This is just what I needed. There are plenty of note-for-note transcriptions of funk lines on RU-vid, but this takes me so much further. A veritable formula/method for creating my own funk lines. The Lao Tzu saying " . . Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. . . " comes to mind. Thank you once again Jeff.
Hello illustrious, I have always heard of you but I just met you today and it is a pleasure. My online bass teacher has mentioned you on several occasions, he is German and he studied courses in California. I know I am a bit too old to learn but I like the way you do it, serenity and technique. I loved the blues in Bb7👏. Recommend me some of your books at beginner level or even on jazz or blues. Regards.
Jeff is one of the greatest educators and such a treasure trove of knowledge and inspiration to bass players and musicians. Your love for teaching and music is an amazing thing to witness. You are drenched in the spirit of music.. blessings!.
Thank you Anthony. Learning how to play better is in everyone's future if they decide that they want this for themselves. Thank you for sharing such a kind post. Regards, Jeff
i used to view Jeff Berlin as a rather cold, severe personality. As I mature I'm realising that he is simply very serious about bass and wants to pass on his considerable knowledge in a way that demonstrates that. Thanks Jeff, i'm warming to you!
remember back in the day when jeff had a little column in guitar player mag and we would have to decipher his teachings from standard music notation and tablature
Sad to hear that Rocco isn't performing with Tower of Power anymore, owing to health issues. There was a pretty interesting article in Bass Player that profiled him and went through the whole situation. Pretty sad.
Yeah, real sad. I hadn't read anything, but when I watched the band on NPR Tiny Desk I figured that health, or worse I felt at the time, must be an issue. Sucks!
Regarding the last 45 seconds of the video fellow viewers: I've been playing bass for 20 years, never learned to read music and finally decided to plug up that hole in my knowledge using Jeff's courses. I'm working my way slowly (very slowly!) and surely (very surely!) through Package 1 and it's been a great and transformative thing. Well worth the dinero to learn our musical language more fully and become a better bass player.
Hi Thomas. Slow has always been the fastest way to learn how to play better. The trick is to do it almost every day, not for hours, but for 15 to 30 minutes because people can tolerate this amount of time practicing something totally devoid of art and feeling. Keep it up and you will be quite pleased with what is awaiting you down the road.
Hi CCC. Not really! I never made a schedule to practice by and frankly, none of my friends/colleagues who came up with me did either. We just practiced what was assigned to us as students and because it was always centered around meaningful musical content, we all got better. I would trust this method and simply suggest that you dedicate time to whatever your teachers have assigned you. You'll know what to do once you start doing it.
I saw Jeff in the 1980's at a music clinic at Thouroughbred Music in Tampa Forida. He left about a hundred musicians with their mouths handing open. Including me.
Awesome Jeff! Love it!! You are so inspiring and an incredible instructor! I cherish the times that I was able to spend with you in the classroom at MI back in 1988......Oops......Did I just date myself?
I was a B.I.T student @ M.I. from Sept. 1988 to Sept 1989. I religiously went to Jeff's open counciling every Monday & Friday. Even after I graduated, my girlfriend went to G.I.T. and would still hang with Jeff from time to time at his open councilings. I was a fan of Jeff in 1983 when I first heard Allan Holdsworth' "Road Games" and it was an honor to know Jeff. Jeff was & still is a force!
@@Jeff-o-Lee Same here (BIT 88-89) with Jeff. What an awesome time and an awesome institution. All the instructors were amazing! The clinics were incredible! I really cherish a lot of those memories.
Very sad about the failing health post liver transplant of Prestia the brilliant bassist innovator. For those who haven't seen TOP's replacement bass man who fills Rocco's shoes superbly there's a new Tower of Power video out on NPR Tiny Desk
Maybe it's a groove lesson but, in no way shape or for Jeff said "groove is first". Or, "you should always groove when you're practicing new musical concepts".
