Mel Bay's Complete Jazz Bass Book [Paperback]

Earl Gately (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1999 | Series: Complete

This comprehensive method includes every conceivable aspect of jazz bass performance. It begins with the teaching of the basics using illustrations of hand positions, basic theory, the first position, how to read music, fingering, accelerated fingerboard studies, a fingerboard note location chart to the 12th fret, four-string studies, rhythm studies, syncopated rhythms and dotted notes. The book then introduces the second through seventeenth position, scale and arpeggio studies, accelerated fingerings using two-octave scales and various arpeggios, chord applications, rhythm patterns, extension fingerings, and harmonic minor and harmonized major scales using diatonic 7th chords. Part IV consists of theory for the bassists, chord construction, relating chord symbols and numbers, and the harmonized major, natural, harmonic, and ascending (jazz) melodic minor scales. Diagrams of 26 chords with the transposition charts using "G" and "C" fingerings are included. Each progression covers many playing styles encountered by the modern bassist, including: walking, 2-beat, syncopated rhythms(funk), Latin, bebop changes, pop-rock, blues, traditional blues, deadened-string technique, funk playing plus full chord progressions within tunes. Chords are suggested for the very diverse bass lines, syncopated patterns, scales and arpeggios. Written in standard notation with chord diagrams.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Earl Gately has had extensive performing experience in such diverse areas as jazz festivals, Opryland in Nashville, two professional symphony orchestras, many combos, and big bands. He has performed with jazz artists including Dennis Diblasio, Anthony Garcia, and John Fedlock. On the classical side, he has worked with the San Antonio Symphony and Nashville Symphony; and several ballet companies. Earl's commercial experience includes work with the Ice Capades, Ringling Brothers Circus, the Bob Hope Show, and Opryland USA. He toured with Roger Williams, and played with many other bands and small combos. Earl has taught at Western Illinois University and Knox College. He is currently principal bass for the Knox-Galesburg Symphony.

Product Details

• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: Mel Bay Publications (August 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786646861
• ISBN-13: 978-0786646869
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 8.7 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #712,697 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not for the novice, July 22, 2004

By 

THX1138b (NY USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mel Bay's Complete Jazz Bass Book (Paperback)

If you are a graduate of Julliard and are approaching jazz bass with a background in classical piano, perhaps this book will be useful to you. Lots of theory. Jazz explained from the top down.

If you are trying to learn jazz bass from the ground up, as I am, you may want to look elsewhere. The fine print in this book makes the examples hard to read when you sit down to practice.
There is so much information presented so thick and fast that, unless you have some solid grounding already, you'll simply get lost or frustrated.

Maybe it depends on your learning style. And maybe I'm too much of a beginner It might be used in a classroom situation or as a reference book. But I have not been able to use it to practice and learn walking lines. I have found Jay Hungerford's book more useful.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An unselfish effort from a great teacher, November 8, 2007

By 

Robert (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mel Bay's Complete Jazz Bass Book (Paperback)

There are very few times in my life I have come across a professional teacher in ANY field who was willing to show the student as much as possible within the limits of time and space. Earl Gately definitely tops this category, for his book is CRAMMED with excellent material, guidelines that flow beautifully from understanding the nature and strengths of the various areas of the fretboard, to simply having a unique layout to the whole book.

Now, it is clear that when a teacher WANTS to give his 100% and is limited by those boundaries of space and time- it is possible that one or two wrinkles may not be ironed out. The first time I went through this book, I didnt understand why he didnt tell us immediately how to invent (for lack of a better word) walking jazz basslines, instead of going through all the 15+ positions on the neck first. Then the light came on! I remembered how I went to brazil to study arranging and composing, and instead the wonderful master musician taught me the guitar and all its intricacies ONLY! I was almost peeved till I realized without him saying directly- until you stop being a slave to your instrument, how can you be its master? And the light thus went on, for Gately is TEACHING us the instrument so very well first! And then, further in the book the lessons on basslines feel oh-so complete!

I adore this book. And most of all, I love that the author has been so very unselfish. One can go thru this book many times before fully getting the most out of it. I know I will. Thanks Earl! Five stars times two!

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the Real complete jazzbass book, August 15, 2001

By 

nohad (lebanon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mel Bay's Complete Jazz Bass Book (Paperback)

when i got my first copy of cjbb i thaught that it would be just another beginners book with no indepth aproach to its contenents. i was totaly wrong this book aproaches the methode of playing jazz bass in a real creative way which will help many people who are intrigued by jazz to starts playing it without feeling confused. the book has an exellent layout and it chapters are very well organized to fully prepare you in this style.It covers walking bass lines chords theory soloing over chords how to play jazz prgoression and how to improvise on them.Earl Gately has put a mamoth job into one single book ,if you really want to play jazzbass this is the book to buy