As bass players, we all take different music-education paths, either by jamming with our favorite CDs, the high school band, private lessons or a Ph.D., but we develop our abilities with some sort of discipline driven by the desire to learn.

      The primary job of a bass teacher is to instruct and outline the standards of bass playing. What sets one teacher apart from the rest is the ability to inspire the student to create music. That inspiration is what plants the seed of desire to continue becoming better bass players even after the lesson is long past. The goal is for the student to ultimately be better than the teacher is. It is just like the expansion of technology. There were years of research, and decades of trial and error, that led to the invention of the transistor. Today's professors drill transistor theory into your head to make sure you understand how it works, but the road doesn't stop there. It may have stopped there years ago when the transistor was the latest and greatest, but today's studies take you to the next level. The transistor is now considered a building block.

      When learning any instrument, you also need to collect the building blocks. The trial and error of the previously uncharted territory has been mapped out, which sets the stage for the next students to break new ground. New ground is always inspiring, whether it is writing a new piece, inventing a new technique, or finding new and more efficient ways to help students to become the future groundbreakers.

      How do you continue your education as a professional bass player? We can maintain what we have learned by dusting off the metronome and going back to our old tried and true reading exercises. Although this may keep you limber, it gets to a point where it's all memory and you don't end up reading the music. So unless you make time to challenge yourself with new reading exercises, you can get rusty. You don't want your "big break" session to be a written session and risk fumbling through it.

      Besides appreciating a good teacher, I am an advocate for lesson books. Beginners through advanced players can all learn something new. You may find that a different author may break down an old lesson in a different way that gives you better understanding. They can build your reading skills and maybe inspire a bass line for your next hit tune. When I'm home, I keep a lesson book on my music stand. When I travel, I keep one in my luggage or gig bag. Whenever I get a free moment, I work on a couple of passages.

      Learning requires a frame of mind that is open and without ego. Realizing your weaknesses can be enriching and humbling. Whether you take lessons from a teacher or delve into a lesson book written by a good teacher, you can't lose. Teachers create the building blocks to build the bridges. We can either venture across them or stay on familiar ground. I say, "Take it to the bridge!"

Product Spotlight Bass Books in the Spotlight

     Bass Guitar: Total Scales, Techniques and Applications by Mark John Sternal

      This book is a valuable collection of lessons that will benefit everyone from beginner to professional. From proper physical playing form to obscure scale exercises, there is a wealth of knowledge here. One of my favorite features is the string crossing exercises that will definitely give you a workout. Upon completion of this book, you will absolutely have an intimate relationship with your bass. It comes with a CD, too. Available from www.MJSPublications.com.

     Improve Your Groove: The Ultimate Guide For Bass by Patrick Pfeiffer
      This is the groove anatomy book! How do you quantify something that is felt? This is really the first of its kind, where the author breaks down grooves into their elements with stress on timing and syncopation. A library of classic grooves with a CD is also included in this book to illustrate the lessons. This book is as good as it gets by breaking down various feels that have only been defined as instinct in the past. A true building block. Here are the tools. The rest is in your soul! Check out www.sourkrautmusic.com.