Arcadia, CA Upright Bass Lessons

I am a professional studio player with a Doctorate in Music, and have played on hundreds of blockbuster movies including the Oscars and Grammys. I work with many orchestras and can teach you how to get work as a bassist. Also can teach jazz...

I focus on musicality when I teach any instrument. With the bass, that stretches from playing with strong tone and staying in tune all the way to thumb position vibrato and advanced bowings. I'm a classical player but I include jazz, folk, and rock in my lessons.

It is my goal as a teacher to give you the tools to play music but more importantly to create music.

My Teaching Philosophy

Left Hand-
Scales and arpeggios our the bedrock of music. They are the foundation of everything harmonically and melodically. We will begin with learning our major, minor and pentatonic scales and corresponding arpeggios. Once we have an understanding of those we will delve into our modes and more “exotic” scales.

Right Hand-
The right hand is our time machine. It gives us the ability to play in time and with groove and feel. We will work on rhythmic studies string crossings and practicing with a metronome. Remembering music is harmony, Melody and rhythm working as one.

For those who are new to playing music the hardest thing for some to master is rhythm/time keeping. It is the black and white right or wrong of the music world. Often times our want to progress quickly is hampered by skipping over the basic building blocks of rhythm and ...

Very comfortable with nearly all styles. Classical, jazz, bluegrass, pop, country, blues, etc.

Upright bass can be one of the most versatile instruments. Players of the instrument find themselves in settings ranging from symphony orchestras to bluegrass bands and everything in between. With the modern music world become more receptive to acoustic instruments, as well as amplification technology evolving, upright bassist can also become members of rock bands or hip-hop groups. In lessons, I teach the student how to navigate the instrument in a way that allows them to pursue whatever genre they want. I focus on skills that are universal to music, as well as specific skills for different styles of playing. As a double bassist, I have played in jazz combos, big bands, orchestras, chamber groups, and bluegrass/ old-time groups. I'm excited to share my love and knowledge of this instrument with other players!

I teach through a traditional style where learning notation is paramount. Proper technique and finger placement will propel us into playing classical pieces and studies.

I have been performing on Upright Bass for more than three decades in both the classical and jazz realms. I have both a classical and jazz performance degree.

The foundation of my teaching is the Smandl method. I also have a large library of classical and jazz books as well as tunes I have transcribed or lesson material I have written myself.

Let me help you get started on bass or refine your skills.

Want to learn how to play the upright as well as the electric bass! I can gladly assist with both! I love each instrument equally and would be more than willing to teach you the ways around the upright bass.

The Upright is a very demanding instrument and it is not for the light of heart. If you're a complete beginner or even a more advanced player the same concepts can be applied to help further yourself. I will teach you all you need to know to advance your technique as well as your musicality. From playing scales to using a bow, playing melodies and improvising. I can help you start to build walking lines. Most importantly we will spend time listening to the greats of the upright and trying to "feel" the way they do.