My plan was to finish B2B (which I did), then go through it again focusing more on getting technique right. I also planned to see a bass teacher just to check my technique and such, to help make sure there won’t be anything a year from now that I need to correct.
I’ve never played bass before, so my instruction has solely been through B2B. The teacher said my technique was good, and commented positively on other things I demonstrated, which @JoshFossgreen teaches in the lessons. It really cemented my belief that B2B really is a brilliant resource.
I felt quite nervous so I didn’t really play much in front of the teacher (urgh, anxiety!) but we chatted about technique, tips and where to go from here. Everything I did present to him was rooted in B2B instruction, and he said I’m on the right track. I won’t have frequent lessons but will check in with the teacher as needed.
It really did strike me just how much I’ve learned in such a short period of time (daily practice with B2B since Sept 3rd, 2022), enough for a teacher to not have to offer any real correction. The only thing he suggested I change a little was my plucking hand arm, and to move it back a bit and “look like a T-rex”.
As many of us here can confirm, B2B is excellent for people wanting to learn bass. I’m so glad I signed up.
Yeah…most teachers say NOT to pull back your plucking and and do the t-rex thing. I guess for some it happens naturally if you strap your bass up high enough…most most folks say to play relaxed—hard to be relaxed with a chicken wing.
There is a supernatural power that is granted (at high enough level) to all private instructors everywhere.
As soon as a student has to perform anything in front of the teacher, our powers render that student - regardless of skill level - unable to play anything well/correctly/competantly/comfortably.
I have experienced this in all the lessons I have taken.
I experience it in all of the lessons I give.
(It’s similar to the curse of any teacher - regardless of how tech savvy/knowledgeable they are - trying to get a video/audio/slide to function in front of a class. It will fail and be followed with at least 10 minutes of kids shouting instructions and the class devolving into chaos.)
I think your private teacher plan sounds ideal!
Keep us posted if any cool practices / tips / anythings come out of it.
Thanks everyone. I think perhaps the T-rex advice came about because I mentioned that very soon after starting playing/learning, and lasting for about five weeks, my elbow felt like I had some kind of tendonitis thing happening, so the teacher suggested I move my hand/arm back a bit. It does feel more comfortable that way but I’ll experiment some more.
Thanks for this post. I’ve been thinking of doing the same thing. Extremely anxious as well. Performance anxiety and a bit of stress/trauma. I feel I was able to do well with B2B as it was done in a “cocoon”. Even playing along with a virtual Josh was overwhelming at first. But I think taking a lesson or two may help work through some of that.
One of my kids goes to lessons at a music store run by a guy who is a musician, composer, etc. I bought my bass from his store and he asked me recently how it was going and if I have lessons. I mentioned I did a great online course but will be checking in with a teacher in person, and he sort of scoffed and basically said online courses are rubbish and there’s no substitute for an in-person teacher. I really disagree with this, as an online course is just another educational tool one can employ. I wanted to have some basics drilled in before I saw a teacher and B2B is perfect for that.
Funnily enough the following week at the same music store, I could hear a conversation between a staff member and a music teacher who was visiting the store. The teacher was saying how he prefers his students to have done a little work first so they’re familiar with the instruments and basic music theory-- the exact sort of stuff B2B teaches and then some. So it was interesting to hear this perspective.
I guess, the problem is that 99% of online courses are nowhere near the B2B level, so some skepticism is understandable.
I also began in-person lessons after finishing B2B, because I needed direction. The teacher didn’t say anything explicitly but likely had a similar opinion on “online courses”. However, just like in your experience, she did not have to address any of my fundamentals, except perhaps attacks of flying fingers when learning new stuff
I think it is impressive, that we can learn (be taught) the basics of an instrument in such a solid way, without any actual external feedback… glory to B2B
This thread popped up for me when I was looking at the badges thingy, and I thought I’d post an update. I’ve just started lessons with a new teacher. I’ve had two lessons and loving it, and again thanks to B2B I already know a fair bit going in to my lessons with the teacher. Again I was super nervous throughout the first lesson, and then at the beginning of the second lesson. But then when he got me doing some exercises (including the first four bars of Hysteria) I started having fun and forgot all about being nervous.
I started as a complete noob on Sept 3rd 2022 and the lessons were a bit of a treat for the one year bassiversary but definitely something I want to stick with. I realised in the lessons that my string crossing between the D and G strings isn’t so hot (I should have practiced more!) so my teacher has given me some exercises and in the space of four days’ practice I see improvements already.
I can’t stress enough how brilliant B2B and @JoshFossgreen have been with helping me form the foundations I’m now building on.
That’s brillant! I started taking private lessons a good year ago after the B2B course and agree that it t was the perfect foundation. My teacher’s approach is “slightly” different than Josh’s as in he sometimes overwhelms me with theory that goes way over my head . But something always sticks or clicks months later. The greatest joy is when it feels like we are actually playing music together. I’ll do the bass line, he plays a solo or the guitar part over it. It took me quite a while to get over the nervousness but now it’s all good.
Keep going!
it’s so great when something clicks! My teacher was showing me first position, second position etc and if that exact terminology was mentioned in B2B I don’t remember it. But I was all ohhhhh Josh really covered finger placement so well! And thanks to B2B things easily fall in to place with what I’m learning now.
1st position = index finger on the first fret
2nd position = index finger on the second fret
3rd position = index finger on the third fret
etc
So to play a G major - 2nd position (using the G on the 3rd fret of the E string) you would know that your index finger goes on the second fret and you would play the G with your middle finger.
It’s probably better to think of these positions as starting 1) on index; 2) on middle; and 3) on little finger. You can access different shapes for arpeggios (and scales) depending on which position you start in. At least, that’s my understanding.
E.g., the “classic” shape for a minor scale or minor triad starts on the first position; the classic shape for a major triad or scale starts on the second position.
