Bass.... Books? Manuals ... whatever.

spencer · #1 11-12-2006, 10:53 PM

Can you guys refer me to some bass books I can buy just to learn a little more. Im going to be ordering them off the internet so I can find anything. I have one on scales Im just looking for something to help me creat beter basslines. Anything that can teach me anything.. Thanks.

drumsnbass · #2 11-13-2006, 12:20 AM

That's a LARGE area!

How long you been plaing? What you been playing? What do you wanna play? Do you want to learn from the basics, or just TAB?

Neb Maro · #3 11-13-2006, 12:24 AM

Well, there is Hal Leonards Bass Method Books, Hal Leonards Bass Scales Book, Chuck Raineys The Complete Bass Player Book One:Method. A fun book would be The Bass Tabs White Pages.

tjh · #4 11-13-2006, 12:42 AM

Bass Guitar for Dummies ...

Neb Maro · #5 11-13-2006, 12:43 AM

Heard that was a good book to have actually.

rainbownorth · #6 11-13-2006, 01:17 AM

Check out some of the stickies on this site...They wont tell you how to play every scale in the world, but they will tell you what you need to know about theory without hundreds of patterns to memorise. You dont NEED to spend money on this sort of thing. If youre after the patterns though, ive got Hal Leonard, its pretty comprehensive, and im waiting for Gary Willis' ear training to come in at my local bookstore.

Although having recommended these, if you look on the site somewhere i remember seeing a scale grimoire that has virtually every scale pattern known to man in pdf format. Its a seriously good idea to search through the talkbass lessons/articles and the stickies in forums before spending any money.

justinb515 · #7 11-13-2006, 01:39 AM

i downloaded that scale grimorium and have it on my computer. If you want it, pm me your email and i will send it to you. It's pretty amazing actually.

rainbownorth · #8 11-13-2006, 01:43 AM

I found it very comprehensive, but more helpful is stuff like the pacman scale method. check that one out, if you practice it enough, itll REALLY help you out.

**Freddels** · #9 11-13-2006, 05:23 AM

Get some of Ed Friedland's books. I don't think you can go wrong with them.

**WillPlay4Food** · #10 11-13-2006, 08:56 AM

I've been working with Gary Willis' Fingerboard Harmony book. The book is really good, but work along with the CD because playing at the tempos on the CD has improved my playing in general because of the fast tempo you work at.

The book has exercises for 4,5 and 6 string basses so you won't play through all the exercises on the CD unless you have all 3 types of basses.

The CD contains 99 tracks, but I've only gotten to about track 27 (IIRC) working with a 4 string and using the book for the last couple of months.

This book will help you memorize chord tones, and help you learn to read sheet music (no tab). So far the exercises seem focused on ii-V movements but I'm barely into the book so far so I couldn't tell you what comes later.

spencer · #11 11-13-2006, 09:13 AM

I have Hal Leonard's Bass Scale Finder, what do I want out of the book? Hmm well Im not actually sure. I know I need to get better at knowing the notes in every key, but I have a book for that. I would like to know about tones and harmonizeing. I think one thing I might be looking for is walking bass lines.. Ehh

tomshepp · #12 11-13-2006, 11:14 AM

How about getting a good teacher? I've been playing many years (more than 40) and still enjoy and learn from my teacher's perspective.

Mike Richmond has a great book for walking bass. Simandle, for learning to read in positions up the neck. Ray Brown's book. Rufus Reid's book. Marc Johnson's solo concepts for....... soloing. Standing in the Shadows of Mowtown by Dr. Licks, the Jamerson book for great R&B lines. That reminds me bassbooks.com has a ton of stuff. Classical etudes etc.