Last year I started teaching at an amazing music store in Southwest Missouri, and it’s been a blast! Teaching was outside my comfort zone, but I’ve gained confidence along the way. While my skills aren’t perfect, I’d like to share some takeaways from my first year as a private bass guitar instructor. Level Up Your …
Consider the most influential bass player in your life: the one you listen to the most or the one who inspired you to pick up the instrument in the first place. I’m sure you’ve thought to yourself, “I wish I could play like that!” at some point. That thinking, no doubt, had something to do …
The great Michelangelo once said “I am still learning.” Without context this may seem like just another inspirational quote, but the fact that he said this at 87 years old gives me goosebumps! It’s been a while since I’ve posted a fresh piece of content on the blog because, honestly, I’ve been practicing a lot …
Whether it’s playing music, listening to music, or talking about gear, I love spending time with other musicians. There’s so much wisdom to gain and share when you participate in musical camaraderie. I’ve spent a great deal of time at concerts, music stores, and on social media throughout my years of playing music, and there …
“Sight reading.” Those two words have given me anxiety more times than I can count. It’s times like these when I have to decide if I’m going to sight read a piece of sheet music like a boss or curl up under my music stand in the fetal position. Whether you’re a session bass guitar …
From the psalms of David to Gregorian chant. From the religious musical compositions of Bach to Elevation Worship. Praise & worship music has evolved tremendously over the years, and so has the role of the bass. Think about it… the technology we use, the style of music we perform, even the instruments we play in …
Goal setting is tough. There have been times where I’ve looked back on the past year and felt disappointed at how little I’d grown as a bass player… playing the same runs and practicing the same techniques. I often don’t even bother setting goals at the new year fearing that I won’t follow through. So …
Greetings, bass players! Let’s talk about walking bass lines. I bet many of you reading this post have at least somewhat of an idea of what a walking bass line is (or have at least heard the term) but may not fully understand how to construct one yourself. I was in the same boat… up …
“O O O O’Reillyyyyy… Auto Parts… OW!” If you live in the United States you’ve likely heard this catchy, iconic jingle on the radio at some point in your life (heck, you probably sang that in your head as you read it!). But there’s more to this jingle than you probably think… did you know there’s …
As a self-taught bassist I’ve been through the ups and downs of learning the bass through trial and error… and I may’ve developed a few bad habits in my technique along the way. Luckily I was able to fix them before they got too out of hand. Identifying and correcting these flaws early in your …
