Bass Player Center is designed and published by Townsend Smith – with help from his son who handles many of the technical aspects.
Townsend is an accomplished musician with over 30 years of experience studying, performing, and teaching bass guitar.
At a young age he was exposed to and surrounded by musicians and musical equipment. When his dad needed space to store his sparkle blue 4-piece Slingerland drum set, Townsend was more than happy to offer his room. With instruction from his dad, he learned to play drums, developing a strong sense of rhythm and timing.
In grade school Townsend joined the school band and learned to play saxophone – starting with alto, then tenor, and eventually baritone sax. Baritone became his heavy favorite because of its groovy, low end sound.
By high school Townsend was able to combine and showcase his talents for rhythm, timing, and love for playing the the low end when he was asked to play bass guitar in a local band. He picked up a cheap bass and amp and got to learning. From that point on there was no looking back… Townsend knew what he wanted to do – play bass!
Townsend received formal training on bass guitar through enrollment in the Guitar Workshop School located in Charlotte, NC. At Guitar Workshop his focus was on learning music theory, and music education.
Throughout the last 30 years Townsend has performed in a number of bands playing all varieties and styles of music. He has worked as a bass instructor providing lessons to students ranging in age from children to adults.
Today Townsend works full-time as a school guidance counselor. He is the bassist for several bands playing gigs within the Charlotte Metro Area. When time permits, he teaches beginner level bass lessons.
Bass Player Center is a labor of love. It’s a part time gig with the goal of helping others learn bass guitar and/or improve their playing ability. The site has free bass lessons, recommendations and advice about bass guitar gear and equipment, with fun and valuable articles and resources about the bass.
We also provide recommendations for other online resources and sites that provide professional level, comprehensive bass lessons. These site are operated by organizations and instructors who have made a career out of teaching and playing bass.
We appreciate you visiting, and hope you will make Bass Player Center one of your regular stops!
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