#pedagogy `This is a teaching philosophy I cam up with as part of my undergrad coursework in 2019. I'm suprised by how prescient parts of it are: I'm suprised I arrived at some of these ideologies when I was so inexperienced and how many of them I stand by today. Definitely tailored to bass, but I'd say there's a lot that can be generalized to other fields in this.` --- The mastery of a musical instrument represents a life-long endeavor, an accumulation of lessons and experiences that facilitate technical prowess and artistic expression. My ultimate goal as a teacher is to provide students with the skills to help them be solid players, expressive individuals, and well-rounded musicians.  Every student is unique. Differences in age, background, and learning style mean that no two students acquire and assimilate knowledge the same way, and teaching methods that are effective with one student might be totally ineffective with another. Keeping this in mind, I tailor instruction to the individual needs of each student by avoiding "cookie-cutter" lesson plans and by actively evaluating each student's progress, both within the lesson and on a week-to-week basis. I present new concepts in several ways and take note of what resonates most strongly with the student. Doing so helps me keep lessons engaging and exciting, something that is especially important with young students that might otherwise quickly lose interest.  The breadth of pedagogical material available for the bass is as diverse as bass players themselves. Countless method books exist for every part of bass playing, but books written on the same subject often vary in the amount of knowledge the student is assumed to have. In accordance with my desire to avoid “cookie-cutter” lesson plans, I select methods that would best suit the student based on their current knowledge base and skill set, and I will draw from multiple pedagogical sources when needed.  I believe students learn best when they are presented with material that validates and engages their existing skills but also challenges them to learn and develop new ones. Incremental growth is an important part of musical development and the music I assign follows this philosophy. Dan Coyle describes progress as a series of “slow, fitful struggles” and though I don’t necessarily desire to see my students “struggle,” I do desire to seem them grow through a series of progressive, thoughtful, musical challenges. By presenting repertoire progressively, students are not stagnant in their development nor are they overwhelmed with music that is beyond their current ability. Technical proficiency does not exist just for the sake of technical proficiency. Good technique and an understanding of how the body and the bass work together are critical for avoiding injury and conveying musical ideas. I teach my students the principles of good technique through games, exercises, and demonstrations and show them ways that technique can be used to aid musical expression. I also encourage them to be aware of how their body feels when playing. Bass is a physically demanding instrument and pain or discomfort can easily inhibit the growth of players at all levels. Open-mindedness and emotional awareness are important traits for a musician. I push my students to find new ways to express themselves, be it with technique or new, unfamiliar styles of music. Music is one of humanity’s most beautiful gifts and it should be shared and explored beyond the confines of the practice room or the lesson studio. ---