Foreword -- Introduction -- About this book -- Conventions used in this book -- What you're not to read -- Foolish assumptions -- How this book is organized -- Icons used in this book -- Where to go from here -- pt. I. The world according to bass -- 1. Bass bass-ics : what is the meaning of bass? -- Discovering the differences between the bass and its high-strung cousins -- Understanding the bass player's function in a band -- Dissecting the anatomy of a bass guitar -- On a need-to-know "basses" : gearing up to play bass -- Playing grooves, solos, and fills -- Experimenting with different musical genres -- Stocking up on some bass gear -- Giving your bass some good old TLC -- 2. Gaining the tools and skills to play -- Getting a handle on your bass -- Holding your bass -- Placing your hands in the proper position -- Reading a fingerboard diagram -- Tuning your bass guitar -- Playing a song with your bass guitar -- 3. Reading, 'riting, and rhythm -- Reading notation : no pain, much gain -- Finding any note in any octave -- Using the metronome : you know, that tick-tock thing -- Dividing music into phrases, measures, and beats -- Discovering how to read music -- Playing your first song while reading music.
pt. II. The bass-ics of playing -- 4. Warming up : getting your hands in shape to play -- Understanding the sound your bass makes -- Performing right-hand warm-ups -- Coordinating your left hand with your right hand -- 5. Understanding major and minor structures -- Building major and minor scales -- Building chords : one note at a time, please -- Spicing up your sound : the seven main modes (scales) -- Using chromatic tones : all the other notes -- Bringing a groove to life with dead notes (weird but true) -- Sampling accompaniments.
pt. III. Making the moves, creating the grooves -- 6. Creating the groove -- Anatomy of a groove : putting together the necessary elements -- Creating your own groove -- Grooving with a drummer -- Jammin' with other musicians -- 7. Going solo : playing solos and fills -- Soloing : your moment to shine -- Creating fills without any help from your dentist.
pt. IV. Using the correct accompaniment for each genre -- 8. Rock on! Getting down with the rock styles -- Rock 'n' roll : the good old standby -- Hard rock : going at it fast and furious -- Pop rock : supporting the vocals -- Blues rock : feeling a bit more organized -- Country rock : where vocals are king, and you take a back seat -- One rock fits all : applying a standard rock groove to any rock song -- 9. Swing it! Playing styles that rely on the triplet feel -- Swing : grooving up-tempo with attitude -- Jazz : going for a walk -- Blues shuffle : taking an organized walk -- Funk shuffle : combining funk, blues, and jazz -- 10. Making it funky : playing hardcore bass grooves -- R & B : movin' to some rhythm and blues -- The Motown sound : grooving with the music of the Funk Brothers -- Fusion : blending two styles into one -- Funk : sounding heavy and deep -- Hip-hop : featuring heavy funk with heavy attitude -- Knowing what to do when you just want to funkifize a tune -- 11. Sampling international flavors : bass styles from around the world -- Bossa nova : baskin' in a Brazilian beat -- Afro-Cuban : ordering up some salsa (hold the chips, please) -- Reggae : relaxing with offbeat "riddims" -- Soca : blending American and Calypso party sounds -- Combining reggae and rock : the distinct sound of ska -- South African : experimenting with exotic downbeat grooves -- Music without borders : grooving to the world beat -- 12. Playing in odd meters : not strange, just not the norm -- An odd-meter oldie but goodie : the waltz -- Beyond the waltz : navigating beats in odd meter -- 13. Groovin' in a genre : it's all about style! -- Playing grooves in each genre : one simple song many genres strong -- To blend or not to blend : knowing how to fit in.
pt. V. Buying and caring for your bass -- 14. Love of a lifetime or one-night stand? Buying the right bass -- Assessing your needs before you buy -- Needs are one thin ... budget is quite another -- A trip to the bass-mint : where to shop for your bass guitar -- When money is no object : getting a custom-made bass -- 15. Getting the right gear for your bass guitar -- Making yourself heard : a primer on amplifiers and speakers -- Needs, wants, and nonessentials : rounding out your equipment -- 16. Changing the strings on your bass guitar -- Knowing when it's time to say goodbye -- Off with the old : removing bass strings -- On with the new : restringing your bass -- Ensuring a long life for your strings -- 17. Keeping your bass in shape : maintenance and light repair -- Cleaning your bass, part by part -- Making minor repairs to your bass -- Adjusting the bass guitar -- Assembling a cleaning and repair tool bag -- Storing your bass.
pt. VI -- The part of tens -- 18. Ten innovative bassists you should know -- Jack Bruce -- Stanley Clarke --John Entwistle -- James Jamerson -- Will Lee -- Paul McCartney -- Marcus Miller -- Jaco Pastorius -- Victor Wooten -- X (fill in your own) -- 19. Ten great rhythm sections (bassists and drummers) -- Bootsy Collins and Jab'o Starks -- Donald "Duck" Dunn and Al Jackson, Jr. -- James Jamerson and Benny Benjamin -- John Paul Jones and John Bonham -- Joe Osborn and Hal Blaine -- Jaco Pastorius and Peter Erskine --George Porter, Jr. and Zig Modeliste -- Francis Rocco Prestia and David Garibaldi -- Chuck Rainey and Bernard Purdie -- Robbie Shakespeare and Sly Dunbar -- Appendix -- Index.
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A comprehensive guide to playing bass guitar that covers rhythm, warming up, major and minor structure, playing solos, using accompaniments, buying and caring for a bass, and other related topics. Includes a CD.