Bass Guitar with Nicholas F.

I was born in the West Suburbs and began playing bass during high school. I moved to the city to attend music school at Columbia College Chicago, which I concluded with honors in the Spring of 2013. Since then, I have had the opportunity to play with a variety of bands at venues such as the House of Blues, Cubby Bear, Abbey Pub, Elbo Room, and others. With a firm grasp on a variety of styles of bass playing, such as pop, R&B, rock, alternative, blues, jazz, etc., I have had the opportunity to perform with numerous artists making original music in Chicago. Over the past year, I have also spent time touring on a national and international level with the Nick Moss Band, a blues outfit based in Chicago. With a style firmly rooted in traditional music theory, I have a strong grasp over the concepts upon which 99% of Western Music is built, from modern pop songs to the compositions of J.S Bach. That, combined with a very strong musical ear, gives me the ability to learn and teach music by ear or on paper, a valuable skill that any musician can use to their benefit. *** Lesson Details *** Lessons with me can be expected to not only go into the basic techniques of bass playing, but beyond that to the application of music theory, ear training, sight reading, etc. I don't just want to make you a great bass player, but a great musician. Lessons with me are as rigorous as you want them to be; I don't believe in putting down students who don't have time in a week to devote hours of their time to the concepts discussed the previous week. We all have busy lives, and every student is different, so you will call the pace for our lessons together. If you are in a position to dedicate yourself to the instrument, I guarantee that there will be no shortage of material to which I can introduce you. Here's a rundown of things I hope to work on with my students: -Basic technique, such as finger position, plucking methods, and exercises to practice these skills -Practical music theory, such as the fundamentals of melody, harmony, and rhythm, and how to apply these to learning new music or writing original material -Ear training exercises to aid in discerning bass parts without the "Guess the Note" game -The ability to read standard music notation for bass (sheet music) as well as how to interpret chord charts -The ability to transcribe efficiently. This means listening to a track of your choosing and writing out the entire bass line from beginning to end. -Standard rehearsal etiquette to build discipline, an invaluable tool for any musician in a rehearsal scenario -Anything you have questions about! If you ever have a song with a favorite bass part that you would like help in figuring out, I would be more than happy to help you. Let me emphasize that I have no intention of giving my students more than they can handle. The above list is an outline of the services I can offer, but is not a requirement for all students. Again, I will work at the pace that you decide, and help facilitate your development as a musician. That, above all, is my top priority. *** Travel Equipment *** Students are asked to have an amp and bass on hand. I will bring my own bass, but no amplifier. *** Online Lesson Details *** Students need to have a webcam on their PC/laptop with a bass and amplifier, so that I can hear them well over the internet. *** Specialties *** I'm proficient in most/all genres of American popular music dating back to the fifties, be it Blues, R&B, Rock, Soul, Alternative, Folk, etc.