Looking for the perfect bass book that teaches theory.
What are some of the best, in your opinion?
What are some of the best, in your opinion?
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It's not bass centric but Levine's Jazz Theory Book is the best hands down. I also really enjoy Gary Willis Fingerboard Harmony.
There is a freebie download here (in post #1) :
Music Theory Book - Free Download
Another recommendation would be :
https://www.amazon.com/Music-Theory-Bass-Player-Hands/dp/0996727604
Music Theory Book - Free Download
Another recommendation would be :
https://www.amazon.com/Music-Theory-Bass-Player-Hands/dp/0996727604
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
The first post has a dead link, try post #61
for the first "basic" part, you can also try the link in my signature.
Haven't seen that one before, but judging from the contents page & amazon preview it looks thorough and has concepts organized in the 'correct' order:
- notes
- intervals
- major scale
- triads
- 4 note chords
- other stuff
There isn't any such thing as "bass theory". There's only music theory and that is instrument independent.
The Mark Levine Jazz Theory Book is a good one, especially if you are leaning towards jazz or any other "technical" music like prog rock. It does assume you already can read music and have a basic idea of how chords relate to scales.
You might find the typical academic theory books to be dry and certainly most only give examples from classical music but the information you need will be there. Your local library might even have one or two.
The Mark Levine Jazz Theory Book is a good one, especially if you are leaning towards jazz or any other "technical" music like prog rock. It does assume you already can read music and have a basic idea of how chords relate to scales.
You might find the typical academic theory books to be dry and certainly most only give examples from classical music but the information you need will be there. Your local library might even have one or two.
If you'd like a little more human guidance than a book provides, Berklee College of Music has a 6-week online intro music theory course you can take for free through edX. More info on it here. It runs peridically so if it's already too far in session to catch up you can always wait for it to come around again.
Consider getting a teacher, you will progress much faster and have to unlearn much less. Best of luck...
+1 on this one...and the videos accompanying the book are very good.
I don't hear this one mentioned much, but I found it to be very helpful.
Primarily regards the double bass, but surely it has a lot of carryover to EB.
This is where I learned to "use the meat"! ( of the fingers, that is )
Primarily regards the double bass, but surely it has a lot of carryover to EB.
This is where I learned to "use the meat"! ( of the fingers, that is )
I've only flipped through Levine's book, but it looked to me like it had a huge overemphasis on kinda dubious chord/scale stuff and not much on the fundamentals of traditional theory. Seems like an interesting reference for jazzers who already have the basics, are looking for a source of interesting ideas, and are ready to take the theory with a grain of salt. For beginners looking for a good path through the fundamentals, no.
Ariane Cap's book looks pretty sensible based just on table of contents and some sample pages.
It's true that none of this is specific to bass. For a college student I'd say "just sign up for Theory 101". That means learning basic keyboard skills and music reading and becoming more familiar with common practice classical music, all great stuff if you have the time and teachers you can trust to keep you on track. But for a self-learner without a lot of time I can see how they could get lost in the weeds, and I can see the value of a book focused more specifically on their interests.
Ariane Cap's book looks pretty sensible based just on table of contents and some sample pages.
It's true that none of this is specific to bass. For a college student I'd say "just sign up for Theory 101". That means learning basic keyboard skills and music reading and becoming more familiar with common practice classical music, all great stuff if you have the time and teachers you can trust to keep you on track. But for a self-learner without a lot of time I can see how they could get lost in the weeds, and I can see the value of a book focused more specifically on their interests.
I've found this book to be incredible useful over the last nearly 20 years: Serious Electric Bass by Joel Di Bartolo
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
Agreed. Thorough but easy to read and comprehend as well. It won't put you to sleep like some of the others out there.
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
What about for someone who has a good ear, is a bedroom player, and doesnt want to or have the patience to learn to sightread? Are any of the aformentioned books tab friendly or no? I couldnt find any specifics when I previewed them on Amazon. Hope I dont get skewered by you guys, I get the importance of sight reading, but its a fairly useless skill for me. I just want to brush up on modes and scales and basic theory without learning sightreading.
