in the UK and was working towards heading to the US & Berklee.

[ashgeezer]

What sort of bass tutor doesn't own his own bass.
The word "cowboy" springs to mind and its blatantly obvious he's taking the piss because your female, drop him like a stone and tell him in no uncertain terms that hes a cowboy.
My best mate took up guitar a few years ago and decided to have lessons but the bloke just showed off with screaming solo's and my mate learned nothing, needless to say he's never had a lessson since and cant get his head around teaching himself which is a shame really as he has some great gear.
Look into some self teaching dvds, i was given one to me and its brilliant, i cant afford lessons so i have no option but to teach myself, as for you being to old, utter bollocks, i'm 39 and theres people on here thats a lot older than that so stick with it and most of all enjoy it.
mick.

[2wheeler]

Just to drop in a comment about being too old...

I have seen both sides of this. I have once been turned down by a teacher for being too old but at least the teacher gave me a trial lesson first to see if I was a meteoric talent . Needless to say, I wasn't, so that was the end of that!

I also know a teacher who has got fed up with adult students who want to [i]be able to play[/i] but don't have the time or maybe the dedication to do any work and so they now only take on keen kids. I can certainly understand that point of view.

[mike257]

[i]Real[/i] bass teachers seem very hard to come by, I think Steve summed it up pretty well there.

In my brief dabbling with university education, I was sent for bass lessons, to a local guitar teacher of repute. He did own his own bass, but in the 6 weeks I stuck his lessons, not once did he discuss anything relating to rhythm, groove, or playing with a drummer (or other musicians generally). It was all technique and speed, basically lead guitar with 4 strings.

Ironically, a few years later I replaced his son in a band, because, despite being a finger-tapping string-slapping virtuoso, he had no consideration for the place of bass within the song, and for locking his lines in with the drummer, and it just sounded a big mess. Chip off the old block, it seemed

[Bass-ic]

Hi Inca
In the mean time have a look at the tutor section in bass chat. Dave Marks does some good and easy basic stuff which i have found particulaly helpful.
Matt

[Tait]

i know this is an old thread, but a few weeks ago i got a new bass teacher. i'm not sure if he actually owns a bass, but he's never once brought it to a lesson, and he's by far the best bass teacher i've had yet.

for the first ocuple of weeks he taught me about theory - not just the basics but he really went into detail. i learnt loads of mew stuff i didn't know before.

now he brings in a guitar and a laptop with loads of recording software and we mess around on that, i've learnt loads about the "feel" of the music, and imporvising, and just listening to music and creating your own bass line.

so yeah... you can complain about a bass teacher who doesn't own a bass, but mine's working out for me.

EDIT: by the way, Inca, did you ever get a new teacher?

Edited August 7, 2008 by lwtait

[peted]

I was taught bass by a guitarist, with him on his guitar and me on my bass. He certainly didn't play guitar parts during the lesson though, just the bass parts on his guitar for effect. I have absolutely no regrets about this as he taught me a great deal of fretboard theory.

The tutor you had sounds terrible though. If that had been my first lesson I probably would have left before the hour was out. I will eventually have more lessons and I plan to try a few teachers before settling for one, I suggest you do the same.

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='Inca' post='195994' date='May 10 2008, 02:34 PM']In my looooooooooooooooong hunt for a bass tutor i went for a lesson a week ago, tutor takes me through to the room we shall be playing in with only 2 small guitar amps and his 2 cheap (unnamed) guitars and proceeds to try to tutor me bass whilst using his guitar.

he knows no modern music, gave me nothing to have acheived by the next lesson and lifted £20 off me

Gave me a sob story (i am a sucker) so i rebook a next lesson!! but i have nothing to learn for it, he covered all stuff i already know and all we basically did was i played a bassline (song of his choice) whilst he played guitar and sang over it (felt exactly like a pub jam but without the beer and fun)

[b]ok everyone what i want to know - is this the best tutor i am going to find?[/b]

i have been turned down over the phone by 2 other tutors for being a girl and for being too old (27!!!) apparently my small girls hands will mean its too hard to teach me

Help - should i get rid of this tutor and carry on looking or keep forking out £20 a pop?[/quote]


I don't live far from you, I have been playing for 13 years if let me know what you want to learn if I can help I will.

If interested PM me.

[BigBeefChief]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='257149' date='Aug 7 2008, 12:57 PM']I don't live far from you, I have been playing for 13 years if let me know what you want to learn if I can help I will.

If interested PM me.[/quote]


Smooth.

[joe_bass]

Wayne you are always telling us how bad you are though?



I'm willing to bet I have smaller hands than you, seems to run in the men on my dad's side of the family, never held any of us back though!

That's odd them telling you you are too old. I couldn't imagine phoning up a tutor & them asking how old you are

[Galilee]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='257152' date='Aug 7 2008, 01:03 PM']Smooth.[/quote]

+1

Very Nigel Havers.

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='257152' date='Aug 7 2008, 01:03 PM']Smooth.[/quote]

Hmm I see what you mean but my missus would be here, but I like the way you think

[phil_the_bassist]

[quote name='Inca' post='195994' date='May 10 2008, 02:34 PM']apparently my small girls hands will mean its too hard to teach me[/quote]

WTF?! Why are there people with this opinion! When I was speaking to a bassist at a gig, and mentions I was teaching my g/f to play bass, he laughed and said "Good luck! Girls can't handle a 5er cos their too weak!"

Admittedly my 'Ray is a bit of a handful, but she can shred on my washburn now worries! Funking prinks!

Anyhow, ditch the tutor, you WILL be able to get a better deal elsewhere! Have you tried getting resources from books/the web? might be good untill you find someone who'll take you seriously!

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='phil_the_bassist' post='257800' date='Aug 8 2008, 09:16 AM']WTF?! Why are there people with this opinion! When I was speaking to a bassist at a gig, and mentions I was teaching my g/f to play bass, he laughed and said "Good luck! Girls can't handle a 5er cos their too weak!"

Admittedly my 'Ray is a bit of a handful, but she can shred on my washburn now worries! Funking prinks!

Anyhow, ditch the tutor, you WILL be able to get a better deal elsewhere! Have you tried getting resources from books/the web? might be good untill you find someone who'll take you seriously![/quote]


+1 I'm teaching the missus to play she is a little short (thank god she doesn't come on here) and found a full scale a bit much so she now uses my short scale, I think short scale is definatly a soulution if a full scale is a bit big for some people male or female.

[Galilee]

So much potential for innuendo.

Must resist.

[phil_the_bassist]

[quote name='Galilee' post='257948' date='Aug 8 2008, 11:40 AM']So much potential for innuendo.

Must resist.[/quote]


innuendo...hurhurhur! in-YOUR-end-o more like :-D

[bassmandan]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='257505' date='Aug 7 2008, 07:31 PM'][quote name='BigBeefChief' post='257152' date='Aug 7 2008, 01:03 PM']
Smooth.[/quote]

[i]my missus would be here[/i]
[/quote]


even smoother!

[alexmoore10]

NO!!!!