Yes and no. Bass is easier to start because you typically play single notes rather than chord shapes — the focus is on rhythm, timing, and locking in with the drummer. That makes the first month or two more approachable. But mastering the feel, the groove, and the precise timing that bass actually demands is its own deep skill. Bass isn't a shortcut to guitar — it's a separate instrument with its own discipline.

Start with a 4-string. It's the standard, the strings are spaced further apart so they're easier to play accurately, and almost every song you'll learn in the first few years works perfectly on four strings. A 5-string bass adds a lower B string for music written in extended ranges, but for a beginner it just adds complexity. You can always add a 5-string later if you need it.

Yes, eventually — an unplugged bass is too quiet to hear yourself properly. You don't need an expensive amp to start, though. A small practice amp around 15 to 25 watts is plenty for home practice and lessons. Standard guitar amps won't work — bass guitars produce low frequencies that need a bass-specific amp to reproduce them cleanly.

No. Bass guitar is a complete instrument in its own right and can be your very first instrument. Guitarists do pick up bass faster because they already understand the fretboard, but plenty of bass players have never touched a six-string. Rodden teaches both complete beginners and switching guitarists.

Every genre. Rock, pop, funk, jazz, blues, metal, R&B, Bollywood, worship, electronic — bass is the foundation of nearly all modern music. Rodden builds lessons around the styles you actually want to play, whether that's groove-heavy funk, locked-in pop, or improvisational jazz lines. There's no required genre to start with.

Both, depending on the sound you want. Fingerstyle bass produces a warmer, rounder tone and is the dominant approach in jazz, funk, and most R&B. Pick playing gives a brighter, more aggressive attack and is common in rock, punk, and metal. Most serious bassists learn both — Rodden will teach you whichever fits the music you're drawn to, and add the other later.

Bass guitar classes at School of Music are ₹4,000 per month for 8 sessions — four instrument lessons plus four theory sessions. Each session is 45 minutes long. Lessons are available in person at our studio in Calangute, or online for students across Goa and beyond. Trial classes are available before you commit.

No, we don't train students for grade exams. Our focus is performance — playing real music with other musicians, locking in rhythm sections, and building genuine groove. If you later decide to pursue a Rockschool or Trinity certification, the foundation we build will more than prepare you, but exams are never the goal.