Experienced tutor in Bass guitar in Los Angeles, Menno offers private lessons tailored to your needs.

I had a wonderful experience having Menno as my bass instructor at Musicians Institute. He focused on the fundamental role of the bass in songs. This is exactly what I needed personally so I can play music for enjoyment. He let me describe what was important for me to learn and he taught based on that. He is the best!!

Great Teacher, very versatile in all forms and styles of music. Professional Musician.

Excellent knowledge and a real passion for music and his instrument!

Versatility. Impeccable preparation and ability. Good humor and easy to work with. He is among the best bassists that I know!!

Menno is one of the most knowledgeable, and versatile, musicians I've ever had the pleasure of working with. He is critical; but he voices his criticisms in a way that motivates and inspires you to improve. Plain and simple, he will make you a better musician by working with him in any capacity.

He is arguably the best bass player I have ever met. His influence on my playing is unquestionable, and has made me a better musician in all areas. He has a great wealth of knowledge in all things music, ranging from technique to Harmony and Theory, reading, and essentially everything bass. He is the complete package and a professional among professionals.

He gave me a lesson when he was on staff at MI, he wasn’t my private instructor but he still took the time to show me some double thumbing and inversions I still hold onto 12 years later.

Menno is one of the only bass teachers I've ever had who helped me become the bass player I wanted to be. Solo bass is a very unexplored genre and Menno helped me get my start with it, as well as playing fretless extended range basses. Would highly recommend for your niche bass needs as well as your usual scales and theory needs.

He’s a great teacher and very supportive. I learned a lot from him not only guitar but how to approach music in general!

He takes what you see as a monster, and makes it look like a dove. He inspires you to take on your own musical challenges as he shares how he tackles and transcends his own. Menno's perception of the bass as an instrument bestows a serious appreciation for music of all genres, down to its intricacies, igniting a lifetime of musical breakthroughs and epiphanies.

Extremely knowledgeable and knowledgeable patient. Really great at breaking things down. Fantastic player as well!

Menno has been in turn a teacher, mentor, peer, and friend. His understanding of music, and in particular the basis, is incredibly wide and far-reaching. With a strong knowledge of the basics, and mastery over the instrument, he’ll be able to teach you anything you could want to learn on the instrument. All the while, with a dry sense of humour and an easy-going personality. You’ll learn without even realizing it’s happening. Work with this guy!

Menno is simply a fantastic teacher. I learned so much from him about how to have a bassline fit perfectly in a song in terms of the notes themselves, how to articulate them, and how to dial in the right tone to complement the song. I’ve learned a lot of bass soloing techniques from him as well as how to play some great classical pieces on the bass. I’ve studied extensively with a lot of great teachers including Stuart Hamm and Michael Manring; Menno is right up there with them. He’s also a great dude and fun to talk with. I’d highly recommend him to anyone looking to take their bass playing to the next level!

Excellent at connecting technique to theory.

I have known Menno for more than 15 years. He is as dedicated as one can be to his craft. Versatile is an understatement when talking about Menno's musicality. He knows his instrument inside and out, a true master.

I have worked closely with a Menno for many years in a live setting where he was teaching bass students along side myself (guitar instructor) and his teaching skills are excellent. He clearly explains the parts of songs and techniques of bass playing to all his students. He brings the best out of everyone’s playing ability, beginner to advanced. He is skilled in many styles and is a monster Hardrock and metal bass player, but excels equally at playing funk, blues, R&B or classical music. Highly recommended!

Menno is patient, and informative. I understand not only bass more, but music theory, and technique. He takes everything step by step and makes sure I understand what is going on in every lesson. I highly recommend having him as your teacher. You’ll have a much better grasp on music and bass you’ll be prepared for mastering music.

He gives great, constructive advice and also pushes students to do more. An incredible instructor and musician as well. Would recommend.

Excellent teacher!

Such a fantastic teacher! Menno helped me learn some of the things I found most challenging such as tapping. He’s a very attentive and diverse teacher with seemingly limitless knowledge.

I enjoyed the attention to detail of what I was looking to learn. I wanted to expand my metal chops, but also focus on the construction of etudes and classical works. Menno was the only instructor who took me seriously from the get-go. He encouraged me to create my own classical bits and helped me make them even better. I have so much respect for everything he's done musically in his career, especially his recent playthroughs of various classical pieces by some of the best composers where he performs all parts on bass. Great guy, great musician. Any player is lucky to have worked with or been instructed by Menno Verbaten.

Menno is a true musician . He taught me how to listen and be honest and true to the music I am learning and making . The ear training skills that Menno helped me with has opened my musicianship skills and further enhanced the art of listening for me .
There was no spoon feeding as the more you kept working with Menno like it really challenges and inspires you to get your bass game up .
He really encourages you and helps you think outside the box .
A true champion teacher and a great colleague .

Menno is tough, but in the best way. He makes you want to.do better, and makes you believe you can. If you do something wrong, he's honest and constructive. Do something well, and he is equally honest and congratulatory. My lessons from Menno were always fantastic.