Bass lessons built around what you actually want to play.
Live, one-on-one, over Zoom — with a teacher who has over fifty years on the instrument.
Who it’s for
First-timers to professionals, all are welcome.
Russ teaches all ages and every level, from kids to retirees, first-timers to working professionals and lifelong hobbyists. Electric bass, 4- to 6-string, every style and technique: rock, funk, jazz, blues, gospel; fingerstyle, slap, tap, and the rest. Russ plays and teaches it all.
Wherever you’re starting from, lessons meet you there and move at your pace. Come with a song you want to play or no idea where to begin; either way, you’ll leave with a plan and something to work on.
Student voices
Hear from real students
I’ve been taking lessons from Russ for about a year and a half. He has an excellent system, well organized, and suitable from beginner to advanced — you always feel like you’re moving in a logical progression. I’ve had a number of teachers, but I’ll be sticking with Russ.
Russ is the real deal when it comes to both playing and teaching. I took lessons from him back in the late ’90s, and what he taught me still impacts my playing daily.
Thank you for all you’ve taught me this past year and a half. Your lessons and methods have reconditioned my playing for the better — I know I’ll have plenty to practice for years.
How Russ teaches
Music is a language. We start with a conversation.
Think about how you learned to talk. You didn’t start with grammar rules; you started by saying things you actually wanted to say, and the structure filled in over time. Learning bass works the same way.
Lessons start from the music you want to play, and the curriculum gets built around that. Scales, arpeggios, ear development, and reading are the vocabulary and grammar. They matter, but they serve the music, not the other way around.
At some point you need to trust the fact that you know your alphabet and start talking.
Explore
Ready when you are.
Reach out and tell Russ what you're hoping to play. A phone call or an email is all it takes — he'll take it from there.