Music Lessons
Just starting out on upright bass, electric bass, mandolin or guitar and looking for some help fine-tuning your technique? You’ve come to the right place!
Upright Bass
I’m biased, but there’s something magical about the upright bass that gets the whole body humming. Also known as the “double bass” or “acoustic bass,” this instrument might seem intimidating but with good technique and lots of practice, anyone can play it!
If you’re new upright bass or have been playing for years, proper left and right hand technique is crucial for intonation, tone and healthy ergonomics. This carries into jazz, classical bluegrass, folk or any genre you might like to play.
Electric Bass
Electric bass (aka bass guitar) is one the friendliest instruments for new musicians to start on, but it’s far from basic. The bassist’s role in the rhythm section is critical and they’re one of the most exposed on stage. The beauty is, if you play in time and follow the chord changes, you’ll always have a gig!
Mandolin
When I visited the Music Instrument Museum in Arizona, it struck me how nearly every music culture in the world includes a mandolin-like instrument. Bluegrass brought it back into the spotlight in the U.S., but you’ll still hear it commonly in Celtic, Brazilian, European and many other modern musical genres. It’s tuned like a violin but frets on the fingerboard make it a little easier to get started, and the even intervals between strings make it a little more intuitive than guitar. It’s extremely versatile both as a rhythm and solo instrument, and they’re always welcome in jam circles!
Guitar
I wish I would have start playing guitar a lot earlier in life. It’s so versatile, wonderful for accompanying vocals, drives rhythm and provides melodic solo lines. There’s a guitar shape, size and setup out there for everyone, and it has a place in nearly every musical genre.