Testimonials

If you're reading this and are thinking about taking lessons, just stop looking and take the lessons. Russ is your guy. A little over ten years ago I bought a five-string fretless bass to use playing jazz. Shortly after that I ran into Russ at a jazz jam, and heard he gave lessons at a local store. He said he could help me out with the fifth string, lack of frets, and (oh, by the way) jazz. It's ten years later and I'm still taking lessons. First off, Russ is a fountain of information-improvisation, walking, right hand, left hand, posture, theory, gear, tone. I have never had a lesson where I didn't learn something important. Second, he's a ridiculously excellent player; you're learning from the best. Just a side note, the Zoom lessons are excellent. In-person is fine and all, but I've done them both and you get a lot more bang for the buck with the online lessons. An hour lesson is an hour lesson--no driving back and forth, unpacking, tuning, and packing up, etc.

I'm new to the bass and Russ has been very helpful in getting me up to speed.

Russ is a fantastic musician and a patient, thoughtful teacher. We're so lucky to have him in the DC area (though he has a sophisticated set-up for online lessons too!) It's so rare to find a dedicated bass teacher who has decades of experience in both teaching and playing professionally. I picked up the bass as an adult, and have been taking lessons with him for 3+ years now. I've progressed so much both technically and musically. I highly recommend him!

Easy to schedule with, great person to learn from. Grateful for sticking with lessons with Russ.

This is my third year of taking lessons with Russ, and he's incredible. I've learned so much since I've started, and even still he finds new ways to keep pushing me forwards. One of the things I find so valuable about his teaching is not only how specific his feedback is, but also how your lesson experience can be very personalized yet amazingly effective. I again cannot recommend a teacher more highly-- it's been a great experience.

Russ is a great bass guitar teacher. I’ve been working with him weekly for about 6 months now. I was a complete beginner when we started and I’m really starting to get the hang of things now. He’s very knowledgeable about the instrument as well as music theory, and tailors your lessons to meet your needs. Highly recommend!

(rating only — no written review)

(rating only — no written review)

I highly recommend Russ. I am a fairly accomplished and confident musician on a range of instruments, and have taken lots and lots of private lessons over the past 57 years. I was asked to play bass guitar in a band and had never played that instrument before. I contacted Russ to show me a few things. One thing led to another and Russ inspired me to pursue jazz bass guitar, and my understanding and comprehension of music evolved on a whole new level. Russ' approach to learning music theory is amazing. Learning theory can be overwhelming, but Russ has a wonderful way of explaining and teaching it. Russ is extremely patient, kind and understanding. He's a problem-solver and extraordinarily helpful in working through issues, whether musical, instrumental, audio/visual, whatever. I took in person lessons, which were very helpful to get started, and then Russ patiently helped me set up an audio/video system with my computer so I can do my lessons remotely. Both work really well. Russ is an outstanding teacher and a super nice person, and I highly recommend for beginning and advanced students, young and old.

I've worked with Russ for almost two years now. Russ is a skilled and professional bass educator. He starts with where you're at as a player and what your goals are. Russ has experience and curriculum for all areas and skill levels. He customizes a learning plan for the student, based on their interests. My playing has improved steadily as Russ' student. He keeps me organized, focused, and helps me over hurdles... like a personal trainer for the bass. Russ knows his theory, and has helped me learn my stuff, but even more important -- Russ has helped me get out my head and feel the GROOVE! One last thing about Russ, which I believe is extremely important: He's never been condescending. He's always encouraging. He's always pushing me just above my ability. Highly recommended instructor for anyone, whether you're just getting started or you're a working pro looking to keep moving forward.

I have been taking bass lessons from Russ Rodgers for over 13 years. I tried learning from videos and books but could not get the type of instruction that would help me get to the next level in my playing. Then I found Russ and taking lessons from him has been the best decision I have ever made in my musical career. His lessons are targeted to get you "gig ready" and he will definityly do that! If you are serious about learning your instrument you need to take lessons. There is no substitute for personal instruction. Be smart, take lessons and Russ is the best there is in my book. Russ will help you get where you want to go. You will wonder why you didn't do this sooner.

The lessons I had with Russ took me from a complete beginner to an intermediate bass player in much less time than I had anticipated. Russ is a great tutor that I highly recommend.

Great teacher, very knowledgeable and experienced.

Right from the first lesson, it was clear that Russ is not only a highly skilled musician, but also a patient and dedicated teacher. He took the time to understand my goals and musical background, and tailored each lesson to suit my needs. His teaching style is very dynamic and he kept me engaged and motivated throughout the lessons.

If you are looking for traditional lessons with a workbook and homework assignments in a certain order, then go elsewhere. But if you are have your own learning goal in mind and you want to improve your technique, theory and musicality, then Russ is the teacher you want. He helped me reach my goal in a short time: from absolute beginner to having enough skills and knowledge to play a fundamental bass line. His own playing and teaching skills are clearly well-honed, so I'm sure he would be great for more advanced musicians, too.

I've been taking weekly lessons from Russ for six months and I highly recommend him as a bass guitar instructor. He's provided me with the instruction and direction I need to achieve my goals. Some people are better teachers than others and Russ is the best I've had the pleasure of learning from. He's there to answer questions I have and explain anything I don't understand. If you're looking for a one on one bass instructor who's a professional and knows how to teach, I recommend you give him a try. Follow up... I've been taking bass guitar lessons from Russ for a little over two and a half years now, he's very knowledgeable and the systems and techniques he uses have helped me make steady progress like I never have with any other instructor or online lessons. Also, the cost of lessons with Russ is extremely reasonable, and I find one on one lessons with an instructor, that will answer your questions and walk you through learning the bass, a great benefit. I highly recommend giving Russ a try, if your goal is the learning the bass, pick your topic, beginner, intermediate, advanced, rock, jazz, groove, timing, learning the fretboard, scales, arpeggios... and do yourself a favor, check him out.

Russ is a rare find, and an amazing teacher. He's a professional bassist with decades of experience playing and teaching bass guitar, and it shows. His teaching style is very customized, and he works at my pace to design practice plans that fit my interests and schedule. I started learning bass when I turned 40, and have been taking weekly bass lessons with him for a over a year now. I've improved by leaps and bounds, and now feel very comfortable with the instrument. I've recently started exploring jazz bass, which is great since it's a style he knows deeply. Anyone who wants to play bass should take some classes with him -- you'll be amazed how quickly you progress!

This review is long overdue. I started playing bass early June 2020, teaching myself for a year as my pandemic "get away". After a year teaching myself I found Russ online. I had my first lesson with Russ on June 18th, 2021. Today, July 8th 2023, I played my first ever gig - a professional gig - at Black Cat in DC. When I started with Russ the only thing I knew was that I wanted to learn and know everything I could know about electric bass guitar. I never thought about playing professionally at all, I just wanted to learn and have fun. That all rapidly changed once I started studying under Russ. Russ is a working musician who has decades of real world experience playing and teaching bass. All the knowledge and experience he has gained he is willing to give to anyone that wishes to learn. Hearing about his experiences, and seeing what he does and can do in person and professionally via his youtube videos, my goals with bass rapidly changed. I went from just wanting to have fun in my room to dreaming and yearning to play professionally like Russ. Today that dream became a reality. I am now a professional bass player. Over the 2 years I have worked with Russ I have learned not only technical music knowledge and theory crossing a diverse range of music genres and styles - blues, country, rock, funk, jazz, beebop, afro-cuban, and more - but a functional, practical, and professional skill set. Walking out for my first gig today I felt more than prepared and was able to confidently execute to a very energetic and engaged crowd numbering in the hundreds. Regardless of your interests and goals with bass guitar Russ can and will help you learn. He can and will prepare you to achieve any goal you may have. He may even help you learn and realize goals you never dreamed. Check out his youtube channel for a taste of what lessons like him can be like, as well as examples of his professional work. I am very thankful for Russ and I look forward to many more years studying under him.

I cannot recommend Russ Rodgers enough as instructor for anyone looking to take their bass playing to the next level. His years of experience as a musician and instructor are evident from the first lesson, and he is well of knowledge for every aspect of the instrument-- no matter the genre of music, he knows how to show you what it is you feel you're missing to make things click. Whether you want to play blues and jazz, slap the bass in a funk style, or even figure out what's going in your favorite heavy metal track, there isn't a style out there the he can't handle. He incorporates the music you're interested in playing to teach you proper technique, the working musical knowledge and vocabulary behind it, and the ability to play and construct bass lines on your own as well. He creates a welcome environment for learning where despite his own skill and technique, the student does not feel intimidated, but inspired to keep playing and has numerous unique and fun methods in his toolkit to help you understand the concepts. This all serves to make the necessary time you spend to improve a fun experience to look forward to, and not just a chore to be endured to get to an end goal. My own confidence in my ability to play has increased exponentially thanks to Russ, and yours will, too.

Russ is an exceptional instructor. Takes time to figure out your strengths and weaknesses and helps you figure out what you need to work on to help you get better. Would highly recommend. He is also knowledgeable about all types of music.

Russ is my teacher. His music and bass guitar knowledge and translation is immaculate (A+). I walked into my first session with him a couple of months ago with no knowledge. I did not even know how to hold the guitar. He customized my training and today I am proud to say that I can tackle some complex songs. We have navigated from Gospel to Blues to Jazz to R&B to Reggae. In as little as three weeks I was able to perfectly play the Blues. Russ is so good that he went with me to choose and purchase my first bass guitar. I will highly recommend him to anyone that has never played the bass guitar before and even for bass professionals. Russ is a professional !!!!!!

I have been taking lessons for months now. I played bass for a few months now but Russ is really helping me to increase my musicality. He only wants the best for his students and he himself is a amazing musician. The knowledge I am learning from him his priceless.

(rating only — no written review)

After years spent on the bass but never really progressing, I have found Russ Rodgers to be the ideal bass guitar instructor. --Russ is a real bass player, with decades of high-level professional bass experience in a wide array of musical styles. He is expert with the bass from slap-and-pop to rock to jazz, not a kid who plays Metallica on a guitar and thinks he can teach bass because the guitar and bass both have strings tuned to E-A-D-G. --In addition to decades of professional bass experience, Russ offers decades of experience in professional bass instruction. He is a great teacher, listening to his student and patiently learning about their knowledge and musical goals. He starts with fundamentals, patiently answers questions, and is committed to taking the student as far as he or she wants to go with the bass. His knowledge of musical styles, bass guitar technique, and music theory are encyclopedic, but he explains them at a level that is appropriate and accessible for the student he's working with. --Russ makes expert use of teaching aids, from thorough instruction sheets provided in electronic formats that are accessible to the student, to online videos he has created, to play-along-with programs, but always based on face-to-face or Skype-based personal instruction. Russ is electronically proficient, and he makes effective use of that proficiency to provide a wealth of excellent instructional materials to his students, such that I would not hesitate to take instruction from Russ remotely. You'll learn much, much more from Russ than from an armload of bass instruction books from Guitar Center or Amazon. --If I was a professional bass player like Russ, maybe I wouldn't be as friendly, modest, and nice a guy as he is. He never “talks down” to me, but is always patient and supportive. He is generous with his time, and encourages me to contact him between lessons with questions to maximize the rate at which I progress. He is always enthusiastic, and loves to teach. --I wanted to buy a new bass, and Russ engaged immediately to assist me. He offered guidance regarding how to pick the right bass for me, we discussed different bass options and how they related to my musical preferences and goals, and he then unilaterally offered to meet me at the guitar store of my choice (Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center). He played the bass I was interested in, found it to be lacking and explained why, and pointed out a much better option that was still affordable. I bought the bass, and it plays much better and easier than I've ever experienced. His often-repeated motto is, “I support my students,” and he is totally committed to his students' musical growth. Russ Rodgers is a great guy, a great bass player, and a great bass guitar instructor. You'll progress farther and faster than you might imagine, and you'll enjoy getting there. Don't hesitate, contact Russ today. David Banks Rockville, MD

I’ve been taking bass lessons with Russ for nearly 15 years. For the first 5 years or so we did in-person lessons. During that time Russ was already doing online Skype lessons with students in various parts of the world, and at some point he encouraged me to consider trying the Skype lessons. Initially I didn’t understand how a Skype lesson could be equally or more beneficial than an in-person lesson, but Russ told me that many of his local students had switched over to the Skype lessons and they loved it... and that I should at least give it a try. So I did. And guess what? I discovered there are so many advantages that it didn’t make sense to continue with the in-person lessons! So I’ve been doing the Skype lessons for nearly 10 years now... and I’m glad I switched when I did because both Russ and I have relocated to different states since then and continuing lessons has been seamless. Russ is an accomplished bassist with an impressive teaching résumé and performance credits, and over the years he’s developed a teaching system that works really well. Starting with the philosophy that music is a language, he breaks it down into 4 primary sections - Styles, Scales, Technique, and Reading - and within each there are subsections that are covered based on the student’s individual needs and goals. Not only has Russ developed a great teaching system, he’s also a great teacher. He has the gift of being able to impart knowledge in a concise and clear manner that can turn something seemingly complex or confusing into something that’s easily understood. Also, I appreciate the fact that he puts a lot of emphasis on developing proper right and left hand technique, as well as developing “muscle memory” - this has greatly improved my playing ability. Whether you’re a beginner who wants to learn how to play some songs, you’re an intermediate bassist who plays at church or in a cover band and wants to improve skills and technique, or you’re an advanced bassist who wants to become a serious Jazz musician - Russ can help you. He will make you a much better player as long as you’re willing to put in the effort. I highly recommend that you give Russ and his online Skype lessons a try. Just do it!

I’ve had the pleasure of being taught by Russell...As a beginner bassist, I’ve had lessons on and off for 5 years, but never achieved my desired outcome of playing in front of people because I didn’t feel that I was proficient enough to play with confidence. However, when I started taking lessons with Russell, he was knowledgeable, patient, attentive and ultimately encouraged me to perform my first jam session..which helped me to become a proficient bassist. Now I can that I’m a bassist that plays with confidence. For anyone that is seriously looking to become a more proficient bass player, I would highly recommend taking lessons from Russell.

I have now been taking lessons with Russ for several months. He is a very gifted, thoughtful teacher. He has laid a course where I started from scratch and can now play along with songs and "think through" bass lines and even improvise a bit. Highly, highly recommended.

While living in Beijing, China, I had the opportunity to start my bass guitar path with Russ, not a Chinese speaker, I needed someone who was able to teach me in English and Russ was definitively my best bet, the classes thru Skype were very practical and you are able to record your lessons so you can refer back to them when needed. Russ is an exceptional teacher, honest, knowledgeable, patient and also a master bass player! I recommend him without a hesitation.