Victor Wooten Music Theory

[Robyn Ruder]

If we say D Dorian is not a key, or C harmonic minor is not a key, then we would only be practicing and learning how to play tonal pieces. And we would have a sort of blind spot towards certain real world applications. When you think about how massive the world of music can be, and how finite our time is, prioritizing what should be learned now versus the more esoteric stuff that you might come across later, is imperative.

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"I received a couple of messages from some guys who commented that they attended some music classes and basically, for their money, got a lecture that grooving is important! One guy was even told that only knowing three notes is enough for a bass player to know.

"It is important to groove, but it is not worth the tuition that you spent to hear this. Telling a musician to groove is liking telling a swimmer not to drown. It is simply not worth dealing with except in a passing manner. I figure that teachers who teach their charges that grooving is important do this because they probably have little else to offer in regards to true musical information.

And not once in college was I ever instructed the concept of Pocket or Groove. These I had to learn from fellow musicians and while all of my basic musical education has been an amazing foundation for me.....playing in the pocket and being able to 'groove' has done what aural skills and theory weren't able to do.

I don't necessarily disagree with Jeff...Trying to teach somebody to groove is like trying to teach somebody how to live...To learn to groove is a personal journey IMHO...Discussing the groove(or life) is great and can help you understand different facets of said experience, but putting it all together is up to you and you only.

To an extent, I agree with him but the manner in which he communicates his thoughts makes not throwing the baby out with the bathwater a fairly difficult thing to do. As far as my metronome goes, he can pry it out of my cold, dead, hands.

I'm nobody's idea of a great player, but I cannot count the number of 'players' I've run across who can't read music and don't know their way around contemporary harmony. Guys who don't know you can sub a bII7 fo a V7, who cannot wander outside the key because they have no idea how to return, who can't craft on-the-spot harmonic lines.

Keep in mind though that there are lot of situations where things like that aren't needed. To sit in with a Blues, Country or basic cover gig, you can do pretty well for yourself with a good understanding of basic walking and a few runs in your hip pocket. So yes, I think his points are valid but it's certainly not the only way to do things.

He sounds like many educators today. Different fields but same observation and he's railing at the notion that one should de-emphasize the rudiments of music theory and just get the groove. In many respects he is right about education, in general, it is being dumbed down.

Agreed. But.... do you need a high-priced instructor to give you any of what you've just described? Any kid who spends a few months playing bass in a LedZep jam band ought be able to get what you've just described on his own.

This is a side topic, but you're right. I have a dear friend who is an amazing guitar teacher and the censoredtiest performer. I consider myself a pretty competent musician and despite my efforts, I can't and will never will be able to teach for censored.

As was just mentioned he is talking about music education, and how to go about it. A musician needs that education, and will of course already know that a bassist needs to be able to groove. Duh! What is wrong with saying that, and WTF makes him an AH for saying it? If I were working to become a professional musician, which I believe Jeff is talking about, then I would damn well expect the most professional and complete education I could get for my hard earned dollars, and just hearing that 'you really need to know how to groove' does all of nothing to accomplish my goal. Jeff is right on about that one. There is a difference between a profession music student and a weekend warrior playing in local bars, and what they need from their educators in order to meet their goals for music.

Several times each year, five-time Grammy-winning bassist and composer Victor Wooten hosts a series of music and nature camps at his retreat in Only, Tennessee. These camps teach not only music, but theory, nature, and more importantly, the relationship between music and nature. Here are five reasons why you should make attending one of these camps your number one priority.

Victor Wooten's Center For Nature and Music hosts a number of variations on the camp: Bass/Nature, Music/Nature, as well Spirit of Music and Theory. These camps are open to all ages and all levels of musical experience.

In addition to studying the techniques and philosophies of one of the greatest bassists of all time, participants also enjoy the opportunity to attend concerts at the retreat featuring some of the greatest musicians in the world.

To participate, you pretty much need an instrument, a sleeping bag, whatever hygiene products you like to use, and the means to get to Tennessee. Food is provided at the camp, and the cuisine is nothing short of magnificent.

Lodging ranges from cabins to tents, determined solely by the preference of the camper. Access to the retreat is extremely easy. In the event you choose to fly, you can arrive in Nashville and catch a shuttle to the camp.

Several times each year, five-time Grammy-winning bassist and composer Victor Wooten hosts a series of music and nature camps at his retreat in Only, Tennessee. These camps teach not only music, but theory, nature, and more importantly, the relationship between music and nature. Here are five reasons why you should make attending one of these camps your number one priority.\nRead More

Amidst touring with Bass Extremes this year, Victor Wooten has unveiled two of his educational workshops for 2022. The four-day Bass Camp and two-day Music Theory Camp will each be held virtually this year.

The Bass camp will be held from August 11th through the 14th and is designed to solidify your skills as a well-rounded bassist. Topics include technique, fretboard knowledge, groove and feel, rhythm and time, leading the band, music theory, and more.

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I'm trying my hand at writing an article for LinkedIn surrounding my journey thus far as a professional musician. I grew up in the Commonwealth of Dominica, and Music was not part of the school curriculum, and any private formal instruction was done miles away in the capital and it was as expensive as it was far.

So, my dad taught me as much as he could by introducing me to different instruments throughout the years. We played by ear and picked up some theory along the way. Moving to Canada I was a scavenger of information on all things Bass. Instructional videos, YouTube, private lessons where I could, and the first milestone, The Victor Wooten Bass and Nature Camp at Wooten Woods 2012.

I tried for years to pursue formal music education and life just kept happening. After some time I decided that my only option was Berklee College Of Music Online. It was the only option that allowed me to still work full time and learn at a pace i was comfortable with.

I put in over 400 hours of practice, submitted over 60 assignments and made over 200 recordings during this pursuit from January 2018 to December of that year. I ended up with repetitive motion strain that i had to address in physiotherapy and I spent so many afternoons with my dad as he listened to my assignments and gave me his own grade.

I'm happy to say that studying at Berklee was one of the best musical experiences of my life. I grew so much in such a short time, I got to learn and discuss music with world-renowned instructors and I finally had the structure that helped me to see the bigger picture and clear up some of the bad habits i was making.

Sadly the Certification arrived in the mail a few hours after my dad passed away, and while I was distraught with losing my dad so suddenly I can't help but feel that this was his way of telling me that life goes on, and I'm sure that on some level he's celebrating this success as well and is as excited as I am to see what the progress along the path that he put me on.

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