What Are The Best Sight Reading Books for Bass? (Bass Player's Book Club #2)

[@marco.saller]

Check out Dante Agostini Rhythm Solfege Series. Couple of awesome rhythm only books with increasing difficulty from book to book with even polyrhythms at the end. Some of my classical drumming/percussion friends recommended them and I really dig them too.

[@FBT]

Thanks for the recommendation Marco, they sound great! I'll check them out.

[@brunoraffo6726]

Also good reading material: "chord studies for electric bass" , by Rich Appleman and Joseph Viola. From Berklee press publications.

[@FBT]

Definitely a great book and a tough read, but I always seem to think of it as a harmony book rather than a reading book

[@BassTheGroove]

Thank you - waiting for so long for #2 - great inspiration.

[@absoluteai41]

I know I'm a bit late but thank you for the recommendations. Jamerson brought me here.

[@FBT]

Good books are still good books, right? Always happy to hear that people are studying the Jamerson book!

[@halcop]

All of the Anthony Vitti books are great. I use them a lot. Stanley Clarke is also double bass and electric bass virtuoso.

[@FBT]

Of course! How could I forget Stanley?!

[@MrClassicmetal]

Regarding players who are great on both electric- and double bass. How about Kyle Eastwood? His performances on double bass in a trio format with Ponti and Lagrene is high level stuff.

[@FBT]

You're definitely right about Kyle, he's great on both. I just remembered James Genus, too, who definitely needs to go on the list.

[@carcassempty]

Thank you very much for this video. Awesome recommendations!

[@FBT]

Thank you, I'm glad you found it useful. Let me know how you get on with the books!

[@LouisL1963]

Really good video Tom. Good call with the M.I. book, I found it very useful as primer for reading. Have also got the Louie Bellson and SITSOM books too - looking forward to the next video. :-)

[@Captain_Rhodes]

Good video. I would also recommend the Mcartney Bassmaster book. its realy good. Even as good as the Jamerson one

[@FBT]

McCartney wrote some incredible bass lines, particularly in the later period. Thanks for the recommendation, I wasn't aware of that book, I'll check it out!

[@Captain_Rhodes]

@@FBT do its a great book. yea the stuff on Sgt pepper is so good. you can just listen to the bass on the album and it suddenly seems like a completely different record.

[@georgegeorge2898]

Thank you very much🙏🏽

[@FBT]

Glad you found it helpful!

[@maartenarnou]

Hey, Tom, these are some stellar recommendations. I couldn't agree more. And as always, with some typical British humour here and there. 😂 👍

[@fudgesauce]

Another bassist/composer who is the master of upright and electric is Avishai Cohen. (careful, there is an Avishai Cohen who is a jazz trumpet player). He was the bassist for Chick Corea back in the 90s. I recommend Seven Seas (no electric on it) if you are going to pick just one of his albums. If you are going to get a 2nd, then Continuo. EG "Smash" off of Continuo (acoustic): kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJKthZWejrmqas0 "Continuo" off of Continuo (electric): kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3yQf6iEdr15ipo In the latter, starting at 2:35 listen to how precise he is and keeps a funky groove through the odd meter. Leading a big band, on electric: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rWWmZqF9rJ6qarM The standard "Caravan", live on electric: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqTYnmylp9mGfMU Old one with Chick Corea: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jIaolZSZeLabkNE

[@chino_jap0nes]

Can’t wait for the next video! Just how useful is Simandl for an electric bassist? Not just in terms of sight reading

[@FBT]

Good question, and I should probably make a video covering this exact topic. I used Simandl on electric for a few years before I even thought about playing upright - I should have explained that in the video. It gave me a logical way to organise my fretting hand and really made me focus on articulation. Highly recommended for electric bassists!

[@chino_jap0nes]

FreeBassTranscriptions You also went into it in the first video of this series. I should rewatch it but I do remember you mentioned the three finger left hand technique (thanks for that btw). And yes! A video where you talk about those books and what an electric bassist can get out of them would be awesome

[@wtfusheeple5383]

perfect,thanks ,will sub

[@PleoPleo1]

Cool and complete

[@davegardner7731]

Brian Bromberg is a good doubler

[@marcusparnell2403]

Great video, thanks for posting. Have you ever used the Hal Leonard Bass Method book? If so, I'd love to hear your take on it.

[@FBT]

Really glad that you found the video useful. I've never tried the Hal Leonard Method book, but I'll see if I can find a copy and take a look through it (if it has TAB then I'll probably avoid it!)

[@marcusparnell2403]

@@FBT thanks, I got the Simplified Sight Reading for Bass that you recommended. Just started the book so working on rhythm reading at the moment. Really enjoying it.

[@FBT]

Great. Simplified Sight Reading and the Bellson book helped me survive the first year of music college after arriving with no reading skills whatsoever!

[@marcusparnell2403]

@@FBT That's great to hear. I'm in the same boat with regards reading so your advice was greatly appreciated. Looking forward to your next video!

[@urmero67]

The Charlie Parker Omni Book is the best reading book for intermediate to advanced. Surprised it wasnt even mentioned.

[@FBT]

Agreed, I should have mentioned it, but if we're talking about strict sight reading then large chunks of the book are beyond the means of most mortals (myself included). It's an incredible resource for learning vocabulary, though.

[@urmero67]

@@FBT It actually was used in reading class at the Musicians Institute for intermediate readers when I attended in the early 90’s . We just went through it at a real slow tempo .. like realll slow around 60 bpm or less (bass clef version)

[@joninawhitecoat]

MY GOD, I'VE MISSED YOU, TOM!!!!

[@kane6529]

I wasn’t gonna learn to read treble clef until you said it was a magnificent way to taunt guitar players 😂 I’m sold

[@encourage-fm3fo]

Min 7:29... :D :D :D

[@FBT]

It's a very important skill!

[@encourage-fm3fo]

@@FBT A new "How to" - series incoming? :)

[@FBT]

Hmmm, tempting... but it would probably run to 100+ episodes...