Bass Guitar Exercises For Dummies

The fun and easy way to tune up your technique and improve your playing The bass guitar is used in almost every single genre of music — from rock to classical, jazz to funk. Regardless of your intended musical style, this hands–on guide provides the tips and drills designed to help perfect your playing ability. Whether you′re a beginner player or looking to stretch your playing skills, this is the book for you! Know your scales — play scales straight up and down and combine them with chord arpeggios and even with grooves The right rhythm for the right style — accumulate a good basic repertoire of genre–specific grooves so that you sound like an expert Hear how it′s done — listen to tracks of the author playing many of the exercises Develop muscle memory — play arpeggios, rhythms, grooves, and melodies, and establish the wherewithal to apply them to different styles Real–life applications — see how the exercises are applied in real and famous songs Open the book and find: Tips for correct hand and body posture Instruction on fingering options and hand positions Exercises for tempo, time signature, phrasing, and dynamics Hints for developing a complete practice session Ways the exercises can be applied to great music Methods for getting comfortable with scales Workouts for stronger playing Learn to: Master scales, chords, and arpeggios through 300 bass guitar exercises Grasp finger and hand position Refine tempo, time signature, phrasing, and dynamics Play along with the accompanying CD Audio CD Includes Over 90 musical tracks of many of the book′s exercises for you to listen and play along

Introduction. Part I: Preparing to Practice. Chapter 1: Reviewing Practice Fundamentals. Chapter 2: Warming Up Your Right and Left Hands. Part II: Scales (Modes) and Chords. Chapter 3: Playing Scales (Modes). Chapter 4: Playing Mode Sequences. Chapter 5: Working with Arpeggios. Chapter 6: Combining Seventh Chords. Part III: Rhythm and the Groove. Chapter 7: Building the Groove Skeleton. Chapter 8: Accessing the Groove Apex. Chapter 9: Setting Up with the Groove Tail. Chapter 10: Combining Rhythms. Part IV: Turning Exercises into Music. Chapter 11: Feeling the Eighth–Note Groove. Chapter 12: Working the Sixteenth–Note Groove. Chapter 13: Trippin′ on Triplets. Part V: The Part of Tens. Chapter 14: Ten Essential Elements of a Great Practice Session. Chapter 15: Ten Famous Tunes That Incorporate the Exercises in This Book. Part VI: Appendixes. Appendix A: How to Use the CD. Appendix B: Extended Range Basses and Practice Goals.

Patrick Pfeiffer has recorded with George Clinton, Phoebe Snow, Jimmy Norman (Coasters), Paul Griffin (Steely Dan), Bernard Purdie (Steely Dan), Carlos Alomar (David Bowie), and Mike Kissel′s KMA All–Stars, to name a few.