Bass Fitness An Exercising Handbook: Now Including Bonus 5-String Section! (Guitar School)

I've recently returned to the bass after an 8 year gap. It was quickly apparent that I no longer had the strength and dexterity in my hands that I'd built up previously.This book provides simple to follow (so far) exercises both in notation and tab, which is also helping re-familiarise with the fretboard. It requires a metronome for best results which will instil some discipline for a learner.

I really enjoy doing this exercises, plain and simple way to improve speed and dexterity

Exactly what I needed, vast array of exercises for dexterity

A must buy

Didn't receive the AUDIO CD that should have been included

vgood

While it's not necessarily 'fun' I have used this book for about 15 years now. Yes, you could work out all the permutations for yourself - but it's not many pennies for having someone else do that for you. The great thing about this book is that it's wonderful for keeping your stamina and coordination up to peak levels. The instructions from the author advise spending 15 mins on each exercise - and initally I found it surprisingly difficult to master each one (as do my current bass students) - intellectually it's easy but putting it into practice reliably and consistantly at any speed is not! Now I tend to use the book on a topping up basis but I still use it regularly. My current pattern, and pattern of some years now, is to start at a point in the book at 90bpm (always with a metronome) and add 10bpm as I move onto each new section till I arrive at 220bpm at the end of the cycle. I play each exercise 4 times moving from the 8th fret down to the 5th and back up on the next exercise(the 12th down to the 8th when I started). This gives the fingers a real workout and starts from easy to flying pretty much. I used to go through the book daily and work through starting at the subsequent section each session - takes about 45 mins without breaks. I'd recommend this heartily to anyone serious about becoming a better player - great for technique and reliable pulse when coupled with a metronome.

Pages of different permutations of fingering - if you've been playing a while you probably know a lot of this already and could work it out - I flicked though it and picked up a few ideas that in fairness I will keep with me for a long time - but thats it - its been on the shelf now and will remain their. Good for a beginner but I think an updated advance book that works on mixing rhythms and rests, slap, pop, muting, ghosting etc.. is needed.