Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on August 25, 2008 1:57 pm
Welcome to Imago Music! I’m excited that you’re taking lessons! Your lesson will happen every Wednesday at 5:00PM at Heritage Church. Please click on the “About” tab at the top of this page and read about my teaching philosophy and details about tuition pricing, payment and cancellation. Make sure one of your parents read it, too.
Come to your first lesson with your instrument, a pick, an electronic tuner and an instrument cable (if necessary). I hope you’re pumped about learning to play – this will be a fun experience!
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on September 3, 2008 6:13 pm
September 3, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Discussed how the bass guitar works & fits in a band
- Introduced the parts of the guitar
- Introduced the names of the strings
- Looked at the website and studybass.com
- Introduced how to tune with an electronic tuner and manually
THIS WEEK:
1) Review and memorize the parts of the bass guitar: body, neck, head, tuners or machine heads, nut, fretboard or fingerboard, frets, fretwires, inlays or fret markers, truss rod, pickups, pick guard, tone control, volume control, jack, bridge, saddle
2) Review and memorize the names of the strings:
E_lvis
A_te
D_inner
G_ood
B_oy (not on your bass)
E_lvis (not on your bass)
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on September 10, 2008 5:41 pm
September 10, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON;
- Reviewed the names of the strings
- Introduced the G major scale
- Discussed how the scales from choir are the same scales we use with the bass
- Learned a very basic, quarter-note version of “Every Move I Make”
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice the G major scale
- use the one-finger-per-fret rule
- try to get smooth enough with it to play it backwards
2) Practice “Every Move I Make”
- play each note twice (you’re playing on every beat)
- get your dad to play it with you
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on September 17, 2008 5:37 pm
September 17, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed the G major scale
- Worked on “Every Move I Make”
- Introduced the half-note rhythm on the verse, quarter-note rhythm on the chorus and quarter/quarter/eighth/quarter rhythm on the bridge
- Played with the metronome on studybass.com
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on “Every Move I Make”
- use the half-note rhythm on the verse, quarter-note rhythm on the chorus and quarter/quarter/eighth/quarter rhythm on the bridge
- play with the metronome. Go to http://www.studybass.com and about half-way ddown the front page you’ll see the link for the metronome. Set it on about 100 bpm
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on September 17, 2008 6:08 pm
Also, we talked about the role of the bass to create the “mood” or “feel” of a song. We don’t want every section of a song to sound the same as the others. We can make a section feel “slower” by sustaining notes. We can also make a section feel like it drives by playing on every beat (quarter notes).
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on September 24, 2008 5:30 pm
September 24, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Every Move I Make”
- Worked on “How Great Is Our God”
THIS WEEK:
1) Work “How Great Is Our God”
- use the half-note rhythm on the verse
- use 1-&3 rhythm on the chorus
- use the quarter note rhythm on the bridge, sliding up to the octave and using eighth notes
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on October 8, 2008 5:40 pm
October 8, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed Sept 24 material
- Introduced “the box” and used 5s and octaves with all our notes
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep working on “How Great Is Our God”
- Use octaves on the 3s on the verse
- Use 5-octave on &3 the first time, octave-octave on the second time on the chorus
OTHER:
- Remember that you’re jamming with me at my home studio on Monday from 2:30-4PM to make up for missed lessons. Coordinate with Jonathan; he’s interested in coming with you.
OTHER:
- This was a blast! Thanks for teaching me the harmony parts to “Hold On”
- No lesson on Christmas Eve. There are five Wednesdays in December, so we won’t be behind by skipping Christmas Eve.
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on January 21, 2009 6:32 pm
January 21, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:
- Reviewed “Livin’ On a Prayer”
- Introduced “What I’ve Done”
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on “What I’ve Done”
- tab: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/l/linkin_park/what_ive_done_btab.htm
- lose the pick and play it with your first and second fingers. The steady beat on the chorus will be good practice and after you get tired from the chorus, the verse gives you some rest!
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on January 28, 2009 6:33 pm
January 28, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “What I’ve Done”
- Talked about technique with plucking and muting strings
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep working on “What I’ve Done”
2) Work on plucking and muting strings
- Web site: http://www.studybass.com/lessons/bass-technique/plucking/
- Work on the video lesson from the above Web site and also practice the exercises
- Use what you’ve learned from that Web site and apply it to “What I’ve Done”
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on February 25, 2009 6:39 pm
February 25, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:
- Reviewed “Today”
- Introduced the Jeff Hardy theme song
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice the Jeff Hardy theme song
- Check out the video embedded at the top of this page
- Keep using your first and second fingers on your right hand… good job there!
- This song will really help work on left hand speed. Try to stick with the one-finger-per-fret rule
OTHER:
- I will be out of town next week, so we won’t have lesson. There’s no need to reschedule… there are several months with five Wednesdays in them this year, so we’ll make up the missed day later without rescheduling.
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on March 11, 2009 5:29 pm
March 11, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed the Jeff Hardy theme song
- Introduced the Triple H theme song
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice the Triple H theme song
- I’m not posting the chords because it’s written in Eb and we figured it out in standard tuning, starting on the 11th fret on the low E string. Practice it without the tab.
- I know this song is very repetitious, but the rhythm will work your left hand really well. Work on making your rhythm very steady.
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on March 18, 2009 5:31 pm
March 18, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:
- Continued our study of pro wrestler theme songs with Vladimir Kozlov’s entrance theme!
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice the Kozlov theme song
- We learned it by ear and there’s no tab online for it. Start at the twelfth fret and you’ll remember how we’re playing it. Sorry I don’t have more details than that for you… we should write out the tab for these WWE songs and submit them to Ultimate Guitar!
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on March 25, 2009 5:33 pm
March 2, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Worked on technique and tone with Paulo
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on the chromatic scale exercise
- Use only one finger per fret
- Make sure your fingers on the left hand are right behind the fret wires
- Look at your right hand while you play and make sure it is in a good position
- Stand up while you play
OTHER:
- Next week we’ll start working on a basic worship song
Here are my notes from Paulo’s instructions:
Good tone is VERY important!
- put your finger right behind the fretwire
- good tone doesn’t come from the bass or the amp primarily… it comes from two good fingers and good technique
- drop your thumb behind the neck… don’t do the choke hold (like Eric)
- speed is not the main thing for a bass player but there is a place for it
0 right hand is where the tone is at! your left hand can be perfect but if the right hand is not there, it will mess up your tone
- place your right arm on the rest area of the body of the bass
- you want your hand at an angle where you can get to all the strings easily… lots of room. Right hand effeciency.
- Always have room so that you can utilize the whole bass.
- Practice exercises
-
Comment by Eric Foster-Whiddon on April 1, 2009 5:37 pm
April 1, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed chromatic scale exercise
- Introduced the cross-fingerboard finger exercise
- Introduced the spider exercise
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice the cross-fingerboard finger exercise and the spider exercise
- Remember to use only one finger per fret
- Once you get used to the exercises, start looking at your right hand while you play
- I’d like for you to be pretty quick on these exercises by our next lesson
OTHER:
- Remember that we will have lesson next week even though it is Spring Break
Welcome to Imago Music! I’m excited that you’re taking lessons! Your lesson will happen every Wednesday at 5:00PM at Heritage Church. Please click on the “About” tab at the top of this page and read about my teaching philosophy and details about tuition pricing, payment and cancellation. Make sure one of your parents read it, too.
Come to your first lesson with your instrument, a pick, an electronic tuner and an instrument cable (if necessary). I hope you’re pumped about learning to play – this will be a fun experience!
September 3, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Discussed how the bass guitar works & fits in a band
- Introduced the parts of the guitar
- Introduced the names of the strings
- Looked at the website and studybass.com
- Introduced how to tune with an electronic tuner and manually
THIS WEEK:
1) Review and memorize the parts of the bass guitar: body, neck, head, tuners or machine heads, nut, fretboard or fingerboard, frets, fretwires, inlays or fret markers, truss rod, pickups, pick guard, tone control, volume control, jack, bridge, saddle
2) Review and memorize the names of the strings:
E_lvis
A_te
D_inner
G_ood
B_oy (not on your bass)
E_lvis (not on your bass)
3) Look around at http://www.studybass.com
OTHER:
- Next week we will begin working on some music!
- Paid $50 for September lessons
September 10, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON;
- Reviewed the names of the strings
- Introduced the G major scale
- Discussed how the scales from choir are the same scales we use with the bass
- Learned a very basic, quarter-note version of “Every Move I Make”
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice the G major scale
- use the one-finger-per-fret rule
- try to get smooth enough with it to play it backwards
2) Practice “Every Move I Make”
- play each note twice (you’re playing on every beat)
- get your dad to play it with you
September 17, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed the G major scale
- Worked on “Every Move I Make”
- Introduced the half-note rhythm on the verse, quarter-note rhythm on the chorus and quarter/quarter/eighth/quarter rhythm on the bridge
- Played with the metronome on studybass.com
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on “Every Move I Make”
- use the half-note rhythm on the verse, quarter-note rhythm on the chorus and quarter/quarter/eighth/quarter rhythm on the bridge
- play with the metronome. Go to http://www.studybass.com and about half-way ddown the front page you’ll see the link for the metronome. Set it on about 100 bpm
Also, we talked about the role of the bass to create the “mood” or “feel” of a song. We don’t want every section of a song to sound the same as the others. We can make a section feel “slower” by sustaining notes. We can also make a section feel like it drives by playing on every beat (quarter notes).
September 24, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Every Move I Make”
- Worked on “How Great Is Our God”
THIS WEEK:
1) Work “How Great Is Our God”
- use the half-note rhythm on the verse
- use 1-&3 rhythm on the chorus
- use the quarter note rhythm on the bridge, sliding up to the octave and using eighth notes
Notes for “How Great Is Our God” are: G, E, C, D
Eric cancelled October 1 lesson.
October 8, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed Sept 24 material
- Introduced “the box” and used 5s and octaves with all our notes
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep working on “How Great Is Our God”
- Use octaves on the 3s on the verse
- Use 5-octave on &3 the first time, octave-octave on the second time on the chorus
October 22, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “How Great Is Our God”
- Introduced “Free Bird”
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice the verse of “Free Bird”
- This link is what our version of it is based off of. It’s not exactly what we’re playing but it’s close enough to get you back on the right track if you forget how to play it. http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/l/lynyrd_skynyrd/free_bird_ver2_btab.htm
Missed October 29 lesson with no notice.
Eric cancelled November 5 lesson because of being the in the hospital with the new baby.
November 19, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Free Bird”
- Introduced “I Hate Myself for Loving You” by Joan Jett
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on “I Hate…”
- http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/j/joan_jett/i_hate_myself_for_loving_you_btab.htm
- Check out the video at the top of the page
No-show on Nov 26.
December 18, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “I Hate Myself for Loving You”
- Introduced “Hold On”
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on “Hold On”
- Chords: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/s/stellar_kart/hold_on_crd.htm
A# = E string, fret 6
G = E string, fret 3
D# = A string, fret 6
F = E string, fret 1
OTHER:
- Remember that you’re jamming with me at my home studio on Monday from 2:30-4PM to make up for missed lessons. Coordinate with Jonathan; he’s interested in coming with you.
December 22, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Hold On”
- Introduced “Me and Jesus”
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep working on “Me and Jesus”
- tab: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/s/stellar_kart/me_and_jesus_btab.htm
- Try playing with a pick but also work on using two fingers
OTHER:
- This was a blast! Thanks for teaching me the harmony parts to “Hold On”
- No lesson on Christmas Eve. There are five Wednesdays in December, so we won’t be behind by skipping Christmas Eve.
Missed Dec 31 lesson. Hope you had fun in Gatlinburg!
January 7, 2008
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “Me and Jesus”
- Reviewed major scale (C#major)
- Reviewed octaves & fifths
THIS WEEK:
1) Review major scale
2) Keep practicing “Me and Jesus” and figure out what each note is in the scale
January 14, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:
- Began working on “Livin’ On a Prayer” by Bon Jovi
- Found the notes of the verse in the scale
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice “Livin’ On a Prayer”
- tab: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/b/bon_jovi/livin_on_a_prayer_btab.htm
- You can learn a lot of this on your own before next week
OTHER:
- Next week we will work on E minor scale
January 21, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:
- Reviewed “Livin’ On a Prayer”
- Introduced “What I’ve Done”
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on “What I’ve Done”
- tab: http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/l/linkin_park/what_ive_done_btab.htm
- lose the pick and play it with your first and second fingers. The steady beat on the chorus will be good practice and after you get tired from the chorus, the verse gives you some rest!
January 28, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed “What I’ve Done”
- Talked about technique with plucking and muting strings
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep working on “What I’ve Done”
2) Work on plucking and muting strings
- Web site: http://www.studybass.com/lessons/bass-technique/plucking/
- Work on the video lesson from the above Web site and also practice the exercises
- Use what you’ve learned from that Web site and apply it to “What I’ve Done”
February 4, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Worked on muting technique using the thumb and ring finger
THIS WEEK:
1) Really work on your right hand technique – plucking and muting
- Use the video on Study Bass (see link above)
February 11, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed plucking technique
- Worked on fretting technique
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice fretting technique
- Web site: http://www.studybass.com/lessons/bass-technique/fretting/
- Work on the exercises using the one-finger-per-fret rule
- Be careful to not pull the strings when you pluck them
OTHER:
- Next week we’ll hopefully meet with Paulo
February 18, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed fretting technique
- Worked on “Today” by Smashing Pumpkins
THIS WEEK:
1) Keep working on “Today”
- See the video above
- Bring your tab next week
February 25, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:
- Reviewed “Today”
- Introduced the Jeff Hardy theme song
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice the Jeff Hardy theme song
- Check out the video embedded at the top of this page
- Keep using your first and second fingers on your right hand… good job there!
- This song will really help work on left hand speed. Try to stick with the one-finger-per-fret rule
OTHER:
- I will be out of town next week, so we won’t have lesson. There’s no need to reschedule… there are several months with five Wednesdays in them this year, so we’ll make up the missed day later without rescheduling.
March 11, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed the Jeff Hardy theme song
- Introduced the Triple H theme song
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice the Triple H theme song
- I’m not posting the chords because it’s written in Eb and we figured it out in standard tuning, starting on the 11th fret on the low E string. Practice it without the tab.
- I know this song is very repetitious, but the rhythm will work your left hand really well. Work on making your rhythm very steady.
March 18, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS WEEK:
- Continued our study of pro wrestler theme songs with Vladimir Kozlov’s entrance theme!
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice the Kozlov theme song
- We learned it by ear and there’s no tab online for it. Start at the twelfth fret and you’ll remember how we’re playing it. Sorry I don’t have more details than that for you… we should write out the tab for these WWE songs and submit them to Ultimate Guitar!
March 2, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Worked on technique and tone with Paulo
THIS WEEK:
1) Work on the chromatic scale exercise
- Use only one finger per fret
- Make sure your fingers on the left hand are right behind the fret wires
- Look at your right hand while you play and make sure it is in a good position
- Stand up while you play
OTHER:
- Next week we’ll start working on a basic worship song
Here are my notes from Paulo’s instructions:
Good tone is VERY important!
- put your finger right behind the fretwire
- good tone doesn’t come from the bass or the amp primarily… it comes from two good fingers and good technique
- drop your thumb behind the neck… don’t do the choke hold (like Eric)
- speed is not the main thing for a bass player but there is a place for it
0 right hand is where the tone is at! your left hand can be perfect but if the right hand is not there, it will mess up your tone
- place your right arm on the rest area of the body of the bass
- you want your hand at an angle where you can get to all the strings easily… lots of room. Right hand effeciency.
- Always have room so that you can utilize the whole bass.
- Practice exercises
-
April 1, 2009
WHAT WE DID THIS LESSON:
- Reviewed chromatic scale exercise
- Introduced the cross-fingerboard finger exercise
- Introduced the spider exercise
THIS WEEK:
1) Practice the cross-fingerboard finger exercise and the spider exercise
- Remember to use only one finger per fret
- Once you get used to the exercises, start looking at your right hand while you play
- I’d like for you to be pretty quick on these exercises by our next lesson
OTHER:
- Remember that we will have lesson next week even though it is Spring Break