Listening and transcribing music, bass lines, solos, is always the best way to learn modern music.
Pianist Mark Levine use to start his lessons saying:" ...the answer to all your questions is in your living room! Your cd and album collection contains the history, the theory, and the practical aspects of music."
I always try to push my students to learn directly from the recordings, they represents the hugest and best musical dictionary ever.
Learning the tecnique on the instrument, the theory, the harmony and reading help us to learn easily what only music history can teach us.
Expanding your musical language will help you to develope your own critic skills, your own personal style... listen, transcribe, analyze, play, personalize, perform.

I've selected some music methods that I use during my lessons, in my opinion these are the only methods that can help the growth of a bass player:

Music Theory
The jazz Theory Book, by Mark Levine. Sher Publ.
Coker Figure Rhythm Series, by Patty Coker. Coker Publ.
The Salsa Guide Book, by Rebecca Mauleon, Sher Publ.
Groove
The Music of James Jamerson, by Dr. Licks. Hal Leonard Publ. Corp.
Slap It!, by Tony Oppenheim
Bebop Bass, by Harold Miller. S Pr Publ.
El Verdadero Bajo Cubano, by C del Puerto & S. Vergara. Sher Publ.
Funkyfuying the Clave, by Lincoln Goines, Manhattan Music Publ.
Soloing
The Improviser's bass method, by Chuck Sher. Sher Publ.
Concepts for Bass Soloing, by Mark Johnson. Sher Publ.
The Charlie Parker Omnibook, by Jamey Aebersold
Virtuosity
Chord Studies for Electric Bass, by R. Appleman. Berklee Press
More Left Hand Gymnastic, by Scott Reed
J.S Bach for Electric Bass, by Josquin des Pres. Mel Bay Publ.





The Teaching Plan for Electric Bass


As conclusion of my studies of Music Pedagogy and Teaching at the Groningen Conservatory I've wrote a study method for Electric Bass. It's in English, and it's a selection of suggestions on how and what to practice to improve musicianship as bassist.
If you wish to have a copy please don't exhitate to write me at max@rolff.it. Here it is:

THE TEACHING PLAN FOR ELECTRIC BASS - by Massimiliano Rolff
Groningen Conservatorium 1999
(English - 96 p.)

The teaching plan for electric bass is intended to be a theoretical and practical tool to be used as a personal support in teaching how to play electric bass in jazz and popular music an absolute beginner.
The contents of this book are conceived to take the student successfully through an entrance examination in a music university or a conservatory.
From chapter one to chapter three I will discuss all the theoretical subjects about general education, didactic elements and parameters of evaluation of the student. In chapter four I intend to give a broad view of all the theoretical, practical and creative contents used in a music teaching program.

Chapter 1

Goals of music teaching

Chapter 2

Didactic Elements
Forms of work in teaching modern music
A model of lesson

Chapter 3

Student's evaluation
Content's evaluation

Chapter 4

Music theory: Ear Training, Transcriptions Rules
Reading and writing music
Specific notation and musical terms
Triads and Chords, Chord symbols
Scales, Arpeggios, Keys and Cycle of Fifth
Harmonic analisys, common progressions

Specific elements of the Electric Bass:
Body position, right and left hand technique
Knowledge of the keyboard

Music Styles:
POP MUSIC: rock'n'roll, blues, r'n'b, funk, Motown, disco, rock, modern pop.
LATIN MUSIC: salsa, son, gaijira, mambo, cha-cha, rumba, afrocuban, bossanova, samba, partido alto, baiao, reggae, merengue, sopa, calipso
JAZZ MUSIC: standards, blues & rhythm changes, fusion

Advanced Techniques:
Bass Popping, Muted note, Plettro, Tremolo, Tre dita, Fretless, Armonici, Tapping, Chording, Slappin' wood, in-out technique

Timing and groove development

Soloing

Creative parameters:
Form
Sound and dynamics

Anatomy of the instrument:
Strings and hardware
Electronics
Amplifiers and speakers

Appendix I The first lesson
Appendix II Teaching how to study
Appendix III Learning music must be fun!

Massimiliano Rolff
Copyright 2006 Massimiliano Rolff - Hosted by Aruba.it