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Double Bass Any Good Books for practicing Arpeggios and scales?
- Thread starter ChinWa
- Start date
- Dec 13, 1999
- 11,737
- 8,953
- 70
- Disclosures
- Chuck Sher publishes my book, WALKING BASSICS:The Fundamentals of Jazz Bass Playing.
“The serioous jazz practice book - For all instruments” by Barry Finnerty.
This has plenty of exercises on scales and arpeggios, but is not a DB method so there are no fingerings.
This has plenty of exercises on scales and arpeggios, but is not a DB method so there are no fingerings.
Not to be prickly, but do you really need a book or manuscript to practice scales/arpeggios?
Pick a key, pick a starting place on the neck, pick a pattern (interval and/or rhythm), and go.
I'm not trying to knock players/authors with etude or exercise books, but most leave me thinking, "Why would I pay $20+ for this?"
Pick a key, pick a starting place on the neck, pick a pattern (interval and/or rhythm), and go.
I'm not trying to knock players/authors with etude or exercise books, but most leave me thinking, "Why would I pay $20+ for this?"
- Dec 13, 1999
- 11,737
- 8,953
- 70
- Disclosures
- Chuck Sher publishes my book, WALKING BASSICS:The Fundamentals of Jazz Bass Playing.
Sure, there's got to be some value added in there. The best of them aren't just going to be arpeggios spelled out in open and closed position and in all inversions, they're going to include etudes that will use arpeggios to work on things like large position shifts, intervallic leaps, string crossings. Think of it a little like chess books; sure you know how all the pieces move, a good book should give you a better idea how to use that information in actual play. Most good teachers will have either developed their own methodology, that's where books like Levinson's come in, these are approaches he developed in teaching. Other teachers may use books like that since it's what they used when they were being taught.
It is a good time to look at your hands instead of a page, it is also more of a mental theory exercise. The books can help some people, though.
If you're very diciplined you won't need a book. Some of us are not that diciplined, then we start walking around, or continue playing what we have always played.
I understand the point that you mentioned. I have played electric bass for several years, which makes me a lot easier to understand how the upright bass works.
But when I'm practicing the upright, the fingering seems very important for efficient shifting and for better intonation. Sometimes I think I don't have a good, consiatant fingerings for the arpeggios thats why I want to look for some resources on it.
Patterns for Jazz by Jerry Coker. Not a bass book so there are no fingerings.
I'm not signing this recommendation in blood...it's just an interesting book that has helped me to keep practice interesting during periods of boredom.
I'm not signing this recommendation in blood...it's just an interesting book that has helped me to keep practice interesting during periods of boredom.
One thing I was taught and has worked well with some students, is to give yourself time intervals. Set a certain amount of time (5, 10, 20 mins) where you ONLY focus on what you're working on. No deviation. Then allow 5 or 10 to play whatever. Then go back to strict focus on the task.
For arpeggio practice I was taught to use fake books and turn songs into etudes by working on playing non-root notes on the downbeats. For covering all patterns use permutations:
R 3 5 7 .. 3 R 5 7 and so on
R 3 7 5 .. 3 R 7 5
R 5 3 7 .. 3 5 R 7
R 5 7 3 .. 3 5 7 R
R 7 3 5 .. 3 7 R 5
R 7 5 3 .. 3 7 5 R
Free and comprehensive: go to the Jamie Aebersold site (jazzbooks.com) and scroll to the bottom of the home page. Download the Jazz Scale Syllabus and the Jazz Handbook. They won't address fingerings for any instruments but there's a wealth of musical calisthenics and mind-stretching in there.
R 3 5 7 .. 3 R 5 7 and so on
R 3 7 5 .. 3 R 7 5
R 5 3 7 .. 3 5 R 7
R 5 7 3 .. 3 5 7 R
R 7 3 5 .. 3 7 R 5
R 7 5 3 .. 3 7 5 R
Free and comprehensive: go to the Jamie Aebersold site (jazzbooks.com) and scroll to the bottom of the home page. Download the Jazz Scale Syllabus and the Jazz Handbook. They won't address fingerings for any instruments but there's a wealth of musical calisthenics and mind-stretching in there.
Look up Expansions by Gary Campbell. Has all the permutations you want of all kinds.
One of my favorites. The material in there can keep you busy for a long time. Haven’t cracked it open in a while so I’m glad I saw this.
