Stu Hamm Named Head of Bass Department at Musician’s Institute

Stu HammStu Hamm has taken on the role of Program Director for the Bass Department at the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood, California. The bassist, who’s credentials include six solo albums and years of touring with guitar legends Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, will be in charge of the curriculum and explains his focus will be on “getting the gig”, over flashy techniques.

Hamm also says teaching is in his blood.

“I come from an educational family, my father was a music professor, he was head of the music department at Dartmouth College and president of the American Musicological Association,” he says. “My brother teaches at the University of Washington – so I guess at some point in my life academia was expected of me.”

He also admits that teaching can be as good for the teacher as it is the student.

“It’s the old adage, when you teach you learn a lot more, because it forces you to break things down,” Hamm shares. “And of course there are those light-bulb moments, when you can reach a student, and really see them learn and their light-bulb light up, that’s a really inspiring thing to do.”

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