u/ksawery789

Hi! I recently saved up some money to buy some jazz learning materials.

I'm a bassist and I was thinking about getting The Real Book, but I already own iReal Pro, so I have the chord changes for pretty much every standard. I also don't think I'll use the melodies that much as a bassist.

I think The Real Book would look great in my collection, but maybe I could spend the money on another book that would actually give me more as a bassist.

So I'm wondering if it would make more sense to get something like Chuck Sher's Improvisor's Bass Method instead.

Or would you recommend some other jazz bass books? I'm mainly interested in learning walking bass, improvisation and actually understanding what I'm playing rather than just memorizing lines.

Thanks!

Does anyone here have the European Pocket Edition of The Real Book?

I’m mainly wondering about two things:

1. Is it missing any important/common standards compared to the regular version?

2. How comfortable is it to read? I’m still pretty new to jazz and mostly play/practice at home, so I’m curious if the smaller size is fine for that or if it feels too cramped.

Thanks!

Hi, I’m trying to become a jazz bassist and I’m a bit lost on what I should actually be studying.

Right now I practice regularly, but I feel like I’m just playing without a clear direction. I’d really appreciate some advice on what to focus on to actually improve.

What are the things that make you a better musician?