Whitestone, NY Bass Guitar Lessons

Everything I know about the bass is through The Beatles

I began playing Bass Guitar in 1970 taking interest learning from recordings with Jack Bruce, John Entwistle, Stanley Clarke and Jaco Pastorius. In college Charlie Parker and John Coltrane doing their charts by myself and with combos. I still to this keep up with many Jazz Fusion Groups. I teach Technical Studies, Scales and Arps., Right and Left Hand Technique as well as ReadingSkills.Let' s get playing!

I have been playing the bass guitar as my primary instrument since 2000. I have performed, recorded and written with a number of successful bands in the past. I am happy to take students at any skill level, and for any style. I believe strongly in integrating music theory and ultimately moving students toward musical self-suffiency, rather than focusing exclusively on learning particular pieces.

I'll teach you not only how to become technically proficient, but how to choose your notes well. A good bass line is the key to any song, and my training in composition and theory will help you understand how to make your bass lines not only functional, but expressive.

Bass Guitar is the sweet spot between rhythm and melody. Learning that bass is not just a low-end guitar, but a pivot between the drummer and guitarist(s) in the band, you'll find yourself listening to and playing music from an all new, entirely unique perspective. I've been playing bass for 15 years, and have found of my session work as a bass player. Being able to keep the beat while enhancing and shaping the melody of a song is key, and on top of various techniques, that will be the focus of our lessons.

My approach to teaching involves combining work on technical fundamentals and transcription. I find that starting with detailed technical practice makes the achievement of a player's goals quicker, and transcribing from recordings adds real playing experience and is invaluable for building musical vocabulary.

I teach groove and how to navigate around the changes both with blues, soul, funk and jazz. On fender bass not acoustic. I have been playing both guitar and bass for many years and have had my own bands as well as working behind many well known artists and have run many blues and soul,funk workshops teaching musicians how to play with others in a band context. also give online lessons for 30,45 minute durations.

My goal as a teacher is to give you the facility to express yourself through music. The key parts to developing this facility are:

1. theory -- if you know your theory, you know the best way to express your idea without having to think about it
2. technique -- the last thing you want is for your technique to hinder your ability to express your idea. Having good technique lets your ideas flow naturally

When you take lessons with me, you get out of it what you put in. Your job as student is to be honest with what you expect to achieve and my job as teacher is to give you the tools to achieve it

Get ready to start playing to your favourite songs and over 50 other songs

Our lessons will always be very fun and informative. I'm a professional, touring musician who have played with a huge variety of bands (including latest Grammy winner Billy Childs), and music has always been my life. I love passing on the knowledge I have earned, and I can teach you any song you feel like learning, on the spot.