Author Topic: Recommended reading for a bassist? (Read 1376 times)

Algo Fonix · « **on:** October 26, 2010, 10:54:36 AM »

I've been playing bass since back in 2003, but in the past year or so I've decided I want to buckle down and really improve my playing. My girlfriend (God bless her) got me "Bass for Dummies" for Valentine's day, but I really need something that has some good exercises for improving speed and accuracy and whatnot. I figure that's a tall request, but if a good book exists I'd figure someone here would know about it... so yeah. Thanks in advance.

JayOctavarium · « **Reply #1 on:** October 28, 2010, 03:13:39 AM »

haha i have Bass for Dummies...

it fails.

AlAwake is going to recommend Victor Wooten's book

AlAwake · « **Reply #2 on:** October 28, 2010, 03:18:03 AM »

exercise books are all well and good, but the thing that will help you to improve the most is just learning songs. For this, there is the Real Book. Jazz standards galore. And just to please Jay, i will tell you to get The Music Lesson. there isnt much in the way of straightforward exercises, but there is a wealth of straight up musical wisdom. One thing though, youre going to have to excuse his prose. He is a musician, and not a novelist after all.

PlaysLikeMyung · « **Reply #3 on:** October 28, 2010, 07:33:17 AM »

You could probably come up with your own basic exercises and practice the hell out of them without paying for a book

Personally, I learned by having lessons, but I realize not everybody can do that. I actually never found books helpful at all. I learned more by playing real songs than by playing exercise after exercise.

I have this huge tab book called the Bass White Pages. Tons of songs to practice in varying degrees of difficulty. I love it