I am currently study intensely on sight reading and theory to better my chances for an up coming audition in the winter. I can read but not fast.

Here is part of the audition requirement:

3. Sight-reading of single line notation and standard jazz ensemble and popular music (notation and chord symbols, lead sheets, etc.).


I am looking for information to better my sight reading abilities besides "Thesaurus of Scales and Melodic Patterns" by Nicolas Slonimsky Although the book is great I feel that it's limiting with rythym and ledger lines. Can anyone inform me on sheet music I can get ahold of? I have done some searching online but found nothing that was worthwhile. Any books I can buy without tablature?

Try the Storch-Hrabe books. They are meant to be etudes for double bass, but are excellent for improving reading skills on electric.

You should be doing a combination of things. I'm a big fan of reading down Carol Kaye's lines in her Complete Bass Lines series of books on her website. Great for syncopation and ledger lines in pop/funk styles. Also get your hands on the Bach cello suites in bass clef. Third thing you should be doing consistently is reading tunes out of the Real Book in treble clef. Good stuff.

There is online bass books store called BASSBOOKS.COM (http://www.bassbooks.com/shopping/default.asp)

They have a good selection of sightreading books. I would get a variaty of style especially Funk reading. You can sightread Funk everything else will come easy. Sight Reading Funk Rhythms for Electric Bass by Anthoney Vitti is a good one. Also Jim Stinnett has some good book available on his website JIM STINNETT (http://www.jimstinnett.com) Check out his series Reading Bass Parts Vol 1..3

If you know any horn players ask if they know of any rehearsal big bands around. Worth going to check out the charts and they will probably let you sit-in to get some real world experinece.

Good Luck.

As far as funk books, you should also look into Slap It! by Tony Oppenheim.