Could this change how bassists study jazz forever?
Hey, Scott here. And what I’m about to say may be biased…
But I hope you hear me out, as the next few minutes could change your future as a jazz bassist forever.
Also don’t worry. I’m not going to tell you about another online video course from us here at SBL.
What I’m about to show you is completely different. And it’s going to change the way bass players approach studying jazz forever.
Why I urge you to take a few minutes and read this important note
Now like I said, I may be biased…
But I think playing jazz is one of the coolest things you can do on the bass.
Few other styles of music give you the freedom to be as expressive, dynamic, and creative as a bass player. And nothing beats how it feels to walk your bass line up and down the neck with impeccable timing as the chord changes fly by. Or how it feels to step out into the spotlight and improvise a remarkable solo that makes the audience erupt.
You can even find joy in choosing the perfect chord tones to support your bandmates — especially once you know how to bend the rules of harmony and theory to create your own exciting and surprising bass parts.
It gets even better…
Becoming a strong jazz bassist also makes you a more complete overall bass player.
In fact, my decision to study jazz was the single biggest factor that has made me the musician I am today.
And I’m not alone.
Legendary bass players you know and love from every genre credit their success to studying jazz. From Victor Wooten, to Marcus Miller, to Carol Kaye, to Pino Palladino, and many more.
But without this knowledge, it’s like looking at your bass with bad eyesight.
See, before you can play jazz, it’s almost like you’re looking down at your bass with bad vision.
Everything is blurry and confusing.
You can’t play across more than a few frets in a row without getting lost. And you struggle to keep up with anything but the slowest chord changes and rhythms.
Yet once you can play jazz, it’s like putting on the perfect pair of glasses.
Everything on your bass becomes crystal clear.
The notes you can play over every chord light up in your mind’s eye across your entire fretboard. The rhythms and accents you need to create the perfect groove flow naturally from your fingers. And instead of becoming yet another me-too, copycat bass player who can only emulate others…
You will have the creativity and mastery to develop your own identity as a musician — whatever that means for you.
So if you’re excited about everything I just said…
I have bad news...
Becoming a competent jazz bassist is hard.
And if you’ve ever tried to study jazz by yourself, you probably don’t need me to tell you that.
That’s because you have to pull off a mind-numbing combinations of skills and techniques into a seamless whole — all at the same time.
- Harmony
- Melody
- Music theory
- Walking bass lines
- Modes
- Rhythm and groove
- Chord changes
- Time changes
- Improvisation
- The Numbers systems
- Reading lead sheets
No margin for error
To make matters worse, you also have virtually no margin for error.
You can’t “fake it” when you show up to a jazz gig or jam session.
The music director, everyone in the band, and everyone in the audience will know you have no idea what you’re doing within the first few bars of the first song.
So with such high stakes — and so many skills to work on — just getting started can feel intimidating.
Plus even if you have a strong curriculum to follow, it can be difficult to know whether or not you’re on the right track.
So tell me if any of this sounds familiar…
Because I’ve had countless students tell me how much they struggle to get traction with their jazz playing.
Every new exercise causes them to second-guess whether they’re playing it right. And no one is there to encourage them when they’re on the right track. Or to correct their mistakes in real-time so they don’t develop bad habits.
Which means instead of making progress, they spend most of their time going around in circles.
Plus when life gets in the way — and life will get in the way for most people — they fall off track. And there’s no one there to help them get back up to speed.
Quitting is only a matter of time
So it’s often only a matter of time until they give up.
Which is why most students never make it to the end of even the best online courses. And if I’m being honest, that actually includes our own Jazz Accelerator program. Let me explain…
So I’m still incredibly proud of that program and the results it delivers when you make it to the end.
But I also hold us to a higher standard.
And I want to do everything I can to share that experience with as many other bass players as possible.
So I started to wonder how we could show even more bass players how to become competent jazz musicians. And how we could do it in a way that would make it virtually impossible for them to drop out.
Journey to a powerful insight...
I sat down and pinpointed where we had the biggest drop-offs in our other programs.
I looked over thousands of the feedback forms we’ve received from you and your fellow bass players.
I even analyzed what was different about the SBL students who experience the biggest and most consistent progress.
And when the dust finally settled, I came to an undeniable conclusion.
I realized that if I want to show you how to become a great jazz bass player in a way that’s almost impossible to fail…
Then I need to combine the best parts of online courses with the best parts of in-person classes.
That way, you can enjoy the faster progress and more reliable results of in-person classes. Combined with the flexibility and affordability of online courses.
A sum greater than its parts
And the best part is, when you find the right way to put the 2 together, the sum is even greater than the parts.
Which is why I’m so excited to tell you I finally found a way to do just that.
It’s not just another online course.
And it’s not a run-of-the-mill coaching program...
A transformational new experience called the SBL Jazz Lab.
And it makes dropping out or giving up all but impossible...
The SBL Jazz Lab gives you a precise mix of private and group instruction to help you make rapid and consistent progress.
Plus you also get a strategically paced curriculum that’s easy to follow and ensures you don’t fall behind.
Which means you are all but certain to come out of the SBL Jazz Lab as a well-rounded jazz musician.
So just imagine being able to play walking bass lines up and down the neck with total confidence and control — no matter what song comes up on the gig or during the jam session.
Plus any time you’re asked to play harmony, you’ll know exactly how to come up with exciting chord substitutions on the fly. No more sticking to roots and fifths.
And instead of panicking when it’s time to take a solo, all the distractions melt away — giving you total freedom to follow wherever the music takes you.
Because with the SBL Jazz Lab, now all this and more will be yours.
Or stick around let me show you exactly how it works…
Based on a ground-breaking new framework
This framework is how we combine the best parts of online courses and in-person instruction into an exciting new experience.
01. Step-by-Step Curriculum
First, you get a structured set of video lessons that give you a flexible and easy-to-follow foundation you can fit into your busy schedule.
I’ll show you the entire curriculum in a moment.
02. Personalised Feedback
Then for each lesson in the program, you will have not one but two chances to get one-on-one recorded feedback on your progress from a vetted SBL instructor.
That way, you can stop second-guessing yourself. And you can stop wondering “Am I playing this right?” every time you work on a new technique or exercise.
Since every week, you will be prompted to share a recording of yourself working on the current lesson. And don’t worry — you won’t need to buy any additional audio or video equipment. We’ll show you how to use your existing computer or phone to record your playing for feedback.
From there, a vetted SBL instructor will reply in a few days with a video of their own to give you the private, one-on-one feedback and next steps you need to make consistent and rapid progress.
03. Live A-List Masterclasses
Also, speaking of your instructors, I will be with you every step of the way in each of the video lessons for the program.
Plus I will also host a live video chat with you to kick off each of the 3 main modules, too.
And that’s not all.
Meet your legendary A-List guest instructor
I have also brought on a legendary bass player to be an A-List guest instructor for this course.
I’m talking about Todd Johnson.
But Todd is not merely a great jazz musician. He’s also a great jazz instructor.
Todd has been a leading faculty member at music colleges like Musicians Institute and California Institute of the Arts since the early 90s. And he’s also been invited to host bass clinics at dozens more prestigious institutions. Including the Berklee Conservatory, The Jazz School, and The Academy of Contemporary Music in London.
Which is why I’m so excited Todd has agreed to join you as your A-List guest instructor for the SBL Jazz Lab.
Because that means after each of my video lessons in the program, Todd will also be hosting his own live masterclass afterwards covering the same topic.
A deeper understanding with real-time conversations
These A-List Masterclasses will give you an even more nuanced understanding for the topic in each lesson. Plus you can also get real-time answers to any questions you have.
Best of all, both Todd and I will host each of our calls twice, roughly 6 to 8 hours apart.
Which means no matter what time zone you live in, you will be able to make at least one of our calls live. Plus each call will also be recorded for your convenience as well.
And I’m still not done.
04. “Studio Hours” - Live Group Coaching Sessions
The last piece of the SBL Mesh Framework is live, real-time instruction with weekly, small-group “Studio Hours” coaching calls.
First, live feedback allows you to make even faster progress, since you can put your instructor’s advice into practice in real-time. Then you get instant feedback from your instructor to know whether or not you’re on the right track. And if you still need a little help, your instructor can continue to coach you in real-time until you’ve got your part down perfectly.
On top of that, you will also get a chance to observe your fellow students. Which is actually one of the biggest ways I’ve improved my own ability to play jazz.
Because you can learn a ton from watching how your fellow students approach a certain part of a song. Especially when you’re studying a topic as nuanced as jazz.
Plus you’ll also be able to pick up any insights your instructor shares when coaching the other students, too.
Then you can take all of those insights back with you into your next practice session.
The best of both worlds
So now you see how the SBL Mesh Framework weaves together the perfect combination of lessons and feedback.
Because at the end of every lesson, you will have the chance to get direct feedback on your playing from a vetted SBL instructor.
Then at the end of every feedback session, you will receive a new lesson that builds on top of what has come before.
And you will also have plenty of time to practice in between.
Since we are going to make it even easier to fit the SBL Jazz Lab into your busy schedule by doing something you’ll probably think is crazy at first.
I’ll tell you more about that soon.
Because it means all together, you are all but guaranteed to make it to the end of the SBL Jazz Lab. No matter how busy you are or how stressful your life can be.
Especially once you understand how we’ve developed the curriculum for this program.
A time-tested lesson plan
See, thousands of bass players have already used the curriculum from my Jazz Accelerator course successfully — without the benefit of A-List Masterclasses, weekly one-on-one recorded feedback and live Studio Hours.
That’s why we are going to follow the same proven approach with the SBL Jazz Lab. But with one major change, which I’ll tell you about soon.
To start, the curriculum focuses on 4 key skills for playing jazz on the bass.
- 1
Accompaniment & Building Bass Lines - 2Theory & Harmonic Analysis
- 3Melodic Interpretation & Chord Studies
- 4Soloing & Improvisation
These skills will give you the foundation you need to play any jazz standard that comes your way.
Plus when you focus on these skills, it will also push you to develop other parts of your playing at the same time.
For example, you can’t build a walking bass line if you don’t also have a strong grasp of the notes available to you on your fretboard.
So that’s why each lesson in the program focuses on one of these 4 skills.
Reimagined using the SBL Mesh Framework
And remember, each lesson follows our SBL Mesh Framework. Which gives you the best parts of online courses with the best parts of in-person classes.
Also, every lesson shows you how to play an actual jazz standard. So you will not have to suffer through a bunch of boring and out-of-context exercises.
Instead, we start with a relatively simple jazz standard called Red Bossa.
From there, we show you how to master each of the 4 key skills — one lesson at a time.
“RED BOSSA”
This is a re-imagined version of the popular Jazz Standard “Blue Bossa”. We’ll be using its must-know chord sequence as a basis to make the first revolution of the mesh framework, allowing you to absorb the 4 key areas at a basic level.
Accompaniment & Building Bass Lines
Theory & Harmonic Analysis
Melodic Interpretation & Chord Studies
Soloing and Improvisation
A new challenge each time (and a chance to grow)
Also, each lesson builds on the one before it.
Which means as you move through the lessons, you will discover how to combine the 4 key skills with each other. Until you have complete control over every aspect of the song.
Including how to handle the “unwritten rules” of getting into and out of different jazz standards — that aren’t on the lead sheet.
Then once you finish all 4 lessons for the first standard, we repeat the steps again 2 more times — showing you how to play 2 additional standards in the process.
That means the SBL Jazz Lab gives you a total of 3 chances to increase your command of the core skills for playing jazz.
And it challenges you to master them over different chord changes, time signatures, rhythmic patterns, and more. Each time pushing your ability as a jazz bassist to new heights.
How it all fits together
Our innovative approach carefully combines songs, skills, and the SBL Mesh Framework to elevate your jazz skills in a way never before possible.
This surprising change makes falling behind nearly impossible
Now at first glance, I realize this may seem like a lot of material.
So I don’t blame you if you’re a little worried about getting through it all without falling behind.
But that’s why we’re going to do something that may seem a little strange at first…
And we’re actually going to make the program longer.
Now I know it’s counterintuitive.
But making the course longer actually increases your odds of finishing.
See, with a short and fast-paced program, even the slightest interruption can knock you off track. And once you fall behind, it’s almost impossible to catch back up again. Which is why you usually wind up quitting.
On the other hand, by making the program longer, it means you will have plenty of time to work on each lesson.
And you’ll have almost no trouble fitting it into your busy schedule.
Plus when life eventually gets in the way, it will also be much easier to catch back up. Especially since you have the support and accountability from your coaches and fellow students.
Best of all, if you do wind up finishing any lessons early, you can use the extra time to explore even more advanced techniques and ideas for that topic.
No downside — all upside
So there is basically no downside to giving you extra time. Plus there is also a ton of upside to help make sure you get the most out of the program.
That’s why we decided to give you 2 full weeks to complete each lesson in the SBL Jazz Lab.
During the first week, you will get access to the video lesson for that topic.
And from there, you will have a chance to get both one-on-one recorded feedback and live group feedback, thanks to the SBL Mesh Framework we used to create the SBL Jazz Lab.
Then during the second week, Todd Johnson will host his A-List Masterclass.
That will give you an even deeper understanding of the lesson at hand. Along with a chance to ask any questions you may have and get a direct answer from one of the greatest jazz bass players alive.
Plus even better, you will also get 2 more chances for feedback the second week as well. One time as a private video. And another time in our live, small-group Studio Hours.
Which means all together, you get a whopping four opportunities for feedback from a vetted SBL coach during each and every lesson of the program.
And that’s why it will be nearly impossible for you to fall behind.
So at this point, you’ve seen everything included in the SBL Jazz Lab.
And I think you’ll agree that it’s the most complete program for learning to play jazz — period.
A special “thank you” worth over $600.00
The Gary Willis Masterclass
It features nearly 2 dozen in-depth videos with Gary, covering everything from systems to master the fingerboard…to bass solos…to structuring your practice time…and much more.
Which means this Masterclass is your chance to go inside the mind of one of the greatest jazz bass players to ever walk the Earth.
And it’s why other bass players have paid $197.00 for this course alone.
Yet I’m going to give it to you for free when you join the SBL Jazz Lab today.
Along with your next bonus gift…
The Ed Friedland Walking Bass Masterclass
No one has had a bigger impact on my own ability to play walking bass than Ed.
I actually wore out my copies of his books on walking bass back when I was younger. And I was a little starstruck when I actually got to meet him at a bass event in Germany many years later.
But I found the courage to ask Ed if he would would be interested in bringing all the amazing lessons and training from his books into an online masterclass for SBL.
And I’m happy to say he agreed — and The Ed Friedland Walking Bass Masterclass was born.
Now other bass players have paid as much as $127.00 for this course with Ed.
But like I said, I’m going to give you a free copy as my gift to you when you join the SBL Jazz Lab today.
And that brings me to your third bonus gift:
Jazz Phraseology — The Ultimate Collection Of II-V Licks For Bass
The single most important chord progression you need to know as a jazz musician is probably the II-V-I progression.
It’s one of the most common jazz chord progressions you will encounter.
Plus it’s also the foundation for countless iconic bass lines and riffs.
Which is why we created this bonus to show you how to master playing over this critical chord progression.
And in this bonus, we show you how to learn iconic II-V-I bass lines from legends like Ray Brown, Charlie Parker, John Patitucci, Sonny Rollins, and more.
Plus we’ll also show you how to take inspiration from these iconic lines to create remarkable bass parts of your own.
So it should be no surprise that this bonus is valued at $67.00.
But I’m giving it to you for no additional cost when you join the SBL Jazz Lab right now.
And your bonus gifts don’t end there, either.
The SBL Jazz Lab Printed Workbook
I’m also going to send you a full-color printed workbook for the SBL Jazz Lab curriculum as your 4th bonus — which we will mail to your doorstep anywhere in the world.
The workbook gives you printed versions of all the exercises in the course. That way, you can make notes to help you perfect each lesson. Plus it also lets you refer back to the exercises without having to boot up your computer.
And when you factor in the cost of printing, binding, and shipping these workbooks around the world, we’ve had to charge $99.00 for them in the past.
But once again, you will get a free copy when you claim your spot in the SBL Jazz Lab today.
Which brings me to your fifth and final bonus:
The Essential Jazz Standards Anthology
This anthology contains 23 of the most-important standards every jazz musician should know before walking into a session.
And this is not just a collection of charts.
Each standard also comes with a video lesson to point out any noteworthy elements and tricky sections. Plus you also get a play-along track for each standard recorded by a professional band to use when you practice.
And that means once you’re finished with the 3 standards in the SBL Jazz Lab, you can then follow the same methodology to master these 23 iconic jazz standards on your own.
Which is why The Essential Jazz Standards Anthology is easily worth $119.00.
In total you’re getting more than $600.00 in bonuses as my free gift to you
Not to mention all the world-class instruction, coaching, and feedback you get as part of the SBL Jazz Lab itself. And it all starts on Monday, May 20th, which is when your first lesson goes live.
So think about it this way…
Before the SBL Jazz Lab, the only way you could study jazz with direct feedback on your playing was by taking private lessons. Or by enrolling in a stand-alone online jazz course from music colleges like Berklee.
But just one 12-week online class from Berklee costs roughly $1,300.00.
And those courses typically only let you work with your instructor once per week.
That means you’d have to spend $5,200.00 with Berklee to receive 2 coaching sessions per week for 24 weeks.
Which is exactly what you get with the SBL Jazz Lab.
Plus I’m happy to say you will not have to spend over $5,000.00 when you join.
See, I want to do something special to thank you for being a loyal Jazz Accelerator student.
So I’m going to apply every penny you paid to your enrollment in the SBL Jazz Lab. Which means when you claim your spot in the SBL Jazz Lab now, your original enrollment in The Jazz Accelerator is effectively free.
And it means instead of paying $2,200.00 to join the SBL Jazz Lab like everyone else, your tuition comes out to just $2,000.
Or you can split that into 3 easy installments of just $740 per month.
[ACADEMY MEMBERS + UAAP]
See, I want to do something special to thank you for being a loyal SBL student. So I’m going to gift you a full $200.00 off your enrollment in the SBL Jazz Lab when you join today.
And that means instead of paying $2,200.00 to join the SBL Jazz Lab like everyone else, your tuition comes out to just $2,000.00.
Or you can split that into 3 easy installments of just $740 per month.
[/ACADEMY MEMBERS + UAAP]
[NON-CUSTOMERS]
Because right now, you can join the SBL Jazz Lab for just one easy payment of $2,200.
Or you can split that into 3 easy installments of just $814 per month.
Plus you can also lock in your free bonus gifts worth over $600.00.
Unfortunately, this enrollment of SBL’s Jazz Lab has closed.
But we’ve got lots of great self-paced Jazz content for you inside the Academy.
Not a member yet? Click here to start your free trial →
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from my other options to study jazz?
SBL Jazz Lab is the only program that uses my proprietary SBL Mesh Framework to combine the best parts of online courses with the best parts of in-person classes.
That way, you can enjoy the faster progress and more reliable results of in-person classes. Combined with the flexibility and affordability of online courses. And that means it will be almost impossible for you to drop out or give up.
Is there a money-back guarantee?
Yes! In fact, I’m going to double the standard guarantee we offer here at SBL.
Which means instead of only having 30 days to test drive the program, you’ll now enjoy your first 60 days of enrollment risk-free. And if at any point during that time you aren’t totally satisfied, you can get a fast and full refund.
When does SBL Jazz Lab start?
What gear will I need?
All you need is your current bass rig and either a smartphone or computer. No special equipment required!
You’ll need your computer or smartphone (with internet access) to access the course material and coaching sessions. And we’ll also show you how to use your existing computer or phone to record your playing for feedback as well.
Who are the coaches?
I will be with you every step of the way in each of the video lessons for the program. Plus I will also host a live stream to kick off each of the 3 modules in the program.
On top of that, I have brought on legendary jazz bass player Todd Johnson to be an A-List guest instructor for this course. And he will be hosting his own live lessons every 2 weeks throughout the course.
Finally, we have a team of vetted SBL instructors who will be responsible for providing you with your one-on-one video feedback and hosting the weekly “studio hours” coaching calls.
What time are the coaching sessions?
A-List Masterclasses with Todd
(Every other Tuesday)
- BST: 6:00pm and 11:00pm
- EDT: 1:00pm and 6:00pm
- PDT: 9:00am and 2:00pm
____
Studio Hours
(Every Thursday)
- BST: 8:00pm and 1:00am
- EDT: 3:00pm and 8:00pm
- PDT: 12:00pm and 5:00pm
____
New Module Live Stream with Scott Devine
(28 May, 23 July & 17 September)
- BST: 10:00am and 5:00pm
- EDT: 5:00am and 12:00pm
- PDT: 2:00am and 9:00am
Please note: All times may vary
What happens if I miss a coaching session? Are they recorded?
All of the live calls for the SBL Jazz Lab will be recorded and posted in the membership area.
However, please note that you only get one opportunity for one-on-one video feedback on your playing each week.
So if you fail to submit a recording of yourself for feedback by the deadline each week, you will have to wait until the following week for your next chance to receive one-on-one video feedback.
Are there different payment options?
Yes! And because you invested in The Jazz Accelerator, I’m going to apply every penny you paid to your enrollment in the SBL Jazz Lab.
And it means instead of paying $2,200.00 to join the SBL Jazz Lab like everyone else, your tuition comes out to just $2,000.
Or you can split that into 3 easy installments of just $740 per month.