Apologies if this question has been asked before, but I’m wondering if people have opinions/experience regarding in-person lessons as well as B2B.
I’m absolutely loving B2B but also feeling that there are likely to be some technique issues holding me back. It feels like having someone who can watch and critique my playing could help sort any issues out?
I guess there are a couple of things concerning me: the long-term cost (sadly money is not unlimited ), whether the teaching methods/programme would conflict with B2B and interfere with my overall learning.
Just after thoughts from the collective, so feel free to throw out anything you think might be worth considering
I have a in person teacher and also do B2B. I do not find any interference. There are take aways from both Josh and an in person and are they are complimentary. Josh’s course has given me a leg up on some things too. Josh has been able to help me understand some things better also.
My in person detects my opportunities for improvement and gives me exercises to focus on which would not be possible without being critiqued by an expert.
My in person does more theory (at my request). Some of the theory part is challenging for me and I appreciate being able to ask time and time again “can you explain that to me again please”
You won’t know if you don’t try it. Not all teachers are as good as Josh! Try a lesson and see how it goes. I go for lessons every couple of weeks.
I did in person lessons for my first 2 months alongside B2B. I think this is a good plan to have someone who can actually see what you’re doing and address specific technique issues. That was long enough to know I wasn’t ingraining any particularly bad habits I’d need to work to unlearn. But after confirming that, the value wasn’t really worth the cost. I then shifted to playing with a band which is what got me the most improvement.
I think a similar pattern is a very good one, that I’d recommend to anyone capable.
Minor adjustments - I started in-person lessons pretty much right away, but would recommend the average new player give it a couple months, or until around Module 4 of B2B. I have more musical/rhythmic experience than most and picked up bass faster than average.
Also shop around for instructors. It is really about how the specific instructor meshes with you. Teaching is a separate skill from playing. Best things to look for are an instructor who asks questions about your playing and goals, and who takes time to observe what you’re doing.
After a couple months - or by the time you’ve completed Module 9 - you have the tools you need to play with a band. Playing with a band will REALLY teach you how to play.
The number 1 answer to improvement is repetition no matter what your trying to get better at.
Most instruction from someone better at what you’re trying to improve is beneficial but until you have better control of your own movements as in your fingers its premature.
Someone may argue this point and they won’t be wrong, however the benefits will be minimal until your fingers go where you tell them to go.
Train your brain to work with your fingers, gain control of your motor functions while increasing recognition time.
There is no substitute for hands on playing time.
Lessons can’t hurt except for the pocket book.
To get more from the lessons get control of yourself.
If your fingers aren’t going where you want them to go this should be the focus…
It’s absolutely fine to work with someone who is experienced in teaching bass. Having this guidance is the fastest way to learn, as @JoshFossgreen so elegantly demonstrates.
A really good in-person teacher will help the learning process on a personalized, individual basis.
Regarding playing with others, this is a great way to apply bass knowledge and techniques you know while also getting feedback from others in real time.
All of the above have value, but working with a good teacher will yield a professional evaluation of what you know now as well as what you need to learn and/or improve.
Personally, I’ve found that blunt force repetition of what I already know is OK, as far as it goes. But repetition of tried and true best practices and guidance from a teacher have been far more valuable. YMMV
All of this is true, in addition to this though I really like feeling like I’m accountable to someone to “get the work done” learning. If left on my own, I tend to wander and end up not doing my lessons. B2B was amazing getting used to playing. Having a teacher now, I feel like I’m making progress again the way I did when I was going through Josh’s program the first time.
Thanks for all the input everyone, it’s much appreciated and has given me a lot to consider
To get more from the lessons get control of yourself.
If your fingers aren’t going where you want them to go this should be the focus…
I like to think I’ve got a reasonable level of basic control of myself (enough to progress a good chunk of the way through B2B thus far ), but that is a fair point. There is definitely more focused work that could be done to bring my fingers closer to the fretboard overall. I can typically play the slow and medium exercises well enough but, depending on the track, can get very rough on the fast ones - which feels like a technique issue to me?
Personally, I’ve found that blunt force repetition of what I already know is OK, as far as it goes.
I think this speaks to my concern, that I can keep working on technique exercises by myself. However it can be difficult to know what I need to do to improve, without an expert eye providing useful critique.
At the moment I’m thinking about whether I should structure my practice better (I’m rather haphazard currently ), to mix in some focused technique exercises (then I need to find some good ones ) alongside B2B, and keep going solo for a while longer to see how I get on … and then add in-person tuition as needed?
I sing in a band currently where we already have a very good bassist, so I’m really learning for fun (and a bit more music appreciation) but I can hopefully get the opportunity to jam occasionally - I’ll look forward to the chance to play “properly” in a safe practice environment
How far through the course are you? It sounds like you’ve progressed enough that you would see benefit from an instructor.
Practice does not make PERFECT. Practice makes PERMANENT. It takes more effort to unlearn a bad habit than to learn good technique from the start.
It sounds to me like you’re at a point in your learning where you would get the most out of in-person instruction for a couple months.
If you have funds, but they are limited and you want to maximize them: I’d spend a couple months with an in-person instructor to look at your technique and be sure that you’re not ingraining habits that will need to un-learned later. Then play with a band or live jam groups for about 6-12 months to really solidify your basic skills. Then go back to an in-person instructor for a bit to get some additional coaching and direction.
I’m currently working through Module 10, but have been struggling with “London Calling” at medium/fast pace. If I’m honest I was probably sounding a bit rough on “Feel Good Inc”, fast pace, at the end of Module 9 as well.
I know slow pace is the “pass” grade for some of the modules, but I’ve found that the faster pace exercises tend to highlight technique issues that I have. I hit a “wall” earlier in the course, and it feels like this could be another Previously I got over my “wall” by going back over previous modules and I’ll probably try that here as well, but I also want to make sure I’m not ingraining any bad habits in what I’m doing.
Sounds like it’ll be worth having a poke around to see if I can find any local bass teachers
Yeah. You are at a point where you have the playing ability to get value from an in-person instructor. I probably stopped in-person lessons when I was about where you are in the course.
It’s entirely possible that your technique and everything is pretty solid, and you just need more time and building. But seeing an instructor will help you confirm that.
Keep in mind that the lessons are often not about training specific techniques, but about building familiarity with CONCEPTS. It looks like the main thing with “London Calling” is getting the idea of triplets.
Does your band have any other singers? I’ll bet your bass player would be glad to let you take over on bass for one or two songs in your comfort zone while others handle vocals. Or maybe the band members would be willing to just jam together with you on bass for some tunes.
It’s like you read my mind! There are indeed a couple of songs that I don’t sing on, one of which is “Seven Nation Army” - this should be in my wheelhouse, so I’ve made a start at learning it
My current plan is that on the odd occasion when our regular bass player is unavailable for a practice, I can at least fill in on that one and I can slowly build up from there. I’m also hoping to be able to jam with the rest of the band, space/time dependent
), whether the teaching methods/programme would conflict with B2B and interfere with my overall learning.
), to mix in some focused technique exercises (then I need to find some good ones 
Previously I got over my “wall” by going back over previous modules and I’ll probably try that here as well, but I also want to make sure I’m not ingraining any bad habits in what I’m doing.
There are indeed a couple of songs that I don’t sing on, one of which is “Seven Nation Army” - this should be in my wheelhouse, so I’ve made a start at learning it 