Bass Licks: Over 200 Licks, Lines, and Grooves in Many Rhythmic Styles (Hal Leonard Bass Method) (Includes Online Access Code)

I was very happy with this book . It was helpful as I just started to play a bass guitar.

Im a big Fan of Eds books - the walking bass books are must haves. This one gets luke warm reviews (elsewhere) so I didnt buy it for a while - but I thought Id give it a go and Im glad I did now:First off its called bass licks which not really true (Ed emtnioned this in the blurb - maybe the publishers named it). If your looking for hundreds of riffs (which I use to do until I started forgetting them !) and then picking the ones you like and learning them then there are better books try the Jon Liebmans books. This books takes it beyond that. Eventually there is a limit to how many riffs you can remember and you start to work out the thoeory - then its better to have a tool fit which is what this gives you a good start on:1. First it has a melodic pattern (2bars)- shows you one variation ie for bar 4 or 8 ie a fill to break it up.2. Then it changes the rhythmic skelton though 5 different models: qtr, 8th, shuffle, 1/16th and swung 1/16th3. It repeats 1&2 for different scale/chord types ie Box, Major, chromatic, Dominant, Minor, Open.So what you get if you learn 1 pattern is a tool kit for varying without having to learn loads of licks.I have to say - its not explained and explored as well as it could be (whih is unusal for Eds books) - this could be a much bigger and better book - the whole topic is much bigger too and we need more on this - ie how to fish not feeding licks !. If you already understand rhythmic and melodic vocabulory then you can work out how to use this - if not - best either use a teacher or build up a little theory/ideas first using more traditonal books.Just my thoughts though.Still good book - I got ideas out of here that I will keep for ever - its good just not well presented.

This is an excellent book with which to learn bass licks for those who have not been learning bass guitar long andto increase the amount of licks in a more experienced bass player's repertoire.

As pointed out in the book and other reviews, this book is not about learning licks or riffs by heart. This book is about learning to understand how scales and arpeggios + rhythmic patterns become bass riffs.I have found it extremely useful in getting to grips with the improvisation sections of the Rock School grade exams. It works a little like those learn to draw books whete you learn how standard shapes are fitted together to create a recognisable picture. Learn the patterns and you can move them anywhere on the fret board to suit the piece you are working on. Fair enough there are over 200 patterns in this book but you will quickly learn the rules of construction and be making up your own riffs and licks in no time.

Ed's book helped me creating and understanding bass lines and adding some of his to my arsenal. The bass lines come in small chunks and there are examples for different rhythms, feels, and ideas online.The book does contain tabs, as a different reviewer mentioned it wouldn't. You don't need to be able to read music to work with this book, but it sure helps.

Great ...... If you can read music notation. Link to audio download supplied - no CDROM.

Ι think this book is quite a good resource for learning new tricks and licks on practicing bass guitar.

good for beginners. says 200 licks, but its really 40 played differently totalling 200. I am quite happy. not a bad price for what you get.

T. Y

Libro utilissimo, con schemi semplici per costruire riffs sul basso elettrico, una serie di postulati melodici in vari ritmi. Con gli audio, scaricabili dal sito, è perfetto. Comodo sia per chi usa solo le tablature e per chi legge sul pentagramma. Consigliato!

die idee die gleichen töne in ihrer rhythmik zu verändern ist zum sightreading sehr gut.

Habe von dem Autor schon Bass Method durch gearbeitet und dies als Ergänzung gekauft. Man findet hier einiges aus dem Buch aber auch einiges Neues. Es wird immer eine Motiv pro Seite vorgestellt und dies dann mit einigen rhythmischen Varianten verfeinert.