Ray Brown's Bass Method - Essential Scales, Patterns, and Exercises

Renowned jazz bassist and teacher Ray Brown shares his lessons and teaching philosophy in this book. The book is not intended for beginners, as it delves into finger positions, scales, and chords in a reasonably intensive study format. All exercises are notated in standard notation (without tab) and are accompanied by helpful photos of left and right-hand finger positions and other pertinent tips.

This 135-page book covers solo exercises and arpeggios, music fundamentals, right and left-hand positions, scales, chords, exercises in tenths, rhythm patterns with "drops," diminished chords, runs and variations, blues patterns, extension scales, and more. The exercises are presented in a clear and easy-to-understand manner, providing a complete workout up and down the fingerboard.

In addition to the lessons, the book includes a short biography and foreword by Leonard Feather. There is also much personal commentary from Ray Brown to supplement many of the exercises and make them more relatable.

This book is valuable for skilled bass players with solid reading abilities. It is the best option for beginners if they have a teacher to assist them. However, intermediate or advanced players will benefit from it by overcoming stagnation and improving their technical and harmonic skills. The book includes repetitive exercises and does not provide fingerings for most of them, encouraging experimentation and self-discovery. Additionally, it has a compilation of blues lines that developing players can add to their repertoire.

We highly recommend using this book with a competent teacher. However, even for those who prefer to study independently, it provides exceptional inspiration and ongoing education for experienced players. It contains lessons and exercises from one of the most remarkable jazz double bass masters ever.