Until Josh comes out with a follow-up, the best intermediate+ online courses I’ve been recommended are from TalkingBass. Has anyone tried these out/can give their thoughts? I like what I’ve seen from his YouTube, but there aren’t any previews of the courses, and there’s quite a few.
When I was a complete beginner I also tried Scott’s Bass Lessons, but got lost immediately. Maybe it’s better at a higher level?
Thanks
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Hey, @Kal . . . Welcome to the Forums . . . 
Here’s a topic which has some discussions you may find interesting:
HTH and all best,
Joe
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Thanks! I was actually looking for that forum but had some trouble finding it
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The general consensus is that, yes, the courses at Talkingbass are the next logical step. Mark’s lessons are not quite as bite-sized as Josh’s, but that’s to be expected from an intermediate course.
Scott’s Bass Lessons is more of a buffet, and the lessons tend to be a bit chatty before you get to the desired content. There’s a lot of good stuff there, but it’s a choose-your-own-adventure sort of thing.
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There are lots of threads on the forum on which we discuss the merits (or lack thereof) of Mark and Scott.
I took the TalkingBass Scale Essentials course concurrently along with B2B. Once I had completed B2B, I took the Chord Essentials course, followed by the Walking Bass course, and then the Sight Reading course. I’m still finishing up part II of the Sight Reading course, which he just released recently. I’m also in the midst of the Ear Training course.
I think it’s apparent that I like Mark Smith and TalkingBass a lot. Mark is quite droll compared to the zaniness of Josh, but he’s IMO every bit as good an instructor, albeit in a more academic manner. His courses range from intermediate to advanced, and you can pick the ones that suit you.
I don’t care one bit for Scott Devine.
P.S. there’s a 30% off sale going on at TalkingBass.net right now.
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What I need is a 30% off work sale so I can do all my 30% off talkingbass courses I already have.
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I feel ya! I’m retired, and yet barely have time…
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I’m glad I’m not the only retired person who finds there are days where I’m more busy than when I was working 50+ hours a week.
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Ha the current summer sale is the reason I posted.
I got pretty much all the courses, but ultimately decided against the sight reading because I figured I would develop that as I finished the others. What are your thoughts on that/personal experience? I would definitely like to improve my sight reading over time, but its also the most expensive complete series. I suppose there will be more sales, so time will tell.
Was it pretty fluid going to chord essentials? I’m going to start with Mark’s Starter Park to get his perspective on a lot of themes B2B covered.
And I agree on Scott himself, but he does have a lot of topics not taught by him lol
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I have the course and am still in the first Volume. I am glad I got it too.
I can sight read, but treble clef.
What this course does for you is way more than sight read.
You learn the fretboard, inside and out and learn to play it without looking.
And you really dive into tempo, not just reading it, playing it as you read.
I started taking instructor 1:1 lessons and he only works with things you must sight read. So I was glad I had started this. If all you want to do is play tabs, you don’t need it. If you want anything else out of your bass, this is a very good, well structured way to get the notes, the fretboard, etc all under your fingers without thinking (after many many hours of thinking in the course).
The forced repetition in the course will get you there much faster than ‘it will come’, and if you are relying on tab, it won’t come. The crutch is too easy with tab.
I have paused Mark’s sight reading course do to the assigned work by my instructor (and that I have switched over to the walking bass course as it is complimenting my private instruction more than the sight reading, which is forced through some Smanl method stuff I am doing with him, but will go back and go through all of it.
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I kind of felt the same way, I already knew the basics of reading music, so felt like I could jump right into the second module. Mark pointed out to me all the reason for which I was wrong, and I’m glad he did. Even if you have some knowledge of music, this course is extremely helpful. About midway through it, you get to a point where you can look at a score, and almost hear the bassline in your head. The most important thing is, it breaks you free from the shackles of playing by tab.
I’m not sure what you mean by “fluid” but I can say it’s laid out in a very logical manner. While taking the course, I had several “light bulb moments”. The Chord Tones and Scales courses also help tremendously in learning the geography of the fretboard.
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I’m considering TakingBass as well since I completed B2B recently…. Looking at their courses I’m interested in all of those that you mentioned, I’m trying to decide which one to do first, in your experience @PamPurrs what is your opinion on doing the Ear training first? Looking at the content I’m leaning that way, maybe Sight reading next, followed by chords and then scales last
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Any way you do it is fine. Everyone has different goals and learns differently.
I can tell you what I recommend, but the decision is yours:
(1) Scale Essentials. Finish that before moving on.
(2) Ear Training and Chord Essentials simultaneously. You can switch back and forth between courses just like we did back in college.
(3) Once you’ve completed one of those courses, add Sight Reading and continue switching back and forth. Sight Reading will take you at least a year to complete, maybe more.
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Thanks… I’ll check out that sale
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Thanks @PamPurrs I’ve just bought Chord Tones and Scale Essentials. Time to get back to school after Josh’s excellent B2B primer.
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a lotta learnin’ right there!
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… yes, but damned good learning!
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I just realized…
- The only course I don’t have is Scales
- I never used my 20% discount Mark gave me way back (dammit)
I have now remedied both.
One more trip to Fedex Kinkos to bind the book.
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Scale Essentials is a fascinating course. I had not realized how many different scales there are until I went through that course… And when he takes you through the modes, it’s mind boggling.
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That’s my worry, haha. I know they all exist, been ignoring them on sax for years.
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