Book Recommendations for Theory

[Scoobs]

Hi Folks, I'm looking for recommendations for a couple of books to help my playing. I want books as I struggle with videos and look at a screen all day as it is. I'm not really sure how to label what I'm looking for so here's a bit of a ramble. I'd like help with constructing bass lines and understanding how chord progressions fit together, circle of fifths and which notes lead naturally from one chord to another. ?? chord tones maybe ?? and practice recommendations. I'm really enjoying playing double bass and bass guitar and I'm nearly feeling brave enough to try to play with a jazz group whose bassist has left - as long as they promise to play nice. 

Anyone got any ideas?

[TKenrick]

Hard to cover everything that you're after with only a few book suggestions, but here are some of the ones that I've found most helpful and that I use with some of my students:

 

(it's worth pointing out that you don't need bass-specific books to learn about harmony and theory, and it's perhaps best to go for ones that aren't written by or for bassists...)

 

Functional Harmonic Concepts by Joe Hubbard

 

Jazzology by Robert Rawlins and Nor Eddine Bahha (this is part workbook, with questions at the end of each chapter)

 

The Advancing Guitarist by Mick Goodrick

 

Although you said you don't like videos... I did this video a while ago which goes into detail on the above books plus a couple more.

 

 

 

[TheLowDown]

Music theory for bass players by Ariane Capp may be what you're looking for. I think the Dummies and Idiots guides are very comprehensive.

[Scoobs]

Thanks for the replies both. TKenrick your video does make a lot of sense and I really like your style especially compared to some of the other online 'bass educators'. Makes sense that theory and harmony aren't bass specific, and it is reassuring to hear that what I am thinking about sounds like quite a big subject/subjects/set of skills/chunk of Knowledge.

[TKenrick]

On 12/10/2022 at 13:43, Scoobs said:

Makes sense that theory and harmony aren't bass specific, and it is reassuring to hear that what I am thinking about sounds like quite a big subject/subjects/set of skills/chunk of Knowledge.

 

If it was easy, then everyone would be doing it 😉

 

There aren't really that many things that you have to know, the problem is that you have to know a handful of concepts really deeply and be able to access those sounds in lots of different ways on the bass.

 

At the most fundamental level, we need to know the notes that go into chords and where those notes are on the bass. That sounds relatively straightfoward, but there are many hours of work in there.

[lowdown]

Links for three excellent sites (all free):

 

Music Theory - Lessons

 

Open Music Theory

 

And an excellent (download PDF) primer on Jazz Theory:

Jazz Theory.doc (uml.edu)

[Scoobs]

Thanks again Gents, plenty to be going on with for now..  

[Tim2291]

One thing I have found is that a lot of bass specific books are lacking massively in general theory past the bass clef. As others have suggested, general Jazz theory is always a winner, that will cover pretty much everything you will ever need. Any books on walking basslines are great but make sure you are learning the concepts not the parts they have written out!

[petrderbikov]

I'm a beginner player, should I learn theory and technique together or do I need technique first?

[velvetkevorkian]

Learn them together. Theory informs technique and vice versa.

[oakforest5961]

9 hours ago, petrderbikov said:

I'm a beginner player, should I learn theory and technique together or do I need technique first?

 

If you don't specifically need a book and want something excellent at no cost, then this site should do you very nicely: https://www.studybass.com.