The Tutor - Chris Cropp

Chris has a degree in music technology and grade 8 with distinction in acoustic guitar. He oversees the construction of all material for the Rock Star Academy Rock n Pop school where children between the ages of 6 and 14 are taught to play guitar, drums and keys. He has an impressive knowledge of music theory and uses it to develop lessons that are logical and progressive.

Synopsis

This Core Skills course is designed to help beginners play Bass guitar and offer techniques that will help any Bassist improve their core technique.

The course starts with the basics like how to hold the bass, posture and plucking technique. It progresses on to techniques like finger positioning and string muting, it finishes off with string crossing and rhythmic accuracy. At every stage of the course you are given exercises to play and practice. Each practice piece is tabbed out and there is an audio file so you can hear what the exercise sounds like.

Course Structure

This course is time released to make sure you have enough time to practice each lesson before moving on.

1. Understanding Tab
2. Holding The Bass, Posture & Guitar Position
3. Plucking Hand Positions & Plucking The Strings
4. String Tones & Getting A Balanced Tone
5. Fretting & Fretting Hand Positions
6. Fretting & Fretting Hand Finger Placement
7. Finger Positioning & Fretting Hand Finger Positioning
8. String Muting, Overall String Muting Technique, Fretting Hand Muting & Plucking Hand Muting Technique
9. String Crossing, Rhythmic Accuracy, Tonal Consistency & Dynamics

The Tutor - Nigel Jones

So I have been playing guitar since I was 12, which is now over 20 years. I’m a qualified guitar teacher with over 10 years experience, a member of the RGT. I have given lessons in schools and colleges across the UK, I have taught 1000s of guitar players in groups and one to one lessons; I’ve had many students get distinctions in grades. I’m now bringing my knowledge of guitar and experience of teaching to Rock Star Academy. I hope you enjoy my lessons...

Synopsis

In the Zero to Hero intermediate bass course you will gain knowledge on core skills, music theory and putting that into real music. It will make you understand the connection between theory and practical; how this will continue to make you a better bass player. You will cover demanding bass lines, chord tones, scales and arpeggios; you’ll learn how to keep these skills under control and in time. This course will develop you as a musician and push you. The course is designed around grade 2-4 but will help fill in any blanks for players that may have holes in their knowledge at any level. I have designed this course to be interactive so loads of drum loops and backing tracks for you to lay bass lines over.

Course Structure

This course is time released to make sure you have enough time to practice each lesson before moving on.

1. Intro (A look at what the course is all about)
2. The Chromatic Order (The knowledge that will set you up)
3. The Bass Gym (Warming up and practice routines)
4. Right Hand Techniques (Different ways to play/produce notes)
5. Bang On The Beat (Using root notes to product a bass line)
6. Getting Tricky (Start to incorporate 5th and Octaves)
7. Chord Tones (Fitting an arpeggio in)
8. Putting It Into Practice (5 different patterns incorporating techniques that we have covered so far)
9. Playing in key (A guide to how music keys work)
10. Pentatonic Power (A look at 5 shapes of the Pentatonic scale)
11. Major Scales (A look at different Major shapes)
12. Minor Scales (A look at different Minor shapes)
13. Big Sound (Using the Pentatonic to play)
14. Big Sound the next level (Using the Major and the Minor)
15. 12 Bars Of Fun (Get this classic turn around under you fingers)
16. Ripping it up! (5 different bass lines)