Jeff Berlin clinic review

[Chris2112]

Evening all,

Last night, I fulfilled a long held musical goal of mine; namely, I attended a clinic held by Jeff Berlin at GuitarGuitar Glasgow. It was something of a drive to get there from Northumberland, being a 300 mile round trip and faced with torrential rain on the way back, but I would do it all again. I hope that I can collect my thoughts here to advise my fellow bassists on why I found this clinic so enjoyable and informative.

First, a small precis in which I will explain how I ended up here. I have played bass since I was 13 years old, though when I was about 24 I hit a short slump and picked up a guitar. I never enjoyed myself like I did on a bass and I felt the urge to go back to playing bass. I had always loved the music and playing of Jeff Berlin and I knew he was a respected teacher, but I knew little of what he taught and advocated. I felt like I needed to really change the way I looked at my own playing and what I could do to improve and I ended up seeking out information on the way that Jeff taught. I felt like my playing had hit a plateau for years ago, and despite transcribing ever-more difficult pieces, I felt like I wasn't getting any better or worse as a player. At the age of 27, I picked up the bass again and began to follow what Jeff would refer to as 'music only' education. Following that, I took strides forward in my playing and improved at a rate that I hadn't done since I was a teenager. It was both a musical liberation and rebirth for me. In time, I came to chat with Jeff online and I took part in his reading course and the conference Q&A sessions that were held for the first to buy into that course (which taught me to read music, perhaps my biggest musical failing). Jeff became a friend and I knew that, if he ever did come to the United Kingdom, I would go and see his clinic or show come hell or high water.


So, enough about my own journey to this point. I went to that clinic knowing what to expect, though what I want to do is put you in the shoes of one of the forty of fifty people there who perhaps didn't know exactly what they would hear. Entry to the event was ticketed, but free, and was sponsored by Cort guitars.

Jeff was funny and warm, breaking the ice and putting everyone at ease. I could feel the room relax as he started talking and he was the perfect host. Although the venue surprisingly did not have any chairs to hand, we were all happy to remain standing and we did so, utterly captivated for around 90 minutes. Jeff kicked us off with a solo piece, asking the audience to name four notes. He then proceeded to improvise a beautiful piece based on that four note progression and he would refer to that four note phrase on a number of times when he played. When he clicked that chorus pedal on, I could not help but grin. The tone and the playing was sublime. I felt as though magic was happening in front of me. Further on through the clinic, Jeff played 'Runaway Train' from his 2000 album 'In Harmony's Way'. He later treated us to an improvisation on a theme from Beethoven's 9th, which had me floored.


However, Jeff did not make his playing the focus of the event. Instead, he invited members of the audience to take a seat next to him and would ask them to play something. What followed was straightforward, honest advice that measurably improved the playing of everyone who came up. As Jeff advised and corrected each player, he would ask us in the audience if we could hear an improvement in the music being played and we all replied positively. I appreciate that it must be nerve wracking to sit in that chair in front of your peers to be critiqued by one of the luminaries of our instrument. Like I said, Jeff is so warm and friendly, so adept at putting the student at ease, that every player quickly settled down and started to improve. In focusing his attention on that player in that moment, Jeff demonstrated the sound academic principles he has so long advocated and how they can reap reward for anyone who follows them.

As the members of the audience continued to come up, Jeff held two demonstrations that were paticularly impactful and really had the room engrossed. He invited a lady up from the audience who was not a musician and had her take the Cort Rithimic bass provided for the guests. Jeff had her play an E in straight quarter notes, demonstrating that everyone has a sense of time adequate to become a musician. Jeff improvised a piece over her bass line and there and then, not only did she become a musician but she was backing Jeff Berlin in a clinic to a room full of people!

The highlight of the educational side of the clinic for me was when Jeff called up a guy who been playing for 25 years but didn't read music. Jeff called for someone to grab a load of sheet music from his gigbag. It was in fact, package 1 of his five part reading course (he did not mention this in attempt to make a sale but I think he could have done so, as it is a great course). Jeff then asked his guest to identify the notes on the page, if he could, and as they worked them ou together, the guest played two bars of his first etude read from the page. As per a show of hands earlier in the clinic, there were a lot of non-readers and rockers in there. I looked around the room and there were smiles all around me as this guy played slowly, out of time, as he read each note. Every mistake was addressed and corrected and the guest had just read his first music, in front of a crowd of strangers. I am not lying when I say that the room was on tenterhooks between every note and you could have heard a pin drop. The round of applause that followed was utterly heartfelt.

I left that clinic feeling better about myself as a player, inspired to continue reading, inspired to continue trying to improve. I am sure everyone there felt that same inspiration as me. This really was a clinic for everyone, as there was no barrier to entry. It wasn't just for academic musicians, jazz or fusion players. There was something for everyone; advice that transcends your level of playing and cuts to core of what is at the foundation of being a good musician. Therefore, I would recommend players of all genres, of all levels of skill and experience, to seek out these clinics where they can.

Following the event, my brother and I said hello to Jeff. He recognised me from the chats we had had online and asked me why I hadn't introduced myself sooner. He signed the back of my Cort Rithimic bass and we took some photos. I will post these below. I am holding my Rithimic and my brother is holding his 1991 Ken Smith BT5. My brother is also a big fan of Jeff Berlin and a huge fan and supporter of great music in general, so it was really cool to go on this trip with him. I would like to thank Jeff for putting on a really great clinic and for being a gracious host, Cort guitars for sponsoring this clinic tour and to GuitarGuitar Glasgow for giving us an excellent venue.

 

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Edited October 4, 2019 by Chris2112

[MoonBassAlpha]

Excellent write up,  thanks for that! 

[ped]

Sounds great. I recognise that Smith 🤔

[White Cloud]

Fantastic account, thanks for sharing! I've been a JB fan since the early 80's... I live about s 45 minute drive from that venue: I had no idea it was happening...

Gutted😣

[ped]

@Jeff Berlin is a basschatter too!!

[Chris2112]

Thanks for taking the time to read this guys. It's a shame that the clinic couldn't reach a wider audience, though the room was probably not far off capacity for those who could have comfortably viewed the it. I first saw it on the GuitarGuitar Facebook page, and by the time I'd booked my tickets it was listed on the Jeff Berlin Bass Education page. 

It was GuitarGuitar Glawgow's first bass clinic and there were a few teething issues, though I know they've done guitar clinics before. No chairs, no backing CD player, nor a manual metronome to hand. In spite of this, we all had a great time. I could have stood for the whole show on one leg for all I cared, I was just thrilled to be there. 

[merello]

Cracking review. I had a ticket but realised late on I had a big game that evening!

[White Cloud]

Love that Ken Smith btw... sweet bass!

 

[silverfoxnik]

That's a brilliant story - thanks for sharing!! 👍😊

 

[Daz39]

Awesome time it sounds like, and great review. I rate Jeff very highly.

[Chris2112]

On 12/10/2019 at 19:18, White Cloud said:

Love that Ken Smith btw... sweet bass!

 

It is an amazing bass. I was lucky enough to spot the 'for sale' thread early and send it on to my brother because I knew it was going to go quickly and it did. 

[Davo-London]

This is an excellent piece and thanks for including so much detail.

I've kinda dissed Jeff in the past, not his playing as I loved his early work with Bill Bruford, but on the basis of what he had add to the melee of bass teaching and why he was deliberately controversial.  Clearly I was wrong.  He has much to add.  Also most clinics I've experienced have modest impact as the focus is often on their skill.  This couldn't be further from the truth.

I play a lot at church and have a small fan base.  I've never worked out why, but I can only think that they feel a difference when I play and it helps them worship better.  I'm not saying this to boast but I'm trying to relate it to bass teaching.  Whilst it would be fun to play in a Muse cover band, most bass lines are simple to execute.  Maybe Jeff's philosophy is to understand the music and melody first, then the bass playing will follow.

Thanks again.

Davo