Beginning Electric Bass - Book & CD

This book helps the beginning bass player to better understand his/her instrument and the theory behind those wonderfull things the pro's are doing on stage and on recordings. It uses a step by step approach and the theory is directly translated into bassline examples. These examples are also recorded on the included CD. The book/method starts with the pure basics and takes you along reading music and tab. But from the first page you are encouraged to pick up your bass and start making noise! And that's what I like very much about this book: the step by step approach of bass playing; before you know it, you are actually playing recognisable basslines. The style of writing is pleasant, it keeps your attention. I esp. like the built up of practical and theoretical skills, they go along and practice is explained with theory and vice versa. The use of reference to well known players and their work makes it even more encouraging to keep playing and studying. But these references also have a drawback: the songs are not incorporated in the book or on the CD, and that's a pity. By far the best part of the book is the fact that the examples are recorded on the CD. Not only to listen, but also to play along. Almost all of the examples are recorded twice, the first time the bassline is played by the author and the second time the bassline is not played and it's your turn to rock! It would be a perfect book in my opinion if the examples were further extended with some complete songs to play along. Now the longest bassline you can play is approx. 1 minute and that's not long enough when you are making progress and expanding your bass playing world. All and all a perfect book for the absolute beginner or the more advanced player who wants to understand the theory of what he's doing on the bass.