Online bass lessons

Each ArtistWorks bass school is run by a single master teacher — Nathan East or Stu Hamm on electric bass, John Patitucci in jazz on both upright and electric, or Missy Raines on bluegrass upright. When you join a school you get that teacher's full library of video lessons, their structured curriculum and, as a Premium subscriber at schools that offer it, personal video feedback on your own playing.

Less than one private lesson. A single ArtistWorks membership gives you unlimited access to your chosen bass school, every video lesson in it, to watch and practice as often as you like — and Premium plans add Video Exchange® with your teacher at schools that offer it. Plans are billed monthly or annually, and every new student starts with a 7-day free trial.

Yes. Missy Raines, Stu Hamm and John Patitucci all start from the beginning, with timing, tone, technique and your first scales and tunes, before moving into grooves and bass lines. Nathan East's school picks up at advanced-beginner level, so it's a great next step once you have the basics. Because bass parts are mostly one note at a time, beginners can play along with real songs very early on.

Most students play simple grooves along with songs within a few weeks. Playing confidently in a band, including walking lines and reading chord charts, typically takes six months to a year of regular practice.

Pick the one that fits your music. Electric bass is standard in rock, pop, funk and most modern styles, and it's smaller and easier to start on. Upright (double) bass is central to bluegrass and traditional jazz. Theory, timing and note names transfer between the two; the technique differs. ArtistWorks teaches both, and John Patitucci's school has a full path for each.

No. Close-up video shows you exactly what to play, and Missy Raines' school includes bass tabs and backing tracks. John Patitucci's school teaches reading music as part of its music theory lessons, which helps when you play with other musicians.

Yes — you can subscribe to as many schools as you like. Each teacher's curriculum and lesson library is entirely their own, so many students pair a core style with a second, such as rock electric bass with jazz walking lines. Every school includes a 7-day free trial, so you can look inside any bass school before you commit.