Bass Instructional Material

[mdsmith]

I'm relitively new to bass. I know how to tune it, the basic right and left hand techniques and a couple of pretty easy bass lines. I wanted to get some recommendations on learning material(books or video). I'm mainky interested in playing classic rock, reggae and some funk. I keep hearing Idiots Guide To Bass mentioned. Is this the holy grail of bass material or something? Thanks for any advice.

[DeanT]

Look for books by Ed Friedland. He has method books for each of the genres you mention. He's one of the best instructors out there. He also has a channel on YouTube.

[ZUR13L]

I'm an avid reader of instuctional guides. I have not been playing bass long at all but I can tell a good guide when I see one.

I have the Dummies guide to Bass and one that was put out by Bass Player magazine ( I think) however...

I cannot recommend enough the bass book printed in '07 by the Teach Yourself Visually people. (I think the publisher is Wiley).

This book is really, really good. Everything from tuning and care to slap 'n' pop but described very concisely, in plain english, with tons of high quality photos. As an afficionado of reference material I really enjoy reading this book. It has made lightbulbs go on over my head numerous times regarding topics that other books seemed to only hint at.

So, yeah. Teach Yourself Visually Bass Guitar.

Good luck!

[mothmonsterman]

The dummies book is pretty good, for a dummies book.

http://www.amazon.com/Bass-Guitar-Sc.../dp/0976291754
Is what i'm working with now and it's pretty good to teach your right hand how to move, and stretch.

http://www.amazon.com/Bass-Grooves-D...785701-7316963
I haven't more than read this book on the toilet so i can really tell you how good it is, but it looks like it's good.

I have others but they aren't worth mentioning.
Slap It is on it's way in the mail thougbh


Also they are many websites
www.studybass.com is fantastic.
www.activebass.com
and of course the general instruction forum on this site is great, you can learn alot from other peoples questions, and advice you think you might not need.

[PocketGroove82]

Books and Video (YouTube is a GREAT resource too!) are valuable!
Feedback from a real life instructor is invaluable!

[fearceol]

Originally Posted by PocketGroove82

Feedback from a real life instructor is invaluable!

+ 100. A book cant tell you if/where you are going wrong.

Having said that, dont let the "Dummies" word put you off. "Bass Guitar for Dummies" is a great book IMO.

A good website is : www.studybass.com

[Ed Fuqua]

Originally Posted by PocketGroove82

Books and Video (YouTube is a GREAT resource too!) are valuable!
Feedback from a real life instructor is invaluable!

I'm on steal that...

[Sweaty B]

Originally Posted by ZUR13L

I cannot recommend enough the bass book printed in '07 by the Teach Yourself Visually people. (I think the publisher is Wiley).

This book is really, really good. Everything from tuning and care to slap 'n' pop but described very concisely, in plain english, with tons of high quality photos. As an afficionado of reference material I really enjoy reading this book. It has made lightbulbs go on over my head numerous times regarding topics that other books seemed to only hint at.

So, yeah. Teach Yourself Visually Bass Guitar.

Good luck!

Thanks for the kind words about the book - I think that's the best compliment I've heard about it so far!

As for other resources, I really take a lot from Allan Slutsky's books on James Jamerson and the James Brown bassists, as well as Rufus Reid's Evolving Bassist and Jimmy Haslip's Melodic Bass Library.