Pro Bass Lessons

Professional Music Tuition for the Aspiring Bass Player in Auckland NZ

  • Bass Tuition
    • Bass Tuition For Experienced Players
    • Bass Tuition For Adult Beginners
    • Bass Tuition For Children/Teenagers
  • About Me
  • Resources
    • Transcriptions
  • Contact

Bass Tuition For Experienced Players

FRUSTRATED?

Do you feel as though you have plateaued and are struggling to take your bass playing to the next level?

Perhaps you can already play a range of challenging bass lines but are frustrated by your inability to improvise effectively or really understand the music you are playing.

Maybe you have ambitions of playing professionally or going on to study music at a tertiary level and want to ensure you are doing everything possible to become the best musician you can.

Regardless of what your musical goals may be I can help you take meaningful steps towards realizing them.

I have mentored the bass players in some of New Zealand’s finest musical groups including The Veils, Cut Off Your Hands, David Dallas, Great North, Sherpa, Dawn of Azazel, Motor City Funk Family and The Earlybirds.

I can help you too.

TEACHING YOURSELF DOESN’T WORK

If you’ve spent time trying to improve your bass playing by watching You Tube videos or working out of method books you’ll have discovered that teaching yourself just doesn’t work. It is an inefficient and ineffective way to learn and though it may appear to be ‘free’, that is really only true if you place no value on your time given it will take you much longer to get to where you want to go with your playing.

The big problem with trying to teach yourself is that there is inevitably a lack of structure to the process with each resource pulling you in a new direction. This leads to big gaps in your knowledge and can ultimately leave you feeling overwhelmed, frustrated and disillusioned with the whole learning experience.

There is a better way.

A BETTER WAY TO LEARN

The most efficient, effective and enjoyable way to go about mastering the bass is to place yourself under the guidance of an experienced and skilled teacher. Even if your goals are more modest, you will reach them sooner and save yourself a great deal of frustration by studying with a great teacher.

In choosing to study with me you will avoid the pitfalls of trying to teach yourself. You won’t be left questioning whether you’re learning things the correct way, wondering what you should learn next, or find yourself constantly running into brick walls with your playing.

I will provide you with a personalized plan of study developed in full consideration of your current ability, your musical tastes and your goals. I have developed a unique and highly effective approach to teaching the art of bass playing that consistently produces highly skilled, versatile, and creative musicians.

MY APPROACH

In my view a teacher is someone who opens windows of insight. A teacher should be thought of as a navigator who uses their knowledge, experience and expertise to maximize the students potential and keep them on track to reach their musical goals in the most efficient manner possible.

In essence my role as a teacher is to challenge you to be the best that you can be and in turn aid you in your quest to meet that challenge through direction, encouragement and evaluation.

My value as a music teacher ultimately lies in the knowledge and experience I have accrued in travelling the very road upon which you are setting out on and in helping countless others to make that same journey.

WHAT MY STUDENTS SAY

“I’ve studied with Scott for close to two years and can say that the quality of service offered is truly exceptional. In particular, Scott blends a true artisan approach to music and bass with a well run, professional business – he is not only a well accomplished, serious bass player, but also a well rounded musician with a true love for all aspects of the craft. I found he was able to teach the technical aspects of the bass across the genres I was interested in – rock, jazz, funk, while also developing my music sensibility by building my understanding of melody and rhythm with the goal of improvisation. Scott also imparts some interesting insights into the history of music and different players along the way which is very engaging. All up, I’m finding the lessons to a good blend of theory and practice, well structured, but also flexible enough to ensure your particular goals and desired outcomes are achieved.”

Jeremy Smith

“I have attended lessons with Scott for a number of years and have found every single step of the process absolutely invaluable. Scott is a consummate professional, always being very well prepared for each lesson, keeping close tabs on the progress of his students and having a seemingly endless library of resources always on hand. Scott is an extremely skilled and knowledgeable musician, and a gifted teacher. He is patient, observant, consistent in his methods and secure in his approach. No part of the process of playing the bass and being a musician is neglected – he covers not just the playing of the instrument but a comprehensive study of rhythm, musical structures, melody and harmony, listening and reading skills, style analysis and of course building an awesome repertoire! As a massive music nerd myself, I have always found Scott to be full of interesting facts and understandings of the history of the music he teaches.Last, but certainly not least, Scott is one of the most positive, upbeat and friendly people I have met. He is always welcoming, engaged and ready to get to work with a smile. Over the years I have met several players who have also learned from Scott and they all speak of him with a well-deserved fondness, admiration and respect.”

Chris Jackson

“A few years ago I was stuck in a rut with my bass playing, finding progress slow and tedious. I was skeptical about getting bass lessons however, as I already had a Bachelor of Music under my belt and thought that anything I needed to learn I could teach myself. Now I regret not getting lessons from him sooner. I began getting lessons with Scott and was instantly blown away by his professionalism, the individualized content of his lessons, the depth of his knowledge and his passion for music. My progress skyrocketed as his structured lessons gave me the direction that I lacked, his experience highlighted areas for improvement I hadn’t even considered and his vast knowledge enhanced my skills as a live bass player, a recording artist, composer and improviser.”

Daniel Barrett

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Google Rating
5.0
Pro Bass Lessons
Pro Bass Lessons
5.0
Reuben Burke-Munns
Reuben Burke-Munns
00:45 23 Mar 17
Took lessons with Scott for 4 months. Very clear and concise teaching style and really cares to cater to his students situations. Easy to organise times with and keeps a good structure to his lessons. Would definitely still take lessons if I had not moved away.
Teresa E
Teresa E
10:40 24 Nov 16
I took lessons with Scott for only a few months but in the time by bass playing improved by leaps and bounds. I also loved that I got some solid musicianship and understanding of how to use theory to play and write better. Scotty is empathetic, clear and always inspiring. I could not recommend him highly enough as a teacher. Would still be going if I hadn't moved overseas.
Stephen Hayes
Stephen Hayes
01:54 11 Jul 16
I have greatly benefitted from having Scott as my bass tutor. I had tried several different tutors before I found Scott and he has definitely been the best for me! I particularly appreciated that Scott properly identifying my level of knowledge and ability in a range of areas and then tailor the lessons to suit, rather than just throwing things at me which could be too easy or much too difficult, which I had with previous tutors. He was also very flexible around lesson times which was very helpful for me needing to juggle time with my young children. On several occasions I had people comment on how much my playing had improved while I was being tutored by Scott, and if I wasn't moving overseas I would have been keen to continue.
Jeremy Smith
Jeremy Smith
23:22 25 Jan 16
I've been a client of Pro Bass Lessons for around 2 years and can say that the quality of service offered by Scott is truly exceptional. In particular, Scott blends a true artisan approach to music and bass with a well run, professional business - he is not only a well accomplished, serious bass player, but also a well rounded musician with a true love for all aspects of the craft. I found he was able to teach the technical aspects of the bass across the genres I was interested in - rock, jazz, funk, while also developing my music sensibility by building my understanding of melody and rhythm with the goal of improvisation. Scott also imparts some interesting insights into the history of music and different players along the way which is very engaging. All up, I'm finding the lessons to a good blend of theory and practice, well structured, but also flexible enough to ensure your particular goals and desired outcomes are achieved. I would highly recommend Pro Bass Lessons for players of any level, but especially those interested in developing not just the technical aspects of bass playing, but also as a musician - able to think on your feet, improvise and play with other musicians.
Lianne Zimmermann
Lianne Zimmermann
01:00 12 Nov 15
Scott is a really great bass teacher. He's calm, friendly, and incredibly helpful. He's also really encouraging and points out any issues in a positive way. He often has confidence in my ability when I don't! I went from a complete beginner to playing some cool songs pretty quickly (even without practicing enough -- which he was always really nice about), and learned good theory and technique from him.
matt symons
matt symons
06:30 16 Jun 15
I took up lessons with Scott with a very basic understanding of the bass (and playing music in general). Starting out some of the topics and exercises seemed pretty daunting, but Scott is great at explaining things in a way that everyone can understand. My playing came along so much faster than it would have without the lessons, and I definitely think that learning the right way from the start is the way to go. The lessons are a good mix of theory and practical, so nothing is left out as you progress. Thanks for all the help Scott!
David Bamford
David Bamford
09:47 26 Aug 15
Scott is an amazing bass teacher. He is highly knowledgeable, explains clearly, and fits a whole lot of information into a single lesson. Scott has patiently, in a caring personalised manner, taken me through sight-reading, scales, intervals,modes, harmony, theory, fingering, plucking, improvisation , song structure, and a variety of different styles and techniques, Scott made sure I truly understood what was being taught, and if not immediately grasped would come back to important relevant information. Scott is a great bass guitarist, teaching how to think and play like a bass guitarist. Not only is he a fab teacher and awesome player and musician he is a great bloke to boot. I would 100% recommend Scott to any aspiring or seasoned bassist. Thanks heaps Scott
Louie Bo
Louie Bo
03:33 29 Sep 17
Anyone who seeking bass guitar lessons should check out Scott from Pro Bass lessons, I started lessons with Scott many years ago shortly after I first picked up my instrument through to an intermediate level. Not only is Scott a great tutor he is a great role model for those wanting to own the intricacies of playing bass. Scott will hone in on your preferred styles of playing and genres of music to help develop progression whilst personalizing the process. I credit Scott for the reason I have been playing bass for almost 12 years instead of stopping at 2. Chur Scott!!
Ben Mortensen
Ben Mortensen
04:27 15 Sep 17
Scott is a great teacher and has really helped me to advance my bass playing. Let his bass wisdom rain down upon you. You will be all the better for it. Thanks Scott.
Rejo Kurian
Rejo Kurian
03:36 10 Aug 18
Scott has been an excellent teacher and offered a very organized training module to enable me to learn Bass.
Grace Fitzgerald
Grace Fitzgerald
18:57 10 Mar 19
Scott is such a brilliant teacher. I am an adult with no prior musical experience. He is patient and kind making the lesson thoroughly enjoyable. The fortnightly lessons worked really well for me. I really enjoyed the lesson structure. There was a great mix of theory and rhythm and each lesson ended with playing the music I listen to and enjoyed. I had lessons for two years and only left Scott because I moved away from Auckland. Highly recommend!
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