I just acquired some beginning books I tipped from my savings. I've been reading around the posts and decided that these should be nice for starting:
1. Bass Guitar for Dummies
2. Hal Leonard Bass Method (1,2 and 3 complete edition)
3. Building Walking Basslines
4. A local cheap bass book 'Bass method'. Very basic with few exercises.
5. Another local cheap bass book that talks about arpeggios and improvisation. It has lots of sheets (one per page) for you to practice with a single sentence to explain it. I'm not reading this very much.

I also acquired Slapping tutorials:
1. Funkychops (Jim Lee)
2. Slap-it (Tony Oppenheim)

Ear training I have:
1. Teoria on my windoze box
2. GNU Solfege on ubuntu

I'm reading on the dummies book now and also on Hal Leonard Bass method. I'm also reading on Rock Bass in 4 weeks (ebook format). I work on my slap-pop once a week, focusing more on basics. I like the bass dummies book since I'm a dummy, and the ebook I mentioned earlier because it thought me about chords that I use now in playing. I like the one by Hal Leonard best because it's given in a step-by-step manner.

Is this a good way to learn? I'm thinking of getting formal bass lessons but I have yet to put up a budget for that.

Is this a good way to learn? I'm thinking of getting formal bass lessons but I have yet to put up a budget for that.

I take it you're a beginner?

I would ditch the slap for the moment... focus on the basics. Once a week isn't going to do you much good, IMHO.

I would also avoid the Ed Friedland Walking book for the moment. It's a great book, but it's not really for absolute beginners.

I seriously recommend getting lessons from a decent teacher. You will progress a lot faster with a teacher than you will working through books by yourself.

The Hal Leonard books are great. Working through those slowly, at the same time as having lessons, and going through a solfege course will be a great way to start.

I seriously recommend getting lessons from a decent teacher. You will progress a lot faster with a teacher than you will working through books by yourself.

Definite +1 on this. My teacher is great, and is well worth the money.

The Hal Leonard books are great. Working through those slowly, at the same time as having lessons, and going through a solfege course will be a great way to start.

I used the Hal Leonard book (and I own several of the others the OP mentioned) and it was great.

I found Bass for Dummies very helpful as a starting point. I don't have personal experience with the Hal Leonard series, but if you like it, that's what counts. Lessons--if you can, they'd probably be the fastest way to start, but don't let that stop you if you can't find/pay for them. This board is a great resource for asking questions (if you can sort through all the different answers ;-) ). And your computer is a great learning
tool, too.

Try to play every day... and if you aren't having fun, you're doing it wrong!

Enjoy,
Chas

I started, with a teacher, from the ground up about 5 months ago.

Our first book was the Hal Leonard volume 1 and my teacher focused primarily on my physical technigue.

I then graduated to the "Evolving Bassist" by Rufus Reid.

I don't know what comes next.