"Suddenly I was a student again."
Ueli has been taking bass lessons for six years. He plays in various bands and impromptu formations.
About 6 years ago, Ueli's life takes an unexpected turn. He receives something as a gift that he has never heard of: Music lessons with Instrumentor. The "culprit" is his wife. When she hands him the gift, she says dryly: "You've played bass long enough. Now it's time you learned how to play it properly!"
Not that Ueli is unmusical. Quite the opposite. He started with the recorder as a child and then played the piano - at first with pleasure. Then comes puberty and he increasingly feels compelled to take lessons. Nevertheless, he never completely abandons music. Ueli becomes a secondary school teacher, learns the guitar and gives music lessons.
From Brasil to the band to the bass.
Rather by chance, he comes to the bass years later. Ueli comes back to Switzerland after an eight-year stay in Brazil. During his absence, some of his fellow teachers have formed a band. A bass player is missing, so Ueli teaches himself the instrument.
The band plays rock'n'roll and has existed for over 25 years. They used to perform regularly, but today they still meet once a week for rehearsals. "The joy of music", as Mani Matter sang about it in one of his songs, is now the main focus.
With music lessons comes progress.
Ueli has no lack of talent. But only the surprising gift turns him into a really passionate bass player. He becomes better and better and more self-confident.
"Not only the gift, but also Olivier, my teacher, was a stroke of luck," he says looking back. The individual lessons enable Ueli to specifically address his needs. "I can determine the content of my lessons myself and Olivier helps me learn certain bass lines, for example".
At the beginning, it was strange for the long-time teacher to be a pupil again. "Have I practised enough?" he sometimes asks himself. But in contrast to his piano lessons in the past, today he not only goes to lessons voluntarily, but also very much enjoys it. So the hobby becomes a passion and a big part of Ueli's life. He devotes around eight hours a week to it.
Goal: keep the joy.
During the Corona lockdown, rehearsals in the band room are no longer possible. With two colleagues he decides to play in the garden with a safe distance. This formation is very experimental, the "joy of music" ranges from chansons to blues to the aforementioned Mani Matter. The group also likes to try out new things, and notices, for example, that a hand organ does quite well in Bossa Nova.
Ueli also discovers his love of jazz. Together with another colleague, a pianist, he rehearses and improvises as a couple. "I like playing, especially in bands. Ours has been around for over 25 years without ever falling out," he says with a laugh. Ueli enjoys the many sides of music and hopes that this will continue for a long time.