Bass player's must-reads?

[j3ss3]

Hi TB,

If you'd have to pick an instructional book, which one would you pick?
I take lessons, and got myself songs, transcriptions etc. aplenty, but would like to improve my understanding of walking (I know patterns, but would love to make it more interesting than just playing root-3-5-chromatic (f.e.)) and soloing (be it slap or fingerstyle, whatever), Please note I have a pretty good base of musical theory, but am at a loss about applying my theory to the fretboard...

Tips? Shoot!
(please)

[JTE]

Ed Freidland's "Builing Walking Bass Lines" if I only had one, but I can't recommend any book without also recommending "Edley's Music Theory for Practical People" (http://www.edly.com/mtfpp.html). The two go together for learning real practical music.

John

[MetroBass]

Try studybass.com - virutal bass lessons.

[Commreman]

Pick up any of Carole Kaye's stuff. Pick up Chord Studies for Electric Bass. Pick up the Improvisers Method for Bass by Chuck Sher. All are excellent.

[brndn123]

My suggestion is The Bass Player book. It was released quite a few years ago via bass player magazine. It has literally everything you need to about playing bass in most western styles of music as well as editorials by Dave LaRue and Ed Friedland. I still check it out from time to time

[MalcolmAmos]

Originally Posted by j3ss3

Hi TB, If you'd have to pick an instructional book, which one would you pick?
I take lessons, and got myself songs, transcriptions etc. aplenty, but would like to improve my understanding of walking (I know patterns, but would love to make it more interesting than just playing root-3-5-chromatic (f.e.)) and soloing (be it slap or fingerstyle, whatever), Please note I have a pretty good base of musical theory, but am at a loss about applying my theory to the fretboard...

Walking can be just about anything that moves the progression along. When you read the how to books on walking bass lines they end up giving you 100 + different walking bass lines patterns that could be used. I don't need 100, four or five would be great.

I think that is the key factor of applying our theory to the fretboard. Pick 4 or 5 generic grooves that fit your style of music and apply them to what you play. The groove section of Bass Guitar for Dummies has more than I need, however, had just what I needed. Picking what you need - finding the 4 or 5 out of the 100 is the chore, IMHO.

Out of all the suggestions in all the books I've bought the follow two seem to get the job done:

1. Look ahead at what chord is coming up. Move the groove along to the next chord by changing the 4th (or last) note in your generic bass line pattern so that it is the 5th of the next chord. That one note change makes the groove want to resolve to the next chord. Got this from Ed's Building Walking Bass Lines.
2. Look ahead at what chord is coming up. One measure before the chord change -- target the next chord's root, miss it, then walk chromatically to it and land on it by the 4th beat. This is my favorite and the learning curve to pull this off is not all that hard. Got this from being a sponge around other country bassists.

Those two things will walk a bunch of bass lines.

Yes to Ed's Building Walking Bass Lines and Bass Guitar for Dummies has a good section on groove selections. If you are trying to walk think what must I do to this generic groove to make it want to go to the next chord.

Applying theory is recognizing there is a problem and then reaching into our theory "bank" and finding a solution for that problem. If you like you may substitute opportunity for problem.

Have fun.

[fearceol]

Originally Posted by j3ss3

Hi TB,

If you'd have to pick an instructional book, which one would you pick?
I take lessons, and got myself songs, transcriptions etc. aplenty, but would like to improve my understanding of walking (I know patterns, but would love to make it more interesting than just playing root-3-5-chromatic (

I would highly recommend Todd Johnson's "Walking Bass Modules" DVD. Ed Friedland's book is also good.



http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trk...All-Categories

[Jpeachbass]

John Goldsby walking bass. Rufus Reid The evolving bassist. Not just about walking. Also As some one said before, ed freidlans book. Also a good one to have just for the reading not to mention the lessons. The jazz bass book by John Goldsby.

[stratovani]

Gary Willis' 101 Bass Tips: Stuff All the Pros Know and Use is in my opinion a must-read for bass players. It was the first bass instruction book I bought, and I learned a lot from it, and not all music theory stuff, either. Lots of practical stuff, like how to set relief and intonation, how to make a homemade strap, things to carry in a gig bag, how to hold a bass, etc. Little things all bass players should know.

[dnpr]

Chuck Sher's Improviser's Bass Method

[Stumbo]

You might want to check out the links in my sig. below for some great TB info that may help you out.

[BassChuck]

FWIW, I just checked Amazon and they've got a bunch of "The Bass Player" books for $1.18 used.