Instruction

2nd Edition, published by Hal Leonard Corp. since 2001
2nd Edition, published by Hal Leonard Corp. since 2001

“Once in a while, a book comes along that stands head and shoulders above the endless rows of ‘method books’ that fill the racks in music stores. This is one of those exceptional books. If you’re a beginner, study of Murray’s method could save you from countless hours of frustration (and possibly injury) by showing you the correct way to use your hands right from the start. If you’re a more advanced player, it should help you to refine your ability and overcome the technical barriers that can block further development. Bravo!”
Jim Roberts, Bass Player magazine

“Information about the fundamental mechanics of bass playing has been in short supply in the bass world and I think Essential Bass Technique will be an indispensable addition to any bassist’s learning tools.”
Michael Manring

“Essential attention to the basics makes this a great book for all levels of bassists.”
Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big)

“I’ve never seen anyone go so deeply into the subject of technique. Some of Peter’s insights really made an impression on me and I’ve already started to experiment with them in the studio.”
Tom Hamilton (Aerosmith)

“This is a precise, focused explanation of bass technique. It’s very good.”
Alain Caron (UZEB)

Essential Bass Technique is a great conceptual guide on how to play what you play! Lots of accurate concepts!”
Steve Bailey

“In the foreword of Peter Murray’s book Essential Bass Technique he states, “I feel it’s healthy to initiate a dialogue on electric bass guitar technique. In the musical world, it’s a very young instrument with entirely unique properties, and it deserves careful study.” I completely agree. This is not a book of hot licks. In fact there is very little notated music. Enough, however, to illustrate certain points such as “inchworming”, “barring”, and “pinky muting.” There is much food for thought in this book. Like a great chef, you must have the correct technique to prepare the food before you can begin to create a feast. The information for you to create a musical feast is available here, but you will have to read and digest it to make it your own. The material in this book also relates to the athlete preparing for the game or match, and the artist contemplating the right brush stroke or color combination. The only difference is that we must consider things such as tone, muting, chops, raking, string skipping and finger distance from the strings—all of which are discussed here. Play a great game, paint a beautiful picture, and enjoy a sumptuous meal with Peter Murray’s Essential Bass Technique.”
Rich Appleman (Chair, Bass Department, Berklee College of Music)

“Through a concise, analytical approach and dozens of photos and illustrations, Murray suggests not only what to do, but more importantly, why you should do it and why it will benefit you. With the use of outside resources, Murray presents a thoroughly researched and to-the-point manual. Bottom Line: Essential Bass Technique is the most comprehensive manual addressing the fundamental technical concepts behind playing the electric bass. Since the electric bass is, relatively speaking, such a young instrument, there has never been a single methodology written which has been tested, proven, and accepted to be the definitive, standardized manual by which bassists shape their technique. This book has the potential to become that single source. If this book would have been available when I started playing bass, I could have saved myself years of retraining my hands how to work efficiently. Now, with the help of Peter Murray’s Essential Bass Technique, you can learn how to play bass accurately and proficiently the first time. “Best Buy of the Year!”
Cliff Engel, BASSically.net

“Peter’s technical advice is not only economical, but very practical too. This book could save a beginning to intermediate bassist years of developing bad habits that are hard to break. This is an excellent book, although we all know there is more than one way to do anything. Peter will give you a solid foundation from which you can adjust and build upon to create techniques that are comfortable and that best suit your personal playing style.”
Scott Koziol, Bass Frontiers

Peter Murray Author page on Amazon.com
Order Essential Bass Technique on Amazon.com

L-R: First edition, first printing, (Mel Bay Publications, 1995), second printing, and ProLine edition sold at Guitar Center stores
L-R: First edition, first printing, (Mel Bay Publications, 1995), second printing, and ProLine edition sold at Guitar Center stores

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