Yes, it helps to truly understand the music and how its meant to be played. Tabs dont give you the whole story.
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I had to go through guitar, piano and now bass before theory started to make sense.
For me I think
- Mechanics - making your hands work
- Playing stuff you like (that is easy)
- Rhythm - mechanics in time
- Riffs and harder songs
- Some theory (just the tip) maybe picking a key and playing along with a playlist all in that key. That way you have a set of notes to use for the songs.
- Playing with others
- Back to theory for scales and improv
It would be SUPER helpful to have a musician who didn’t study at Berkeley explain how they use it in their songs. Bite sized and practical as you can get.
Walking through a full song and how the scale works like the I III V thing would be cool. Maybe across a few songs in different keys to show how it works then changing the key to the song you just played.
Sorry if this got long but that’s what I could use right now.
I’m doing improv by ear but it would be way easier if I understood what the hell I’m trying and failing to do.
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Knowing what chord tones are and how/why chords are built and relate to each other all make learning and playing songs much easier.
And you don’t have to graduate from the Berklee School of Music (no connection with Berkeley, California).
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B2B graduate, here.
My whole musical goal since I re-committed myself to bass has been to be able to play music with people, for people. I’m not there yet because part of that is understanding what someone means, and what to do, when they call out “ok, blues jam in F#min… go!”
…and I don’t. At least not yet. So yes, I want to learn more music theory. I want to learn enough music theory to be competent at playing bass. But I have to tell you: sometimes, at the end of the day, when I pick up my bass to study and practice theory, I really feel like this guy:
I have the full complement of Beginner to Badass at my fingertips. I’m an annual SBL subscriber. I’m taking in-person lessons. I’ve taken to keeping a Moleskin and pencil in my gig bag so I can take notes about stuff I learn. But I still feel like I’m just… not… getting… it… as… quickly… as… I… should.
And for the context part? I’ve been a bass owner since the early 90s. But it wasn’t until just over 3 years ago - during the COVID lockdowns - that I decided to take it seriously and commit to learning bass. And that’s when I signed up here. 
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More theory please!
Especially as you’ve already proven to introduce theory in good bite-size chunks and do a really good job explaining just enough for that chuck to make sense and apply to a given lesson.
I found the way theory was presented in B2B was very useful and I found it interesting and feel like it will help me understand the songs I want to play and create in the future.
How long I’ve been “playing” is up for debate. I’ve had my bass for ~25 years and have never gotten to the place that I felt like a Play Bass, but just Learning Bass.
I’m in module 13 of B2B.
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Personally I would like to learn more theory. It’s definitely one of those learning areas I put off when I was younger and I’m sure I’m not alone there. It’s easy as a beginner to want to focus on technique so you can actually play songs and that was definitely me as a younger kid playing guitar.
Sight reading sheet music and memorizing scale notes are definitely things I feel like will be worth the effort but they are a less fun chore than building chops.
Been playing bass off and on for a few years. Played guitar as a teenager and of course learned minimal theory. Signed up for B2B to start filling in the gaps in my knowledge base and some of the theory lessons have really helped me understand what I don’t know, if that makes sense.
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Preface: I’ve finished the course(minus a few songs) and I am doing it on my second run(with my 10 year old daughter doing it with me)
- I want to learn more theory as I feel that certain things still go over my head. I’ve considered even trying to start with my daughters piano (for kids) books so I can try to get more into my thick brain. I’m falling in love with chords and voicings on the bass.
- I love music above anything else, bass in particular, it really makes my heart tick and I feel that bass deserves more recognition than just “rhythm section” or “it’s easy, do a scale”… I want Moaarrrrrrrr… I want it to be heard, felt… and play with your emotions. I also don’t like repeating tabs or staves just for the sake of it, I want to understand what I am saying.
- Nearly 2y. Although was pretty much stopped for 5-6 months due to a broken hand, due to this I still suffer on faster 130+ songs or complex signatures. It’s a matter of physio now and rebuild speed and precision.
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Do you want to learn (more) music theory?
- Yes, because I’m a nerd/geek and like to understand how things work - breaking them apart if needed. Not my priority though
What motivates your answer / why do you think you should or shouldn’t?
- If I had the time and energy, I would focus more on other areas, as my theory knowledge is mostly sufficient for what I do. And I mostly use it as a crutch for my lack of ear/intuition/experience. Said otherwise, I would probably trade immediately all my theory for the ability to play by ear and transcribe quickly if I could
How long you been playing? (just for context)
- B2B graduate. About 3 years of playing bass consistently, some guitar ~15 ago
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Been playing bass about 10 weeks. I would like more theory.
^This. Great illustration of my experience as well, and why I want more theory.
I am learning songs quicker, easier, and better by understanding the structure instead of having to brute-force sight reading or memorization.
I also don’t get thrown off by playing “mistakes”.
Yesterday afternoon I challenged myself to write my first 2-bar phrase, and am pleased with the results. A large part of that was the theory I got from the first two units of B2B.
I would like more theory that will give me greater mastery of my playing. Understanding why things work, and being able to come back to it.
I think things like understanding chord changes, pedal tones, relative major/minor, and some understanding of modes would help this.
I am not interested in an Adam Neely level of musical theory to do deep analysis and compose experimental music.
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Hey Josh!
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Do you want to learn (more) music theory?
Yes! -
What motivates your answer / why do you think you should or shouldn’t?
As a bass hobbyist, I’m not interested in performing. I enjoy playing along with my favorites, or trying out new genres. You gave us enough with B2B to get started, but I need more of Module 15 and 16 goodness. Post B2B I’m doing Chord Tones, Ear Training and Site Reading. I’d love to have similar or complementary content, with your teaching style!
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How long you been playing?
4+ years, but my growth has accelerated since B2B last year.
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Yes I definitely want to learn more theory, though, currently, I really don’t have the time for it. Hoping I might find some of that time in the next couple of months.
Why? Because I’m an engineer and I like to understand stuff not just learn it by rote. Because I would love to improvise and play jazz (that last might be a bit ambitious starting at my age but, hey, you gotta have goals!). Because if ever I do start playing with others I’m certain it will be easier with that knowledge.
I’ve been playing for around 18 months. I’ve done Mark Smiths Bassic Fundamentals and Groove Trainer courses and started his intro to walking bass. I’m up to the slap section of B2B.
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Do you want to learn (more) music theory?
Yes! In fact I’m usually a theory-first guy, as I always want to understand all ins&outs of everything I’m doing.
I liked the small bits & pieces you provided in the B2B course, but that was not enough, sorry.
I also looked into some other sources, from “Music Theory for Dummies” to Ariane Cap’s stuff as well as Talking Bass material. But that was utterly boring, non-inspiring and not entertaining at all … there simply was no spark to light my fire.
So - very unusual for me - I have a hobby with almost no theoretical background at all. That s#cks!!!
What motivates your answer / why do you think you should or shouldn’t?
In my opinion, you should always try to learn everything about anything! Also, the theory of “stuff” is an intellectual challenge, no matter if it’s bass or anything else…
How long you been playing?
All in all and more seriously since end of last year. I tried before last year, cause I spontaneously purchased a bass without any idea what to do with it, but never for more than a day’s worth…
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For myself, I’d like to have a bit more theory than I picked up from BtoBA.
Theory helps me to communicate more effectively with musicians and helps me deduce what is likely work in a particular situation.
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My personal experience I became obsessed with structure and how things build to what most people consider “language.”
To understand a VI -vs- vi, a 6 vs b6, a I7-IV7-V7, I always had the mentality that I wanted to be able to play closed position bass licks based off intervals.
My current in person teacher routinely introduces a new “progression” and we do things like “Up a m2, Up a M3, back a P5.”
Strong opinion: Theory is NOT theory, it’s reality, its the fretboard. There is no college education related. I have gained so much just by thinking “What’s the chord, what’s the progression,” and playing patterns explained and taught well.
I could say so much more but people are so deadlocked on “I don’t need this bs, I have my ears and my 1-3-5 patterns!” (joking, but am I?)
For whatever reason it is difficult for some people to care about communication between musicians or being versatile. I haven’t quite figured out the solution, but I’m also not paid to be a teacher 
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Yes I would like to learn more music theory. I’m currently taking music theory classes at an evening school and have also purchased a course from Mark Smith over at talking bass.
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I feel music theory is where I can properly grow the most as a musician and where I need the most help. I can work on my technique just fine and improve, but I can also see how limited I am, just using tabs to learn songs. I know what I’m playing, but I don’t know why.
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I bought the course and a bass last August/September. Due to many factors I could not play the full year, so maybe 8 months combined.
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- Yes I want to learn more
- To understand the music that I’m playing. Despite mostly knowing the notes on the bass now, I still mostly think in terms of fret numbers and strings rather than notes, scales, keys, chord tones etc. It makes learning something an exercise in remembering number sequences and is holding me back.
- 3+ years on and off (just bedroom noodling)
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So, I’m on Module 5 of B2B and decided to park the course and venture into 1-1 lessons for a while as I felt I’d hit a blocker both mentally and ability-wise.
I do want to learn some theory, but only after I feel I can actually play something half decently, which I definitely can’t at present. I want to feel the enjoyment of playing before starting to back up it with the theory behind it.
I’ll return to B2B at some point but I’m finding 1-1 lessons are both improving my motivation and providing a much better feedback loop on things I’m struggling with.
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Keep at it! B2B has some tougher lessons but is meant to be pushed through. You can always pick up theory tidbits in your downtime. Playing is hands and brain!
Also, there is no rule that you can’t restart your B2B lessons and do better the 2nd time around.
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Fully agree what Mr.Crispy has said - I really value learning the basics and then stepping in a direction with both the theory and the practical stuff. I’m also interested in Jazz, and your classes got my feet underneath me on the basics (playing/practical) I feel that I’m missing the deeper theory fundamentals to take my next step on jazz.
Saying that, I would really like to see varying levels of theory. I see different classes on the internet that are not right sized for me. I’m a bit struggling.
Great topic - thanks
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Well, boss. I’m glad you asked. And I’m happy to see that most all of the responses have been overwhelmingly in favor of more theory.
Myself, i’d probably gloss over the theory in any music training program-even if was the b2b follow up program. Because i Just never got it.
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I can badly (!) And barely read the music-even with your completely simplified method of thinking about it. While i truly appreciate what i learned there, it’s minimal.
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Nashville number system mystifies me. It Just simply doesn’t click.
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i was never good at determining what key i was playing in, let alone be able to improvise and know WHY things should sound good together or not.
I’ve been playing since may 2021, and all of this is by no means me saying your teaching or your methods failed in any manner. Could be there are some of us that just cannot grasp it.
The things i have gotten considerably outweigh what i didn’t.
Again, not a critique of your methodology or teaching ability. I knew i was never going to be a star. Fact is I’ve never even played with other people. In the beginning i did this Just for me, i was good with that then and I’m still ok with it.
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