Most listeners could not hum a single bass line from their favorite song. Mute the bass, though, and the whole track suddenly sounds thin, nervous and a little lost.
Holding a song together like that is a skill you build in stages, from steady root notes to locking in with the kick drum. Scott’s Bass Lessons is the best online bass lesson for beginners and intermediate players in 2026 because it sets those stages out as a 9-level Players Path. Members also get 100+ courses, weekly live coaching and video feedback for $34 a month or $199 a year, after a 14-day free trial.
BassBuzz is the pick for total beginners, with a 30-hour course for a one-time $197. ArtistWorks brings GRAMMY winners Nathan East and John Patitucci, and Musora adds a 12-path bass method to every other instrument. TrueFire, TalkingBass, StudyBass and Lessonface cover a huge teacher library, one-time courses, free theory and live teachers.
Nobody hums your part, but the whole room moves to it.
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| Product | Best for | Score | Key points | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feedback from a bass legendArtistWorks | Four schools, with Premium video replies from Stu Hamm and Missy Raines | 4.0/5 |
| Visit ArtistWorks |
| Many bass teachers in one libraryTrueFire | 116 bass titles from educators such as Ariane Cap and Andrew Ford | 4.0/5 |
| Visit TrueFire |
Which online bass lessons are best for you?
Scott’s Bass Lessons is the best start for most players, but your level, budget and need for feedback decide the rest. Use this table to jump to the review that fits.
| Best for | Pick | Score | Why | Starts at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A level-by-level path with live coaching | Scott’s Bass Lessons | 4.5/5 | 9-level Players Path, 100+ courses and video feedback | $34/mo; $199/yr |
| Total beginners who want to pay once | BassBuzz | 4.5/5 | Josh Fossgreen’s 30-hour Beginner to Badass course | $197 one-time |
| Feedback from a bass legend | ArtistWorks | 4/5 | Four schools, with Premium video replies from Stu Hamm and Missy Raines | $19.99/mo; $191.88/yr |
| Bass plus every other instrument | Musora | 4/5 | 12 bass paths and 1,000+ songs with bass-less tracks | $30/mo; $279/yr |
| Many bass teachers in one library | TrueFire | 4/5 | 116 bass titles from educators such as Ariane Cap and Andrew Ford | $249.99/yr |
| Courses you own for life | TalkingBass | 3.5/5 | Mark J Smith’s 16 courses, from beginner to sight reading | $49 one-time |
| Free lessons that teach music | StudyBass | 3.5/5 | A free Study Guide shaped by 34 years of teaching | Free; $10/mo |
| A live private teacher | Lessonface | 3.5/5 | 100+ vetted bass guitar teachers on Zoom | About $35 per lesson on average |
How do you choose online bass lessons?
Start with the music you want to play, then decide how often a real bassist should hear you. Bass feels simple for a week, until you play along with a drummer and hear every late note.
- Style: Scott’s Bass Lessons and TrueFire cover funk, R&B, rock, blues and jazz, and Musora teaches through 1,000+ songs. ArtistWorks adds jazz with John Patitucci and bluegrass upright with Missy Raines.
- Feedback: Scott’s Bass Lessons and ArtistWorks Premium review videos you send. Lessonface teachers and StudyBass private lessons correct you live, and the rest are self-guided.
- Level: every program here starts at zero except Nathan East’s school, which begins at advanced beginner.
- Instrument: most programs teach four-string electric bass guitar. For upright bass, ArtistWorks has Missy Raines on bluegrass and John Patitucci on jazz, Scott’s Bass Lessons has an upright section, and TrueFire has John Goldsby’s Upright Bass Handbook. The basics of playing bass guitar help before you choose.
- Price model: BassBuzz and TalkingBass sell once, Lessonface charges per lesson, and the rest are subscriptions. The two-year cost table shows how those models compare once the second year bills.
- Free start: StudyBass is free, and every subscription here has a free trial of 7 or 14 days.
1. Scott’s Bass Lessons: best for a level-by-level path with live coaching
Scott’s Bass Lessons, or SBL, is a bass-only school led by Scott Devine. Its course library holds more than 100 courses, with tutors such as John Patitucci, Gary Willis, Adam Neely, Charles Berthoud and Ian Martin Allison. The company says more than 80,000 students have joined.
It ranks first because it joins that library to a clear path and real human contact. The Players Path evaluates your current level, then moves you through song projects across nine levels, while coaches and live classes keep you on course.
Verdict: The most complete online bass school, with a clear path for beginners and live help from top players at every level.
Who is Scott’s Bass Lessons best for?
It suits beginners who want a plan and intermediate players stuck on a plateau. Players who like company also do well here, since live classes and a busy community make practice feel less lonely.
What does a first week on SBL look like?
Beginners open the Beginner’s Pathway, which starts from the very first steps. The Players Path then evaluates your current level and hands you song projects to work on.
When you graduate from a level, a new set of Song Projects opens in the next one. Before the week ends, you can join a weekly live Practice Lab with Scott and Ian and play along in real time.
What does the course library cover?
Courses span theory and harmony, walking bass lines, soloing, scales and arpeggios, groove, reading charts, ear training and upright bass. There is even a section on working as a session player. SBL says it adds around 10 new courses each year.
How much live help do you get?
A lot, for a self-paced school. Weekly coaching sessions support Players Path and beginner students, and monthly workshops go deep on one skill.
Guest seminars and mentorship calls bring players such as Michael League, Gary Willis and Ariane Cap. You can also submit videos of your playing for direct feedback.
What does Scott’s Bass Lessons cost?
Membership costs $34 a month or $199 a year, and a lifetime plan costs $1,997. The monthly and annual plans start with a 14-day free trial. Every option carries a 30-day money-back guarantee, and SBL says it will also pay up to $500 toward another bass program if you leave.
Should you subscribe or buy one course and keep it?
BassBuzz costs $197 once and suits total beginners, and TalkingBass sells single courses from $49.
- Choose SBL if you want years of material and live coaching.
- Choose BassBuzz if you only need a first course.
- Choose TalkingBass if subscriptions bother you.
Where it’s strong
- A 9-level Players Path built on real songs
- Weekly live coaching, Practice Labs and workshops
- Video feedback from SBL instructors
Where it falls short
- The amount of content can feel like a lot at first
- Live classes follow a fixed schedule
Pick it if you want a bass school that grows with you for years. Skip it if you want one short course and nothing more.
When a school offers to pay for its rival if you leave, it clearly expects you to stay.
2. BassBuzz: best for total beginners who want to pay once
BassBuzz is the home of Beginner to Badass, a beginner course taught by Josh Fossgreen. Josh is the son of two musicians and started teaching bass before he finished high school. The course method was built with JP Allen, a teacher with decades of experience, by the team behind Harmonica.com.
It ranks second because it is the clearest first course here. You get 30 hours of video lessons that build one on the other, and you play along with a band from the very first lesson.
Verdict: The friendliest way to go from zero to playing real songs, sold once with lifetime access and a long money-back guarantee.
Who is BassBuzz best for?
It is best for adults who have never touched a bass and want to sound good fast. You do not need to read music or tabs to start. It also suits returning players who taught themselves badly and want to rebuild the basics in order.
What does a first week on BassBuzz look like?
You pick a schedule first: the 1-Month Hardcore plan, the 3-Month Fast Track or the 6-Month Steady Eddie. Then you start the lessons and play along with jam tracks. The tracks come at slow, medium and normal speed, with and without the bass part.
What does Beginner to Badass teach?
It covers rhythm and time signatures, scales, chords, arpeggios, notes on the neck and reading both tab and music. Lessons also show how to follow a drummer, build your own lines and jam with others. The course also covers slapping, popping, tapping and chords, plus a step-by-step process for improvising with other musicians.
What comes with the course?
The 100 First Songs Pack lets you play along with each bass line and slow it down, with songs such as “Come As You Are” and “Billie Jean.” Master class lessons take you into advanced topics after the course. Course Extras sum up the key points of every lesson.
What does BassBuzz cost?
Beginner to Badass costs $197 once, or you can spread it over a payment plan starting at $39.97. Once it is paid for, the access is yours for life. A 180-day money-back guarantee, the longest here, covers the purchase.
What happens when the beginner course runs out?
Scott’s Bass Lessons keeps going for years with live coaching, and TalkingBass sells a shorter beginner course for $49.
- Choose BassBuzz if you want the best single first course.
- Choose SBL if you want feedback and long-term study.
- Choose TalkingBass if your budget is tight.
Where it’s strong
- A clear, play-along course built for total beginners
- Lifetime access for one payment
- A 180-day money-back guarantee
Where it falls short
- No teacher reviews your playing
- Little for players past the intermediate stage
Pick it if you have never played bass and want to sound good quickly. Skip it if you already play in a band.
Once the course is done, these easy bass songs give you something new to play every week.
3. ArtistWorks: best for feedback from a bass legend
ArtistWorks runs four bass schools, each led by one master. Nathan East and Stu Hamm teach electric bass, John Patitucci teaches jazz on upright and electric, and Missy Raines teaches bluegrass upright. Together they hold 650+ video lessons.
It ranks third because two of its schools add video feedback from the teacher. On Premium, Stu Hamm and Missy Raines record replies to the videos you send, and every school has a library of past exchanges to learn from.
Verdict: The best place to study with famous bassists, with personal replies in two schools and deep jazz in a third.
Who is ArtistWorks best for?
It suits players who want one master to follow for years. Jazz bassists get Patitucci, bluegrass players get Raines, and funk and solo bass fans get Hamm. Studio-minded players get Nathan East.
What does a first week on ArtistWorks look like?
You pick a school and start in its first level with timing, tone and technique. Then you watch exchanges from students at your level to hear what the teacher listens for. On Premium, you can send your first video before the trial ends.
Which bass teacher should you pick?
John Patitucci’s school is the largest, with 320+ lessons and 1,010+ exchanges on walking lines, jazz harmony and improvisation. Stu Hamm, who toured with Steve Vai and Joe Satriani, teaches slap, two-hand tapping and chord bass in 130+ lessons.
Missy Raines, a ten-time IBMA Bass Player of the Year, has 90+ lessons with tabs and backing tracks. Nathan East, of Fourplay, has 110+ lessons on groove, tone and studio work.
How does video feedback work?
You film yourself playing an assigned piece and upload it. The teacher records a video reply, which joins the school’s shared library.
Premium is not offered in every school, and the Nathan East and John Patitucci pages show Standard only. The ArtistWorks review explains the platform across every instrument.
What does ArtistWorks bass cost?
Standard costs $19.99 a month or $191.88 a year. Premium, where a school offers it, costs $29.99 a month or $287.88 a year and adds personal feedback. Each school is a separate subscription, and every plan starts with a 7-day free trial.
Is a video reply worth more than a live session?
Scott’s Bass Lessons adds weekly live coaching and many more courses, and Lessonface gives you a teacher on Zoom.
- Choose ArtistWorks if you want one famous bassist to hear you.
- Choose SBL if you want breadth and live classes.
Where it’s strong
- Video replies from Stu Hamm or Missy Raines on Premium
- 320+ jazz lessons from John Patitucci
- The lowest annual price here for a teacher-led school
Where it falls short
- Feedback is not offered in every school
- Each school is a separate subscription
Pick it if you want a legend to study your playing. Skip it if you want many teachers on one plan.
These players are on most lists of the greatest bassists of all time, and here they teach for less than a pizza a month.
4. Musora: best for bass plus every other instrument
Musora is the Canadian company behind Drumeo, and its bass lessons sit on the same membership as drums, piano, guitar and singing. The bass method runs as 12 step-by-step paths. The first five range from 31 to 46 lessons each.
It ranks fourth because it pairs a clear path with a large song library and five instruments for one price. Every lesson is follow-along, so the video becomes your practice session.
Verdict: The best value for families or players who want bass and a second instrument, with a guided path and 1,000+ songs.
Who is Musora best for?
It suits beginners who like a set routine and players who want to learn songs early. Households with more than one musician get the most value, since every instrument comes on one plan. Drummers already on Drumeo can add bass without paying for a second membership.
What does a first week on Musora look like?
The first path takes you from never touching a bass to playing real lines and your first full song, in 35 lessons. You follow along with the teacher in every video, so practice and lesson happen at the same time. Streaks track your daily and weekly practice, and the Progress Tracker records each session.
What do the later paths teach?
The second path adds fills, rhythm changes and new patterns. The third opens up the fretboard, and the fourth works on feel and timing. The fifth shapes your style with tone, 16th-note rhythms, triads and slides.
How does the song library help?
Each of the 1,000+ songs has a note-for-note breakdown and a bass-less track, so you fill the gap. You can slow the tempo, loop a hard part, pick an easy version and follow a highlighted fretboard. Sheet music downloads for offline practice, and artist courses let you pick one skill and follow the instructor who teaches it best.
What does Musora cost?
Membership costs $30 a month or $279 a year, which works out to $23.25 a month. A 7-day free trial comes first, and a 90-day money-back guarantee follows. That one price covers all five instruments, plus weekly live Q&As and unlimited personal support from the Musora team.
Does one membership for every instrument beat a bass specialist?
Scott’s Bass Lessons has far more bass courses and live coaching, and TrueFire has more bass teachers for less a year.
- Choose Musora if you want bass and another instrument on one bill.
- Choose SBL if you want serious bass study.
Where it’s strong
- 12 clear bass paths with follow-along lessons
- 1,000+ songs with bass-less tracks
- Five instruments on one membership
Where it falls short
- No teacher reviews videos of your playing
- Fewer bass teachers than SBL or TrueFire
Pick it if you want bass and drums in the same house. Skip it if bass is your only instrument and you want depth.
One membership for a whole rhythm section makes a strong case at the family dinner table.
5. TrueFire: best for many bass teachers in one library
TrueFire is best known for guitar, but a bass search on its catalog returns 116 titles. Courses come from educators such as Ariane Cap, Andrew Ford, Ryan Madora, Tony Franklin, John Goldsby and Stu Hamm. JamPlay courses now sit in the same library.
It ranks fifth because no other subscription here gives you so many bass teachers in one library. One All Access membership covers the full library of 1,900+ courses and 30,000+ jam tracks.
Verdict: The widest choice of bass educators in one subscription, with smart video tools and jam tracks for practice.
Who is TrueFire best for?
It suits self-motivated players who like to pick their own topics. Guitarists who also play bass get the most out of it, since one plan covers both instruments. Players who already know the basics and want a specific style will find a course for almost every one.
What does a first week on TrueFire look like?
Start with a beginner course such as Andy Irvine’s 30 Beginner Bass Grooves You Must Know or Stu Hamm’s Learn Bass 2: Next Steps for Beginners. Slow the video down, loop the hard bars and read the tab synced to the picture. Then jam with a backing track in the same style.
Which bass courses stand out?
Andrew Ford has survival guides for blues, Motown and groove, plus 50 R&B Bass Grooves You MUST Know. Ariane Cap teaches pentatonics, fills and groove creation, and Tony Franklin runs Fretless Bass Foundations.
Stu Hamm adds a slap bass course. John Goldsby wrote the Upright Bass Handbook, and Ryan Madora’s Bass Cafe: Foundations is a friendly start.
How do the video tools work?
Every lesson can play in slow motion and loop a section. Tab and notation scroll in sync with the video, so you see and read the same bar.
The 30,000+ jam tracks include multi-track versions, which let you practice with a band. All Access is streaming only, so a course you want to keep offline is a separate purchase.
What does TrueFire cost?
All Access costs $249.99 a year, which works out to about $20.83 a month. A 7-day free trial comes first, and TrueFire offers a 14-day satisfaction guarantee.
Members also get 25% off courses they want to download and keep. The TrueFire review covers the guitar side in depth.
Do you want many teachers or one clear method?
Scott’s Bass Lessons has a set path and live coaching, and ArtistWorks adds feedback in two schools.
- Choose TrueFire if you want many teachers in one library.
- Choose SBL if you need structure.
Where it’s strong
- 116 bass titles from many respected educators
- 1,900+ courses and 30,000+ jam tracks on one plan
- Slow motion, looping and synced tab on every lesson
Where it falls short
- The site is built around guitar first
- No teacher reviews your playing
Pick it if you want variety and a low yearly bill. Skip it if you need a single clear path to follow.
For grooves to try with those Motown and R&B courses, start with these funk songs.
6. TalkingBass: best for courses you own for life
TalkingBass is the school of Mark J Smith, a bassist with 30 years of professional playing and a degree from Leeds College of Music. He moved into online teaching in 2013.
His site sells 16 in-depth courses, and each one is a single payment with lifetime access. TalkingBass counts more than 150,000 members worldwide.
It ranks sixth because it is the clearest way to build a bass education without a subscription. You buy the course you need, finish it and move to the next.
Verdict: The best pay-once bass school, with a cheap beginner course and serious courses on groove and sight reading.
Who is TalkingBass best for?
It suits players who dislike monthly bills and like finishing one topic at a time. Bassists who want to read music get one of the most complete reading courses here. His free YouTube lessons, with 450k subscribers, let you hear how he teaches before you spend anything.
What does a first week on TalkingBass look like?
Start with Beginner Bass Guitar, a ten-lesson course of more than two hours. It moves from the basics and the fretting hand to rhythm, muting, two-finger picking and the major scale. Lesson nine teaches five simple riffs, and a 34-page workbook follows every lesson.
Which courses come next?
Groove Trainer is a roadmap for every part of your rhythm playing. Simple Steps To Sight Reading runs from beginner to advanced reading.
Ear Training For Bass Volume 1 trains your ear for bass lines and costs $79. Bundles combine several courses for less than buying each one alone.
What can you learn for free?
Free lessons include 20 bass riffs for beginners, a walking bass lesson and a common scale mistake. Tabs and lessons for Vulfpeck’s “Dean Town” and Primus’s “Tommy The Cat” give you something harder to aim at. A free lesson map organizes it all.
What does TalkingBass cost?
Beginner Bass Guitar costs $49, Groove Trainer costs $160 and Simple Steps To Sight Reading costs $260. Bundles cost $120 for the Starter Pack, $559 for The Next Step and $1,600 for every course. Each purchase is yours for life.
Which pay-once course should a beginner pick?
BassBuzz is a longer first course with a 180-day guarantee, and StudyBass teaches theory for free.
- Choose TalkingBass if you want to pay for one topic at a time.
- Choose BassBuzz if you want one big beginner course.
- Choose StudyBass if you have no budget.
Where it’s strong
- Pay once and keep every course
- A $49 beginner course with a workbook
- Deep courses on groove and sight reading
Where it falls short
- No teacher reviews your playing
- The full catalog costs more than years of some subscriptions
Pick it if you want to own your bass lessons outright. Skip it if you want live help or feedback.
A $49 course and a 34-page workbook make a cheap test of how serious you are.
7. StudyBass: best for free lessons that teach music
StudyBass is the work of Andrew Pouska, a bass teacher with 34 years of one-on-one lessons and more than 3,000 students. He has published free bass lessons online since 2003. The site carries no ads and runs on member support.
It ranks seventh because it is the best free bass curriculum here and the one most focused on understanding music. The Study Guide moves from technique to theory, application and mastery, and each lesson builds on the last.
Verdict: The best free way to learn bass properly, with clear lessons on theory and a low-cost option for private lessons.
Who is StudyBass best for?
It suits players who want to know why a line works, not only where to put their fingers. It also helps players who know tabs but not theory, band members who want more and players coming back after a long break. Andrew writes and runs the whole site himself, so the lessons share one clear voice.
What does a first week on StudyBass look like?
You start at the Study Guide, which points you to your first lesson. Each lesson mixes clear text, interactive fretboard diagrams and recorded exercises in notation and tab, so you can read and hear the same idea. Quizzes tell you when you are ready to move on.
What does a StudyBass lesson include?
Lessons can include text, audio and video, exercises, curated songs and quizzes. Curated songs are real bass lines that use the lesson’s idea.
Free tools add a metronome, tuner, fretboard diagrams and a music dictionary. If you want the theory first, this music theory overview is a gentle start.
What do supporters get?
Supporting members get StudyPacks with extended exercise audio, My Practice for organizing routines and hundreds of jam tracks. You can also buy StudyPacks alone for $5 each or $12 for the first three. Andrew keeps the site free of ads, and supporter fees help fund new lessons.
What does StudyBass cost?
The lessons are free. Supporter membership costs $10 a month or $100 a year, and you can cancel at any time. Private lessons with Andrew on Zoom cost $240 a month for four 30-minute lessons, with a private portal for your practice notes.
Can free lessons replace a video course?
BassBuzz teaches mostly by play-along video, and Scott’s Bass Lessons adds live coaching and a library of teachers.
- Choose StudyBass if you learn by reading and thinking.
- Choose BassBuzz if you want to jam right away.
Where it’s strong
- A full free curriculum in a clear order
- Strong focus on theory and why lines work
- Private Zoom lessons with the author
Where it falls short
- Less video than the paid schools
- The free lessons offer no feedback
Pick it if you want to understand music, not just copy tabs. Skip it if you learn best by watching and playing along.
Twenty-three years of free lessons is a rare kind of generosity on the internet.
8. Lessonface: best for a live private teacher
Lessonface is a marketplace for live music lessons, and it lists more than 100 vetted bass guitar teachers. Staff experts screen each teacher, and verified students leave the reviews. The average bass lesson costs about $35.
It ranks eighth because it is the only marketplace here with many live teachers to choose from. A teacher on Zoom fixes your hand position and timing on the spot, which no video can do.
Verdict: The best way to put a real bass teacher on your screen, with rates and styles you choose.
Who is Lessonface best for?
It suits players who want a weekly teacher and kids who need a live adult guiding them. It also helps self-taught bassists who have hit a wall they cannot see.
Double bass students can find teachers there too. If you are not sure where to start, you can describe your goals and get matched with a teacher.
What does a first lesson look like?
You pick a teacher, book a first lesson or trial and meet on Zoom. Lessonface sends the link and reminders. Recordings, assignments and notes stay in your account, so you know exactly what to practice before the next lesson.
Who teaches bass on Lessonface?
The bass page shows each teacher’s years on the site, rate and reviews. Bear Williams, a Chicago native, played bass on songs by Gene Chandler and Jerry Butler in the late 1970s and 1980s.
Gustavo Martinez has more than 10 years as a performer and has taught on Lessonface since April 2020. Shona Tiernan teaches both bass and drums, and Steve Boniello rounds out the featured list.
How flexible are Lessonface bookings?
You can book single lessons, buy a package or keep a weekly time. Time zones convert automatically, and you can reschedule or cancel up to 24 hours before a lesson. Many teachers post demo videos, so you can hear them play before you book.
What does Lessonface cost?
Each teacher sets a rate, and the average bass lesson costs about $35. Featured rates run from $20 to $41 for 30 minutes. There is no subscription, so the cost follows how often you play.
How does a weekly teacher compare with a membership?
Scott’s Bass Lessons costs about one lesson a month and adds live coaching, and StudyBass offers private lessons with its founder.
- Choose Lessonface if you want to choose from many live teachers.
- Choose SBL if you want the cheaper path.
Many players combine the two.
Where it’s strong
- A live teacher who corrects you in real time
- 100+ vetted bass guitar teachers at different rates
- Lesson recordings and notes kept in your account
Where it falls short
- Weekly lessons cost more than any subscription here
- Quality depends on the teacher you choose
Pick it if you want someone to watch your hands every week. Skip it if you want a full library on a small budget.
A good teacher hears a rushed note before you even know you played it.
How we evaluated these bass lesson platforms
For this guide, we reviewed 8 of the bass lesson platforms online. We assessed each curriculum, course structure and teacher lineup. We also checked the pricing, the trial and refund terms, and the ways each one gives feedback on your playing.
We then compared the platforms on the four factors in how we score lesson platforms. For setup and ease of use, we assessed how clearly each one lays out sign-up, plans and the next lesson.
For quality of lessons and teachers, we looked at who teaches and how each course is built. That runs from the 9-level Players Path at Scott’s Bass Lessons to the single masters at ArtistWorks.
For range of content, we compared styles, levels and course libraries, from pay-once beginner courses to free theory at StudyBass. For useful features, we weighed feedback options such as SBL video reviews and ArtistWorks Video Exchange. Live contact counted too, through weekly live coaching and Lessonface teachers on Zoom.
We found that no single platform leads on all four factors. So each review names the bassist it suits best.
We list regular prices only and recheck them before every update. Commissions do not influence which products appear here or how they rank.
Pickup Music, Yousician and two free extras: where they fit
Other bass guides recommend a few names that are not reviewed above. Each has a clear use, so here is where it slots in.
- Pickup Music starts with a short quiz and builds a personal learning plan, then runs bass pathways such as Corbin Jones’s beginner path, Nick Cisneros on funk and Pete Griffin on rock. You can submit your playing for detailed video feedback, and the first 14 days are free. It suits players who want a set daily plan with someone checking in.
- Yousician listens through your phone or computer microphone and scores your timing and accuracy, with no cables needed. Lessons run from first plucks to grooving in different styles, wrapped in goals and rewards. Fun for daily reps, though no teacher watches your hands.
- Fender Play teaches bass beside guitar and ukulele and gives instant feedback when you play a song or riff. It suits players who want a song-first start more than a bass-only curriculum, and the full Fender Play review covers the app in depth.
- Zoltan’s Bass Lounge gives away Rookie Bass Camp, a free beginner course of 20 videos, about two hours in all, with 13 sheets of music. It covers the notes in the first five frets and the technique for both hands. A tidy free warm-up before a longer path.
Are online bass lessons better than in-person lessons?
Online lessons cost less and let you loop a tricky line at half speed as often as you need. A teacher in the room can watch both hands from any angle, and a band adds what neither gives you: locking in with a real drummer.
A good online program sets the order and gives you clear tab, notation and play-along tracks. A local teacher spots a tense wrist or a floating thumb at once. If you learn mostly online, choose something with human feedback, such as Scott’s Bass Lessons, ArtistWorks Premium or a Lessonface teacher.
Pay once or pay monthly? What two years of bass lessons cost
The sticker price hides the real choice. A one-time course costs more on day one and nothing after, while a subscription looks cheap until the second year bills.
Online bass lessons cost from nothing at StudyBass to $34 a month for a full school with live coaching. One-time courses cost $49 to $197, and annual plans run from $191.88 to $279.
| Product | Lowest paid price | Two years on the cheapest plan | Free way to start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scott’s Bass Lessons | $34/mo; $199/yr | $398 | 14-day trial |
| BassBuzz | $197 one-time | $197 | 7 free starter lessons |
| ArtistWorks | $19.99/mo; $191.88/yr | $383.76 | 7-day trial |
| Musora | $30/mo; $279/yr | $558 | 7-day trial |
| TrueFire | $249.99/yr | $499.98 | 7-day trial |
| TalkingBass | $49 one-time | $49 for the beginner course; later courses sold separately | Free lessons |
| StudyBass | $10/mo supporter | $0, since the lessons stay free | Free lessons |
| Lessonface | Set by teacher; about $35 average | About $840 at one lesson a month | First lesson or trial where offered |
Free YouTube lessons fill plenty of gaps, but nobody puts them in order or tells you which habit to fix first. StudyBass is the free option with a real sequence behind it. A paid course starts to pay off once you play most days and want one clear next step.
A bass line only grooves when the drummer is on it too, and the best online drum lessons for that partner are ranked the same way.
FAQs
What are the best online bass lessons for beginners?
Scott’s Bass Lessons is the best choice for most beginners, with its Beginner’s Pathway and a 14-day free trial. BassBuzz is the best single course for total beginners, and StudyBass is the best free start.
Can you learn bass online by yourself?
Yes, with a structured course and play-along tracks. Timing is hard to judge alone, so record yourself often or get feedback from a teacher.
Which online bass lessons give feedback on your playing?
Scott’s Bass Lessons reviews videos you submit, and ArtistWorks Premium does the same in Stu Hamm’s and Missy Raines’s schools. Lessonface teachers and StudyBass private lessons correct you live.
What is the cheapest way to learn bass online?
StudyBass is free. TalkingBass sells a full beginner course for $49, and ArtistWorks Standard costs $191.88 a year for one school.
Can an app teach you bass?
It can teach the notes and keep your timing honest. Apps such as Yousician listen through a microphone and score each attempt, which makes daily practice feel like a game. An app cannot spot a tense wrist, so pair it with video feedback or the odd live lesson.
How long does it take to learn bass?
It depends on your practice time. BassBuzz builds its Beginner to Badass course around 1-month, 3-month and 6-month schedules, and calls the 3-month plan the right pace for most people. Slap, reading and walking lines take far longer, so treat a beginner course as the first chapter.
Should you learn guitar or bass first?
Learn the instrument you want to hear yourself play. Bass is a fine first instrument, and guitarists who want both can compare online guitar lessons ranked the same way.
Are online bass lessons worth it?
Yes, if you practice. Most memberships here cost $20 to $34 a month, about the price of one average Lessonface lesson.
Do you need to read music to learn bass online?
No. Every program here teaches with tab, video or both. TalkingBass and StudyBass also teach reading if you want it. Every other instrument is covered in the complete guide to online music lessons.
