Keith Olsen

Multi Grammy award-winning Producer

We may earn commissions for purchases made via this page

Book Recommendations:

Recommended by Keith Olsen

I met Ariane a few years back and since our meeting I've only used her for all my bass tracks. Her inventive style, expertise, and time are exceptional. I suggest that everyone look at her book and listen to her playing. She underscores the true meaning of ‘foundation with style and groove’. (from Amazon)

👉 Music Theory for the Bass Player is a foundational and immediately applicable guide to making you a well-grounded groover, informed bandmate, and all-around more creative musician. Included with this book are 89 videos that stream online. ✏️ This is a workbook, so have your bass and a pen ready! ✅ Have you always wanted to learn music theory but felt it was too overwhelming a task? ✅ Perhaps all the books seem to be geared toward pianists or classical players? ✅ Do you know lots of songs, but don’t know how the chords are put together or how they work with the melody? 👉 If so, this is the book for you! 🎯 Starting with intervals as music’s basic building blocks, you will explore scales and their modes, chords and the basics of harmony. 🎯 Packed with fretboard diagrams, musical examples, and exercises, more than 180 pages of vital information are peppered with mind-bending quizzes, effective mnemonics, and compelling learning approaches. 🎯 Extensive and detailed photo demonstrations show why relaxed posture and optimized fingering are vital for good tone, timing, and chops. You can even work your way through the book without being able to read music which becomes easier once theory is mastered. Learning theory on the fretboard using diagrams is very accessible and immediately usable.