I've been taking lessons with Jonathan Herrera for several months, and I'm continually impressed by his deep understanding of the mechanics of jazz improvisation. His knowledge of theory is exceptional. I've grown tremendously as a player thanks to his guidance. In my first lesson with Jonathan, he identified and pointed me in the direction of two key tools that I was missing, having learned mostly from orchestral players who gave me many valuable tools but who don't improvise for a living. If you want deep knowledge of the fundamentals that you need to learn (and then forget) to improvise well, Jon's your guy. read more

This guy is as good as it gets - friendly, patient, experienced, an absolute expert in his fields!

I'm a self-taught bass player who recently plateaued, and realized I couldn't improve without the tailored instruction and personal accountability a quality teacher such as Jonathan affords. Prior to beginning lessons with Jonathan, my playing could be categorized as nothing short of reckless. I needed an intervention, before The Music Courts wrenched away custody of my beloved instrument for good; we are talking about the well-being of a bass, after all. Luckily, a friend gave me Jonathan's contact info. I was pleased to find him immediately responsive to my email, and able to accommodate my difficult schedule so we could find a time to meet. The process began with statements of my goals, and a sober evaluation of my current skills. In just six months with him, I see massive improvements in myself, and enjoy playing in ways I never have before. I would categorize Jonathan as professional, technically masterful, humorous, kind, and rigorous in his instruction. Jon's love and respect for his craft is abundant, and inspires me. Also, his apartment is really cool. read more

Bass lessons with Jonathan have been excellent. He is not only an incredibly proficient player but also an inspiring teacher--pulling techniques from various styles and perspectives. From western classical, to jazz, to Indian syllabic rhythm techniques, he uses a wide variety of teaching methods to make things always interesting and challenging. Lessons with Jonathan have deepened my understanding of music theory and my love of playing bass. All in all, I highly recommend Jonathan as a bass teacher at any level of bass playing. read more

Prior to my lessons with Jonathan, I had no experience playing a musical instrument, couldn't read music and had no understanding of music theory, whatsoever. After our initial meeting and discussion of what I wanted from my bass playing experience and what he could offer as an instructor, he tailored a lesson plan that fit exactly what I was looking for. What makes Jonathan such a great teacher is that he reads his students so well. He recognizes when I've hit an obstacle and is always ready with a solution or an alternative. Jonathan is extraordinarily patient and particularly adept at either pushing forward in periods of flowing success or, alternatively, dropping gears to focus on smaller teaching points before reassembling back into the big picture. Finally, I need to mention Jonathan's love for music and bass playing. He's a low-key dude about it, but this passion exudes at every lesson and it's really cool. read more

Jonathan is great teacher - very perceptive and always gives thorough and insightful feedback. His exercises are practical and have improved my playing. Happy to be taking lessons with him! read more

Highly recommended bass / music teacher! I think the other testimonies / reviews on this page sufficiently account for what I have to say about him as a teacher. Always able to determine precisely where your starting point is and give you just enough edge. Patient as ever. Great teacher, and friend. read more

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... read more

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. read more

Jon is a super cool guy and an amazing teacher. Lessons with Jon will most definitely make you a better player/musician. He'll work on whatever it is you are trying to strengthen. Doesn't matter if you're beginner or pro. I love learning and being challenged and Jon does exactly that! On top of just teaching you about bass he can answer any gear related question as well! Pedals, basses, rigs, amps, you name it! He'll always give you the best advice for what you are trying to achieve. I can't stress enough how awesome it was too find a cool teacher that I enjoy learning from. I look forward to every lesson! What are you waiting for!? Hit up Jon and start jammin! read more

I've been playing bass for many years but not very consistently. It's hard for me to get too jazzed about it unless I'm playing with people regularly, and that hasn't happened in years. So I look at my bass, occasionally play a few songs with friends (not very confidently) and then pick it up sometimes kind of unsure what to do with it. I've always wanted to really play it but felt overwhelmed and stuck. I've never gotten to the point of improvising --Ive been too scared. After just a few lessons with Jonathan, I'm feeling totally psyched about playing again, I'm picking up my bass every day for at least a little while, and I feel more free to improvise when playing with friends. (Still a little scared but definitely more free! Like, I'll go for it. This is big.) He instantly understood where I was at and is explaining to me exactly what I need to know in a way that makes sense to me. (something I've had trouble with before with other teachers) it's like he's cracking a code that has long mystified me. His love of the instrument is contagious, and while I wish his mastery of it was contagious too, he makes you feel like you can do it. He's an unbelievably amazing bass player, a great communicator, and an inspiring teacher. I'm getting a ton out of this. Each lesson has aha moments and nuggets. He put the juice back in it for me. Wherever you're at with playing, he'll make it better. read more

I found Jonathan's lessons when attempting to pursue a renewed passion for music, by learning the bass as a new instrument. His clear passion for music, incredibly in-depth knowledge of theory in both a theoretical and practical manner, and deep connection with the history of the bass and modern music has been deeply inspiring and has rekindled my desire to pursue music as a profession. It is abundantly clear that he not only knows exactly what to teach, but why, and how to connect bits and pieces from prior lessons to give a fuller understanding of music and bass technique and how it all fits together. Not only have his lessons drastically improved my bass skills, starting from a beginner as an adult, but he has introduced me to a number of fascinating perspectives and unique sources of inspiration and knowledge that have helped me grow as a musician even outside of the realm of the bass. Throughout the months of lessons I've taken, he's been perfectly respectful, communicative, and a joy to interact with. While I may no longer be taking lessons with him, due to deciding to pursue a different instrument as my primary instrument, I value the lessons I took greatly, and would highly recommend him for anyone interested in bass lessons. read more

Update: I moved away and now I do skype lessons with Jon. It's even better because I don't have to wear pants.

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! read more

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. read more

Day one with Jonathan and I am looking forward to many more. He listened to what my goals are and focused on a realistic start tailored to me. I felt very comfortable in asking questions and his explanations were very easy to understand. I did not feel rushed nor did I feel that this was solely a transaction of currency. The vibe I got from Jonathan was that he truly intends this to be a partnership towards my goal. read more

I played bass in a couple garage bands, and had taken lessons but had completely lost inspiration, and stopped playing bass altogether. I am so grateful that a friend told me about Jonathan. He is a top-notch teacher who is helping me not only to improve my technique, but to become an all around better musician. He is willing to work on anything I need help with. Every lesson he has some new, cool idea to pass along to me. I auditioned for a new band, and am once again enjoying practicing every day. Jonathan has helped me to rediscover why I love playing the bass! I highly recommend him for any level of student - beginner to advanced. read more