Study Bass Online

I am a bass guitarist and the founder of the International Institute of Bassists (InstituteOfBass.com). I have been playing electric bass in all styles of music for 25 years with a primary emphasis on solo bass guitar and contemporary jazz. With over 20 years of teaching experience, I have provided instruction on electric bass guitar and acoustic upright bass locally and to thousands of bassists around the world through my online bass courses, live video bass lessons, and bass lessons by correspondence. In April, 1997, I founded the International Institute Of Bassists (IIB) at InstituteOfBass.com. In addition to teaching online through this web site, I have authored 6 online bass courses at the IIB including Contemporary Techniques - The Basics & Beyond For Bass Guitar (2013), Jazz Improvisation For Bass Guitar & Acoustic Bass (2012), Sight Reading For Bass Guitar & Acoustic Bass (2012), Music Theory For Bass - Essential Concepts For Bass Guitar & Acoustic Bass (2011), Soloing Techniques For Bass Guitar & Acoustic Bass (2010), and Jazz Bass Lines - Contemporary Concepts For Bass Guitar & Acoustic Bass (2009). ... READ MORE!

The International Institute of Bassists (IIB) is an online resource located at InstituteOfBass.com which is dedicated to the advancement of contemporary bass performance and the study of the bass tradition. Since its founding in 1997 by Cliff Engel, the IIB has established a long-time presence on the internet and grown into one of the largest and most popular bass-related web sites found online. Today, the IIB is recognized as one of the leading online publications for bass players and the promotion of all things bass. ... READ MORE!

Utilizing the latest video conferencing technology, we can conduct live, one-on-one video bass lessons from the most remote locations at an extremely affordable rate. Why waste transit time and money on gas while driving to and from private lessons when you can study bass online directly from the comfort of your own home? ... READ MORE!

If you live in a remote area and are unable to attend one-on-one lessons with a private instructor on a regular basis or you maintain a hectic schedule due to work or family commitments, studying bass online through my correspondence lessons is the next best alternative. Learn at your own pace, on your own time, in the comfort of your own home, and at a cost that is MUCH cheaper than the price of most one-on-one private bass lessons from a local instructor. Featuring both classic and contemporary techniques, an archive of transcriptions, hundreds of play-alongs, and a series of essential listening tracks, you will be presented with a database of documented statements, concepts, and proven strategies which will help you implement all of these components in a musical fashion through practical application. Following a step-by-step, systematic approach, 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 through the language of improvisation, and expand the traditional role of the bassist. Through my correspondence lessons, you will broaden your fretboard familiarity along with your knowledge of chord/scale theory and also increase your technical proficiency on the instrument. You will possess the fundamental tools that are required to improvise great bass lines and lyrical solos effectively with proper tone and feel on any chord type, chord progression, or song form in any style of music. My correspondence lessons are structured for both aspiring and professional bassists alike who are passionate about becoming a more proficient bass player and are seeking an indispensable resource for the contemporary study and analysis of techniques, theory, and principles on bass guitar and acoustic upright bass. ... READ MORE!

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 free online bass lessons will enhance your skills, increase your performance opportunities, and broaden your understanding of the language of improvisation along with the techniques and theories that are crucial to your success as a working bassist. As this database continues to expand, a new lesson will be added every week. ... READ MORE!

If you live in close proximity to Hays, Kansas, or are willing to travel, you can study with me in private, one-on-one bass lessons. I teach 4, 5, and 6-string fretted and fretless electric bass guitar and acoustic upright bass. These lessons are structured for bassists of all levels from beginner to advanced and all styles of traditional and contemporary music including jazz, fusion, funk, rock, pop, blues, classical, motown, latin, and country. ... 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. Over the past two decades, I have transcribed hundreds of complete compositions and excerpted parts of music at every level from the basic 8th-note rock of Blink-182 to extremely technical solo bass performances recorded in altered tunings by Michael Manring. ... READ MORE!

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