Bass is an easy instrument to learn at first, as you’ll start with single root notes rather than full chords, so you can jump into full songs right away. Over time, as your rhythm skills and understanding of chords and melody grows, your bass lines will grow in complexity with you.
Note: An electric bass needs an amplifier to be heard, so you’ll need a bass amp as well. We have guitar cables and bass amps at the school, but for online lessons or practicing at home, you’ll need your own.
Solidbody basses are the tried-and-true workhorses of the bass world. With their solid construction, they offer punchy tones, great sustain, and enough power to shake the foundations of any venue.
Hollowbody basses are not as thick and heavy, and resonate with a unique character that sets them apart from the solidbody clan. They whisper sweet melodies, offering a warm, woody tone that can transport you to a jazzy, bluesy wonderland.
Which should a beginner choose? That depends on personal taste and your musical aspirations. If you're yearning to rock hard and deliver thunderous grooves, a solidbody bass will be your trusty companion.
If you find yourself drawn to the seductive allure of jazz, blues, or old-school rockabilly, the hollowbody bass might be your melodic soulmate. Its resonant tones and vintage vibes will transport you to a bygone era, where every note carries a story.
As with all instruments, we recommend you try before you buy! Our Austin students can try out different bass guitars without commitment by renting from places like Rock N Roll Rentals on Burnet Rd, but most cities should offer good rental options with a quick online search.
Note: Did you know that there’s such a thing as a ukulele bass? U-basses are small and cute, with thick, soft, rubbery strings, tuned the same way as a standard four-string bass. They need to plug into an amp just like other bass guitars, but they have a surprisingly robust sound reminiscent of a big stand-up double bass.
We answer lots more questions on our official FAQ here!
We offer month-to-month billing with no long-term contracts! Our monthly membership includes one 45-minute private lesson per week for a flat rate of $215 per month.
(Note: Pedal Steel Guitar is an exception, due to its larger size and extra time involved in setting up the instrument! See our pedal steel guitar page for more on that.)
There's a one-time registration fee of $39 per student to start your monthly enrollment, and to cancel your membership, we require just seven days notice before the end of the month.
We also offer $20/month off current rates for students whose lessons are done exclusively online!
Check out our Pricing Page for more price info.
For new students, your first 45-minute lesson is just $25 with no commitment required! Book Your Trial Lesson Here. One trial per student.
Tip: When booking a trial lesson, be sure you're looking at today's date on the calendar! Our system only allows booking up to 14 days in advance, so if you click on a future date, it'll look forward from that date - and anything more than 14 days away won't show up. Looking at today's date will show you everything open for the next 14 days.
If you don't see anything open, feel free to text us at 512-817-3663 and ask whether anything's coming available soon that may not be showing yet.
After you attend your first lesson, watch for an email from us with the subject "Thank you for attending!" That email will have all the info you need to pay your first monthly invoice and reserve your weekly spot.
We'll hold your spot for a couple days, and we'll reach out via text before giving it away to another student. If you'd like a different time or teacher than the one you attended for your trial, or you don't receive that email, text us at 512-817-3663 and we'll help you reserve your weekly spot.
(If you take a trial lesson and decide not to sign up, please text to let us know, so we can open that spot back up sooner. Thanks!)
We're located in Leander, TX, just northwest of Austin. The Live Music Capital of the World is in our backyard!
Our school's on S. Bagdad Rd between Crystal Falls and Hero Way, facing Robin Bledsoe Park. That's just a few minutes from Leander High School, and also close to Old Town Leander.
We're not large enough for a front office staff, so we're an appointment-only establishment. If you have questions or need help, the best way to reach us is via text at 512-817-3663. (Please use text rather than calling. Our phone number doesn't work with voice calls, but we check and respond to texts frequently!) You can also reach out in email at staff@vividmusicschool.com.
For private lessons, ages 4 to around 110. (Theoretically, of course. We haven’t hit our upper age limit yet.)
Our minimum age to start private music lessons is four years old, but success with children that young depends greatly on how involved the parents are at practice time. As for adults – at the time of this writing, our student holding the elder record is 82 years young!
(Note: Saxophone lessons are an exception due to the weight of the instrument, so our minimum starting age for new saxophone students is 10 years old.)
Most of our lessons are private, one-on-one lessons, in 45-minute timeslots. However, if two students sign up together in the same 45-minute time slot, we offer a 60% discount for the second student!
We also have two audition-only Rock Bands that rehearse on Sunday evenings.
Phone: 512-817-3663 - TEXT ONLY
Email: staff@vividmusicschool.com
Hours vary depending on lesson schedules.
Vivid School of Music
660 S. Bagdad Rd. #410
Leander, TX 78641
Visits by appointment only, please.
Formerly Sense & Color School of Music. Our name changed in February 2026 - but nothing else did! We're still the exact same little music school, just with a cool new name.♥
