Peloquin Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 ... and booked in for my first ever bass lesson. It's a free half hour lesson at first to see how I like it. I'm not expecting much from half an hour tbh but it's a start. Wish me luck. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 you won't regret it! Good luck. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Plunge deep, then ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfJames Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 You'll enjoy! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trueno Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Excellent. To infinity and beyond… 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Hopefully it goes well and you make some gains in skills and confidence. Just in case it goes wrong, a little story... I had a lesson once when I was starting out, already playing out in bands and jams. It was from the guy I had learned the most from so far, by observation at his gigs. It turned out he could play and demonstrate but had no idea how to teach. 25 years on, I am doing ok. So if this lesson is a dud, don't be discouraged! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crawford13 Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, Peloquin said: ... and booked in for my first ever bass lesson. It's a free half hour lesson at first to see how I like it. I'm not expecting much from half an hour tbh but it's a start. Wish me luck. Have fun, first lessons are always hard as it's natural to be nervous playing in front of a teacher for the first time, good teachers will see through the nerves. Be honest about where you are in your playing / theory knowledge, and be honest about what you want to achieve through your lessons. Edited June 27, 2021 by Crawford13 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peloquin Posted June 27, 2021 Author Share Posted June 27, 2021 I've spoke to him on the phone and explained exactly what I can do, what I want to be able to do and where I'm really struggling. I've explained that the theory side is something I'm not really interested in but that I also realise that I will have to say least do my toes into that part. He seems happy enough to take on the challenge and says he has a few students who started exactly the same. I'm hoping it's a good sign that the first lesson he could fit me in for was Thursday at half 4 as he's booked until then. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crawford13 Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 1 minute ago, Peloquin said: I've spoke to him on the phone and explained exactly what I can do, what I want to be able to do and where I'm really struggling. I've explained that the theory side is something I'm not really interested in but that I also realise that I will have to say least do my toes into that part. He seems happy enough to take on the challenge and says he has a few students who started exactly the same. I'm hoping it's a good sign that the first lesson he could fit me in for was Thursday at half 4 as he's booked until then. Good that you have already talked about what you want to achieve. It's a good place to start. The dichotomy here is that it's best to keep an open mind to what the tutor suggests as the journey to get to where you want to go won't necessarily be how you have imagined. I think theory is much more important for bass players than it is for any other contemporary musician, the idea being you know it so well you don't think about it, the same why you don't think about the theory of the English language when you talk. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peloquin Posted June 27, 2021 Author Share Posted June 27, 2021 Yeah, I've sorry of resigned myself to the idea of having to do theory as well but not something that interests me much. I want to eventually be able to hear a song and at least be able to have a good go at it. Tbh I'm very nervous about playing in front of someone... Even the wife has only heard me a few times. One of the lads at work is learning 6 string and suggested we take our gear in and have a mess about after work and play "Iron Man". Dunno if it'll happen and I'm really half hoping it doesn't but it's something to work to. I'd hate to take the bass in and be terrible compared to him. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Don't be afraid, just make the "Iron Man" thing for the fun, be yourself and everything will flow. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crawford13 Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 5 minutes ago, Peloquin said: Yeah, I've sorry of resigned myself to the idea of having to do theory as well but not something that interests me much. I want to eventually be able to hear a song and at least be able to have a good go at it. Tbh I'm very nervous about playing in front of someone... Even the wife has only heard me a few times. One of the lads at work is learning 6 string and suggested we take our gear in and have a mess about after work and play "Iron Man". Dunno if it'll happen and I'm really half hoping it doesn't but it's something to work to. I'd hate to take the bass in and be terrible compared to him. That's a really good goal you have there! Listen to as much music as you can and at first try to listen to when the chords or notes change, and train your ears to first hear if the note is higher or lower. That's a great starting point. If you are not ready to play with your work mate that's OK, but remember music isn't a competition its OK for people to be "better or worse" than you, everyone is at a different stage of their journey. One of the great things about music is that being around other musicians actually makes you better as we all try to help each other out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 When i started bass i took lessons for about 12-18mths. Was a long time ago in 70's. I still use that basic theory to this day. I'm not a sight reader but can work my way thru most things with a little time. I still write out my bass parts in correct tablature but its more to have a back up memory written down. I usually write it out as scribbled notes when learning a new song and once i'm happy with it i formally write it out and that acts as a reminder to learning direct from listening to the song. Been doing that for over 40 yrs now and works for me. Most of the bands i've been in realise that i will have the exact song structure written out and tend to ask me what's next or what's correct. You don't need to aim at being an expert at sight reading or theory to get some benefit from lessons but i sometimes wish i had kept the lessons going and learned more about the theory. The guy that taught me was a guitarist but on hindsight i dont think he fully understood the theory for bass playing. Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crawford13 Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 6 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said: sometimes wish i had kept the lessons going and learned more about the theory. Never too late Dave. Every day is a school day. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zbd1960 Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Having at least some lessons will help a lot with sorting out technique issues etc. I much prefer to have a teacher, not least because it will push me down paths I probably would not otherwise take. I'm probably weird (there's not need to answer that! 🤣) but I don't have any problems with theory and quite enjoy it. Unless you wander off and want to read figured bass and realise it on a 6 string bass... you don't need to go too far, but enough to be able to understand the basics of scales, keys, chords and harmony etc is probably useful. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 (edited) 27 minutes ago, Crawford13 said: Never too late Dave. Every day is a school day. Downloaded Jeff Berlin's book and started doing the exercises but i think proper lessons with a teacher definitely help push and motivate you more. Think if i had continued with more proper lessons i may have taken bass playing more seriously rather than a hobby in life. Who knows but it would definitely have been a benefit no matter what. The lessons i had never got into chord structures etc. It was basically given a music sheet to learn for the following week and run thru it with the teacher. Eventually he admitted he couldn't offer any more. As i said hindsight has left me thinking he was more of an amatuer guitarist than anything else. Dave Edited June 27, 2021 by dmccombe7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 1 hour ago, Peloquin said: Yeah, I've sorry of resigned myself to the idea of having to do theory as well but not something that interests me much. . . . Musical theory is only a way of understanding and writing down what you're thinking and hearing. It's a good thing if you know how to use it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nail Soup Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 Oh no - this is going to kill your natural instincts and creativity ! Only joking - enjoy the lesson(s) 😀! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 4 hours ago, chris_b said: Musical theory is only a way of understanding and writing down what you're thinking and hearing. It's a good thing if you know how to use it. 100% agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peloquin Posted July 1, 2021 Author Share Posted July 1, 2021 (edited) Had the first lesson. He had me practicing holding all my fingers down instead of how I was doing it and lifting my index finger high of the fretboard and did a few finger stretching scales. I've booked in for an hour next week so hoping things will start to show improvement. Also, as something to sort of aim towards her asked what song I was interested in learning first. I wasn't expecting that so panicked a bit (🙄😂) and said "Holiday in Cambodia". He laughed and said"Brilliant, ok, that's the first one we'll do". Edited July 1, 2021 by Peloquin 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted July 1, 2021 Share Posted July 1, 2021 I’m quite taken that he asked you - often teachers have quite fixed ideas about what songs you should learn 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lownote Posted July 1, 2021 Share Posted July 1, 2021 (edited) I wish you luck. It can literally be that. My very first teacher (a very good player) showed me how to do a double stop and then played at me pretty much for the rest of the lesson. Nil point. My second teacher told me I was a natural and didn't need him. Nil point. My third teacher was Scott Devine - who was brilliant. But he's online. I have had several face to face lessons since and they've all been awful. So as I say - good luck. I'm sure there must be a good teacher out there, its just I never found him/her. Edited July 1, 2021 by lownote12 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peloquin Posted July 1, 2021 Author Share Posted July 1, 2021 (edited) 25 minutes ago, Geek99 said: I’m quite taken that he asked you - often teachers have quite fixed ideas about what songs you should learn Well I don't know if it had any bearing on it but he said I obviously listen to a lot of music as my timing was pretty good it was obvious i could sort of listen to the structure of the songs I like. Also when I enquired about the lessons he asked me what I wanted out of them. I said I wasn't interested in people hearing me play, I just want to have an educated go at songs I like and have the ability to try it. He seems like a nice bloke anyway so I've booked an hour next Thursday. Edit... I would also imagine that when he asked me some bands I like (blitzkid, Murderland, dollyrots, misfits, dead Vampires etc...) He would guess I'd soon lose interest with learning songs by, for example, The Who. Edited July 1, 2021 by Peloquin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted July 1, 2021 Share Posted July 1, 2021 (edited) True, but plenty of teachers want you to play the songs that they know - it’s happened to me a fair few times it makes me ask myself who’s paying the money here … Edited July 1, 2021 by Geek99 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted July 1, 2021 Share Posted July 1, 2021 Altho i was into heavy rock in 70's my teacher gave me Little Ole Wine Drinker Me as a first song. Then Mississipi which was a chart song back then. I was starting from scratch to be fair but it was more about timing than ability to start with. Later we did songs that i brought music sheets for like Thin Lizzy and few others that have slipped my old memory now. He took me to a point where i understood how to read music but he never gave me chord structure and theory etc. Maybe he didn't know it and just thought bass was very simplistic one note songs. ?? Who knows but after 12-18mths he said there wasn't much more he could teach me. There weren't many bass guitar teachers about back in 70's that i knew off and no social media or google to search thru. Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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