Double Bass Sight Reading Sources for Melodies and Bass Lines

[Rompi]

Hi Everyone

I've just finished school, and I'm looking to ramp up my double bass practice regime! One of the areas in my playing I want to improve is my sight reading, particularly with respect to jazz rhythm and harmony. Does anyone know of any good books (apart from the real book) which contain syncopated melodies or bass lines which could be useful for improving my fluency in sight reading? I'm open to both treble and bass clef material. I figure that if I dedicate 10-15 minutes a day going through a sight reading book, I could make some good progress.

Cheers

 

[tinyd]

The Charlie Parker Omnibook is a great resource - there's a bass clef edition available.

 

[two fingers]

Every now and then I Ulla out my old Arban's trombone book and radio from it.

Why?

Because it wasn't written for bass. So the patterns are not made for fingers. It will really keep you on your toes.

It's not jazz like you asked. But it will work both your fingering and reading chops for sure.

 

[sonix]

for classical oriented melodies, I suggest you check "10 ans avec la contrabasse" and find your level

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also check imslp.org for bass, cello, and trombone music.

 

[Groove Doctor]

Left-hand parts of piano sheet music are great for practicing reading octave leaps, arpeggios and double stops.

Horn charts are fantastic for complex rhythm patterns, syncopation, etc. +1 to trombone melodies in bass clef.

Also, plenty of websites online with bass transcriptions (esp electric bass). Download the file, play audio on YouTube, and try your best to get thru it. They are a fun workout (esp on DB).

Try getting to the point where you can scan a few beats or even a bar or so ahead. That "hearing it before it happens" is such a life saver, esp with accidentals, complex rhythms, etc.

 

[Huy Nguyen]

Real Book. Learn yourself some new heads. Find some old standards. If you want Bass Clef then buy then the bass clef version. Then you'll have some more stuff you can REALLY use for gigs.

 

[hernameisrio]

or "i Real Book" for iPhone. $12.99 on the App Store...a wealth of information!

 

[lsabina]

^^ But now known as iReal Pro and containing only changes (no melodies).

 

[Carl Hillman]

David Chesky's "Contemporary Jazz/Rock Rhythms" & "Advanced Jazz/Rock Rhythms"
Blazevich's " Invalid Link Removed " Although it is classically oriented, notes are notes, and reading novel combinations of them in any style will only help.

Your best bet would be to find someone with a big band book and start a rehearsal band, if you can't find one already playing somewhere.

 

[Tom Lane]

So, sight reading is STILL probably my worst skill, but, when I get back to it, I'll continue with my drummer's instruction book, the Real Book, and big band charts, and the first two are prep and the last is the real deal, IME.

 

[Sam Dingle]

I would read out of the real book. Check out some bebop heads in there. Also I found that the book "sight reading for electric bass" by the Berkley guys is a great book for both electric and upright. Starts with walking likes and goes to tower of power ish funk rhythms.

 

[hernameisrio]

^^ But now known as iReal Pro and containing only changes (no melodies).

Truth. Grr...