Bass Lessons Unlimited Irvine

I think most of us realize on some level that the music industry is a difficult industry to survive in. Regular promotions, a living wage, job security, benefits, retirement, and the ability to live in one place are all things many of us take for granted that musicians can’t. It takes real devotion to one’s craft, self-discipline, passion, resilience, stamina, interpersonal skills, adaptability, and of course, talent, to survive in such a demanding industry.

I’ve had the privilege to learn from a long list of teachers who have ranged from local college professors in classical guitar and opera and musicians in my hometown, to teachers I have discovered online, who teach from their homes or on the road, using Skype. My husband and I have worked with Riley for about a year and a half, and in that time, Riley really made himself stand out as one who will not only survive, but will thrive in this exceedingly demanding industry. During that time, he never missed a single lesson, teaching us from out of state whenever he’d travel home for the holidays, through nearly every vacation he took while we worked with him, and he did it with a smile. I have never met anyone so motivated to work even while on vacation. One summer we saw him teach from a different place nearly every week due to his hectic schedule. Despite this hectic schedule of teaching, practicing, moving, and performing, he would always be present, focused, good-natured, patient, and responsive during our lessons. He would also respond to any musical questions we had online, and was unbelievably supportive of my husband and I who both took lessons with him.

My husband did not play any musical instruments when we started, has a demanding work schedule, hates drill and practice, and initially didn’t understand the value of scales. Riley worked patiently, compassionately, and very astutely with him, ultimately earning my husband’s respect and fostering a newfound love and respect for music, as well as the ability to create basslines to accompany my songs and figure out popular basslines by ear. The cycle of fourths and its many offshoots figured prominently in our time with Riley, instilling in us the necessary fundamentals to play with confidence, ease, and freedom, and the advice he gave helped us to learn good technique minimizing RSI and maximize longevity with our playing. It’s still remarkable to me how Riley was able to observe us well enough to instill sound technique while doing this online. He also taught us music theory fundamentals, rhythm, and a refreshingly selfless ethos of how the best musicians work to make each other sound better, as opposed to trying to grab all the attention and accolades for themselves. It is obvious to me that Riley’s passion for bass and his determination to succeed in an industry that would cow most of us if we understood what that required, is nothing short of extraordinary. I have seen firsthand that Riley would put up with almost anything to be allowed to live out his passion. Music is his life. His life is music. He takes his work incredibly seriously, and if you entrust him with your learning and invest in it in the way he shows you how, it will yield incredible results and you will end up not only a better musician, but a better person for having worked and played with him. He will take you with him on his ascent upwards.