Playing in a Band
Probably the most important thing about playing any style or technique on the bass is to be able to fit in together with the other musicians in the band. It requires a lot of discipline when you practice alone to get your playing really "tight".
Therefore practicing with a Metronome, drum machine or backing tape is essential. Without that your timing may not be strong enough and it won’t hold the band together. So get together with a drummer and practice the licks and techniques with him/her until it sounds tight. Then get a guitar player who is interested in the same music and jam together with him/her. So you will then have the basic "rhythm section" which is the core of every band.
The next step is to find a singer and a lead player (keyboard, lead guitar). Get together with different people until you find the ones who fit in best with what you want to play and sound like. Listen to other players, live bands and records. The fastest way to improve your bass playing is to play with other musicians.
Now that you have completed Progressive Heavy Metal Method for Bass you will be able to continue your music studies with the following Progressive titles.
Progressive Heavy Metal Techniques for Bass
This book has been written to be used upon completion of Progressive Heavy Metal Method for Bass. It introduces all the important techniques used by the world’s best heavy metal bass players. Includes, slides, harmonics, double stops, runs, speed picking, slapping, two handed tapping and vibrato. Contains over 120 examples and licks clearly notated in music and tab.
Progressive Heavy Metal Bass Licks Volumes 1 & 2
Each volume features over 130 "classic" heavy metal bass licks played in the styles of the world’s best heavy metal bass players. Both volumes include slap and two handed tapping licks. Each book is clearly notated in music and tab.
If you are interested in slap and tap styles the following titles are recommended –
Progressive Slap Bass
Contains over 140 slap bass grooves, licks and patterns, incorporating all the important techniques required to play slap bass. Includes ghost notes, syncopation, popping, cross-hammers and double stops. Clearly notated in music and tab.
Progressive Tap Bass
Incorporating all the necessary techniques used by the world’s best bass players to play tap bass. Includes the hammer-attack, cross hammer, harmonics and two handed tapping. Over 80 grooves, licks and patterns. Clearly notated in music and tab.
If you are interested in rock bass styles the following title is recommended –
Progressive Rock Bass and Progressive Rock Bass Licks
Progressive Rock Bass introduces more than 90 of the most commonly used rock riffs, grooves, runs, scales, turnarounds and progressions. Includes 12 bar blues, off beat rhythms, hammer-ons, blues rock, double stops, harmonics, slapping and tapping. The book is cross-referenced to Progressive Rock Bass Licks which contains more than 100 extra examples. Both books are clearly notated in music and tab.
If you are interested in blues bass styles the following title is recommended –
Progressive Blues Bass and Progressive Blues Bass Licks
Progressive Blues Bass features more than 70 of the most commonly used blues progressions, scales, riffs, runs and turnarounds. Includes walking bass, jazz blues, reggae blues, rock blues, latin blues, funk blues, harmonics and slap technique. The book is cross-referenced to Progressive Blues Bass Licks which contains 60 extra examples. Both books are clearly notated in music and tab.
