How to Play Bass: For the Bassist Looking to Progress Their Skills and Knowledge (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780957650619)

How to Play Bass explains areas such as technique, fret-board layout and theory in detail with over 150 photographic examples, illustrations and purpose made diagrams. Music theory is explained in terms of the bass guitar fret-board and a system categorizing the all-important major scale into three basic shapes is used from which further scales and arpeggios can be understood.

The basic foundation of most bass lines is playing the notes from chords separately, known as an arpeggio. Learn to play bass arpeggios from the basic major and minors to 7th type arpeggios and play them over musical pieces that are kept rhythmically simple for you to develop an awareness of the intervals (an essential skill for creating your own bass lines). The modes of the major scale are explained in order to open up the basics of how chords, and therefore bass arpeggios, are arranged within music.

The rhythmical aspect of conventional notation is covered so you can use it in conjunction with tablature. How to Play Bass includes 60 downloadable audio tracks in various styles with a demo and backing track for each and includes information on how to string a bass guitar, how to practise and an introduction to further bass guitar techniques such as slap n' pop and harmonics.