Beginner books

[77PBass]

Have a friend who is giving his son a bass for Christmas. Can anyone recommend a starter book or play along book for a beginner?

I started on a Mel Bay book 35 years ago. Today I use Abersold and the Internet for jazz and circus tricks.

[chrisboggon]

Hal Leonard Bass Method Complete Edition is a good one. Teaches the basics of quite a few techniques as well as reading standard notation and tab. It also comes with a CD, very good book.

[fearceol]

Originally Posted by chrisboggon

Hal Leonard Bass Method Complete Edition is a good one. Teaches the basics of quite a few techniques as well as reading standard notation and tab. It also comes with a CD, very good book.

Good suggestion, but if the person is starting from absolute scratch, then IMO "Bass Guitar for Dummies" would be better. Comes with a CD. The "Bass Method" book would then make a great follow up.

[Jhengsman]

I like The Complete Idiot's Guide as a role of the bassist type of book. And Hal Leonard for the method book. But the I'm prejudiced, I was on Guitar Noise where the writer, David Hodge answered questions. So I have done no more then flip through the Dummies book before all the book stores closed

[miltslackford]

+1 to Hal Leonard method by Ed Friedland