âThe Untold Secret to Melodic Bass is an outstanding rethinking of how expert jazz bassists actually conceptualize and navigate chord changes. Written from the perspective of a seasoned jazz veteran but set forth in a straightforward and engaging fashion, this book is an excellent addition to the library of any jazz bass student or teacher.â - Jason Heath, doublebassblog.org
Investigating the new melodic role of the electric bass as it appeared (and disappeared) in the 1960s and 1970s, this book turns to the number one songs of the American Billboard Hot 100 charts between 1951 and 1982 as a prime source. Through interviews with players from this era, numerous transcriptions - elaborations of twenty bass related features - are presented. These are juxtaposed with a critical study of four key players, who provide the case-studies for examining the performance practice. This book will be of interest not only to bass players, but also to popular musicologists looking for a way to instigate discussions on how to develop popular music analysis.
An indispensable book on scales and modes for the bass guitarist. The lessons contain diatonic, modal, pentatonic, whole tone, and diminished scales as well as modes of both the harmonic and melodic minor scales, Eastern, Middle Eastern, and other exotic scales of Jimmy's own invention.
This book teaches everything you need to know to create great bass lines. An easy-to-use, step-by-step approach to basic theory is given as a foundation, and then the essential styles-and many styles within each style-are explored from the bass point of view. Learn how the bass fits into the group, the important bass techniques for each style and even what tempos to expect. Bass players, arrangers and composers alike will love the hundreds of tips and sample bass lines. A CD demonstrating all the examples and for playing along is available.
This book contains exciting, moving and grooving original and innovative bass lines from Detroit-born Peter Washburne. His innovative approach makes use of the bass as an instrument capable of creating incredible musical ideas and compositions. In this book you will learn intricate, complex and fun bass lines which make you, the bass player, shine like a pro at center stage! These bass lines are functional and melodic and sound incredible with or without additionalinstruments. This book will help open new performance possibilities for thecontemporary bassist. Written in standard notation and TAB. Includes access to an online audio recording featuring Peter Washburne's performance of each composition
The New Method for Electric Bass is designed like a textbook with topics that are easy to follow, gradually increasing in difficulty, and that present the self-taught student with a step-by step approach to a more complete understanding. This book covers advanced concepts, providing the bassist with useful tools to improve playing technique and enhance musical knowledge. All the exercises are written in standard notation and tablature and include full fingering and technical tips for practicing. Topics include: advanced techniques, modes of the major scale, ninth chords, chord inversions, melodic minor modes, harmonic minor modes, and harmonic analysis.
The Art of Solo Bass is a jumping off point, a place to glimpse the possibilities of the electric bass. This book examines the use of chords and chord/melody in performance, arranging, composing and the development and exploration of new techniques. from using chords to enhance and embellish your groovin' bass lines, to developing a comping style to perform with an ensemble and finally to create solo arrangements and compositions for practice and performance.The Art of Solo Bass will open new horizons for you, the bass player. This is a step-by-step tutorial into the techniques, theory and practical application of solo bass. the Art of Solo Bass includes actual arrangements, recordings, notation and tablature to guide you along the way.
Mastering the Bass is a thorough method for both electric and upright bass designed to guide bassists to mastery. It begins with building strong time and rhythmic skills, a firm foundation upon which all bass playing must be rooted. Following this, students learn a wide range of grooves and practice reading all styles of music: Blues, Rock, Funk, Reggae, Fusion (including odd meters), Jazz, Latin, Baroque, Classical and more. Ear training incorporated into the method improves the students' listening skills, teaching students to hear chord progressions, melodies and rhythms. Theory lessons help students understand how the bass functions in music. Students also study improvisation of both bass parts and solos on chord changes, articulation (finger and bowing technique), performance goals, visualization, and more. Each volume moves logically to the next level Even seasoned players can fill holes in their technique by going through the method from Book I and moving on to greater technique as well as a deeper understanding in later volumes.Also available in Japanese from ATN, Inc.
The conclusion to this power-packed electric bass method begins with a brief review of important concepts from the intermediate book. Designed to guide the student into high-level bass playing, this book makes advanced concepts like Rhythm Changes, tritone substitution, odd time signatures and chord playing easy to understand. Includes a study of Latin grooves, reggae, ska and advanced funk bass lines. Also covered are topics such as improvisation (soloing) and practicing. The perfect launching pad into a lifetime of great bass playing.
