Chord Studies for the Electric Bass

[synecdoche]

After seeing it recommended a few times, I'm thinking of picking up the book Chord Studies for the Electric Bass. For those of you who have it, how do you use this book? Judging by online previews, it looks like there isn't much to it-- just a bunch of exercises.

I'm just wondering if the book is for me. I'm a fairly competent player, but I want to become better at improvising, transcribing, and composing bass lines. I have a very rudimentary theory knowledge and am trying to develop my practical knowledge.

I've checked out some of the other book threads, but I'm interested to hear how people specifically incorporate this book into their practice routine. What did you get out if it? How do you use it? It isn't a super expensive book or anything, so I figure I can't really go wrong, but I thought I'd solicit some opinions.

[onlyclave]

The book is essentially a group of exercises built around Maj7, min7, Dom7, Dim and Aug chord patterns is all 12 keys. The exercises are in 8ths, 16ths and 8th note triplets and are nothing more than variations on the arpeggios going up and down with approach notes coming from below and above the target notes. That's the whole book in a nutshell.

What I use it for is a sight reading exercise, nothing more. Within 8 beats you can be reading notes from the bottom of the bass clef up to 6 ledger lines above it. I don't really try to play them at fast tempos, just slow and steady and I try to play them without looking at the neck. I've never found the book to be more useful than that.

Now OTTH, the Charlie Parker Omnibook is an excellent resource for reading, analysis and incorporation into your playing. I'd buy the Omnibook first if I were you.

[Peter Weil]

Originally Posted by onlyclave

The book is essentially a group of exercises built around Maj7, min7, Dom7, Dim and Aug chord patterns is all 12 keys. The exercises are in 8ths, 16ths and 8th note triplets and are nothing more than variations on the arpeggios going up and down with approach notes coming from below and above the target notes. That's the whole book in a nutshell.

What I use it for is a sight reading exercise, nothing more. Within 8 beats you can be reading notes from the bottom of the bass clef up to 6 ledger lines above it. I don't really try to play them at fast tempos, just slow and steady and I try to play them without looking at the neck. I've never found the book to be more useful than that.

Now OTTH, the Charlie Parker Omnibook is an excellent resource for reading, analysis and incorporation into your playing. I'd buy the Omnibook first if I were you.

Looks like I'm resurrecting an older thread, but I have found this book helpful.

To be completely correct, the book in fact has has 15 keys (12 keys plus 3 enharmonic keys). Indeed useful for sightreading.

I've done C, G, D, and am now in Bb. No augmented exercises in there, but ones based on Maj, Min, Min7b5, Dom 7, Diminished.

Most exercises are indeed based on arpeggios/approach notes from above and below, except for the last exercise in each chord section which is based on the chord tones and chord tensions, as well as approach notes.

I've taken each written exercise and learned how to play it in all 12 keys. This is a good way to use the book. You end up with better knowledge of approach notes, chord tones, and chord tensions. It is slow, but I anticipate knowing my fretboard intimately by the time I have done every single exercise in here in all 12 keys. It's also excellent ear training.

I have found an improvement in my improvisation and sight reading using this book.

The way I'm doing it was prescribed to me by Jeff Berlin, who recommends the book highly.

All the best,

Pete

[EADG mx]

You might want to consider just making your own arpeggio patterns and running them in all 12. It could end up being more worthwhile.

[Peter Weil]

Sounds worthwhile. Taking anything you like, have made up, or transcribed would be useful to do in this way.

Nonetheless, the book is extremely useful, and my playing has improved greatly. Although I don't play like the exercises in the book!

Jeff said something it took me a long time to understand, but as I practice and play more, I'm grasping: What you practice is not necessarily what you play, although what you practice will influence what you play.

Pete

[Peter Weil]

Cross posted from another thread.

A quick heads up to all using the Chord Studies for Electric Bass book.

Up until F minor, there are usually 5 exercises, with the last two being 64th note etudes using the chord tones/tensions/passing notes.

i.e. what each chapter usually looks like is something like this:

1. chord tone exercise, passing tone from below
2. chord tone exercise, passing tone from above
3. chord tone exercise, passing tones from above and below
4. chord tone etude, with passing tones and tensions
5. chord tone etude, with passing tones and tensions

After you finish with the F minor chapter, each 'chapter' changes to having only 4 exercises; they chop out exercise #5.

I've has a quick look at the same book, which is written by the same author, which is for sax - called 'Technique of the Saxaphone; Part 2: Chord Studies' - and it has all 5 exercises for every chord type, as in the original Trombone Studies book.

I'm not sure why they cut the number of exercises for each chord type from 5 to 4 for the Electric Bass book, but it surely is annoying. The exercises they cut are really good!

[sedgwick1489]

Chord Studies is a great book. You can still find the "Chord Studies for Trombone" sometimes at used book stores on line. I found two copies last year. Kept one and gave one to a friend who teaches trombone. It is not an easy book, but once you get cranking through it it's very addicting. Good luck!

[Peter Weil]

Originally Posted by sedgwick1489

Chord Studies is a great book. You can still find the "Chord Studies for Trombone" sometimes at used book stores on line. I found two copies last year. Kept one and gave one to a friend who teaches trombone. It is not an easy book, but once you get cranking through it it's very addicting. Good luck!

Where'd you find them mate? Links would be wonderful, if you have any.

Pete

[sedgwick1489]

Hi Pete,
I found both copies at http://www.alibris.com/ You might have to keep checking, but I'll bet one turns up eventually.

Good luck,
Tim

[Peter Weil]

I have managed to find a copy of the original book over on Scribd.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/25321271/C...-Trombone-1968

[beam2611]

Another interesting one found on scribd, is this book...
A Comprehensive Chord Tone System For Mastering The Bass by Jeff Berlin
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2087887/A-...ss-Jeff-Berlin

[Billnc]

I highly doubt Jeff had anything to do with the tabs!

[beam2611]

Originally Posted by Billnc

I highly doubt Jeff had anything to do with the tabs!

I also highly doubt that he'd agreed about having this book shared on scridb...but then again who knows...

[Roy Vogt]

Originally Posted by Billnc

I highly doubt Jeff had anything to do with the tabs!

That's a decision made by the publisher-I've fought that battle more than once. It's a sad fact that having TAB in a book will increase sales by 40% or so. They even made me TAB Bass Extremes although I pointed out that most players who could play that material could find their own way to execute it on the bass.

[Roy Vogt]

To me, the hidden resource in Chord Studies for Trombone is to relate everything back to the simple chord tones. Even the 16th note etudes are always about approaching the "high harmonic value" roots, 3rds, 5ths and 7ths.
One thing I've done with students and my own work on this is to create a non-specific chord pad (I'll use a slow Bossa groove in Band in a Box for this) and play the exercises in free time to hear the specific resolutions of the approach tones to the chord tones.
When you're working on the Omnibook you can do the same thing, IME.
BTW, check out Jeff's soli section on Bruford's recording of "Joe Frazier" if you want to hear the Chord Tone approach in action.

[beam2611]

Originally Posted by Roy Vogt

check out Jeff's soli section on Bruford's recording of "Joe Frazier" if you want to hear the Chord Tone approach in action.

Here it is on page 3 of this transcription from Berthold Basten
http://www.lucaspickford.com/transjoe.htm

OK, back to the woodshed