Nashville Online Bass Lessons from Veteran Studio Pro.

There's nothing like personalized instruction regardless of where you live. I've taught hundreds of students over the decades looking for better work by upgrading their skills.

So much has changed in our world over the last few months, with more people working at home and possibly making a permanent change in their work environment and eschewing the commute to the office and new ways of communicating remotely. I've taught students via Skype and Facetime for over 15 years on all continents and they learned well to get better gigs, recording jobs and expanded playing opportunities.

A focused 20 to 30 minutes of practicing as an everyday discipline on what I assign my students brings measurable results. and improvement that others can hear as well:-)

Learning music from a dedicated professional creates an education opportunity that is custom designed to the students needs and ability level.

In addition to being taught the craft of playing at a pro-level standard with music content learning , You'll gain insights to the business and art of music as well. I've taught some of the current crop of top bassists in the recording and touring field and they learned what it takes to compete in the Real Deal, Real World of Music..

You'll learn musicianship, Theory, reading, building your own bass lines, ear training and more.. This is also a great time for older players to update skills and to satisfy their own critique.

Here's a few stories from former students

'' Taking lessons from Steve Bryant brought major clarity to music theory. He taught me the ins and outs of working as a professional musician. Steve taught me how to practice and how to understand what I was hearing, ultimately improving the way I play today.''

Griffin Myers - Nashville Bassist

'' Studying with Steve was one of the most transformative experiences I've ever had. Beyond improving my technique, apart from improving my musical knowledge, it made me a much better creative. It's great to learn from someone with Mr. Bryant's tremendous art, music and life experience.''

Roberto Schmidt, - Porto Alegre, Brazil

'' Working with Steve was an eye-opening experience! It opened up a new concept of learning that changed the way I view music education and the bass overall. What I learned from Steve has applied well when having to learn new songs in a short time as well as coming up with creative and interesting bass lines. 

Seth A. Dearinger- Nashville Tenn

'' "Steve's method of teaching is by far the best!  He breaks things down into very easy to follow steps that set you up for success.  Steve has helped me propel my bass playing to a whole new level and, more importantly, has made me a better musician.”

-Tim McEneany - Bassist and Producer - Chicago ILL.

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Here is a vid from 2011 for Bass Frontiers magazine.. holding forth on chords and their function and especially WHY the bass player needs to know his or her chords! So very essential and important: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0-p1CwyXsc

Contact me to schedule an online session by filling out the contact form on this website.. or directly: stevebryant71bass@gmail.com

Musical Regards!!

Steve Bryant

Nashville Session Bassist/Educator

Bass Lessons: The way to personal improvement and fine musicianship

It is no secret that many of us become frustrated with our practice time and the lack of results in our goal to be better players.  Boredom sets in and we soon find ourselves aimlessly noodling, wondering how do we improve as a bass musician.

In my years of private instruction in my home studio and worldwide online, i’ve identified the stumbling blocks that have encumbered many to the point of distraction and disappointment. Believe me that a great majority of bassists that I’ve taught have in common that most deadly of maladies…not practicing musical facts!

Practicing music content provides the hammer and nails with which to build the ''house of the creative''. Music fact based practicing produces results that you and others can hear.

The emotional and creative is right brain dominant and the left is logical and analytical. Many bass players get tripped up when they confuse the two.

Craft: ( practicing music content) is HOW we do something...

Art : ( our approach and creativity, interpretation) is WHY we do something

When you practice musical facts, You are not performing. you simply make mistakes and correct them. When you read music, you never run out of things to practice!

By the way, learning how to read is not hard if you do it correctly. I've taught hundreds this skill over the years.. and they have ALL grown as bassists. Absorbing information through reading is exploring the very things the competent player needs to know..

Case in point:

Many bassists not spending enough time on music content will only practice what they know or assume to know and expect improvement for their effort.

Go slowly so your mind, fingers, and ears absorb new musical facts…that way you can correct your mistakes simply and without the critical right brain. Making mistakes is an important part of practicing in that you simply correct and learn from them.

This can also apply in creating walking and solo ideas.. Learning music content helps us play the chordal patterns, tensions, substitutions, etc. that has been used for many generations and also how chords move and ”ask” for next one. This is the basis for all western harmony…it all eventually goes into the right brain creatively as we connect our ears, fingers, and mind as we work. This fact is made evident in so many that I've taught over the years. They are presented with the very same material.. yet they express themselves differently with own creativity. Witness this fact in that the alphabet we learn as children is very defined and narrow.. yet we use it to express different viewpoints and feelings that are unique to us... How incredible that we have 12 notes in the chromatic scale and this very defined and narrow fact is utilized to create art that has no limitations and embraces the expression of emotions and ideas!

Remember to keep your practice sessions short at first and your mind, ears, and fingers engaged with what you are working on.

Contact me if you want to learn more, have questions, and want to book a private one on one lesson with me here in Nashville or Worldwide via Skype. You will learn well. Teaching is a passion of mine and doing this since 1979 while maintaining a full recording and touring career has taught me a thing or two

Sharing a quote from a former student that learned '' Real Deal, Real World '' in his time with me:

''Steve Bryant cuts out the nonsense and shares with you real world knowledge, techniques, and methods that he himself uses on a daily basis as a Nashville session player. Studying with Steve is one light bulb going off after another. No matter your level of experience or style, you will be a better musician after studying with Steve.''

- Matt Cantin

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I welcome all students with a desire to truly improve their playing to get better gigs and sessions, or to satisfy your personal critique and goals..

I look forward to working with you!

All The best,

Steve

Bass lessons online for the real world... getting hired, having a career in Nashville

Imagine a world where you are making more money than you have spent on gear, various and sundry music related expenses etc. in a calendar year! That year when you show a profit on schedule C of your income tax return. There are various interpretations of the word ''professional'' depending on who you are talking to and their point of view.

For the purpose of of this discussion, I am defining a pro bassist as one who makes a living primarily as a musician. One can play on a pro level, have a pro work ethic and business sense, pro level gear, pro level attitude and still not make (or choose) a full time living at it.

I have been asked over the years by bassists everywhere who are aspiring to be full time pro players about '' what it takes'' to attain that goal. If you don't already live in a city that can support a full time musician.. move to a city that does. Granted, this is a bit easier when you are young and in your late teens or 20's, but don't let that stop you by all means if your heart is set on doing it. I am going to talk about Nashville specifically as I've been a resident and session bassist for many years and a full time professional since 1975. Of course, this can be applied in other cities where there is a viable music industry/scene.

Consider well these points:

* Preparation! Know how to read number charts on a level of competency with a minimal amount of time..sometimes you will be required to play on the spot!.. some gigs are like that, especially the sub gigs and demo sessions where time and money is at a premium.

I also want to impress upon you that knowing how to read notation and chord charts expands your opportunities to work and opens doors to a wider world:-) The basics of reading is not hard.. I know because I have taught hundreds this very basic skill over the years, and some are working pros now. many semi-pro or weekend gigging players. Have a working knowledge of chordal notes and how chords move in a progression is so very important .. your chordal notes form the backbone of your playing.. I've taught many this very necessary skill.. A bassist that knows his or her chords is an asset. Music is expressed in chords, not scales.. I've never been hired to play a scale .. this is a perspective that become evident in the pro world..

* Develop friendships/working relationships with upcoming artists, songwriters, producers, and musicians. You never will know if that that up and coming writer could be the next hot thing with a string of smash hits:-) In many cases the writer/artist pulled in from their relationships the the great bass player they knew personally over the months and years and hung out in a friendly ( not mercenary) manner... being confident and easy to work with is so very important.

* Take advantage of the networking and career building qualities of union membership. The music business IS a business.. and your continued success depends on getting paid fairly and having the resources of collective bargaining working for you.. also, the benefits of equipment insurance, health insurance, pension, and various services is so helpful in building your financial future. reuse and upgrade payments from demo to master

See the full details at: http://www.nashvillemusicians.org/

* View each gig you take as a networking opportunity and treat people respectfully.. it will come back to you:-) Be prepared, show up a little early for the downbeat ( start time) and be open and friendly... I can't express how extremely important it is to keep your commitments and work habits professional.. this one tip alone will save you so much grief, drama, and wasted time. Don't be reluctant to graciously turn down work if you are not being respected or the business end of things are promised and not delivered.

* Never get your entire sense of self worth from the ups and downs of the music business.. it is far too ephemeral and capricious to let circumstances dictate your value in the entirety of YOU as a creative musician and as a person.

Learn to fill your bucket from activities and interests from non music related sources.. I promise it will all flow into your creative bass playing!

Steve Bryant is a pro bassist/educator in Nashville.. He's taught hundreds of bass students worldwide via Skype and also in Nashville in his private studio. Some of his former students are the current crop of successful touring/session musicians..