The Complete Electric Bass Player - Book 1: The Method

by Chuck Rainey

Book Overview

(Music Sales America). This easy to follow method features superb demonstration photographs and concentrates on two skills you really need: dexterity and musicianship. Chapters include: the instrument... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0825624258
• ISBN13: 9780825624254
• Release Date: January 1985
• Publisher: Music Sales
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 1.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 8.9" x 11.9"

Customer Reviews

Good and not so good.

It contains some technique instructions that are not generally accepted to be correct. Chuck Rainey can do it however he wants, but I wouldn’t recommend to anyone that they fret the note in the middle of the fret. You’re better off fretting it just behind the fret wire. All the notation is accurate per se, but it’s confusing because it shows all the notes on the piano one octave higher than they actually sound. There is only one mention of the fact that bass guitar music is written one octave higher than the actual pitch. If you don’t already know this, you’re probably not going to transpose all the graphics back down an octave to get the actual pitch. Middle C is actually all the way up at the 17th fret on the G string, not down in the 5th.

bass player

An excellent book for beginners and for players who want to say fresh with plenty of practice exercises. Learn from one of the great masters of bass playing. Highly recommended.

Great Book for Learning Bass Guitar

I've been playing piano for a number of years and recently decided to take up the Bass Guitar. I don't currently have the time or money to work with an instructor for learning the bass. I picked up Rainey's book and found it to be very good. I'm about half way through the book and am now looking to buy the next book in his series. I don't know if this book is good for someone who is 'brand-new' to music, in general. It could be. But, having already had a background in music but NO practical experience with the Bass, this book has proven to be very valuable. I personally recommend this book. The author has a good, straight forward way of teaching that I really enjoy.Todd

This is a great method book for a serious student

This book is a serious, step-by-step approach to electric bass. It has detailed descriptions of the important music-theory concepts and pictures and explanations of proper right and left hand-positions for a beginner. Someone else here said this book was not good for a beginner. I disagree. It is not a good book for a person who wants to play bass lines tomorrow without learning to read music or putting in any serious practice time - that's true - but for a beginner who wants to play the bass as a serious instrument, it's great. If you put in an hour a day and a few hours a day on the weekends on your bass, you can progress quickly with this book. Not only that, but you will understand the theory behind what you are playing, and you will be better at reading music. I have not played an instrument or read music in 18 years (and I've never read music in the bass clef before), but this book has me progressing with both my playing and my theory after only 3 weeks with the instrument. You have to practice to successfully use this book, but you will get everything out of it that you put in!

Stop Right Here

Rainey has written a superbly balanced compilation of great importance for every bassist, no matter what their skill level. This world class player will keep you interested, as a beginner in the fundimentals, or, serious as a professional. Chuck Rainey's magic is no longer a secret. It will stay with you throughout your journey and show you what bass is all about.