In this archive of free online bass lessons, I have posted a collection of instructional documents that I have written over the years which span various areas of contemporary bass playing including technique, theory, sight reading, bass line construction, improvisation, and soloing. These lessons will enhance your skills, increase your performance opportunities, and broaden your understanding of the language of improvisation. ... READ MORE!

Following a step-by-step methodology, you will acquire the essential skills and vocabulary which are necessary to connect your ears to the fingerboard, develop ideas, interact with other musicians on a deeper level, and expand the traditional role of the bassist. With these live video bass lessons, you will expand your fretboard familiarity and knowledge of chord/scale theory, improve your sight reading and ear training, and also increase your technical proficiency on the instrument. ... READ MORE!

As editor of the the International Institute of Bassists website, I conducted hundreds of interviews with many of the world's leading bassists. In this archive, you will find a compilation of my favorite interviews with bassists including Michael Manring, Stuart Hamm, Jeff Berlin, Gary Willis, Brian Bromberg, and Esperanza Spalding as well as with many equipment manufacturers such as Zon, Aguilar, Markbass, Gallien-Krueger, and Evidence Audio. ... READ MORE!

Founded by Cliff Engel, the International Institute of Bassists (IIB) was an online resource dedicated to the advancement of contemporary bass performance and the study of the bass tradition. Between 1997 and 2017, the IIB became one of the largest and most popular online publications for bass players. The IIB offered six online bass courses covering several areas of traditional and contemporary bass playing including technique, music theory, sight reading, improvisation, bass line construction, and soloing. ... READ MORE!

Similar to studying a new language, learning to play any instrument requires the analysis of existing vocabulary to express and develop your own ideas. For less than the cost of a private lesson, you can start building a library of customized transcriptions featuring your favorite bass lines and solos. Since 1993, I have transcribed hundreds of complete compositions and excerpted parts of music at every level from basic 8th-note rock grooves to extremely technical solo bass performances recorded in altered tunings. ... READ MORE!

Cliff Engel is a bass guitarist who has been playing electric bass in all styles of music since 1987 with a primary emphasis on solo bass guitar and contemporary jazz. As an instructor of technique, theory, and improvisation, Cliff has taught his methods to thousands of bassists around the world through his books, courses, live video lessons, private lessons, and bass lessons by correspondence program. ... READ MORE!

"Your courses are the most comprehensive I've ever seen. Anyone who truly wants to study bass at a university music school level should look to your program. I also have to tell you that your courses may be the best value I have ever seen. What I received in the first week was worth more than what you charged me for the whole course. Many thanks for putting together such first-rate, well presented, and content-rich courses." ... READ MORE!