Jeff Berlin Bass Mastery

Book excerpt: This book was written with one purpose in mind: to improve your bass playing skill in 24 clear lessons. Each of the exercises featured in (title is based on solid music theory concepts and structured academic approaches. The book contains etudes grounded in common (and not so common) chord tonalities written in melodic form. They are all geared to teach when to play the right notes at the right time. Each lesson builds on the previous one to introduce increasingly more sophisticated concepts and techniques. This approach enables the bass student to polish his/her reading skills and technique simultaneously. A focus on reading requires players to find more accurate left-hand positions and fingerings to play the notes as they are written. Reading brings together mind, body, and instrument, thus resulting in better playing. By studying this book, the bass student will find that better technique will be coupled with greater expressiveness. We all seek the ability to play with freedom and artistry. The better you can play, the better you will express the art that is within you.