Bass: Introduction to Upright and/or Electric Bass for the Non-Bassist
Date
June 9-August 1, 2025
Online
Course Code
MECA: 8125B, MMEd: 512ST *
Credits
MECA: 3, MMEd: 2 *
Tuition
$1146
Course Description
Master the functional concepts on upright and/or electric bass that can immediately help the bassist in your ensemble reach their potential. Learn correct techniques for the right and left hands; practical approaches for developing bass lines in rock, jazz and Latin music styles; how to apply scale and arpeggio knowledge to improvise using chord charts that do not include a written-out note-for-note bass line; common fingering patterns for major and minor scales; arpeggios; and bass lines for the blues and common progressions such as ii-V7-I. You’ll leave this course feeling prepared to teach all levels of bass as well as compose and perform bass lines encountered in many genres. Only one type of bass is needed in order to take this course.
Instructor
Doug Bistrow received his degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, where he majored in String Bass Performance and Jazz & Contemporary Media. Giving over 150 concerts per year, he has performed with Yo Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, the Silk Road Ensemble, R. Kelly, Edgar Meyer, Howard Levy, Makaya McCraven, Dee Alexander, The Metropolitan Jazz Octet, BakerzMillion, Time For Three, Johnny Osborne, Ky-Mani Marley, Keith & Tex, Akasha, and many others. Bistrow is a member of the Chicago Philharmonic, the Rockford Symphony Orchestra, and the Metropolitan Jazz Octet. Bistrow is on the faculty at Vandercook College of Music, where he teaches applied double bass, and offers asynchronous online courses through the MECA program in beginning upright and electric bass, beginning jazz bass and orchestral bass. Bistrow owns and operates Audio Bistro Recording Studio in Chicago’s Logan Square.