Bass Lessons
UPRIGHT OR BASS GUITAR.
BOOK A FREE TRIAL LESSON!
One-on-one music lessons with the pros, in-home and online.
Learn to Play Bass
Bass lessons, upright or electric, start with the basics: learning each and every student’s goals and aspirations. Who do you listen to? What are your favorite bands? Are you more into rock, or jazz? What attracts you to the bass? Once we understand a student’s goals and passion points, our expert bass teachers create a customized curriculum that has them looking forward to every lesson.
The Driving Engine
The SoundLife approach is to build on a student’s excitement. From the very first lesson, students will be playing the bass, quickly learning how to read bass tablature and the role the bass plays in the context of an ensemble. These skills are then applied to songs they love. Our primary goal is to sky-rocket engagement by showing students how to use what they learn in their lessons to navigate and interpret the wealth of musical information all around them every day. From social media to websites, apps, and YouTube, learning opportunities are everywhere. We empower and guide students as they problem solve, and we help accelerate their progress by giving them real-world applications for what they learn.
We’re a performance-driven school. We use songs, techniques, and projects to set personal goals with each student. This may lead to reading standard notation, understanding a variety of stylistic approaches to the instrument, learning how to walk through jazz standards, or creating slap bass patterns funky enough to make the ground shake. We meet students where they are and help them get to where they want to be. We connect with what they love in order to teach them how to find and confidently express their creative voice.
Whether you're a beginner or an accomplished player, we have a teacher for you!
We’ve worked with every level of student. Maybe you’ve been playing for years and want to kick it up a notch, or maybe this is the first time you’ve ever picked up a bass. Either way, we’ve got you! Our teachers have performed on arena stages around the world, and have experience, excitement, and skills to share.
Meet Our Featured Teachers
Blake
Electric and Upright Bass / Guitar Teacher, Band Coach
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Blake is a well established upright and electric session bassist. He works with some of the top artists in the city, including Ray Brown, TJ Wilkins, Wild Awake, and many more. Blake is a thoroughly dedicated teacher with a passion for educating and inspiring budding musicians, and especially enjoys diving in and helping advanced students bring their game to the next level.
Cuni
Guitar / Bass Teacher, Band Coach
A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Cuni is an inspiring musician inside and out. He’s a dedicated and inspiring technician on both the guitar and bass, and is the perfect instructor for advanced students looking to take their playing to the next level. Cuni has worked with artists such as Latina superstar Amanda Miguel and her powerhouse daughter Ana Victoria, singer-songwriter Rivvrs, and funk legend Andre Cymone.
Schedule a Free Lesson Today!
How Does it Work? (FAQ)
What is the best age to start bass lessons?
The best age to start playing bass is different for electric and upright. The electric bass is recommended for students ages 8 and up. The bass requires more finger independence and hand strength than the guitar. Therefore, we suggest students under age 8 begin on a nylon string guitar before moving to an electric bass. For upright or double bass, we recommend waiting until the age of 10.
Do I need my own bass (electric or upright) to start?
Students who don’t have their own electric bass won’t need to purchase one immediately. We offer new students a loaner (electric) bass for in-person trial lessons. If you decide to sign up for lessons with us, we’ll work with you to recommend the perfect first bass.
For upright bass students, we recommend renting an instrument. If a student is playing the upright bass in the school orchestra or jazz band, the school is often able to help facilitate providing an instrument to take home. If this option is not available, we are more than happy to provide a recommendation for a rental. When the time comes, we can also work with you to recommend the perfect upright bass.
Are bass lessons in-person or online?
Whichever option you prefer! All SoundLife music lessons are offered in-person or online, or a combination of the two.
Locals:
While our music lessons are private, the ultimate goal of our performance-based program is for each and every (Los Angeles local) student to take part in as much of our Five-Stage Program as they are comfortable with so they can benefit from all that our musical community has to offer. We invite and urge all students to take part in our regular Student Jams where they can meet, socialize, and play with other students in a band setting. We also encourage all students to take part in our Student Showcases, where they can build real confidence by performing alongside their peers.
Out of Town:
No matter where you’re located, you can take lessons with a professional musician with years of industry experience – SoundLife offers online/remote lessons nationwide, regardless of location! All you need is an internet connection, and an instrument to get started. If you’d like more information on our remote programs and the many tools and resources we have available online, you can request more info here.
What is the cost of bass lessons with SoundLife?
The cost of bass lessons is between $250-$415 for a package of four lessons depending on lesson length. Lessons range from 30min to 60min, although we typically reserve 30min lessons for little rockers under 10. Lesson packages are like a digital punch card. Each lesson is tied to attendance. If you choose to quit at any time, unused lessons will be refunded. If you’re having a blast and want to keep learning and improving, your package will renew after every four lessons.