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Bass Theory by John C. Goodman (I love it!)

N

NotAGardener

Mar 25, 2023
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#1
I am a beginner.

The few general music theory books I examined looked like very long distance slogs for minimal benefit to learning electric bass and relevant music theory. I then considered several other music theory books aimed directly at the electric base player. I can't compare or speak to the others, or speak to music theory and electric base in general, but the description of this one resonated and I ordered it. While not very far along I don't see how I could be any happier with it; it's clearly written, tightly focused and I find it extremely easy to understand and apply; at $13 it's an outstanding bargain!

Bass Theory

The Electric Bass Players Guide To Music Theory

John C. Goodman
 
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#2
I learned basic music theory from a couple of instrument-independent books, including (IIRC) Music Theory for Dummies, so it was up to me to figure out how to make practical use of it on bass guitar. I'm pretty satisfied with how that's gone, but for 13 bucks I'm going to order a copy of this myself and check it out. I'm probably due for a refresher anyway, and it'll be worth it even if I only learn a handful of new things (or am reminded of some things I've forgotten). Although music theory is music theory, and thus is the same for bassists as it is for pianists, violinists, etc., I can easily imagine how it might be taught somewhat differently -- e.g., in a different sequence, or with different emphases, etc. -- depending on the instrument. I'll post my thoughts here after I've received and read it in case anyone is curious.

This reminds me of one my all-time favorite sayings: "In theory there is no difference between theory and practice, but in practice there is." (I think I first heard this as attributed to Yogi Berra, but I'm not so sure about that.)
 
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#4
NotAGardener said:
I am a beginner.

The few general music theory books I examined looked like very long distance slogs for minimal benefit to learning electric bass and relevant music theory. I then considered several other music theory books aimed directly at the electric base player. I can't compare or speak to the others, or speak to music theory and electric base in general, but the description of this one resonated and I ordered it. While not very far along I don't see how I could be any happier with it; it's clearly written, tightly focused and I find it extremely easy to understand and apply; at $13 it's an outstanding bargain!

Bass Theory

The Electric Bass Players Guide To Music Theory

John C. Goodman
Click to expand...
The description/intro says 'for those that don't read music", and there is no written music in the online sample (apart from the C major scale at the beginning) followed by some fingering/fretboard diagrams. What is the reality - is there really no notation in there?
 
#5
SteveCS said:
The description/intro says 'for those that don't read music", and there is no written music in the online sample (apart from the C major scale at the beginning) followed by some fingering/fretboard diagrams. What is the reality - is there really no notation in there?
Click to expand...
I hadn't really picked up on that but having just thumbed the book, no there really isn't. Just the kind of diagrams you apparently saw. But the concepts they're describing, and I'm still only 20 or 30 pages in, make a lot of sense to me.

Are there other music theory books aimed at electric base that you like or recommend? The general subject area is pretty fascinating.
 
#7
NotAGardener said:
Are there other music theory books aimed at electric base that you like or recommend? The general subject area is pretty fascinating.
Click to expand...

So here's a 'top 10' of things I use or have used at various times over the years. Some are generic, some are generic but include bass-specific chapters or discussion, and some are bass-specific. But they all present within a context of harmony:

'The AB Guide to Music Theory, Part 1', 1989/2014, Eric Taylor
'The AB Guide to Music Theory, Part 2', 1991, Eric Taylor
'Tonal Harmony (4th Edition)', 1999, Kostka & Payne
'Harmony (New Edition)', 1938/1985, Annie O. Warburton
'The Study of Counterpoint', 1943/1971, Alfred Mann
'Modulation', 2007, Max Reger
'Improvising Jazz Bass', 1986, Richard Laird
'Topics in Jazz Bass: Harmony', 2018, Danny Ziemann
'371 Harmonized Chorales and 69 Chorale Melodies', 1941, J.S.Bach
'Fundamentals of Musical Composition', 1967, Arnold Schoenberg

20250522_103009.jpg
 
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SteveCS said:
So here's a 'top 10' of things I use or have used at various times over the years. Some are generic, some are generic but include bass-specific chapters or discussion, and some are bass-specific. But they all present within a context of harmony:

'The AB Guide to Music Theory, Part 1', 1989/2014, Eric Taylor
'The AB Guide to Music Theory, Part 2', 1991, Eric Taylor
'Tonal Harmony (4th Edition)', 1999, Kostka & Payne
'Harmony (New Edition)', 1938/1985, Annie O. Warburton
'The Study of Counterpoint', 1943/1971, Alfred Mann
'Modulation', 2007, Max Reger
'Improvising Jazz Bass', 1986, Richard Laird
'Topics in Jazz Bass: Harmony', 2018, Danny Ziemann
'371 Harmonized Chorales and 69 Chorale Melodies', 1941, J.S.Bach
'Fundamentals of Musical Composition', 1967, Arnold Schoenberg

View attachment 7233347
Click to expand...
Thank you Steve!
 
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#13
EddiePlaysBass said:
Can someone tell me the ISBN number of the book? Looks like I can order it locally for around EUR 15.00
Click to expand...

ISBN at bottom of first photo. It looks like the first part of the table of contents is missing in my previous post so I added it at the bottom, here.

I think this book is just excellent. I am obviously near the left end of the bell curve in this subject area but I think it's very well written, very concise and makes the concepts crystal clear, at least to me. To say that I find it vastly more useful than the first music theory book I purchased, the name of which I don't remember and it's not nearby right now, is to understate how much better I find it!

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1000008677.jpg
 
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#15
@EddiePlaysBass @NotAGardener

I wish you guys would stop all this. I can't afford, nor do I have the space, to collect basses like I used to, but I have developed a bit of a mission to build a small but solid music reference library, which is going nicely at about 8' of shelf space. I can't decide if this one is worth adding. I don't dig the lack of notation, but as a bass player I feel myself being drawn...
 
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#19
This book, does it come with exercises that you can fill in? Like a school book? The layout triggers something in the back of my mind: it looks like a hands-on book I bought the odd 20 years ago. Pretty sure I have that specific book still lying around somewhere, so I will check before purchasing.

Does anyone happen to know how this bass theory book compares to the Edley music theory book (from the other thread)?
 
#20
No exercises per se but if, for example, you generate a major (or relative minor or
parallel minor) scale per the mechanics presented in the book then you will have exercised the theory and practice presented.

I haven't gone beyond page 30 but I'm sure the theory and methodology presented for other aspects can be leveraged similarly.

There's really no end to the opportunity for exercising the concepts presented in the book.
 
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