Lysdexia Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 (edited) Hi guys - since moving to France I've sold a bass to a local French guy and and he has asked me to help him learn. Between his broken English and my bloody awful French I want to make this as easy for him as I can. I'm looking for suggestions of DVD's and/or books to help him that would be ideal for a beginner. PS - France is bollocks and I want to move home asap Edited August 18, 2010 by Lysdexia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lysdexia Posted August 19, 2010 Author Share Posted August 19, 2010 Any help with this most welcome guys - I'm really uncertain what to recommend to the lad. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 I think those play-along to Metallica/Muse/whoever books are really good as they enthuse the learner - what's not to like about playing along to your favourite band? They usually come in tab too, making it very simple. More generally there are tons of learn-to-play-bass books on Amazon (eg, Hal Leonard etc) and TBH they are much of a muchness. If there is a French version (or his English can take it) 'Bass Guitar for dummies' is a better resource than most of these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urban Bassman Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 +1 for Bass Guitar For Dummies, seems to cover all the bases (pardon the pun ) for a learner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny_frog Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 [quote name='urban Bassman' post='929353' date='Aug 19 2010, 08:38 AM']+1 for Bass Guitar For Dummies, seems to cover all the bases (pardon the pun ) for a learner.[/quote] Yup... good book... even i could follow it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 [quote name='johnny_frog' post='929479' date='Aug 19 2010, 10:25 AM']Yup... good book... even i could follow it[/quote] On the other hand, I found it completely useless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 [quote name='stevie' post='929521' date='Aug 19 2010, 10:54 AM']On the other hand, I found it completely useless.[/quote] Perhaps you would like to offer an alternative learning resource suggestion to lysdexia? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
270degrees Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 Just out of curiosity, what do you not like about living in France? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdavidso Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 [quote name='Lysdexia' post='929082' date='Aug 18 2010, 09:14 PM']Hi guys - since moving to France I've sold a bass to a local French guy and and he has asked me to help him learn. Between his broken English and my bloody awful French I want to make this as easy for him as I can. I'm looking for suggestions of DVD's and/or books to help him that would be ideal for a beginner. PS - France is bollocks and I want to move home asap [/quote] Two books have been enormously helpful to me: Adrian Ashton's [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bass-Handbook-Complete-Mastering-Guitar/dp/0879308729"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bass-Handbook-Comp...r/dp/0879308729[/url] and Ed Frieland's [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Building-Walking-Bass-Lines-Friedland/dp/0793542049/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1282219019&sr=1-1-fkmr0"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Building-Walking-B...mp;sr=1-1-fkmr0[/url] Both with cds to plonk along to. First one picks everything apart, the second speeds along but starts from the beginning. Using both in combination has helped me go from useless to just pathetic So any half -musical person will make rapid headway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lysdexia Posted August 19, 2010 Author Share Posted August 19, 2010 [quote name='270degrees' post='929551' date='Aug 19 2010, 10:12 AM']Just out of curiosity, what do you not like about living in France?[/quote] Well in truth it's nothing to do with France at all, but I really miss the British way of life - specifically the humour/crack. France is a genuinely great country with so much to offer, but I was happier living in the UK and travelling to France to work. It was happening so much that I thought I'd try the reverse. Now I'm not so sure and I may change back. And one thing I genuinely hate - cannot get used to - the way the whole country goes to sleep on a Sunday absolutely does my head in. It reminds me of life in the Scottish highlands circa 1973 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lysdexia Posted August 19, 2010 Author Share Posted August 19, 2010 And thanks guys - I'll discuss the books with the lad and take it from there. Any suggestions for DVD in case he's visually centered? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
270degrees Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 [quote name='Lysdexia' post='929949' date='Aug 19 2010, 04:03 PM']And one thing I genuinely hate - cannot get used to - the way the whole country goes to sleep on a Sunday absolutely does my head in. It reminds me of life in the Scottish highlands circa 1973 [/quote] Can't comment on the Scottish Highlands reference but that's the bit I loved. In fact, where I worked*, every day was a Sunday. Even the streetlights went to sleep at midnight!! *Bidart, about 3 miles from Biarritz. The best of all worlds: sea to the west; mountains to the east; forest all around. Spain and its cheap shopping 20 minutes south. And you could go for miles without seeing another soul. Heaven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 [quote name='Lysdexia' post='929949' date='Aug 19 2010, 04:03 PM']It reminds me of life in the Scottish highlands circa 1973 [/quote] My mother and her husband moved to France precisely *because* it's like the UK was 25 years ago It's the food I can't stand. They take furry animals and grind them up whole - then make a stew out of it. Weird!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tino Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 [quote name='270degrees' post='929551' date='Aug 19 2010, 11:12 AM']Just out of curiosity, what do you not like about living in France?[/quote] Thats obvious its the Poles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 [quote name='270degrees' post='929967' date='Aug 19 2010, 04:14 PM']*Bidart, about 3 miles from Biarritz. The best of all worlds: sea to the west; mountains to the east; forest all around. Spain and its cheap shopping 20 minutes south. And you could go for miles without seeing another soul. Heaven.[/quote] That sounds dope actually. Probably not a good place to be in a band though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenTunnicliffe Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 As a tool for learning everything from the floor up (although it is a bit dry at times on the whole so coupling it with a 'play along with' book might be a good idea) the 'Play Bass Today' series is a good start but deals with standard notation (which is explained aswell). [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Play-Today-Ultimate-Self-Teaching-Method/dp/0634021842/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1282254785&sr=8-9"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Play-Today-Ultimat...4785&sr=8-9[/url] I can also vouch for the David Overthrow series of books being reliable in introducing solid theory knowledge etc over the series as well as technique and genre knowledge. As a nice touch it give pictures and suggested listening for different styles and techniques frequently through each book which turned me on to a load of bass players I'd never heard of when I first read the books yonks ago. [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Electric-Bass-Method-Beginning/dp/0739006894/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282254841&sr=1-1"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Electric-...4841&sr=1-1[/url] Both come with an audio CD. Hope you get somwhere with the frenchman! Ben. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 I'd recommend the Hal Leonard Bass Method by Ed Friedland-especially if you can find the complete edition with all three books in one. It's also spiral bound so will sit comfortably on a music stand,which to me is a big plus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 [quote name='Doddy' post='930398' date='Aug 19 2010, 10:59 PM']I'd recommend the Hal Leonard Bass Method by Ed Friedland-especially if you can find the complete edition with all three books in one. It's also spiral bound so will sit comfortably on a music stand,which to me is a big plus.[/quote] I got a copy of it from Amazon for about £10. The first book is very much about learning about where the notes are on the fretboard, it's pretty good. I'm not using it at the moment as I found a teacher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iconic Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 I bought 'crash course bass guitar' by Stuart Clayton..... .......it said l could/would play bass in 8 weeks...... .......my copy must be broken....... .......I bought it last year and still can't play Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 [quote name='Clarky' post='929540' date='Aug 19 2010, 11:04 AM']Perhaps you would like to offer an alternative learning resource suggestion to lysdexia?[/quote] If I thought there was an outstanding one, I'd gladly mention it, Clarky, but most beginner books are just plain awful. The only one I can wholeheartedly recommend is out of print and requires that you to read standard notation - not what most people want. I can, however, recommend Ed Friedland's Blues Bass book. It's excellent, inexpensive and suitable for a relative beginner. As long as he wants to play the blues, that is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 [quote name='stevie' post='931313' date='Aug 20 2010, 08:10 PM']The only one I can wholeheartedly recommend is out of print and requires that you to read standard notation - not what most people want.[/quote] It might not be what most people want,but it's what they need. That's one reason I like the Ed Friedland book. It teaches you the notes early on,and although it uses tab (urgh!) near the beginning,it quickly gets rid of it. The Chuck Rainey series of books are good for that too. None of them feature tab,but they contain alot of good information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.