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Hal Leonard bass method?


TJ1

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I started it just after Christmas and currently halfway through book 2, make sure you get the spiral-bound version with audio access. I'm finding it great, it forces you to read notation from the start and has no tab so that's been a massive benefit and opened up a whole new world for me. Key parts of what I've gone through so far are notes on the first 7 positions of the fretboard, different time signatures, major/minor scales, major/minor triads, rests etc and I've found it brilliant. I record each exercise in Logic to listen to what I could have done better and what I need to improve on. I'd definitely recommend it, not so much in it regarding technique but that comes naturally playing through the exercises.

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2 hours ago, TJ1 said:

Does anyone know if this is a Good book to learn from?...

An emphatic, unequivocal, 'Yes'..! I recommend the spiral-bound Complete Edition, which lays flat. I have many bass, guitar, piano and drum methods; the Hal Leonard ranks as best of bunch in its approach and completeness. Buy with confidence; it's not even expensive..!

Complete Edition, Spiral-bound, Amazon ...

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Possibly the best beginners book available.  It will get you learning the notes, scales, arpeggios, reading, slap, and puts it all together in a musical way with playalong tracks. I use it all the time for teaching.

Plus it's spiral bound and sits flat on a stand.  Bonus.

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I've dabbled with the bass for many years, but with time on my hands in the past months, one of my main projects has been to do some proper work on it from the beginning.

Since last April I've been working through Ed Friedland's 3 part Hal Leonard method fairly slowly and methodically alongside his Blues bass book. It's improving my note and rhythm reading no end: I'm really enjoying it and love the online audio too - a highly recommended package.

I'm planning to move on to his Building Walking Basslines books in due course. I bought them about 20 years ago and never got beyond about page 10. 

I like his "Bass Whisperer" YouTube channel too.

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Book 1 is great but I found the treatment of key signatures in book 2 a bit superficial and I'd be interested to know if anyone has learnt to sight read using only this book. I baled out after book 1 and have started the Talking Bass sight reading course instead.

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2 minutes ago, Phil_T said:

Book 1 is great but I found the treatment of key signatures in book 2 a bit superficial and I'd be interested to know if anyone has learnt to sight read using only this book. I baled out after book 1 and have started the Talking Bass sight reading course instead.

We all have our own ways of assimilating stuff; this (The Hal Leonard way...) is a pretty decent approach for many, and, at its price point, considering the rest of the info in there, is a 'no-brainer', in my view. Yes, there are other methods; the sight reading courses start at around 60€, I think..? Good value too, if the Leonard method didn't click, but as a 'starter', I'd go with the book for a first shot. B|

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1 hour ago, Phil_T said:

Book 1 is great but I found the treatment of key signatures in book 2 a bit superficial and I'd be interested to know if anyone has learnt to sight read using only this book. I baled out after book 1 and have started the Talking Bass sight reading course instead.

I guess it depends where you are in your abilities when you get the book. If a beginner works their through that book, by the end they should be able to read to a certain level. If you can already play and you pick the book up, it's tempting to skip over the 'easy' stuff and miss things. If you wanted a book to learn to read, there are other books I'd recommend.

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1 minute ago, Doddy said:

I guess it depends where you are in your abilities when you get the book. If a beginner works their through that book, by the end they should be able to read to a certain level. If you can already play and you pick the book up, it's tempting to skip over the 'easy' stuff and miss things. If you wanted a book to learn to read, there are other books I'd recommend.

Yes, to be fair I was trying use it purely to learn to sight read and that's not the primary focus of the book. Having said that, it does a good job but I just needed a more gentle introduction to reading in key because I found that aspect quite challenging

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35 minutes ago, Phil_T said:

Yes, to be fair I was trying use it purely to learn to sight read and that's not the primary focus of the book. Having said that, it does a good job but I just needed a more gentle introduction to reading in key because I found that aspect quite challenging

If you just want a book on reading, I'd look at either the Jeff Berlin one, or Janek Gwizdala's.

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23 minutes ago, Doddy said:

If you just want a book on reading, I'd look at either the Jeff Berlin one, or Janek Gwizdala's.

For exercise' in reading, I found this to be worth a visit ...

Alfred Kalfass 'Soul Essentials'...

It's not (and not intended to be...) a tutorial, but a series of 500 riffs and patterns, for practicing one's skills. Good value, I found. B|

I found it through his ( @alfred...)  announcement on this very Forum...

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3 hours ago, Dad3353 said:

For exercise' in reading, I found this to be worth a visit ...

Alfred Kalfass 'Soul Essentials'...

It's not (and not intended to be...) a tutorial, but a series of 500 riffs and patterns, for practicing one's skills. Good value, I found. B|

I found it through his ( @alfred...)  announcement on this very Forum...

This looks interesting to use in my practice routine once I've finished the Bass Method books, I assume it doesn't include any audio? I find it useful to hear the bassline first, helps avoid any mistakes...

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12 minutes ago, DWootton90 said:

This looks interesting to use in my practice routine once I've finished the Bass Method books, I assume it doesn't include any audio? I find it useful to hear the bassline first, helps avoid any mistakes...

No audio, and pieces of very varied difficulty, but, with simple diligence, there'll be no mistakes (or if there are, they're just 'fluffed' notes...). In all, can't go wrong, really. :i-m_so_happy:

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