Best Books To Learn Various Genres/Styles

[musicskunk]

I'm a newbie poster/veteran lurker

I recently just quit my progressive metalcore band and I have tons of free times now to improve my bass playing so I was wondering what the best books would be to learn these various styles.

Jazz?
Funk?
Latin?
Indian?
Slap?

I am mainly a metal bassist and primarily use fingers. I can tap and sweep pretty efficiently (due to years of playing lead guitar) but I want my bass lines to have feeling and to groove. Honestly, I'm just trying to forge my own style here

My primary influences are Joe Lester of Intronaut and Martin Mendez from Opeth.

[Deathblade Eric]

Originally Posted by musicskunk

I want my bass lines to have feeling and to groove. Honestly, I'm just trying to forge my own style here

My primary influences are Joe Lester of Intronaut and Martin Mendez from Opeth.

Not sure you can get "feel" and "groove" out of a book tbh. I'm of the opinion that you learn them by doing them... I dare say it's possible to write them down very accurately, but I suspect that there'd be a lot of 32nd note rests & double-dotted sixteenths to truly nail some things. A lot of groove centres around acknowledging the existence of the 1, but rarely explicitly stating it - especially in Reggae & old-school Ska.

Try these, Part 1 (of 6) of the 1967 Stax/Volt Tour & Skaravan - The Skatalites

[musicskunk]

I didn't articulate that well. I just want to learn these styles and the theory behind them. Groove and feeling comes from the artist, I agree; I just need a starting point with these styles/genres/etc.

[callmejs]

Hi musicskunk,

You might want to take a look at Paul Westwood's Bass Bible:

http://www.amazon.com/Bass-Bible-Ver.../dp/3927190675

JS

[Eater_of_Birds]

with those two fave bassists you shouldnt go too wrong ^ ^ heard the newer stuff form intronaut recently and its awesome, have to buy an album or 2.

[BigMacDaddy]

Here is another book that I am enjoying. Nice sound samples, and some standard notation. I have already acquired a good ear for several of these styles after two weeks.

The Bassist's Bible

[bassramos]

You simply cant learn how to play music from a book or that's what you will sound like. Its all ears.

[BigMacDaddy]

Did I say I only learned it from the book? I don't think so. I said it also had some nice samples. The samples are played in context with the bass accentuated. Nothing real long, but it gives you the feel of it.

I also listen to many examples of the styles of music listed constantly. I pretty much inundate myself with it, but I need to "see" what is going on before I truly get it. I like to see the patterns and the intervals. My visual ability aids my playing. There are lots of musicians that are this way.

I know books aren't the only way, but to say you can't learn from a book is one of the stupider things I read on TB all the time. People learn to play piano from books all the time, and don't come across as mechanical. Singing, lots of musical playing has been done by people reading music. That is why lots of people are asked about their sight-reading ability. A lot of the "feel" can come from within.

Books have value, but shouldn't be used in a vacuum. Also, the book I recommended goes into how the styles developed and some general concepts behind the music. The same sort of thing my friend and I talk about when trying something new.

What books can do is give you the courage to go outside your little box from time to time. The OP asked about books, I gave a suggestion. When someone asks about books, don't assume it is the only thing that they are going to do. They may just be looking to broaden their horizon, and just hunting around the FM dial doesn't work like it used to, what with all the talk shows. Give the assistance requested.

[musicskunk]

Originally Posted by Eater_of_Birds

with those two fave bassists you shouldnt go too wrong ^ ^ heard the newer stuff form intronaut recently and its awesome, have to buy an album or 2.

The newer Intronaut is tasty. Pretty cool to see their progression. I was even surprised when Joe Lester's playing didn't take the spotlight during a clean section. Can't wait to catch them with Cynic (although I wish they still had Sean Malone)

To everyone else, thanks for the help so far.

I believe that there isn't one way to learn or write music. I dig books, some folks dig learning by ear. It's all up to preference

[BigMacDaddy]

Amen to that. I am a high school biology teacher, and one thing I have learned in the past 10 years is that instruction has to be differentiated in order for every student to have a chance. Some of my students would love it if I just lectured the whole time, some would rather read the info, and others would rather do experiments and look at the results. As a result I am a busy lesson planner, and always on the go. But the reward is there when a student "gets" it.

[jwr]

Originally Posted by bassramos

You simply cant learn how to play music from a book or that's what you will sound like. Its all ears.

I thought it was all fingers.


I recently bought a book that I'm really enjoying Bass Tab White Pages. Since I've never learned to read music, and I want to be able to play certain songs, I'm really enjoying this book. Now your ears do come into play because you have to be able to tell how the rhythm goes. Numbers simple do not work when it comes to this, but I like using tabs when I'm playing popular music.

Other books I've found useful are Bass scale finder, Bass Fitness, and Chords for Bass.

[mambo4]

+1 to Paul Westwood's Bass Bible.
I contains both examples and a bit of analysis to boot.
John Lieberman's Bass Grooves: the ultimate collection also has a good selection of various styles, but I think he saves deeper analysis for his individual genre specific books.

If you really want to get into more groove based playing, by all means check out Standing In The Shadows of Mowtown (the book) James Jamerson was groove personified! the book also contains a fairly good analysis of his playing by Anthony Jackson.

If you are coming from metal background, you should do a lot of listening to the genres you really want to nail.

And one player who forms a perfect bridge between hard rock and r&b/groove based bass styles is John Paul Jones of Zepplin.

[BigMacDaddy]

Love the shadows of motown book. I didn't list it, as I listed the book that I felt gave the flavor of a lot of different styles.

That said, I need to check out Paul Westwoods book. It looks excellent, and more ideas means more playing.