Music Theory for the Bass Player: A Comprehensive and Hands-on Guide to Playing with More Confidence and Freedom (The Bass Player’s Method: Fretboard Fluency & Musical Freedom)

I've been playing bass since I was 19 (I'm nearly 50 now!) and always avoided learning much music theory in case the technicalities of it detracted from the 'feel' of the sort of music I like to play. That approach works to a point, but I'm now in a band with some musicians who have a background in jazz and thought it was about time to learn some theory, partly because it's fun to learn new things, and partly so I can speak the same musical language as my bandmates! I've found this a really good book; instead of rote learning scales and dry lumps of technical information, it teaches in a way that feels very logical and progressive. I feel like I'm understanding the science, rather than just playing the notes, if you see what I mean. It includes links to really good videos too, and the combination of a well structured book and the videos make it feel like you are on a course with an expert teacher on hand, rather than working through a book on your own. I'm really enjoying going through this book and would highly recommend it to any bass player looking to gain an understanding of how music theory works and more importantly, how you can actually use it as a tool to enhance your playing.

I first seen Ari on YouTube & thought that sounds a different approach!! So purchased the book. As I worked through the early chapters I could see her VERY different approach - I have passed the majority of Bass Music Grades so could immediately see what ‘you not starting on scales’ - thank god for that!! Ari’s approach nails it for me - get to know your Bass and feel it - I often just practice the simple Grooves just to play them with feel never mind they may only consist of 2 or 3 notes…. I am only just onto the first few chapters of the book but as I said I have completed the Majority of Grades and that work has been so boring and did it teach me to play with feel and create a groove? I was stuck playing scales, arpeggios, this lick or that but not actually playing and feeling the Bass so you can no doubt guess i strongly recommend this book, in addition Ari’s video’s that are provided with the book are concisely presented in a friendly manner.

This is the book of an excellent online course. It is extremely carefully thought out and well organised and basically does exactly what it says on the tin. Over 20 lectures, each one requiring a minimum of about 100 minutes to complete, it introduces the bass player to key musical concepts in a digestible form and provides a wealth of exercises which are excellent at breaking down left and right hand techniques and isolating and removing bad habits while promoting good ones. The author is passionate about teaching and gives frequent advise and tips on how best to learn, particularly with reference to the PORA method. The course is arranged around a variety of online video demonstrations given by the author, with the student invited to play along. The tone of the course is friendly and inclusive, and is pitched in such a way as to be useful to all levels of ability. As a beginner to intermediate level player I find the lessons stimulating and challenging, taking me on average about two weeks each to complete to a sufficient level of proficiency to enable progression. They are very well structured with each lesson building on the last and offering fresh challenges. The course has already enabled me to uncover various issues with my technique that I was unaware of and has provided to clear road map as to how to address them. In addition my appreciation of musical theory is progressing steadily. In summary this is an excellent, well-organised, practically useful course that is well worth its relatively modest cost.

The coverage is good for basic/intermediate bass players. Some of the diagrams are tricky to understand, but maybe that’s just me. If you’re looking for the theory behind using triplets, for example, then you need another source. Posture, basic techniques, pentatonics, triads, inverted triads etc are all in there. All in all, it’s a good worthwhile addition to the library and with the book comes a range of videos to help apply the knowledge to your practical playing. Lots of help from an acknowledged expert. Recommended.

I have been learning bass guitar for this past year and can read tablature and copy you tube videos but to be honest my musical understanding is poor hence why l bought this book. It's taking me back right to the basics and teaching me in a structured manner with the help of the videos that you download to assist with each lesson. I don't expect miracles but hopefully within a year if l can play a basic bass line in most songs without the you tube or tablature I'll be really happy..

Fantastic book highly recommend and the included video tips are easy to access and really fast access to information, really enjoyed working through both books

I first started playing Bass over 30 years ago and have had numerous lessons and bought a truckload of books, instructional videos over the years. After a long lay off I returned and found Ari's book on Amazon and it is simply the best book / advice I have ever received. There is no doubt Ari is an excellent player and tutor, she is very diligent and passionate about her subject. The book is so well structured and thought out it will help any one whether a beginner or an advanced player looking to polish their skills. Theory is often overlooked but so important and this is presented in a very user friendly manner. There are 89 videos included which provide a visual demonstration of the material presented in the book and there is no doubt I have learnt more in one month than in most of the previous years. My only regret is that it wasn't available all those years ago. I for one have now signed up to one of her online courses but there is absolutely no commitment to do so.

Los grooves y fills son extremadamente básicos, aunque sirven para darte una idea de como funciona la armonía, creo que podrían haberlos hecho un poco más estructurados. En general buen libro

Bem didático, com diagramas, tabelas, escalas, modos. Bem completo e específico. Recomendo.

So far I'm pretty much just reading this like a text book. I'm looking forward to going back through it with both hands on my guitar and a metronome on the table. It's technical information about art, and the only thing more mind boggling to me than trying to learn this stuff is the thought of trying to explain it to someone like me who is pretty fresh to the theories behind the notes and timings, so I doff my cap to the author thrice - she does a great job of doing just that. Do I find myself re-reading some sections with a WTF look on my face? Sure! But like I said it's really technical stuff from a whole other world. Fortunately, the author seems to know that novices like me are in the audience and she is patient. Being the novice that I am, I couldn't imagine what this book is like for a pro, could be boring as heck, but I don't think so, and I'm a smart guy. It is chock full of juicy nuggets, many of which I probably won't even see the first time through. I look forward to going through it several more times in the coming decades to mine more nuggets. The best part is that she gives practical tips and exercises from the get-go that really do teach music theory. The price was worth what I paid for it just for the first couple of chapters and my new knowledge of the importance of learning and understanding the scales on the fret board. She literally made me a better player in the first three chapters. Two thumbs way up!

This book will equip you with all the basic theory a bass player needs in order to take control of the instrument. Rather than blindly following notation or tab, this book will enable the player to improvise and create cool bass lines that are based on an understanding of music theory. The book comes complete with dozens of videos which clearly articulate the concepts covered in the book. There are quizzes which help to reinforce the theory and sense check that it is sinking in. There is a great Facebook group you can join where you will also find a lot of additional support from the kind and friendly community there - here you can ask questions if there are concepts that are not quite gelling. Finally, there are 40 week courses that you can join where participants go through this book, step by step - lots of feedback and exercises to ensure the theory begins to become second nature, all with the support of more experienced bass players. This is what I did and it is well worth the money and time investment 100%. I'm so impressed with Ari and Wolf's teaching methods that I have just purchased their second book and will continue to learn from them via their online courses.

A must have for any bass player