Ben at Boston Bass Lessons has been an awesome teacher and a big reason I've been able to level up my bass playing. He's helped me fill in a lot of gaps in my understanding -- especially around theory -- and has a really chill, approachable way of explaining things that just makes stuff click. Every lesson feels super focused on what I need at the time, whether it's technique, timing, or getting more confident with improvisation. I always leave our sessions feeling motivated and like I've made progress. If you're looking to get better at bass with someone who knows their stuff, I definitely recommend Ben at Boston Bass Lessons. read more

So glad I found Bass Lessons Unlimited. Prior to starting with them, I'd been doing canned self-guided online bass sites, which could be a bit aimless at times and sometimes left me feeling stuck as a beginner. But since starting private lessons with Bass Lessons Unlimited, I've noticed myself progressing much quicker, and with better technique. My instructor, Ben Wallace-Ailsworth, is a fantastic teacher: he's extremely encouraging, making even my mistakes feel like a valuable part of the learning process. He's great at pivoting and trying different approaches to a particular lesson if one isn't clicking with me. He has a deep knowledge of music and theory in general, which helps a lot to teach me not just what we're doing, but why we're doing it. Before starting lessons with Ben, I thought it would be years, if ever, before I would be able to learn songs by ear, but within just a couple lessons, Ben had taught me how to figure out simple bass lines, and a few weeks after that, I was able to work out this one bass line that had been a long-term goal of mine. Nothing but good things to say about Ben. And Bass Lessons Unlimited in general made the process of starting lessons very smooth. read more

Riley is a great bass teacher. He is friendly, supportive and easy to work with. He will tailor the lessons to the type of music and bass playing style you are interested in. If you are just beginning, he can teach you the basics of what a bass player should do in a song, how to play in time, stay on the beat, and how to move from one chord to the next. He can also provide exercises to help you move your hands more efficiently. While he is always willing to answer questions you may have, he will also guide you so that you can learn to work things out on your own, like figuring out the chords and basslines to a song. He is also a highly skilled musician trained at Berklee College of Music so he can give you insights into music theory and why a bass player chose certain notes or lines to play in a song. He has a wide knowledge of bass players and the styles they play such as James Jamerson and Motown, or Paul Chambers and jazz, or Marcus Miller, Flea and Larry Graham with Slap and Funk. We've worked on songs by the Meters, various Motown tunes, as well as ones by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Rage Against the Machine. Working with Riley has helped me feel much more confident playing with other musicians and allowed me to take on challenges that I might not have done before. Dave L. read more

There is no question that one can learn an instrument, in this case the bass guitar, from Youtube or reading tabs and practicing them over and over. Sure, you can absolutely develop those skills over time and potentially be excellent at that one song you've always wanted to play! But...what's next? How much can you further explore? Can you fully understand why the songwriter chose to change that one part of the song that outshines the rest? Here, at Bass Lessons Unlimited, all questions and more are answered. Having a slight bit of prior music experience myself (being a band kid), if people ask me what is the best way to learn a new instrument, I will always say to look for a tutor. A tutor teaches you much more than just how to play the instrument. They show you technique, theory, and make the learning experience more personalized and fun! My tutor, Jed Lingat, is an exceptional teacher, bass guitar player, and overall, truly, an awesome person. His years of practice, wisdom of music theory, and kindheartedness have refined three excellent qualities that I hope to continue to learn from him: patience, creativity, and courage. Music is easy to learn, but difficult to master. One must have the patience to count from one to four several times in their head, intentionally slow down the hardest parts of songs, playing them even at 50% less of the actual speed, and to accept that the learning process takes time. Creativity and courage go hand in hand; one needs to develop the courage to explore their creative side in the world of music and refine their level of creativity to play courageously in front of family, friends, or live audiences! With these qualities and many more, Jed has taught me so much valuable knowledge in just over a year of tutoring. I know that I still have a lot to learn, as I am still in my adolescence as a bass guitar player, but choosing to pick up the bass guitar was one of the best decisions I've made for my life. read more

I take lessons with Ben - he's a great instructor and my playing has developed quite a bit. He is invested in his students progress and tailors his curriculum to provide a constant challenge. Great program and great instructors, would highly recommend! read more

Been working with Pat for about a year now. I've gone from just noodling pentatonic licks and parroting tabs to improvising basslines and solos over jazz standards. My ability to learn new music has dramatically increased as has my music theory knowledge. But the most useful thing I've gotten out of it is someone to keep me practicing and expose me to new things read more

Riley Hagan is a terrific instructor. He is extremely knowledgeable and obviously passionate about playing and teaching bass. He makes his students feel at ease, and he has a wonderful way of explaining concepts so that they make sense. He sets clear and reasonable expectations for his students, and sets them up for success. He's very accommodating with lesson scheduling and location. And he's a super nice guy! I couldn't be happier. read more

Riley is a fantastic instructor. If you want to learn bass or even refine your skills, i would definitely recommend him. He is very attentive of how well you are learning and will adapt to you to assist your learning experience. He is very personable and expects nothing but great things to come out of his students. His lessons thus far has improved my playing (although higher priorities take me away from practicing bass) and his positive reinforcements during lesson make learning fun! So if you're thinking of picking up a bass for the first time, look no further for an instructor! read more

Fantastic lessons. My young players (bass and guitar) thrive with Riley's teaching. Riley is attentive in gauging both affirming lesson selections according to students' interest and challenging new territory. His warm support and fun manner welcome kids and adults alike. His own musical talent is a great role model and mentor for young players. His willingness to accommodate our location a plus. We were heartbroken when our last teacher relocated, but we've found Riley! And yes, Riley does great also with beginning guitar. Music as it should be with Riley. read more

Riley's an extremely competent bassist that's got the right combination of chops, training and personality to be successful as a professional musician at just about any level he chooses. Its to the good fortune of potential bassists in the Boston area that he's also got the patience and flexibility to be an excellent instructor. I recommend him to any player that longs to learn the intricacies of the instrument but also has to balance that passion with the more mundane aspects of life, work and whatever else gets in the way. read more