Testimonials
“Jarrett really guided me towards more accurate bow technique. I'm primarily a jazz player and I had let my arco chops deteriorate. He helped me to regain my bowing skills and in turn, it helped my overall bass skills, including my intonation "... Dean D.
“Ever since I started practicing under Mr. Jaretts’s instructions, the tension in my back and shoulders has been much better. I can feel a difference from just the beginning of this year alone. I’ve learned a different posture to help keep my shoulders down as well as keeping the tension off of both of my shoulders. I’m very satisfied and appreciate the skills that Mr. Jarrett’s given me.” … Zyann R.
Learning with Jarrett has been a unique experience. As a parent, I found his lessons both challenging and engaging. Jarrett challenges our child to be a better player and to think critically about how to play, adapt and learn, he also challenges our child to never settle for what is easy. He has been able to provide techniques that allow her to isolate complex pieces to help her self improve. Jarrett doesn’t just teach; he transforms how they learn.” … Katrina W.
“After just one lesson with Mr. Bastow, I learned that my stiff posture and tense arms were preventing me from playing to my full potential. Every lesson after that was focused on reducing tension, and now I am proud to say that my right arm is more relaxed than it was a year ago. Without that improvement, I would not be the musician I am today.” … Luke O.
“Mr. Jarrett helped take my cello playing to the next level. When I began, I was tense and rigid, but through our lessons I learned to relax and my playing became more fluid and expressive.” … Isabelle M.
“Jarrett is a very inspirational teacher. He pushes his students to achieve great progress in their playing, but is also incredibly patient. He works to make MUSIC, not to just learn notes, and does so in the way that it comes effortless and stress free by the time the piece is mastered. Before we met him, my daughter was about to lose her interest in her instrument, but Jarrett helped bring the life back to her passion. Compared to other music instructors, I would definitely recommend.” … Yasna R.
“ Jarrett Bastow is an incredible double bass instructor! He has been an absolute game-changer for my daughter, who is dyslexic and dysgraphic. From the start, Jarrett made learning the double bass accessible by breaking down complex techniques into simple, manageable steps. His patience and ability to tailor lessons to her unique needs have created a safe, encouraging environment where she truly thrives. Her growth throughout the school year has been nothing short of amazing, and I can’t thank Jarrett enough for his dedication and support. If you’re looking for a teacher who genuinely cares about student success and knows how to meet them where they are, Jarrett is the perfect choice. Highly recommend!” … Erika G.
“When I began taking lessons with Jarrett, I did not realize how tense I played. I was holding my bow arm very high, and I was squeezing the strings quite tightly, causing tension in my shoulders and hands. This was noticed by Jarrett in my first lesson. In each of our lessons, he emphasized relaxed playing by implementing small exercises that taught me to play with less tension over time. While the connection between tension and playing tone was not obvious to me, my tone improved ten-fold with Jarrett’s focus on playing without tension. Not only did my tone improve, but more advanced pieces and passages, that usually cause a lot of tension, became easier to pick up. I am thankful to have started with Jarrett with his special emphasis on relaxed playing.” … Shawn S.
“My son Mateo started taking bass lessons with Mr. Bastow for a while now, and honestly, it’s made a huge difference.
What truly sets Mr. Bastow apart is the focus on ease and body awareness. He has a great way of explaining things that actually makes sense, and the changes are subtle but super effective. Mateo playing feels smoother, his sound has improved, and the best of all is that he’s not exhausted after practice.
Highly recommended for anyone who wants to play with ease, fluidity and joy.” … Barbara F.
“My son took a bass private lesson with Mr. Bastow. When my son started the lesson, he just finished his first year orchestra with junior high. After only less than a year of lessons with Mr. Bastow, I could see a big progress both in skill and knowledge.
Mr. Bastow is a professional bass player and yet he understood the struggle that my son faced as a beginner and helped him overcome his struggles.” … Debora H.
“Studying with Prof. Bastow has been a transformative experience in my journey as a bass player. One of the most impactful aspects of our lessons has been his emphasis on reducing physical tension and promoting effortless playing. His deep understanding of technique and body mechanics has helped me become much more aware of how I approach the instrument.
Through thoughtful guidance and personalized exercises, he has taught me how to release unnecessary tension and play with greater ease and control. Not only has this improved my tone and precision, but it has also made practicing and performing much more enjoyable.
His calm, patient teaching style creates a supportive learning environment, and he always finds ways to explain complex concepts in a way that resonates with me. Thanks to his mentorship, I’m playing more freely and confidently than ever before.
I’m truly grateful for the progress I’ve made under his instruction, and I highly recommend him to anyone looking to take their bass playing to the next level.” … Noah L.