Perfect pace to start…
Without a doubt the best place to start for a beginner.
As a kid I was classically trained on the trumpet, so I have a clear idea of how to learn an instrument, and what I want to learn. However, 25 years after putting down my trumpet I was surprised to realize I had forgotten nearly everything about musical theory. Aside from being new to the bass and string instruments in general, I also needed to relearn how to read sheet music, and how to play the music on a bass guitar. I browsed a few ‘how-to’ books, but had trouble finding one which truly started from the beginning.
‘Hal Leonard Bass Method’ starts by showing you how to hold the instrument, tune the bass, describes the basics of reading sheet music, how to place your left and right hands and fingers, then moves to very basic playing exercises which stress the fundamentals of understanding notes and timing. The information is clearly laid out, and moves with a logical progression so you are always building on what you learned. It is also comprehensive enough that once the basics are mastered, there will be plenty of more advanced instruction to keep you busy for years.
I have a friend who insisted that I could just pick up the bass and play along to my favorite songs, that too much classical training can stymie a more natural feel for playing fun music. Well, I have yet to decide just where I will take my bass playing, but I know that I want to understand the mechanics of my instrument rather than just make cool sounds on it. Ripping scales may never happen, but if someone hands me some sheet music I want to be able to know what to do with it. If you have similar aspirations, this book is a great place to start.