What Duck Done, Funkmasters & Standing In The Shadows ...

[EddiePlaysBass]

I love buying bass books. I tend to read through them for a bit, do a few exercises and then put them aside until a later date. Recently I have found a desire to work more with my country books but I have yet to find the time to do so.

 

Anyway, I was looking at the Standing In The Shadows of Motown book and one Amazon reviewer said it best to start with What Duck Done, move on to the Funkmasters book about James Brown and then (and only then) try the SITSOM book. Since I cannot sight read it makes sense to start with less demanding lines (guess that is where my country books will come in handy) but I was wondering who has any of these books and what your opinions of them are.

[Richard W]

I've got Standing in the Shadows of Motown and have worked on it sporadically with my bass teacher. The transcriptions in the book are not simplified at all, but having said that, some of Jamerson's lines are simple (and others are not). I am a weak sight reader and don't devote as much time to this book as I would like. My opinion is: jump into and see what happens. Some lines you'll probably be able to do now, others may take more work. But it's all good.

[ZZ Thorn]

Whoever told you that gave you good advice. Duck's is really bassic, JB gets tougher and I'd say about half of SITSOM is about as tough as it gets for pop that I know of, the other half can be short, simple transcriptions.

 

Most people say its best to start slow, and I've done otherwise and I'd say they knew more than me! I'd start with Duck and work up.

[Bottom End]

Actually, by reading the sheet music for the simpler songs, you can learn to sight read in a reverse manner. You know what the note should be, where it is on the fretboard, and then see what it looks like on the paper.

[thabottomend]

Actually, by reading the sheet music for the simpler songs, you can learn to sight read in a reverse manner. You know what the note should be, where it is on the fretboard, and then see what it looks like on the paper.

 

I've wondered if there was any validity to that idea, since I'm trying to teach myself to read music. Thanks, Bottom End.

[EddiePlaysBass]

Whoever told you that gave you good advice. Duck's is really bassic, JB gets tougher and I'd say about half of SITSOM is about as tough as it gets for pop that I know of, the other half can be short, simple transcriptions.

 

Most people say its best to start slow, and I've done otherwise and I'd say they knew more than me! I'd start with Duck and work up.

 

Thanks, think this is what I will do. But I am going to have to "earn" each book: I will work with one or several of the books I have currently, and once I feel I have progressed sufficiently I will order the Duck Dunn book. Then I will work with that one until I have it down completely and move on to the funk masters and so on.

 

Of course, this is big talk from a little man :grin: I will work it out and set my goals, and then start working on them.

[Big Daddy from Motown]

I have all three books but I wouldn't say you have to play everything in any one of them before you move on to the other book.

You will find interesting things to work on in all three books, tackle them as they inspire you.

[b5pilot]

Duck would be a great starting point! Simple lines with TONS 'o groove.

[EddiePlaysBass]

I have all three books but I wouldn't say you have to play everything in any one of them before you move on to the other book.

You will find interesting things to work on in all three books, tackle them as they inspire you.

 

No I figured that much, but I already have a small library's worth of bass instruction books and I really do not need three more - especially if they are just going to end up on the pile. Therefore I will make myself "deserve" the books, first by working through one I already have and then by progressing through each of them. Knowing me, I will end up either buying all three anyway or not buying any of them :grin: