Music Theory For Beginner

[klaatu]

I started to learn the bass a little over a year ago so I am looking for a book recommend about music theory for the bass. I would think that with the vast amount of players here that someone could recommend a book that would be easy to understand so I am tapping into the vast knowledge from the forum members here. Thanks for any info.

[ThaSweet]

Originally Posted by klaatu

I started to learn the bass a little over a year ago so I am looking for a book recommend about music theory for the bass. I would think that with the vast amount of players here that someone could recommend a book that would be easy to understand so I am tapping into the vast knowledge from the forum members here. Thanks for any info.

I'm also playing for a year now, just started in this book:
Hal Leonard Bass Method - Complete Edition: Books 1, 2 and 3

I bought this book in addition to the lessons i take.

I think it covers the starting theory and note reading.
I peeked in book 3 ... (further in the book) it gets pretty complicated. But one step at a time... i'll get there

Also this website is very useful:
study bass

[PaulMacCnj]

A couple of book suggestions...

"Harmony & Theory" by Keith Wyatt & Carl Schroder, Hal Leonard books. This isn't bass specific, but it is a vast, yet easy to follow, resource on music theory. The concepts of harmony apply to bass.

"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Playing Bass Guitar" by David Hodge. Yep, you have to get past the name, but this is a good all-in-one book of bass playing information. It has a decent amount of music theory. Plus, it includes some cool riffs to practice and use.

[klaatu]

I have the Hal Leonard Bass Method 1, 2 & 3. I'll look into the other books mentioned. Many thanks for the recommends! Looks overwhelming at times but one thing at a time.

[MalcolmAmos]

http://www.ibreathemusic.com/forums/...ad.php?t=11975 Post # 2 goes into detail on basic theory.

Notes on the fretboard, cheaters? How to use the major scale box and let the box put the correct notes under your fingertips.

http://www.cyberfretbass.com/scales/basic/page2.php Basic scale patterns. Root note is circled in red, the other numbers are the fingers you use to fret the note. Index = 1, middle = 2, etc. You have four fingers and the pattern takes place over four frets. Yep use the correct finger.

http://www.looknohands.com/chordhous.../index_rb.html Need to know the notes in a Gmaj7, just ask here and it will give you:
G maj7
a.k.a.: GMaj7, GM7
intervals: 1,3,5,7 This is what you need.
half-steps: 4-3-4
notes: G,B,D,F#

http://www.studybass.com/ Here is a page from it. http://www.studybass.com/lessons/com...nth/exercises/

http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/vid...4A3D3E7688E4F6 Little something on bass lines. Ed's book Building Walking Bass Lines will be time well spent.

Need some help! Post # 6.

http://www.activebass.com/ Some great lessons on this site.

Those should keep you busy for awhile and yes Bass for Dummies is a great little of everything book, I bet your public library will have it. Here is a visual from it. http://www.dummies.com/how-to/conten...eat-sheet.html

Ask questions.....

[LiamPodmore]

Bass Guitar For Dummies. I'm not really a beginner (Playing for 4 years) but i've learnt alot from it lately.

Liam

[ThaSweet]

Originally Posted by klaatu

I have the Hal Leonard Bass Method 1, 2 & 3. I'll look into the other books mentioned. Many thanks for the recommends! Looks overwhelming at times but one thing at a time.

The same here !!!!
Still figuring out how to apply the things i have learnt.
But the eureka moments seem to come once in a while

[Russell L]

The best way to learn theory is to look at a keyboard. Begin understanding intervals, and use the key of C to get started. C to C on just the white keys is the C major scale, the black keys being alterations to those scale steps (sharps and flats). Notice that there is no black key between E and F, and between B and C. Chords are easily seen by playing three notes, skipping every other note. With C as the lowest note, that is the "one" chord, C major. With D as the bottom, it's the "two" chord, and is D minor. Etc...

But understanding intervals is the first thing to know. You must do this to understand chord structure and progression. Too much to list here and now, but whenever you begin to read some info, look at a keyboard. It will help immensely.

[Matvei]

I just bought and have started Edly's music theory for practical people 3rd edition

It's just what I needed as a beginner. Highly recommended.

[JTE]

Originally Posted by Matvei

I just bought and have started Edly's music theory for practical people 3rd edition

It's just what I needed as a beginner. Highly recommended.

THE best music theory book I've found in 30+ years of teaching and learning. Get it, use it.

NO music theory is bass-specific and should IMO never be taught that way. Music is music no matter what you play, or on what instruments you may play it. A C chord is always C E and G whether it's strummed on a guitar, plucked on a banjo, voiced by a violin, a viola, and a cello, or sung by The Manhattan Transfer.

John

[Luff]

Here's a little tip: make sure you actually put the theory to use. If you know what something is called, great. If you know how it sounds as well, then you've got it down. Theory enables you to put how something sounds into systems so that you know how to play it without spending a lot of time figuring it out. That way you can get the sounds you enjoy out of your instruments easier. Make sure it's not the other way around where you are playing things that are supposed to sound good.

[Stumbo]

Originally Posted by JTE

NO music theory is bass-specific and should IMO never be taught that way. Music is music no matter what you play...

I suggest purchasing a small keyboard to go along with your desire to learn music theory. It's what's used in college level classes so that everyone has a common source to work with.

Here are some links you may want to check out:
~Newbie Theory
What's "Theory"?
Intro to Theory website-easy to follow
Easy understanding of chords
Music Theory for Practical People book
Online Visual Beginning Theory, ear trainer

~Newbie Sight Reading
Beginner's Bass Clef tips
"Name that note" online SN game
Downloadable read "bass clef" software
Online bass clef audio/visual trainer
print bass clef flashcards/staff paper

~Newbie Rhythm
1 Learn rhythm
2

[Russell L]

Ear training is important. It's good to hear intervals. Did you know that The Star Spangled Banner describes a major triad beginning with 5? It goes 531358. How 'bout a minor 6th for the first two notes of My Bonny Lies Over the Ocean? Heh, heh, fun stuff. I don't know how many times I've learned a song by listening to it while driving down the road, sometimes on the way to the gig where I need to play it, lol. But it's due to good ear training, and of course, knowing WHAT it is by understanding theory.

[251]

Originally Posted by Matvei

I just bought and have started Edly's music theory for practical people 3rd edition

It's just what I needed as a beginner. Highly recommended.

+1. Music theory simply explained, using familiar music.

[BluesMan1]

Speaking from my limited experience, the following stuff was/is pretty helpful for me:

1) A music theory book (The ABC of Music by Imogen Holst in my case).
2) Learning to read music (I'm using a book written for guitarists with music written in the treble cleff).
3) Investing in a keyboard. It's really helped me in figuring out intervals, inversions, chord changes, etc.

Just my two cents. Good luck.

[Snarf]

Originally Posted by klaatu

I started to learn the bass a little over a year ago so I am looking for a book recommend about music theory for the bass. I would think that with the vast amount of players here that someone could recommend a book that would be easy to understand so I am tapping into the vast knowledge from the forum members here. Thanks for any info.

There's no such thing as "music theory for bass." The mechanics of harmony and melody are the same no matter what instrument you play. What musicians have to do is learn theory, then be able to appropriately apply certain parts to what they're doing in real time.

I'm not sure if it's available online, but if I were you I'd look for the Berklee harmony curriculum, books 1-4.

Most important thing: learn to read music. Pick up some collections of Carol Kaye and Jamerson transcriptions. Pick up some Bach books and read through those. Jazz trombone books are good too, as are cello books. Anything bass clef, get it and read it. Don't spend too much time on each piece, because you're trying to be a good sight reader, not an etude-practicer.

If you want a bass book, just pick one up, there's a million of them out there and they all cover the same stuff almost identically. Avoid gimmicky crap like slap books and "super modern technical freakout" books.

edit: One trap I think new players sometimes fall into is the idea that "If I get this one book I'll know everything!" That's lazy and dishonest. There is no easy way toward really, truly learning music.

[klaatu]

Continued thanks for all of the suggestions and help. I'll reference as I go along when learning/playing. This forum has a wealth of knowledge about music and bass playing and it's a virtual museum of bass guitars.