Bass guitar technique, theory, and practice tips from Russ Rodgers, bass guitar instructor since 1985.
Thinking about lessons?
Cost, how it compares to other ways to learn, and what to expect before you book a lesson.
Bass lessons aren't worth it for everyone. If you're not practicing yet, or you self-direct well with free material, save your money. If you're stuck, can't hear your own timing, or keep practicing without getting better, an hour with a teacher is usually the cheapest fix. I wrote this to help you tell which one you are.
Read more →It depends on the goal. Playing simple songs along with a record takes weeks of steady practice. Holding down the groove with other people takes months. Gigging comfortably and reading charts takes years. Consistency moves the timeline far more than talent or hours logged in one sitting.
Read more →No, you're not too old to learn bass. I've been teaching since 1985, and adult beginners see real progress in their first few months. What changes with age isn't your ability to learn. It's pacing, practice time, and how the instrument fits your hands. This is the honest version, including the hard parts.
Read more →For most beginners I would point you at a 4-string, because it is the standard, it is the cheapest way in, and it has the narrowest neck. 5-strings fit jazz, gospel, metal, or modern worship. Most players come to a 6-string later on, once the fundamentals are already under their hands.
Read more →Bass lessons work for both kids and adults, and what changes is lesson length, practice time, physical reach on a full-scale instrument, and where the motivation comes from. This one covers what I change for a younger student and what stays the same.
Read more →Private bass lessons run $30–$100/hour, with experienced teachers clustered around $50–$75. Video subscriptions are cheaper but impersonal. My rate is $55/hr, or $50/hr when you prepay 4 or more hours.
Read more →Online bass lessons via Zoom deliver the same one-on-one instruction as in-person, with three real differences. Audio setup requires a small mixer and headphones to avoid echo, camera angle becomes an asset because the teacher sees your hands up close, and you can study with the right instructor from anywhere in the world.
Read more →Self-teaching on bass works, and plenty of great players got there that way. Lessons mostly exist to fix what self-learners tend to miss, things like technique blind spots, practice habits, and ear training.
Read more →The library
How your hands work on the instrument, right hand and left, from the basics of form to slap, tapping and playing with a pick.
Triads, scales, modes and chord sounds, and how to organize the notes on the fingerboard so your bass lines make sense over the chords.
Groove, ear training, and how to practice the way you are actually going to play.
Building bass lines and walking lines, reading notation and rhythm, and the raw material I hand my students to work from.
Online bass lessons via Zoom for students of any level. Reach out to talk through your goals.
