I’ve been teaching in a variety of settings since 1980. Starting at a small music store in Acton, MA, I went on to teach at Berklee College Of Music, Boston College, Milton Academy, and Arizona State University. I’ve taught at bass conferences around the world, even ran two weekend bass workshops of my own many years ago, School of Bass I & II. But ultimately, I love teaching private lessons. One-on-one mentorship can be the most rewarding and effective way to help people attain their goals.
I am accepting private students at home in Tucson (worth the trip!), and online. Starting sometime in November 2024, there will be a membership area of this site with a variety of educational materials written over the years. Some will be simple pdfs of lessons, some will have audio or video. In addition to archived material, I will be creating video lessons, posting one a week for members. Check in soon to see what’s happening. In the meantime, these free lessons are here for your enjoyment and education. They may seem like basic topics, but in my experience, you should never skimp on the fundamentals!
I’m offering these free lessons as a way of generating interest in my books, and to add to the tome of bass knowledge available online. The lessons are available to you at no charge, but donations are always gratefully accepted. My Paypal email is: ed@edfriedland.com:
From The Vault – Chart Reading Secrets, and a few dirty ones too!
From The Vault – Road Maps
New Series! Metronome Torture Tests!!
Inspired by a continuing disagreement over using the metronome to improve one’s ability to keep time, I’m putting these exercises online for your benefit. Even if you believe this won’t help – try it! If you can do it, move on. If you can’t… keep at it until you can. Thousands of students have used these exercises over the years with great success, it’ll work for you too – if you do it! Many ideas like this are featured in my book “Bass Grooves”. Google it, and buy a NEW hardcopy please! E-books are like Spotify for authors… just a way for the corporations to pay you less for your work because…. digital? Because it costs them less to sell your book digitally?? If you buy, buy new, buy hardcopy please!
Metronome Torture Test!!!
Download the PDF for this lesson free, but consider a donation!
Pay what you want.
Pentatonic Scales For Bass
Taken from my book Pentatonic Scales For Bass, these lessons explore the use of Pentatonic Modes to help you create musical bass lines, and more interesting solos.
END PENTATONIC ABUSE!
Download the PDF for this lesson free, but consider a donation!
Pay what you want.
Strategies For Fingerboard Mastery!!
Do you REALLY know your fingerboard? Some people can only follow the guitar player, or memorize where they play in relation to the dots, or play strictly by ear and never think about what note they might be playing. Don’t get me wrong—all three of those approaches are great, and we ALL play that way too. But here’s the thing, if you LEARN EVERY NOTE on the fingerboard, and understand how each one is a different TEXTURE to be used musically—NOW you’re approaching the instrument the way all the BEST players do. The fingerboard is your workspace, your neighborhood, and your playground—KNOW YOUR NECK!!
KNOW YOUR NECK #2
Download the PDF for Know Your Neck #2 free, but why not donate to the cause, and keep these lessons coming?
KNOW YOUR NECK #3
Download the PDF for Know Your Neck #3 for free, but consider donating to my Paypal account, pay what and as OFTEN as you like!
KNOW YOUR NECK #4
Download the PDF for Know Your Neck #4 for free, but please consider a donation, thanks.
KNOW YOUR NECK #5
Download the PDF for Know Your Neck #5 for free, but please consider a donation to help keep the lights on! Thanks!
KNOW YOUR NECK #6
Download the PDF for Know Your Neck #6 for free here, but please consider a donation to help keep the lights on! Thanks!
