Acoustic Bass
Matt Small

Matt Small will lead this workshop and introduce the basic concepts for playing acoustic bass in country, swing, and bluegrass styles. The major scale will be introduced and discussed as a starting point for building bass lines. The scale concept will be used to create intro and passing notes for country bass lines. The scale concept will be expanded to illustrate some common methods for building swing bass lines. Finally, Matt will introduce methods for getting that bluegrass "slap" sound. Bass players and non-bass players of all levels are welcome

Born in St. Louis (home of the blues some might say), Matt started out playing classical music on a number of instruments including coronet, French horn, and bassoon. Matt took up the bass in high school, moving from Bach to rock with a little bluegrass and country in between. Matt's strong and often melodic bass lines anchor the rhythm section and keep the song in the groove.  An accomplished singer, songwriter, guitarist, and bassist (both acoustic and electric), Matt has played with a number of bands including: Fat Boy and the Rhythm Pigs, The Assassins of Birdland, Eclipse, Coyote Moon, Station, The Cole Valley Ramblers, Jeanie and Chuck's Roundup, and the Wilsey Project. Matt was born into a family tradition of music and formed the Deep River boys, the Whiskey Gulch Stringaderos, and the New Swingaderos with his father Clem Small.