Reddit Reddit reviews The Improvisor's Bass Method: For Electric & Acoustic Bass

We found 12 Reddit comments about The Improvisor's Bass Method: For Electric & Acoustic Bass. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

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The Improvisor's Bass Method: For Electric & Acoustic Bass
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12 Reddit comments about The Improvisor's Bass Method: For Electric & Acoustic Bass:

u/el_tophero · 5 pointsr/Bass

Well, with no song structure and no harmonic or melodic element to the music, it makes sense that the bass would do lot of repetitive rhythmic stuff. I don't know of many bass players who regularly jam with a drum circle, so I don't think the whole set-up is common. But I'd guess your reaction would be - it's not super interesting or satisfying to play along with the same rhythm for 20 minutes.

Some ideas:

u/thelowdown · 4 pointsr/Bass

http://www.scottsbasslessons.com

This was one of my first books. It starts off fairly easy, but gets moving pretty quick.

This is the Tao Te Ching of bass.

This was one of the books that helped get my technique to where it is today. I'm not sure if the new version has all of the same exercises.

Always read notation. Tab becomes a crutch, and the quicker you learn notation, the more you'll use it, and the better you'll get at it. It's a skill, it's frustrating at first, but it's worth it.

This is my favourite Music Theory book.

Transcribe music. Not only learn how to play it by ear, but learn how to write it down as well. It's really hard at first, but it's probably the best thing you can do to learn to jam, interact with other players, and communicate your ideas to anyone at any level.

Want Chops?

Find a qualified bass teacher in your area. Don't go to that guy who plays guitar and teaches bass on the side and only uses tab because he's never had to read. It may not seem like it, but there are differences in technique that an experienced bass player/teacher would know that a guitar player may not. Find a teacher that pushes you every lesson and makes you want to sit in a chair for hours working on technique, transcribing, and listening.

On top of getting an instructor, scour the internet for every piece of information you can get. At first you'll get some bad advice, but you'll find that there is a lot of great information out there. Always test the boundaries of what you're being taught by anyone with the information you're absorbing for where ever you're getting it. One of the best teachers that I had said "If you're teacher tells you there's only one way to do something, it's time to find another teacher".

I'll give you more great advice from a different teacher. He was this old grizzled player that played Jazz before, and after, Jazz was cool. He said:

"There are only three things you need to do to be a successful musician. One: Show up. If you show up every time you're going to be ahead of 95% of the rest of the musicians out there. That means every lesson, every rehearsal, every gig, every time.

Two: Know your parts. If you show up every time, on time, and know what you're supposed to play, you're going to be ahead of 99% of the players out there.

Thirdly: Play your heart out. If you show up, on time, know what you're playing, and love what you're playing, no matter what it is you're playing, then you're going to be in that 1% of musicians that actually get steady gigs."

Have Fun.

u/Garage_Donkey · 3 pointsr/Bass

I always go back to "Improvisors Bass Manual" by Chuck Sher... after 30 years, I still haven't mastered it, but I always use it again if I haven't played for a while

u/jmone33 · 2 pointsr/Bass

You need a target or goal or an end point. I was in a similar funk as you. I needed to figure out WHAT I wanted to work on and be better at. I was stuck making 30 second funk covers for Instagram but not really making any progress. You can play scales all day but if you're not learning them to play over chords then what's the point?

I've found what works best for me is to get a book. For instance say you wanted to work on improvising and writing better lines, then pick up something like this book and just read it cover to cover. You're now making progress towards a single goal.

You mention not being able to play those fast Geddy licks. Is that the goal? Then start trying to learn some Rush songs. Start slow. Get an app to slow down the song so you can hear it, and work on your speed.

Your timing feeling off? Get a syncopation book.

u/jleonardbc · 2 pointsr/doublebass

3 hours would be great. It's mostly important that most of your practice is strategic and goal-oriented. There are good books out there about practicing well; check'em out.

Things you'd do well to practice/learn about other than sheer technique on your instrument: theory, ear training (be able to identify intervals and chords by ear), transcribing (writing down music by ear), walking bass, sight-singing and rhythm skills.

One good book I was fortunate to discover in high school (maybe early college?) is Chuck Sher's The Improvisor's Bass Method. It doesn't hold your hand too much, but it'd give you lots of ways to practice and think about scales as well as ideas of things to look for more resources on online.

u/InterruptedI · 2 pointsr/Bass

I'm all about this book

http://www.amazon.com/The-Improvisors-Bass-Method-Electric/dp/0961470100

But like everyone is saying, learn scales (and modes), arpege, and bass lines. Transcribe lines, play with records and people.

Try to focus on the I and V (this is a very general rule, don't feel grounded by it) when constructing your lines. Always be in time. Yada Yada Yada

u/Aireroth · 2 pointsr/Bass

Re-visiting your older work can often have this effect, so don't let it get you down. Instead, take it as a sign you've grown and matured and got better at it.

For the diversification, you could check out for example Chuck Sher's The Improvisor's Bass Method.

And to address your last paragraph, the embarrassment is just something you have to knowingly force your way through, and just do it. The way I've tried to make it easier in the bass discord, for example, is my sharing my own sloppy work, and asking people for theirs. You don't need perfect quality and composition or playing to get some ideas across, be it for showing what you do, or for getting feedback/assistance.

It got a bit spread up, but I hope you found at least something from my post.

u/IPYF · 2 pointsr/Bass

This is 'the' book IMO:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Improvisors-Bass-Method-Guitar/dp/0961470100/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1502853916&sr=1-6&keywords=chuck+sher

Right now you might be like "Dang motherfucker. I told you I was a rock/metal bassist. What's this improvisational jazz shit?". Well this book will do a bunch of things to make you a much better heavy bassist, and a better musician in general. For starters it'll force you to learn bass clef, and theory from basic to advanced. By the time you're done with this book, you'll be kicking literal arse in every conceivable genre. Take it from another, albeit former, metal bassist, this is the book you want to get your paws on.

u/[deleted] · 2 pointsr/Bass

The bass guitar is one of the easiest instruments to teach yourself - especially since you already know it in a different form. I did the exact same thing as you: first instrument, piano; second instrument, upright bass (couldn't afford it after high school); third instrument, bass guitar. I tried the trumpet too... fuck the trumpet.

If you're serious about self-learning check out this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Improvisors-Bass-Method-Electric-Acoustic/dp/0961470100.

Rather than buying 20 different books this thing teaches you all you need to know about playing the bass properly. If you have any skill in theory and music this book will make you fucking awesome. Even if you don't have a theory background this will guide you really well. However, take a harmony class if you never have - or just learn online - please.

Improvisation is key for the bass because most bassists are just shitty guitarists who are too stupid to add 2 to 4. If you can improvise you can learn how to play with drums while moving with your guitarist, etc. Rather than repeating the same 6 notes over, and over, and over again.

The bass is relatively easy to improvise on because it is simply a rhythm section instrument which creates notes that don't come about through smacking shit with a stick. It's like drums, but you're not a mute (...).

Oh, and buy a bass with a thin neck and 24 frets so you can move around faster. Won't cost much more... and it's worth buying at the beginning, rather than buying a year after you spend $300 on a piece of crap that looks like an overgrown guitar.

And, please god learn some modes and scales beyond the pentatonic.

Best of luck.

u/Dr_Poop69 · 2 pointsr/Bass

Real books are great. When you feel comfortable find a jazz jam in town, playing with people will help.

Here’s a book I enjoyed:

Building Walking Bass Lines

You should also get this book:



The Improvisers Bass Method Book

The improvisers bass method book is an industry standard. The beginning may be things you already know, but it does a great job providing you with practice techniques that will actually help translate knowledge to playing. I’d highly recommend both in addition to going through the real book. Outside of that just listen to some jazz. A lot of the key is listening. Go put on some Bill Evans or Miles or Mingus and listen to their bassists

u/ChuckEye · 1 pointr/Bass

I have an old jazz bass book, white wire-bound with a blue cover?, but I'm blanking on the name or author at the moment. (Not bass, but Mark Levine's Jazz Piano Book probably covers bass lines as well (at least left-hand piano comping, which is a step in the right direction).

If I think of the bass book I will add it here.

EDIT: Chuck Sher's Improvisor's Bass Method