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Private One-On-One And Correspondence Learning For Bass Guitar
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Distance Learning - Correspondence

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Correspondence Lessons Content  How It Works   The Courses   Signing Up Process   SIGN UP!

Questions? E-Mail me at gary@discoverbass.com, or check out the FAQ page!

NOTICE - ALL CLASSES FULL AT THE MOMENT! NEW COURSE SEMESTER BEGING MARCH 9th 2009!

Introduction

Here at DiscoverBass.com, I am very pleased to offer correspondence courses to students from all over the world! These correspondence courses are absolutely jam-packed with tips, tricks, multimedia examples, sheet music/tab and more!

As I have mentioned, I have been playing Bass Guitar since 1983, and have studied and incorporated different approaches to learning and teaching Bass over the years that many find different and much more refreshing than normal methods.

I have been teaching bass now for the past 12 years and teaching by correspondence for the last 5 years, but without a specialized website for this task. I have independently released 3 Bass Teaching DVD's, including "Slap and Pop!" and "21 Techniques For Monster Chops!" which are available at my website GAZZBASS.COM.

I have played and still play many genres of music. I have played and toured in many bands and have been a session player for the last 8 years.

The main goal is to provide students with the highest quality lessons available, whilst maintaining a different and, in my opinion, more rounded and fulfilling approach to playing Bass Guitar. You will receive personal guidance with whatever course you choose to take, and I will tailor each individual lesson to the individual students needs. All this at an extremely reasonable price... lower than most correspondence courses in the same class but with much more substance.

Learning by correspondence allows you to progress at your own pace, whenever it is convenient for you. This allows you to work your lessons around your own busy schedule. You will also find that whilst the courses are rich and deep in both materials and content, they are also very reasonably priced, and come with a complimentary set of learning DVD's (almost 5 hours worth of video).

Correspondence Lesson Contents

These videos explains the contents of the correspondence lessons. The first one is for high bandwidth users and is of good quality. The second is for low bandwidth users and is of lesser quality.

How It Works

In order to study with our correspondence courses, you will need the Microsoft Silverlight 2 Plugin. If you don't have it, you can get it for free HERE.

In signing up for a correspondence course, you will first choose from the list of courses outlined below and on the signup page. Once I receive your application, if you are choosing to study either Intermediate or Slap Bass, I may ask you for a short, 3-5 minute audio clip that represents your playing as it is. This will allow me to assess where you're at as a bassist, thus permitting me to tailor your lessons exactly to your needs.

Once payment is processed, you will receive an e-mail from me acknowledging your payment.

Within 24 hours, you will receive a second e-mail with your username, password and a link to your very own personal page on the DiscoverBass.com website, with your first lesson materials.

I require this lead time to set up your personal web pages and lessons (although, typically it will not take this long).

You will also be sent via regular post the DVD's "Absolute Bassics" and "Slap And Pop!", almost 5 hours of instructional video, absolutely free of charge. After that, you can log in to your page at any time to access your course materials. No need to worry about computer crashes... your materials will always be available at DiscoverBass.com!

Your lessons will then be added on a weekly basis, thus allowing you time to digest each lesson as it comes.

The Courses

All courses include the following materials:

  • DVD Absolute "Bassics"
  • DVD "Slap and Pop!"
  • Full Sheet Music and Tablature for each lesson
  • The actual lesson pages, in an Adobe PDF for you to print out and keep.
  • Tab/Music reading software
  • Full Range of Charts, Diagrams and Handouts
  • First lesson is free of charge, when you buy a block of lessons! *

More details about the courses can be found on the Courses page, but I will summarize here for clarity:

Starters Course

  • Music As An Inspiration
  • The History of the Electric Bass
  • The Bass Guitar and It's Parts
  • How To Hold Your Bass
  • Tuning Your Bass
  • Plucking And Fretting
  • Introduction To Music Theory And Tab
  • Scales
  • Timing, Tempo and Rhythm
  • Fills and Fret Techniques
  • Ear Training
  • Bass Line Construction
  • Jam Sessions
  • The Bass Greats
  • An Alternative Philosophy To Learning Music

Intermediate Course

NOTE: The course assumes that you already know basic music theory, you can play bass lines comfortably, you are familiar with finger style playing and have at least a rudimentary understanding of slap techniques.

  • A Light Music Theory Refresher
  • The Ten Intangibles
  • Right & Left Hand Technique
  • Improvisation
  • Rhythm Subdivision Techniques
  • Chordal Techniques
  • Harmonics
  • Bass Line Construction
  • Fingerstyle Funk
  • Altered Tunings
  • Concepts For Solo Bass Playing
  • Soloing
  • Slap 101

Advanced Slap And Funk

NOTE: The course assumes that you already know basic music theory, you can play bass lines comfortably, you are familiar with finger style playing. You do not have to have an understanding of slap techniques.

  • The Slap Pioneers
  • The Three (four) Main Thumb Styles Of Slap Bass
  • Popping
  • The Ten Intangibles Revisited
  • Dynamics
  • Syncopation
  • Off Rhythms
  • Grooving
  • Slap Harmonics
  • Constructing A Slap Line
  • Slap Bass Applied To Different Genres
  • Articulation
  • Solo Concepts
  • Soloing
  • 21 Phrases Of Slap Bass
  • Slap Jam Sessions

We will also study closer the styles of the slap greats as Stanley Clarke, Victor Wooten, Mark King, Louis Johnson, Alain Caron, Marcus Miller and Larry Graham amongst others.

Upon successful completion of any course, you will receive my DVD "21 Techniques For Monster Chops!", an advanced look at the techniques of slap bass soloing.

Signing Up Process

If you think correspondence learning is for you and you have the desire to play Bass Guitar, you can sign up for a course right HERE.

Thank you for your interest and thank you for stopping by!

Gary Denyer.

* If you decide to cancel after your first lesson, you will only be charged for one lesson.