Intro to the Bass book & update!

So, here is the intro, so you can get a heads up on the lessons you need to have learnt before reading it. Also, SECOND tragedy:

The first, was that the keystick I had written the book on had become corrupt, as did the file. I lost the initial book. Now, i've just looked back on the videos, and the last FOURTY of the 101 riffs are out of sync and un-usable.

You can thank Apple and iMovie 11 for that. It's a common problem, apparently. Great.

Which means, I'll chuck the last fourty in the second book which will be out in the Summer over here. About July time. Sixty free riffs are plenty to be learning from.

Anyhow, here is the intro. Enjoy!


Disclaimer: The information contained in this book is based on the my experience. The purpose of this book is to not be like any other Bass tuition book. Hence the name. If you enjoyed my online lessons, you’ll enjoy this. Sometimes it’ll be rough round the edges, like me. But what I can tell you, is that you will learn at least something from this book. Maybe lots of somethings.
The book is aimed at intermediate players, but there is a lot of stuff for beginners in there as well. I didn’t want to just make it at one level, so i’ve tried to mix it up a bit, so everyone can benefit. This is certainly the case with the 60 free bass riffs.

All those people that have asked me how I use the techniques used in my solo bass guitar songs have the information right here. The questions are answered.

The written examples featured here are all in tab form. Sometimes I also mention the notes. This simple approach is so that everyone can get a universal understanding of what I teach herein.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

If there was only one piece of information that I could share with you as a teacher. Just one thing, it would be to practice. Oh, and practice right.

I cannot emphasise this enough. Please, imagine me with my hands on your shoulders, looking you firm in the eye, and saying “Practice Practice Practice” over and over. After a while, it’ll sound like I’m saying Partridge.

I’m not. I’m saying practice. So please do.

Everything in this book will help you along your way, but without consistent practice, it means nothing...

Can I also mention that I’d really recommend getting a teacher, if you can. They will be able to point out any problems you have created in your playing, and will be able answer any questions you may have. Books are great, online videos are great, but I believe they should be secondary to a good teacher.

The topics in this book may seem mixed up. It doesn’t start with beginner techniques, and then move on to harder techniques, such as playing with three fingers and finger picking, etc. That’s because when writing the book, I wrote the chapters as they came to me. When I wrote the chapters, I also created the video examples at the same time. So, they were all numbered together, and couldn’t be changed. So, just take the bits that are relevant to you.

With this book, comes 60 riffs and exercises. All at different standards. Slapped, tapped, funked, punked, rocked, they are all in there. Tons of stuff to keep you amused and practicing. You’ll find them in the .zip, under “60 riffs”. The tabs for these 101 riffs are at the bottom section of this book.

There is also a folder that contains all the examples. This is named “Bass book red examples.”. The example words that are in red correspond to the video examples.

Finally, there is a folder with all the beats in it, at different BPM’s. I’ve added some additional ones to keep you interested as well. Enjoy.

THE SIMPLE STUFF YOU NEED TO KNOW.

I’m presuming you are reading this book, because you found me online. If this is right, I’m also presuming that you may have done some of my lessons.

Concerning the rest of this book, the ones I really want you to have completed are:

Introduction to tuning (Just to make sure you’re tuned to standard.)

Beginners Bass part one.

Beginners Bass part two.

The Major scale & Minor (Interval knowledge)

Oh and of course, you’ll need to know how to read Bass tabs.

I’d also like you to have a basic understanding of rhythm. Eighth notes, quarter notes, etc. This isn’t a lesson that I have covered on any of my sites yet, so you’ll have to explore yourself. It’s pretty simple stuff, and there is tons of information online abut it.

If you haven’t done these lessons, then please do so...

If you’ve nailed these, we can move forward. There will be lessons featured here where you will need to know the musical terms from the major scale. Nothing heavy. It just makes things easier when I’m explaining. Intervals. For example, you should know what a fifth is, or what an octave is, and know where to play them on the fretboard. It’s pretty simple stuff, and very useful to know in the long run.

If you need to simplify any of this stuff, do so. Don’t forget, don’t rush your progress. Enjoy the process. This book will always be here for you to take reference from, when you are ready. There is no quick way of doing this, so just take it easy.

Learning is a gentle and slow process....

NOT JUST ANOTHER BASS GUITAR BOOK!

BOOK ONE

This first book isn’t similar to most other Bass tuition books.  It’s an archive of the things and ideas that have helped me become the Bass player I am today.  A little insight into my way of doing things, if you will. This is how I did it, and I’m sharing some of those ways with you.

Why is it called “Not just another Bass guitar book”?  Well, there are plenty of books out there that teach you how to play music, and a Bass, theoretically.  Although these books are important (and I’d still recommend them!) they are quite lifeless, and seem to lack practical ideas. A lot are just repeated content from another book that was written the year before. Copy and paste tuition.  This is more a book of practical ideas, and therefore not just another Bass guitar book.

So, You might call it a book of notes and ideas.  Hopefully, something positive for everyone of all standards. Hopefully, it’s unique.

Please note that the main purpose of the ideas put forward here, is to send the message of experimentation.  Play with your Bass like a child.  Approach it like a child.  This way, you’ll be opening yourself to creativity.  Most importantly, have FUN with it!  What is the point of doing it otherwise?  Don’t become too rigid, and open yourself to new ideas.

Just another word on experimentation:  Take everything I teach and tell you here, all the riffs, all the ideas and change them.  Add to them.  Take away from them.  Find ‘happy accidents’.  New ideas and riffs will be born from what I teach initially. Musicians do not live in a vacuum. We are constantly borrowing from each other, and evolving ideas.  Figure out what is pleasing to your ear.  Experiment.  Here is an example: