WHY DO I EVEN NEED BASS LESSONS?


This is a question you might be asking yourself as you peruse this column. Okay-So you've got a good steady gig. Your playing has shown some improvement over the years. When you play, you have a certain level of confidence in what your doing. You may have even conditioned yourself to the fact that you don't plan on ever trying to be a Victor Wooten or John Patitucci, and may be content with where you are musically (for the time being). Although you might not read music, you haven't ever been in a situation that required it. So what will bass lessons do for you?

Chances are, at some point in your playing career, you've been inspired by either a specific bassist, a particular band, or a type of music that you might not have much experience playing, yourself. Music is an art form which was designed by God to be shared with others. The inspirational moments you may have experienced while listening to this player, band or music struck someplace inside you, and therefore moved you emotionally. For most of us, these moments are what motivate our creativity either directly through our own music or indirectly through other aspects of our lives.

So why all the mumbo-jumbo about motivation and inspiration? Unless our basses were just purchased to function as a dust collectors, I think we can all agree that we wouldn't mind being better players than we are now. Inspiration yeilds the desire to improve. Bass lessons, regardless of the medium in which they are taught, obviously provide a way to become more proficient with our craft. They can remedy a variety of problems:

For example, many of us know we want to get better, but we just don't know how to get better. "I wish I could play jazz, but I don't even understand how I would begin to learn it." For others, the problem isn't knowing how to get better; it is the lack of direction or focus we need to get there. "I know that my knowledge of scales and arpeggios will help my improvisation, but I don't know what kinds of excercises I should practice to become proficient at them."

Some of us have a solid plan for becoming a better player, but we lack the discipline to stay on course. "I can get into a killer practice routine for about 3 days straight, and then I just blow it, and revert back to my old practice habits, which aren't very efficient." Still another problem for many of us is money. "I just can't afford a private instructor right now, much less a music school." This column can help you with any of these problems and much more. However, there is one problem that no instructional resource can help you with on its own, and that is YOUR DESIRE to improve. That's got to come from inside you, and you can't get it out of a book or teacher. As long as you stay in control of that one, you are on your way to success!

With each new issue, I will try to present you with concepts and exercises which will ultimately help you with your overall musicianship, and not just your bass playing. So try to keep an open mind, and remember that you can always learn something from anyone, regardless of their level of proficiency. Some of my most significant developments as a player result directly from my interaction with my students.
Until next time, keep holding down the bottom!

Adam Nitti heads the bass department at the Atlanta Institute of Music. He has recorded or performed with such players as Victor Wooten, Dave Weckl, Mike Stern, and Peter Erskine, and currently has 3 solo CD releases out on Renaissance Man Records. Adam is also a clinician and endorsee for SWR, Curbow, and D'Addario.

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