Bass Aerobics by Jon Liebman

[fearceol]

Got this book a few months ago and put it to one side. After seeing this thread I delved in and started working on the exercises. It is really great for cleaning up your technique. The exercises are quite fast so I use a metronome at a slower tempo. When I think I have an exercise nailed, I have a try at playing along. Once or twice I have had to go back to the drawing board, i.e. the slower tempo metronome.

Great fun, and constructive at the same time.

 

[jonster]

Thanks, fearceol! Contact me anytime with questions, etc., at [email protected] or go to Invalid Link Removed Enjoy!

Jon Liebman

 

[scottie65]

I bought it during the Christmas season and am getting started on it today. I was impressed with what I saw in the book and figured I definitely needed it.

 

[fearceol]

Thanks, fearceol! Contact me anytime with questions, etc., at [email protected] or go to Invalid Link Removed Enjoy!

Jon Liebman

Thanks Jon. Will do so if necessary.

Your "Bass Grooves" book is also in the post and on it's way to me. So I'll be kept busy for some time.

 

[kbuschmann]

Jon's on-line subscription lessons are also very good.
Jonliebman.com. Nice variety of material.

 

[fearceol]

Thanks Jon. Will do so if necessary.

Your "Bass Grooves" book is also in the post and on it's way to me.

Well, it arrived and is great (though I only skimmed through it). The "Aerobics Book" is occupying my time right now...and will probably do so for a while yet.

 

[Caustic Crunch]

Just ordered my copy.
Anticipating....

Wow, thanks for your kind words, folks! The book is still pretty new, but it's in its second printing already and I got Jeff Berlin to write the foreword for the new edition.

I'll be glad to send anyone a signed copy. Here's the link:

Link Removed

Thanks again!

Jon

 

[Kubicki440]

Just placed my order for this book. I really enjoyed the Funk Bass book, I lost my CD during a recent move. Will have to reorder that one as well. Good stuff!

 

[matjaz123]

Hi
Year and a half ago I was impressed like I read in posts here. But:
On my personal opinion this book is too heavy for beginners and exercises are too long (my self, no music grammar, TABS only reader) and if you have job routine & kids + band it would take for ever.
Impossible to finish one workout a week. I take it seriously and stay on the exercise for two or three weeks until play it smooth. I painfuly finish workout 13 (no lucky number here) and slowly gave up. Just not for me, but never regret. If I could play smooth by the notes it could be fun. I did progress!
*I like his Bass grooves better.

workout 7:

 

[Chinchano]

It's a really good book! The only reason I stopped using it was because I ended up spending more time learning the riffs in the book vs the songs I needed to learn weekly :/

 

[maxxxie]

Ha! I just returned from a 2-month overseas trip, and during the first week, I bought a couple of instructional books, stuffed them in my suitcase, and forgot about them. Today, I read this thread, and thought "Hey, that book looks good, everyone's giving it great reviews, I should check it out." I went onto Amazon, contemplated it a little, then reminded myself I'd bought some instructional books whilst overseas. Reason won, I put my wallet away, and I unpacked the books, and guess what? One of them is this book

Max

 

[El Spearo]

I just got this book last week, but I have a gig coming up on the 20th, so that's what I'm focusing on at the moment. Can't wait to get started after reading all the positive reviews!

 

[Tourach7]

+1 and Bump.

This book has challenged me and I keep coming back to it. Plus, I love the grooves.
Thank you, Jon!

Anyone who's completed #21, could you advise on the plucking hand? I'd be curious which fingers pluck which notes for, say, the first 5 bars. I keep getting turned around.

 

[Paul Woodman]

+1 and Bump.

This book has challenged me and I keep coming back to it. Plus, I love the grooves.
Thank you, Jon!

Anyone who's completed #21, could you advise on the plucking hand? I'd be curious which fingers pluck which notes for, say, the first 5 bars. I keep getting turned around.

I’ve been dipping in and out of this book. I’m just working on #21 now. My right hand plucking technique generally follows 3 basic rules:

1. Generally alternate I-M-I-M etc
2. Rake with the same finger when moving from higher to lower string.
3. When playing octaves use the middle finger when jumping up to the higher string and the index finger coming down to the lower string.

Rule 3 is usually straightforward for regular octaves (eg Atomic by Blondie) but conflicts with alternating fingering if playing a piece with occasional octave jumps and you happen to land on the “wrong” finger. In that case I usually just reuse the middle finger to jump up to the high note. (The alternative would be to repeat the index finger on the same string which feels slow and awkward, or jump up with the index finger.)

So in this case exercise #21 the first five bars go:

I-M-M-I-M-I-I-I - M-M-I-M-I-M-I-M - I-M-M-I-M-I-I-I - M-M-I-M-I-M-I-M - I-M-M-I-M-I-I-I... etc

Or:

I-M-M-I-M-I-I-M - I-M-I-M-I-M-I-M... etc, depending on whether or not you alternate fingers on skipping strings going down the way (probably a bad habit of mine)

Or: M-I-M-I-M-I-I-I..etc, or M-I-M-I-M-I-I-M..etc if you started on the middle finger.

 

[ShawnG]

I am resurrecting this zombie thread in the hopes some once can help me out with the “Audio Access” subscription that comes with this book now.
When I get into the Hal Leonard My Library with the access code provided, it takes me right to the page with all of the songs. Excellent.
When I hit “play” the “Playback +” player opens, but when play button is selected, there is no sound. The Playback + player looks like an excellent tool with speed adjustment, etc., so I’d really like to use it.
I am trying to access it on an iPad (iOS 13.6.1), no luck on either Safari or Firefox.
Any help?
@jonster

 

[ShawnG]

I am resurrecting this zombie thread in the hopes some once can help me out with the “Audio Access” subscription that comes with this book now.
When I get into the Hal Leonard My Library with the access code provided, it takes me right to the page with all of the songs. Excellent.
When I hit “play” the “Playback +” player opens, but when play button is selected, there is no sound. The Playback + player looks like an excellent tool with speed adjustment, etc., so I’d really like to use it.
I am trying to access it on an iPad (iOS 13.6.1), no luck on either Safari or Firefox.
Any help?
@jonster

Problem solved!

 

[SBassman]

How did you solve it?
Also, I read this a couple of days on my phone so I didn't respond.
But - if you reached out to Jon, he'd help you. We have corresponded before.

 

[ShawnG]

How did you solve it?

Hal Leonard Customer Support to the rescue! I had “silent mode” (No control panel on screen) engaged on my iPad (must have been that way for years, I forgot such a thing existed). While YouTube videos, etc. automatically override silent mode, Hal Leonard’s “Playback +” player does not. Working great now.

 

[ErikP.Bass]

I’m planning on picking this up as a birthday gift to myself. I really dig what I’ve heard of it so far. Anyone else going to give it a go in 2021?

 

[Spin Doctor]

I’m planning on picking this up as a birthday gift to myself. I really dig what I’ve heard of it so far. Anyone else going to give it a go in 2021?

I have this book, along with pretty much every bass book ever published that was worth any attention at all, lol. Unfortunately, I never cracked it open once.

My current study obsession is Janek Gwizdala's instructional material. His is the only material I've gone through more than once and I own probably 4 of his books, including his latest which was released a couple weeks ago. If you want to move out of the strictly major scale, diatonic approach to playing, I recommend his material. It's probably intermediate to advanced level, if that matters.