Method book for giving lessons

[Derndingle]

I'm looking for suggestions for a method book to buy to start my son out on bass lessons. He's 15, and a good clarinet player--been playing in concert band at school and taking private lessons for several years. He's expressed an interest in learning to play bass, and possibly trying out for the jazz band at school.

I've been playing bass for 30 years, but have never really tried giving lessons. I took lessons in college many years back, but that was really focused more on jazz theory and improvising than learning the basics of how to play the instrument.

So... I figure he needs to learn some basic technique which I can help him with, and he'll need to learn how to read bass clef. He's already better at reading rhythms than I ever was. I figure for high school jazz band, the most important thing would be to learn to sight read charts, not how to compose bass lines or improvise.

Any suggestions on a good beginner method book for this type of situation?

 

[Staredge]

 

[Derndingle]

View attachment 3934104

Thank you for the quick reply. I ordered it. Figure even if he ends up not being into it, I'll probably be able to get something out of it--old dogs and new tricks.

 

[Rhythmman535]

Music Theory for the Bass Player:
https://www.amazon.com/Music-Theory-Bass-Player-Hands/dp/0996727604

 

[Malcolm35]

The Hal Leonard book is an excellent choice and could be your lesson plan book. Just start on page 1 and the two of you work through the book - at his speed.

For jazz standard notation is what he will be needing.

You are about to build some memories, way to go...

 

[dreamadream99]

The Hal Leonard book pictured above is the most popular bass method book of all time. It is also interesting to note that the author is a member and frequent contributor to these forums.

For adult learners, my preference is Beginning Bass for Adults, by Alfred Music.

 

[GastonD]

Besides that, any of these will be helpful if he stays with bass:
Based in Bass: Book heavyweights

Oh, and if you check out other posts there, there is the older version of HL bass method, by a different author!

 

[Bass]

...work through the book - at his speed....

I'm just curious, how long do you think it might take a person to work through the book front to back? I realize it will be different for everyone, but even a range would be interesting to know.

 

[Malcolm35]

I'll answer it this way. I seldom work through a book page one to the last page. I get what I need and then move on. But, always a but, it could take a newby bassists six month to a year to "work through" that book. It is full of information some of which has to be processed in order, i.e, it builds on itself.

However I would think he will be playing three chord songs with the help of some sheet music in three months.

Happy trails.

 

[Derndingle]

The Hal Leonard book is an excellent choice and could be your lesson plan book. Just start on page 1 and the two of you work through the book - at his speed.

For jazz standard notation is what he will be needing.

You are about to build some memories, way to go...

That is certainly the hope! The book arrived yesterday and we started working through the first few pages. I really like that it’s all standard notation and not tab. I also really like that it focuses on alternating the plucking fingers from the very first exercise. I’m not sure I like (or will use) the 1,2,4 fingering. That’s what I used on upright, but have always used all 4 fingers on electric (especially fretted electrics). But other than that very minor quibble, the book seems exactly what I was looking for. Thank you to all for the suggestions.