Recommend a bass tuition book...

[Kev]

Well i have been playing on and off for nearly 5 years now but i am really struggling to actually make my own pieces of music, largely because my musical theory knowledge is very, very basic! I am not particularly interested in being able to read music at the moment, but what i do want to do is learn scales, chords, triads etc in much more detail so i can at least begin playing at a level decent enough to attempt to put together my own bass lines. I am a fairly competent player already and consequently am quite happy to improvise when i play and know in my head what sounds right and what doesn't, but i always end up playing very similar things! I imagine improving my knowledge of the aforementioned will help me bit a little more creative.

Basically looking for a good book that will help me with this, and that also may contain recommended practice routines etc. I don't, however, want a book that just jumps in at the deep end and makes me feel like giving up! I am definitely considering bass tuition lessons, but at the moment its a cost i cannot afford

[Blademan_98]

I hear what you are saying but lessons are the way to go!

[Doddy]

You may not want to read,but it will make it so much easier to understand the relationship between the notes if you at least have a basic understanding of it.
To learn about scales and chords there are a ton of books available for all instruments that cover theory and are not bass specific-another reason to read a bit....most of the best books on this subject are not bass guitar based,so you couldn't go by patterns.
I think that the best book on the market to learn all this stuff is 'The Jazz Theory Book'. It can be pretty heavy,but it's just filled with great information,that you can study for years.
Bass specific-'Serious Electric Bass' is a great book. Again,it's full of great information and is pretty heavy at times.Plus,you'll need basic reading chops to really take advantage.

[steve-soar]

Invest in some lessons.
Theory is not to be feared and a good teacher will give you so many "ah, the penny has just dropped" moments.

[steve-soar]

Here is one of my heros, from the band Devo.

Listen to him.

[stingrayPete1977]

This all sounds a bit familiar?

I have my first lesson tomorrow! Im sat here skiving from doing a bit of bass line writing for a new project over some tracks I have received by email, Im working a few things out then jotting it down on the staff! Oooh look at me The only thing is it takes me ages to play them back and I cant really put the stems on yet but its a start.

Im hoping a few lessons here and there with book study between until I get stuck again is the way to go for me, I learn something then worry I have done it wrong so I just need a structure and some guidance (and some spare time!). I think the reading and the theory need to go hand in hand IMO It just seams to make more sense that way to me.