Beginner to Badass Reviews? 🎸

[kristine]

Now that I’ve finished B2B, I can’t imagine starting out on the bass any other way.

Some of this is logistics and financial reasons. Because the course is pre-recorded and online, I could take lessons at whatever time of day worked for me. I didn’t have to schedule or reschedule around a certain time and day. I could go as fast or as slowly through the lessons as I wanted, and repeat the workouts as many times as I needed (pre-recorded online Josh never lost his patience with this).

One-on-one lessons in my city start around $45-50/hour. In B2B, there are over 35 hours of lessons and workouts, not to mention the course extras like jam tracks, sheet music, song tabs, and the 50 First Songs bundle. Do the math.

And then…there’s Josh. Woe to any music instructor I might work with later to have to teach after @JoshFossgreen . His teaching style completely sets the learner at ease, and he breaks down concepts into manageable pieces. He helps you learn how to learn to play; you may find yourself trying to figure out things outside of the lessons. He will tell you to breathe, and you will be grateful, because you won’t have realized you were holding your breath. He’s really funny, which makes learning a lot more fun (“what the hell is he going to say next?”), but be warned – you might miss your cue to start playing on account of laughing (Borg).

The name of this course is Beginner to BadAss, and it is structured with absolute beginners in mind (it’s right there in the name). If the words “music theory” stop you dead in your tracks, there’s no need to worry. Josh teaches in a way that demystifies theory, and he lets you know if the theory portion is optional. I went into this course with some previous musical experience, and found that it was better to just be open to hearing all the information with beginner ears, rather than constantly cross-checking in my head against what I thought I already knew.

If I felt I was familiar enough with whatever theory Josh was teaching, I could make the choice to focus more on my playing for that lesson. But I would still listen to make sure my understanding was on the same page, or if he mentioned something that filled in the gaps in my knowledge.

Conversely, when Josh taught something that was new to me, like the Nashville numbering system, I could decide if I was ready to, ahem, assimilate that information, or come back later when I ready to learn it.

While I can’t say enough good things about the course structure, Josh’s teaching, materials, etc., you can and will get out of these lessons exactly what you put into them through your own efforts and decision-making processes.

TL;DR: Wanna play bass? Get off the fence and take this course.

[Celticstar]

@kristine

Now that I’ve finished B2B, I can’t imagine starting out on the bass any other way.

Congratulations.

How long did the course take you?

[kristine]

Thank you, @Celticstar ! Head over to the BadAss BassBuzz Alumni thread - I shared several thoughts, including time taken, over there.

[Moki84]

I have no experience with the bass and I can say that the bass to badass course it worth it. I only completed the first 3 lessons in module 1 but I love it. Josh makes the learning interesting and fun.

[laurie012]

I was on the slow bus finishing this course. Started in October 2020. Finished today 3/13/22. What an incredible journey. I really had no idea how much I was learning until I looked back at my practice notes. I still have to go back and make peace with Billie Jean, along with many other fast workouts. But the progress is remarkable. Your teaching style and talent is top notch. I’m a more than a little sad the course is over, but the ride has just started!

So many areas to learn. I loved the tapping masterclass, I’m a music theory nerd now (!) and just so very pumped for the next steps. Hats off to you, Josh! Thank you seems a little lame. My gratitude is immense and heart-felt. You are an amazing teacher.
This course is a must do for beginner bass players. You could spend years on YouTube or a few bucks on this course, which will get you far more mileage than you can imagine!

[John_E]

@laurie012

Finished today 3/13/22

Congrats on graduating @laurie012 !!
Woot woot.

[laurie012]

Thanks! Working on a strategy for next steps tomorrow. For now, enjoying the win!

[hibike]

Hey @JoshFossgreen - Thank you so much for putting this course together. I’ve come back to playing bass from over 20 years ago. I kinda taught myself to play a little so I could fill in the bass spot in my high school jazz band, and I was able to just play a few simple chord progressions with terrible technique. I played a few more years in college and had some easy gigs with friends, but after life got in the way, I sold my bass, and didn’t play for a long time.

I bought a bass and tried to learn again, but never really got motivated. Until now. Thanks to your course, I was able to get motivated enough to start playing again. Now I’d like to learn actual technique and music theory so I can play more of the tunes I hear on YouTube and such.

Your great teaching and fun style made it super easy to breeze through the course and stay motivated.

My only real complaint is that the website interface is a bit clunky and unpredictable, but it’s only a minor inconvenience and doesn’t keep me from wanting to keep pressing the play button and the next button.

Much thanks again, and aloha!
Anson

[Celticstar]

@laurie012

This course is a must do for beginner bass players. You could spend years on YouTube or a few bucks on this course, which will get you far more mileage than you can imagine!

This says it all.

Congratulations on the course completion.

[autumnsdad1990]

Sounds like you crushed it. Good job!

[TNKA36]

Well done @hibike ,
Cheers Brian

[tomtom11]

Great course, I highly recommend it. Josh’s instructional methodology is rock solid, he gets you playing right away, builds on your skills and breaks down complex stuff into bite-sized pieces so that you’re able to keep progressing.

I played in elementary, middle and high school bands (trumpet, not bass) for over 9 years and never learned any of the musical concepts that Josh had us explore. I feel like a confident musician and have found true joy in playing my bass.

Thanks Joss, your ROCK and I do feel like a badass!
Tom

[MikeC]

Hell yes! Preach!

[rockygvc]

Is there a perfect system for learning bass? Maybe not a perfect system for everyone, but Beginner to Badass was perfect for me.

I began playing bass and guitar many, many moons ago when the world was young and we all had flowing locks of hair. I played in many bands around town, good and bad and mediocre. Then family, life and finding out you could actually buy things with money got in the way and I became a listener, not a maker of music. The truth was, I never felt I had the talent of some of my more accomplished friends, I never quite developed an ear that could consistently pick out the right key, note or chord like many of my friends could.

It took me years, decades really, to pick up some instruments again and it was this course that helped me see the real truth to my “talent” dilemma. Talent was total BS, to put it in a clear language that everyone here can understand. Those guys that were more “talented” than me simply had more knowledge of theory, they had one or two great teachers, and most important they worked so much harder at it than I did in my teens and early twenties.

So during the pandemic that rocked the world I decided to make some life changes like many of us might have done, and I picked up a guitar, and a bass and another and another…as I imagine many of you know how that story goes. But, there was something missing. Even though much of what I knew before was slowly coming back to me, it wasn’t enough and it wasn’t where I wanted to be. So I took to Youtube, and Fender Play, and more Youtube and more lousy tabs. I kept finding myself going back again and again to the same guy, this rather funny, rather pleasant -and let’s face it- a little bit geeky but totally cool bass guy. Josh.

Straight forward, simple to understand and entertaining. My lovely wife didn’t even mind it when I begged her to watch some of his stuff on Youtube. Eventually it his channel became a regular stop for us, for a laugh, or even some quick knowledge, and she doesn’t even play! So when I took some in person lessons, at a fair expense and I found them underwhelming, I had to try Beginner to Badass.

Right away I kind of felt like I was among my people. While the first few lessons were pretty basic for me I played and practiced everyday with them and made my way through. I think it was by module 5 or 6 that things got interesting. And so much fun. I really appreciated the Nashville numbers system and all of the theory and the start to reading music.

Within a couple of weeks I was surprising myself, picking up bits and pieces of songs on my own. Sight reading simple tabs. Getting a better tone. Not talent, just hard work, a lot of fun and a great teacher. This system just worked for the way I worked. And 5 minutes a day? Forget about it, just pick up the bass, you’ll play more than 5 minutes.

The 50 first song section came in really handy. Tabs I could count on and songs we as bass players are often called on to play, and yes, it’s happened. I can think of at least 10 of those songs that I’ve been called on to play in the few months I’ve been playing with others. Tackling Billie Jean without my fingers cramping up has been a serious accomplishment, and it was this course that led me there.

Like I said, it might not be perfect for everyone, but it was perfect for this newly minted bass player.

Bass Face Forever!
Rollie “Rocky” Rhoades
5/23/22

[MikeC]

Well said and verifiably true from my experience. Rock on, Rocky!

[rockygvc]

All true, this is so well put together.

[autumnsdad1990]

I respect your game, badass.

[gregvan]

A couple of months ago I had no idea what to do with a bass, where to put my hands, how to pluck, where to fret, anything. But after finishing the course, I’m learning songs, improvising simple bass lines from looking at guitar and ukulele chord charts, and starting to write my own dank riffs.

Josh is a fantastic teacher. He’s got the difficulty level perfectly dialed in such that every module is challenging but within reach. His communication skills, clarity, and on-camera demeanor are everything you’d want from a teacher in any course. And I love that he doesn’t merely lecture you, show you something, and then send you off on your own to learn it. The way he incorporates practice into the workouts gives you opportunity to practice without making it feel like homework.

I’ll continue to learn from Josh on his YouTube channel, and the second he releases another course, I will be happy to throw my money at him. This has honestly been one of the best educational experiences of my life.

[MikeC]

Good review, @gregvan. Glad you’re enjoying the course. Now pop over to the Introduce Yourself thread so the B2B gang can welcome you to the family.