Bass Lessons with Jonathan Herrera

As a professional musician and educator myself, I can easily say that Jonathan is at the top of the list in terms of bay-​area bass gurus. You can normally only find education of this caliber at places like Berklee College of Music in Boston, or MIT in Southern California. Private lessons with Jonathan will not only open your mind in terms of skill, technique, and harmony, but he is steeped in the lineage and history of the world of bass (many of whom on a personal level), past and present. His patient and calm demeanor set the tone for real learning and improvement to occur…

I had a lesson with Jonathan when I needed to crank up some ancient rusty skills on short notice. I’d never had formal lessons on bass anyway so I wanted to be sure I was doing it right. Despite my very random eclectic musical experience he grasped very quickly where I was coming from, what I wanted to do, and what level I’m at. He showed me a better way to play the song I was working on: more adapted to my level in some places, and more standardized so it worked better in another place. He showed me some great strengthening exercises that targeted my weaknesses. He was also efficient and observant of the time too, which I appreciated since I was only springing for one lesson, and we got to everything I wanted to do. And, not only does he have plenty of tips and suggestions and clearly knows what he’s doing, he was totally down to earth and relaxed, so that my nerves didn’t get in the way of my playing at all, and so I was able to get maximum benefit. Really an enjoyable experience and money well spent!

When I started taking lessons from Jon, I basically only had the musical experience that you learn playing the recorder in elementary school and playing the clarinet in the marching band (because I really liked a boy). I started with the goal of just being good enough to play with a few of my friends, but Jon made it so fun and so intriguing. He showed me how exciting it could be to really get to know the bass. He is a master of his instrument, but more than that he truly understands music and is helping me to do the same.

Jon’s a great musician to study with if you’re looking to take a your bass playing to the next level. OK, I know that sounds like a quote from late night cable TV so let me explain.
Chances are if you’re looking for someone like Jonathan then you’ve decided its time to get more serious about your bass playing and musicianship. Maybe you’ve been playing for years and finally decided it’s time to learn more about your instrument and music in general. Or maybe you’ve been playing simpler rock and blues stuff and want to expand your playing into more groove oriented or jazz influenced material. Or maybe you’re early on in your playing and want someone to help you understand what you need to know to become a solid, well rounded player.
Jon knows about all this stuff and more. First and foremost, he’s a killer player in his own right, either as a first call guy when people like Oz Noy come to town or laying down solid, funky grooves with the Dynamic Live Band. Or improvising over jazz and pop tunes with the amazing Matthew Charles Heulett Trio. As a teacher, he’s fantastic at taking his depth of knowledge and experience and translating it into tips, techniques, ideas, and concepts that will greatly expand your knowledge of all things bass and music related. If you want to go deep into jazz harmony or simply get better at creating and holding a steady groove Jon’s great at breaking it down with clear explanations and demonstrations on how you can get those things into your own playing. Most importantly a musician of Jon’s caliber understands what you need to know to be a better bass player and overall musician and can focus your efforts on getting there.
I’ve studied with Jon for almost 2 years. He’s a great guy to work with and takes a supportive but honest, straightforward approach to teaching. Without a doubt, working with him has contributed significantly to my growth as a bass player and musician. Would highly recommend studying with Jonathan if you’re looking for improvement and growth in your own playing.

I’ve taken bass guitar lessons from Jon Herrera for over a year and the lessons (along with a lot of practice) have really helped my playing and understanding of music. In addition to being a great musician, Jon’s formal music education and years of experience at Bass Player Magazine make him uniquely qualified to teach at every level from beginner to professional.