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Review: Hal Leonard Bass Method Complete Edition

#21
Wow, in all my years on this board-i had no idea Ed Friedland was a registered member. This feels about the same way as when i first read a post by Roger Sadowsky, Bill Conklin, etc.

I've got the building walking bass lines, and i think a few others-i'd have to check my listing [i made a spread sheet with my books-turns out i own 35 differnt bass/music books].

That's all
 
#22
The oddest thing about this Hal Leonard/Ed Friedland book is that the songs are cool. They really keep students' interest up because they feel their learning is actually being applied to the kind of stuff people play in real life. The songs are so catchy that I find myself humming them hours after a lesson.

Oh yeah, and the method is good as well. : )
 
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#24
Thanks again everyone for all the great comments about the method. I guess I can mention that there is also a DVD that parallels Book 1. It's a great self teaching tool for a brand new player.

Also, I'm very excited about this, it's a supplement to the method, the Hal leonard Blues Bass Method. It has info on forms, lines, feels, intros, endings, hit & stops, and full length arrangements of classics like Born Under A Bad Sign, Pride and Joy, Sweet Home Chicago and more. Please check it out.

Thanks again!
 

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#25
Ed,

Thanks for writing a bass book that starts people off in the 1-2-4 method. This series makes it so much easier to introduce my students to the Double bass. They get a firm understanding of both fingering concepts and when the are applicable. The way each track ends also makes good discussion of keys and roots because the students "want" to know the missing note at the end of each track. Probably just a editing/space issue but brilliant none the less! Hee hee.


This book works well with my upright students too!

Thanks,

Glen
 
#26
teachbass,
Thanks. I never considered the possibility that the method would work for upright students too, but I guess with the 1-2-4 fingering it would!

As far as the way the tunes end, that was a call the editor made. I typically have ended all the tunes in my other books by resolving the line back to the root, usually the first note in the example. But he wanted it to be very literal. Instead of having to describe that the tunes go back to the top, or writing a specific ending, he told me to just cut the track at the last note. It sounds funny, but it does cut out the guess work, and keeps it all very literal and direct.

It was a very different type of project for me, one that kicked my ass while I was writing it, but now that it's been out for awhile and I've been using it myself, I think it came out great. I was very lucky to be chosen to do this series, it was a real vote of confidence from "Uncle Hal".
 
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#27
i also am using this book, and i think its great, but did you have to use tab in books 2 and 3? When its there i just cant help but rely on it (which is why ive done book one about 4 times) and dont want to mark up the book blocking them out

still, great book/series
 
#29
Well, in the book I describe the right hand technique and emphasize the need to mute the open strings as you move to the higher pitched strings. It's pretty clear, though I don't reiterate it throughout the book, but I do mention the need to mute with the left hand while using the "rake" technique. The method was conceived with the thought that a teacher would be guiding a student through the book, and this type of technical detail is in the teacher's domain. It was decided to leave some room for individual teachers to have input.

On the DVD, it's handled much the same, but of course, being able to watch the technique in action makes it more clear.
 
#31
Its a great book. I'm going through it now and although I'm a bit slow, I've found that its working. My wife just showed me some sheet music this morning, at breakfast. Its for piano, and is something she's looking at because she wants to pick it up again. I was able to read through it, even though I'm not very far into the book yet and understood the notes, the durations, the rests, the little dot that extends a note duration by 50%, the 2 dots that tell you to repeat a section, and a bunch of other stuff.

I was also able to notice that pianists play a lot of double-stops and chords in the bass register... ;)
 
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#32
Just bought this after reading a bunch of reviews of it! Got the complete method with cd's. Can't wait to get started on it. I've been playing banjo, guitar, and other instruments for over 10 years just by ear, but I do need to get back to basics and really learn this fretboard - because I plan to be all over it. And finally learning to read music will be a big plus too.
 
#33
edfriedland said:
Hey, thanks for all the great comments and the smokin' review of the HL Method! I put a lot of work into that series, and I guess it paid off.

I DO get into the 1234 or One-finger-per-fret system later on, book 2 I believe. I've just noticed that most new players, especially younger ones have a hard time with 1-2-3-4, especially down low where you typically start learning. Also, that's how I play a good 70% of the time, especially down low. It reduces strain on the hand. Then, there is the confusion with octaves - if you teach 1-2-3-4, then the tendency will be to play octaves 1-3 which puts a LOT of starin on the left hand.

Anyway, thanks again, it's nice to knnow I have the TB stamp of approval.

As far as not getting any CDs with the book, check your original order, they do print a version without CDs, you may have ordered that by mistake.
Click to expand...

Restarting bass, especially with the 1,2,4 system down low, did more for me moving ahead than anything else I ever did.

This is an incredible set.
 
#34
I bought book one and two with cd - took lessons based on material. then purchased complete set again with cd's. I used material for 2 years and found it really well organized and excellent for moving from beginner to intermediate bassist. I have 2 suggestions - #1 post the play along tracks as MPG files for download. Hard to find a CD player these days. #2. on major concepts provide more detailed explanation and illustrations.
 
#36
I've made my way through about half of book 1 on several occasions and dug back into it tonight. I keep dropping off though because I can't tell if I'm learning theory and how to play or just how to sight read and noodle through play alongs. I say this with no disrespect intended toward Ed Friedland as I am impressed with the books as a whole but am just not sure where my efforts with completing them will lead me. Any thoughts?
 
#37
Joe LeGrand said:
I bought book one and two with cd - took lessons based on material. then purchased complete set again with cd's. I used material for 2 years and found it really well organized and excellent for moving from beginner to intermediate bassist. I have 2 suggestions - #1 post the play along tracks as MPG files for download. Hard to find a CD player these days. #2. on major concepts provide more detailed explanation and illustrations.
Click to expand...

Did you find MPG files? I couldn't find anywhere in the web.
 
#39
I am currently working my way through @edfriedland's Bass Method, too. Reading the notes doesn't go as smoothly as I would like, but I'm sure it will be beneficial in the long run. I guess I should find me a teacher at some point, but so far I feel pretty well guided by this book. Highly recommended!
 

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