1

MARK PERCY BASS MANUAL PREFACE WHEN I WAS A YOUNG MAN, THE MUSIC INDUSTRY WASN'T AS EVOLVED AS IT IS TODAY. THIS WAS THE TIME OF WEM COLUMN PUBLIC ADDRESS SPEAKERS, 100-WATT AMPS, 50-WATT AMPS, 4X12 CABINETS FOR GUITAR, BASS AND KEYBOARDS. OLD FURNITURE REMOVAL LORRIES, OLD GPO VANS, DINGY COMMUNITY HALLS, LINO ON THE FLOOR, COAL FIRES, CRANK HANDLES FOR CAR ENGINES IN WINTER, MECHANICAL CLOCKING-IN-MACHINES WITH CARDS IN FACTORIES, PRE-DECIMALIZATION, OLD CURRENCY OF SHILLINGS, TEN BOB NOTES, THREE-PENNY BITS, AND SIXPENCES, PREMIERE DRUMS & TRILOCK STANDS, LE BLOND CASES, MARSHALL STACKS, HIWATT STACKS, ORANGE STACKS, HAMMONDS AND LESLIES, FENDER RHODES, CLAVINET, SOLINA STRING ENSEMBLE AND MINIMOOG AND MOOG TAURUS BASS PEDALS, TWO WAY BIN AND HORN RIG FOR P.A. THE M1 MOTORWAY WAS A NEW THING, AS LORD BEECHING'S CALCULATED EFFORT TO DESTROY THE LOCAL RAILWAY NETWORK OF ENGLAND WAS IMPLEMENTED. RAY BROWN'S BASS METHOD, OR ANY OTHER BASS INSTRUCTION BOOK WASN'T COMMONLY AVAILABLE, ROTOSOUND R66 ROUND-WOUND BASS STRINGS WERE A NEW INVENTION, AS WAS THE ACOUSTIC 360 BASS RIG, WITH BASS BINS, AS USED BY LED ZEPPELIN, AND THE AMPEG SVT 8X10 AND 400WATT VALVE HEAD WAS A NEW INVENTION, NOT AVAILABLE IN ENGLAND.

2

THE BASS WAS STILL A NEW THING, BROUGHT TO THE PUBLIC CONSCIOUSNESS BY THE POP STARS OF THE DAY. PRECIOUS LITTLE WAS AVAILABLE. IF YOU WERE LUCKY YOU HAD A FENDER BASS, A 100WATT TUBE BASS AMP, AND TWO 4X12 CABINETS, AND YOU WERE PLOTTING ON HOW TO ADD A FOLDED HORN EXPONENTIAL FLARE BASS BIN TO IT, TO FATTEN UP THE BOTTOM END, LACKING FROM THE 4X12S. THIS MEANT YOU NEEDED A VEHICLE. ALSO TUITION WAS NOT COMMONLY AVAILABLE FOR BASS PLAYERS. THERE WAS A SEA OF GUITARISTS PLAYING MAJESTIC ROCK RIFFS, OR BOB DYLAN OR NEIL YOUNG OR JONI MITCHELL STRUMMING SONGS, ACCOMPANIED BY BELLIGERENT YODELLING OF A NOT PARTICULARLY PLEASANT NATURE. I VOWED TO EDUCATE MYSELF AS REGARDING THE BASS, AFTER HEARING THE FOLLOWING: WILLY WEEKS PLAYING ON DONNY HATHAWAY LIVE, LARRY GRAHAM ON SLY'S "THANK YOU FOR LETTIN' ME BE MICE ELF AGAIN" ALSO BILLY COX PLAYING BASS ON HENDRIX'S ALBUM BAND OF GYPSIES, USING SIX GUILD 2X15 JBL K140 CABINETS, AND SIX FENDER 50 WATT TUBE BASS AMPS, ALSO USING FENDER P.S.400 TUBE BASS HEADS, AND 1X18 EARTHQUAKE BASS BINS, AT THE FILLMORE EAST, JAMES JAMERSON OF MOTOWN AND CAROL KAYE FOR HER ASTOUNDING BASS PLAYING, THAT ONLY A WOMAN CAN DO, ON VARIOUS HITS. (LET IT BE KNOWN THAT WOMEN MAKE STAGGERING BASS PLAYERS, AND BASS PLAYER SINGER SONGWRITERS.)

3

I HUNTED FAR AND WIDE FOR INFORMATION AND HELP WHEN I STARTED, ONLY TO BE MET WITH SCORN AND DERISION FROM LOCAL GUITARISTS, WHO INCIDENTALLY DIDN'T KNOW A FURNISHED FLAT FROM A B FLAT, BUT COULD PLAY "SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE" BY THE CREAM VERY VERY BADLY, THUS, IN THEIR FEEBLE MINDS, GIVING THEM ENORMOUS CREDIBILITY AND STATUS, SENSE OF POSITION AND PURPOSE IN SOCIETY, MUCH LIKE THE MODERN DAY 'HOODIE', WHO DOES A BIT OF BAD RAPPING IN HIS BEDROOM. I THEN ASKED THE KEYBOARD PLAYERS, WHO SHOWED ME THAT C WAS ONLY C AS LONG AS I PLAYED C ON THE BASS, AND THAT IF I PLAYED A, THIS NOW BECAME A MINOR SEVEN AS A CHORD, AND THAT THE BASS COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE KEYBOARD PLAYERS DEMANDED THAT I LEARNED RAPIDLY, SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE INHIBITED AROUND LOUD ROCK GUITARISTS. PIANO WAS MY FIRST INSTRUMENT, UNTIL MRS. GROUCHLING , MY PIANO TEACHER BROUGHT THE LID DOWN HARD ON MY FINGERS, FOR PLAYING BOOGIE-WOOGIE, AND MY MOTHER WOULDN'T PUT THE HEATING ON IN AN ICICLE COLD HALL WAY WHERE THE PIANO WAS, RESPLENDENT WITH SURFACE FROST, LIKE A CAR IN THE STREET IN WINTER. I HITCH-HIKED MILES TO THE NEAREST TOWN WITH A MUSIC SHOP, ONLY TO FIND THAT THE GUITARISTS HAD TAKEN OVER THE WHOLE ESTABLISHMENT, AS USUAL, AND THERE WERE NO BASS BOOKS, ONLY BERT WEEDON'S "PLAY IN A DAY" WHICH WASN'T VERY HELPFUL.

4

ROY PUDDYFAT, A JAZZ DOUBLE BASS PLAYER, SHOWED ME CHROMATICS AND WALKING BASS LINES, CECIL COPE SHOWED ME TRIADS AND ARPEGGIOS, RAY ROYER SHOWED ME AUGMENTED AND DIMINISHED RUNS AND BASIC CHORD SHAPES ON HIS GIBSON KALAMAZOO, AND LES PAUL JUNIOR TWIN CUT. THE MOST I LEARNED IN THE SHORTEST POSSIBLE TIME, WITH THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF IMPACT AND ENLIGHTENMENT WAS FROM RAY ROYER, GUITARIST VOCALIST, SONGWRITER AND LEARNED GENTLEMAN. I ATTENDED MANY, MANY COURSES, TRAININGS, SEMINARS, WORKSHOPS, ACCUMULATING A VAST BODY OF DATA, UTILIZING FROM ALL SOURCES , STARTING WITH F. SIMANDL RIGHT THROUGH TO PRESENT DAY LUMINARIES. FINALLY I BEGAN TO APPRECIATE JACO PASTORIUS, AND HIS TAKE ON THE BASS, INCORPORATING CHORDS, MELODY AND HARMONICS, NOT TO SAY THAT I DIDN'T APPRECIATE HIM TO START WITH, BUT AS I LEARNED MORE, REALIZED HOW HE WAS LIGHT- YEARS AHEAD, AND THAT A BASS PLAYER MUST STUDY KEYBOARDS IN EARNEST, IF HE OR SHE WISHES TO EXCEL . I TOOK UP THE GUITAR, SEEING AS IT HAD CHORDS, AND WAS A GOOD SONG-WRITING TOOL. ON MY SOLO ALBUMS I PLAY GUITAR, SEEING AS I'M A WORKING GUITARIST ALSO. BASS IS MY FIRST LOVE. I ENDEAVOUR TO BRING TO YOU A WAY OF LEARNING THE BASS, WITHOUT INTERFERENCE FROM GOBBLEDEGOOK, WHICH CONFUSES YOU, AND NONSENSE FROM APPALLING GUITARISTS WHO, AFTER FIVE CHORDS, AND PRECIOUS PENTATONICS CONSIDER THEY RULE THE WORLD.

5

THIS IS MY ADVICE. I SUGGEST YOU FOLLOW IT CLOSELY. START BY HAVING FUN, JAMMING ALONG TO RECORDS. (IN OUR DAY, WE PUT A VINYL RECORD ON THE ONE WATT DANSETTE RECORD PLAYER, AND PUT THE LID DOWN TO GET MORE BASS) LEARNING THE BASS LINES AND RIFFS FROM THE RECORDS. IN THE MANUAL YOU WILL FIND CHROMATICISMS, WALKING BASS LINES, ROOT AND FIFTH AND TRIADS. 1. JAM ROOT AND FIFTH TO LATIN RHYTHMS, SALSA IS A GOOD ONE, OR ANY GOOD CLAVE RHYTHM 2. PLAY TRIADS, TO REGGAE RHYTHMS, THIS ENORMOUS FUN 3. SET UP AN 8 TH NOTE ROCK DRUM PATTERN ON YOUR DRUM MACHINE, COMPUTER, OR BUDGET SYNTH. JAM 8 TH NOTE ROCK BASS THAT'S A STRAIGHT AHEAD ONE NOTE GROOVE. YOU'LL LOVE THIS TOO. 4. SET UP A SHUFFLE. JAM ALONG ON THE BASS. 5. PICK SIMPLE SONGS, (NOT DONNA LEE FROM JACO'S ALBUM) LIKE ANY SIMPLE POP SONGS FROM ANY ERA. THIS COULD BE BLINK 182, OASIS, BEATLES, THE WHO, HENDRIX, BOB MARLEY, THE ROLLING STONES, MUDDY WATERS, LIGHTNING HOPKINS, ROBERT JOHNSON, ALBERT KING, FREDDIE KING, LINKIN PARK, THE PSYCHEDELIC UNDERPANTS, THE KLUTON SNADGEBOSSET FUMBLERAZZERS, WHO EVER YOU'RE CURRENTLY LISTENG TO, AND HAVE FUN LEARNING THEM.

6

THINGS ARE BUILT UP ON A GRADIENT SCALE. YOU LEARN SIMPLE THINGS, LIKE HOW TO KEEP TIME WITHOUT BEING ALL 'CLENCHED BUTTOCK', AND TERRIFIED OF MAKING MISTAKES. MAKING MISTAKES IS ESSENTIAL TO FINDING OUT WHERE THINGS SHOULDN'T BE, AND WHERE THEY SHOULD BE, AND WHEN. MAKING A TERRIBLE NOISE, DEEP RUMBLING AND FARTING SOUNDS ARE ALL PART OF LEARNING HOW TO CONTROL THE BASS AT VOLUME. OBVIOUSLY A GUITAR AMP IS DEAFENING AT 50-WATTS, SO YOU NEED THE MASSIVE CLEAN HEAD ROOM OF A GIANT BASS AMP TO PUSH THE LOW FREQUENCIES, AND MOVE ENOUGH AIR, SO THE FINGERING AND DAMPING TECHNIQUES ARE ESSENTIAL TO CLEAN BASS PLAYING, SO ALL THE MISTAKES SHOW UP AT 400-WATTS OF PRESSURE. THE TERRIBLE NOISE AND DEEP RUMBLING ARE WHAT YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO LEARN HOW TO DO IT PROPERLY, WITHOUT ALL THE GARBAGE. OBVIOUSLY YOU WORK IT OUT AT HOME ON A TINY BASS COMBO, BEFORE YOU GO TO A 150-WATT COMBO ON A SMALL GIG, BEFORE YOU GO TO TWO SVT RIGS ON A BIG STAGE, WHERE THE BACK LINE IS JACKED UP THROUGH A GIANT P.A. REMEMBER ALL THE POWER IS IN THE BOTTOM END OF THE P.A., MOVING THE KICK DRUM, BASS, AND LOW FREQUENCIES. SO BASS ARTICULATION IS LEARNED PROPERLY, WITHOUT THE AID OF COMPRESSORS, INTERFERING WITH YOUR TECHNIQUE, AND CONTROLLING THE STRINGS AND DYNAMIC RESPONSE. THE BASS PLAYER IS THE ENGINE ROOM OF THE QUEEN MARY. THE 8 LITRE V12 UNDER THE HOOD. THE BASS PLAYER AND THE DRUMMER ARE THE GROOVE, POWER, MOTION, MUSIC. SO HAVE FUN LOVE MARK.

7

Mark Percy Bass Manual Table Of Contents And Running Order 1

(1) INTRODUCTION 1. PREFACE 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS 3. INTRODUCTION (A. PRINTED, AND B.

HANDWRITTEN WITH ILLUSTRATIONS) 4. WEEKLY PRACTICE SHEET 5. BLANK MUSIC SHEET 6. CHEAT SHEET 7. GRAPH OF PROGRESS EFFORTS 8. BASS 4 STRING BLANK 9. BASS 4 STRING BLANK (SLIM – 2 UP) 10. BASS 4 STRING BLANK (SLIM – 3 UP) 11. BASS 5 STRING BLANK 12. BASS 5 STRING BLANK (SLIM – 2 UP) 13. BASS 5 STRING BLANK (SLIM – 3 UP) 14. GUITAR BLANK (2) TUNE UP 1. PRACTISING BEGINNERS 2. TUNE UP 3. TUNE UP HARMONICS (3) INTERVALS 1. INTERVALS – BEGINNERS WORKSHEET/

NOTES 2. DOING INTERVALS/OCTAVES 3. INTERVAL NAMES & SYMBOLS 4. INTERVALS STUDIES (4) WARM-UP 1. WARM UP BEGINNERS 2. DOING WARM UP

Mark Percy Bass Manual Table Of Contents And Running Order 2

(5) SCALES 1. DOING SCALES 2. DOING CHROMATICS 3. COMPREHENSIVE SCALE SHEET (6) TRIADS 1. DOING TRIADS 2. TRIAD EXERCISES (7) ARPEGGIOS 1. DOING ARPEGGIOS 2. EXTENDED ARPEGGIOS (8) MODES 1. STUDENTS/READING THE RIOT ACT 2. 7 DIATONIC MODES 3. BASIC MAJOR & MINOR SCALES, ARPEGGIOS

& 7 DIATONIC MODES (SUMMARY) 4. BASIC MAJOR SCALES & ARPEGGIOS 5. BASIC MINOR SCALES & ARPEGGIOS 6. DOING MODES 7. DOING MODES STATIC 8. DOING MINOR MODES 9. MAJOR SCALE MODE STACKS 10. MELODIC MINOR MODES (4 STRING) 11. MELODIC MINOR MODES (5 STRING) 12. HARMONIC MINOR MODES (4 STRING) 13. HARMONIC MINOR MODES (5 STRING) 14. GUITAR MODES 15. GUITAR CHORD STACKS – MAJOR

Mark Percy Bass Manual Table Of Contents And Running Order 3

(9) ROOT AND FIFTH 1. DOING ROOT AND FIFTH 2. LATIN GROOVES (10) THEORY AND PRACTICE 1. PRACTISING (INSTRUCTIONS) 2. STUDENTS/READING THE RIOT ACT 3. THEORY AND PRACTICE REGARDING TIMING

DRILLS LEARNT FROM DRUMMERS' RUDIMENTS

4. PRACTICE ROUTINES 5. POSTURE 6. WHY PRACTISE ALL OVER THE NECK 7. METRONOME PRACTICE ESSENTIAL 8. NAMING INTERVALS 9. SOME COMMON SYMBOLS (HELPFUL FOR

NAMING CHORDS) 10. UNDERSTANDING CADENCE 11. CAUTIONS 12. COMMON DIFFICULTIES 13. UNACCEPTABLE LIST 14. SOME MUSICAL TERMS 15. INVERSIONS EXPLAINED 16. NOTE PYRAMID 17. REST PYRAMID 18. TABLE OF INTERVAL NAMES & SYMBOLS 19. MODULATION EXPLAINED 20. 7 DIATONIC MODES 21. BASIC MAJOR & MINOR SCALES &

ARPEGGIOS & 7 DIATONIC MODES (SUMMARY)

22. BASIC MAJOR SCALES & ARPEGGIOS 23. BASIC MINOR SCALES & ARPEGGIOS

Mark Percy Bass Manual Table Of Contents And Running Order 4

24. COMPREHENSIVE SCALE SHEET 25. MAJOR SCALE MODES – BRIGHT TO DARK 26. TRIADS 27. COMMON ADDITIONS TO TRIADS 28. G MELODIC MINOR & G HARMONIC MINOR 29. IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING MAJOR SCALES 30. BLUES SCALE 31. TRITONE SUBSTITUTION 32. RHYTHM PRACTICE 33. CHORD FUNCTION 34. IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING CHORDS 35. VOICING EXERCISE 36. SEVENTH CHORDS 37. COMMON ADDITIONS TO SEVENTH CHORDS 38. PENTATONIC PHRASES OVER C7 39. SOME SCALES OVER DOMINANT SEVENTHS 40. TETRACHORDS AND MAJOR SCALES 41. DISSONANCE TO CONSONANCE 42. BLUES, BLUES (I) AND (II) WITH CHORDS 43. ROOTS AND THIRDS ADDING CHROMATIC

NEIGHBOURS 44. PRACTICE ROUTINES 45. SCALES OF CHORDS/CHORD THEORY 46. GROUP DYNAMIC OF TEACHING &

HANDLING NON-OPTIMUMS 47. BACH CELLO SUITE (11) ARPEGGIOS (2) 1. TENTHS 2. ARPEGGIO STACKS (MAJOR) 3. ARPEGGIO STACKS (DORIAN)

Mark Percy Bass Manual Table Of Contents And Running Order 5

(12) RELATIVE MINOR 1. RELATIVE MAJOR/RELATIVE MINOR (13) HARMONICS 1. HARMONICS (14) TRIADS 2 1. TRIAD STACKS 2. TRIAD STACKS (MINOR) (15) 5 FRET GRIDS 1. 4 STRING FIVE FRET GRIDS (16) DOWN THE SHARPS & UP THE FLATS 1. DOWN THE SHARPS #, UP THE FLATS b (17) 5 STRING 2 OCTAVES 1. 5 STRING SCALES 2. 5 STRING 2 OCTAVE ARPEGGIOS (18) NOTES/RESTS AND EXERCISES 1. NOTE PYRAMID 2. REST PYRAMID 3. NOTE NAMES AND VALUES 4. TIME VALUES AND TIES (19) NOTATION 1. NOTATION PAGES 1-70 BINDER 2 1. MODULE 1 & 2 AND 3-6 OVERVIEW 2. MODULE INSTRUCTIONS 3. STUDENTS. RIOT ACT

Mark Percy Bass Manual Table Of Contents And Running Order 6

4. 7 DIATONIC MODES 5. BASIC MAJOR/MINOR SCALES AND

ARPEGGIOS, AND 7 DIATONIC MODES INFORMATION SHEET.

6. BASIC MAJOR SCALES AND ARPEGGIOS SHEET.

7. BASIC MINOR SCALES AND ARPEGGIOS SHEET.

8. MODULE 1 SCALE/CHORD EXAMPLE SHEET 9. MODULE 1 10. 12 BAR BLUES 11. MODULE 2 12. STUDENTS/READING THE RIOT ACT 13. MODULE 2 SEQUENCE 2 14. 7 DIATONIC MODES 15. BASIC MAJOR/MINOR SCALES AND

ARPEGGIOS, AND 7 DIATONIC MODES INFORMATION SHEET.

16. BASIC MAJOR SCALES AND ARPEGGIOS SHEET.

17. BASIC MINOR SCALES AND ARPEGGIOS SHEET.

MANUAL UPDATES WILL BE PERIODICALLY ADDED, ACCORDING TO RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INTO WHAT WORKS, PROVES TO BE WORKABLE, AND HAS THE GOBBLEDEGOOK REMOVED AND STRIPPED OUT OF IT.

1

INTRODUCTION THE STUDENT EMBARKING ON THIS MANUAL SHOULD OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING DATUMS PAINSTAKINGLY ASSEMBLED FOR HIS BENEFIT. DO NOT PROCEED PAST A MISUNDERSTOOD WORD OR SYMBOL. INSTANTLY CLARIFY IT. FAILURE TO DO SO RESULTS IN DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES AND VARIOUS NEGATIVE MANIFESTATIONS AND OCCURRENCES AND POSSIBLE ABANDONING OF THIS WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL THING CALLED BASS. CLARIFY THE WORD OR SYMBOL USING DICTIONARIES, DICTIONARIES ON MUSIC, ROUNDING UP ALL YOUR ACCESS TO SUCH MATERIALS, BOOKS, SOFTBACKS OR VARIOUS GLOSSARIES IN THIS MANUAL ACCORDING TO YOUR PROGRESS. EXAMPLE: “THE STICKS MAN WHACKED HIS TUBS LAYING DOWN A CLAVE THEN A FUNKY SIXTEEN, WHILST THE ANCHOR

2

MAN LAID DOWN A 2-5-1 USING DOMINANTS.” (FEELING SICK YET????????) HUH? YOU SAY, LOOKING PUZZLED. TRANSLATED, DECIPHERING THIS LANGUAGE, NOMENCLATURE (= SPECIALIST LINGO OF A SUBJECT) MEANS: “THE DRUMMER PLAYED HIS DRUMS (TUBS), PERFORMING A LATIN TYPE OF RHYTHM (CLAVE), THEN A FUNKY RHYTHM WHICH WAS SYNCOPATED (SIXTEENTH DIVISIONS OF NOTES) USING SMALL DIVISIONS OF MUSIC WHICH ARE MANY THUS CREATING SYNCOPATION (WHICH MEANS ANTICIPATED OR IRREGULAR BEATS MAKING FUNKINESS). THE BASS PLAYER (ANCHOR MAN) PLAYED A PARTICULAR SEQUENCE OF CHORDS (2-5-1) USING A PARTICULAR CHORD WHICH IS COMMON AND PLEASING TO THE LISTENER IN THESE STYLES OF MUSIC (DOMINANTS). SO NOW YOU THINK OK! I GOT THAT! NOW I GET IT! LET’S LEARN THAT!

3

INSTEAD OF: “DAMN SUBJECTS TOO HARD, TOO MUCH GOBBLEDYGOOK, WITH TOO MANY HEADACHES IN IT. WHY BOTHER? LET’S TRY SOMETHING ELSE.” WHY? MISUNDERSTOOD WORDS/SYMBOLS. IT’S A FACT. SO BE ABSOLUTELY DILIGENT IN LOOKING UP THE WORDS/SYMBOLS, CLARIFYING THEM, LEARNING THEM. THE STUDENT SHOULD OWN A FULLY FUNCTIONING INSTRUMENT WITH NO DEFECTS SUITABLE TO HER OR HIM, THAT HE/SHE LIKES, BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME WITH YOUR BABY. GOOD STRAP, NO RUBBISH, WIDE AND WELL-MADE. DECENT QUALITY LEAD. METRONOME (ESSENTIAL).

4

TUNER (ESSENTIAL). CASE/GIG BAG (HARDCASE PREFERENTIAL). AMP. HEAVY DUTY MUSIC STAND. ______________________________________ LISTEN, TUNING UP SKILLS ESSENTIAL. ALSO, INTERVALS, IN RELATION TO KEY CENTRE IS ESSENTIAL (THIS MEANS BASE OF OPERATIONS, AND WORKING IN LOCATIONS RELATIVE TO THE BASE OF OPERATIONS. THE BASE OF OPERATIONS IS CALLED KEY CENTRE, AND LOOKS LIKE THIS –

= KEY CENTRE, ALSO MEANS SCALE ROOT, ALSO MEANS OCTAVE. WHAT THE HELL DOES OCTAVE MEAN? YOU SAY. WELL, OCTAVE MEANS EIGHT. OCT MEANS EIGHT. THAT MEANS EIGHT NOTES ABOVE OR EIGHT NOTES BELOW, AND SURPRISINGLY IT IS THE SAME NOTE HIGHER, OR LOWER.

5

= SCALE DEGREE, NOTE, ELSEWHERE THAN SCALE ROOT, NOTE OTHERWISE THAN SCALE ROOT OR KEY CENTRE, IN SIMPLE SPEAK, ONE OF THE OTHER NOTES. ADDITIONAL NOTE:- CARTOON CHARACTERS ARE EMPLOYED TO ALLEVIATE SERIOUSNESS FACTOR, AND STUFFINESS, AND ACADEMIC NAUSEA, THAT CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS QUEASINESS. CLOWNING AND JOKES TO MAKE IT A FUN, LIGHT-HEARTED ADVENTURE FOR YOUNGER MUSICIANS AND OLDER MUSICIANS ALIKE. TIME SHEETS ESSENTIAL TO MONITOR PROGRESS FOR SELF AS WELL AS OTHERS WEEKLY. MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN MORNING

AFTERNOON

EVENING

6

THIS ONE IS A GRAPH. LOOKS A BIT LIKE A TIME SHEET ON THE PREVIOUS PAGE. MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN MORNING

3 HOURS PRACTICE

AFTERNOON

2 HOURS PRACTICE

EVENING

1 HOUR PRACTICE

GRAPHS, AND IT WILL BE EXPLAINED IN THE MATERIALS UNDER “GRAPHS” HOW TO HANDLE GRAPHS AND CONSTRUCT THEM, ARE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL FOR ALL CONCERNED, TEACHER AND STUDENT ALIKE. IN THIS GRAPH, THE STUDENT IS PUTTING MORE TIME IN, AND HIS STATISTICS AND IMPROVEMENT ARE MOVING UP. GRAPHS ARE USED FOR ASCERTAINING PROGRESS, TRENDS, AND GETTING BOGGED, SLOWING DOWN AND FAILURES, SO CAN BE RECTIFIED, HANDLED, REPAIRED, RE-ENTHUSED, REVITALISED, RE-EXCITED, AND GETTING MOVING AGAIN. IT IS AN ADDITIONAL DATUM THAT THE PURPOSE OF A THING MUST BE

7

DELINEATED, SO THAT A PERSON CAN UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE SO KEEP MOVING ALONG. WHAT’S DELINEATED? YOU SAY, NOT REACHING FOR A DICTIONARY IN A GRUMPY, LAZY FASHION. IT’S HOW SOMETHING IS PRESENTED AND EXPLAINED. THAT’S DELINEATED. NOW GO LOOK IT UP IN A DICTIONARY. PROPERLY. TIMESHEETS AND GRAPHS REVEAL WHAT IS HAPPENING AND WHAT IS NOT HAPPENING IN A FLASH SO THAT YOU CAN KEEP MOVING, ISOLATE DIFFICULTY, OR TEACHER CAN ISOLATE DIFFICULTY FAST, AND IF YOU NEED HELP, GET DUG OUT OF THE BOG, OR BOGGED, AND HAULED OUT OF THE DITCH AND PUT BACK ON THE ROAD. DILIGENCE AND HONESTY PAY OFF BIG TIME. OCCASIONALLY, INSTRUCTORS AND TEACHERS WILL FIND YOUR DIFFICULTY AND ASSIST YOU IN CLARIFYING.

8

THE MANUAL IS ARRANGED ON A GRADIENT SCALE OF ASCENT. JUMPING AROUND IN A SUPERFICIAL WAY FROM THIS TO THAT WILL CAUSE TROUBLE. VERY BIG TIME STYLEY. WHAT’S BIG TIME STYLEY? YOU SAY. WELL, LET’S WORK IT OUT. STYLE SEEMS A BIT LIKE STYLEY, SO IT MUST BE BIG TIME STYLE. SO YOU USE THIS TYPE OF THINKING TO BREAK THINGS UP INTO CHUNKS, TO WORK OUT HOW THE CHUNKS WORK TOGETHER. LANGUAGE IS A FASCINATING THING, AND YOU SHOULD BECOME INTERESTED IN LANGUAGING AND NOMENCLATURE, THE SPECIALIST LINGO. THIS IS NOT USED AS ONE UPMANSHIP, OH NO. IT’S USED FOR THE THING YOU ARE WORKING ON. JUMPING AROUND IN A SUPERFICIAL WAY FROM THIS TO THAT WILL CAUSE NO END OF TROUBLE OR CHARGING INTO STUFF THAT COMES LATER. WHEN FOUNDATIONS ARE NOT BUILT GOOD AND PROPER, WILL CAUSE THE BUILDING TO SWAY ABOUT AND SCARING YOURSELF AND DRIVING YOURSELF NUTS.

9

IMAGINE HAVING A JAGUAR V12 ENGINE ALL IN BITS IN NEAT ROWS ON THE FLOOR, ALL 4,000 BITS AND TRYING TO SORT IT OUT FROM THE MANUAL WHEN YOU HAVE NEVER EVEN HAD THE HOOD OPEN BEFORE AND SEEN AN ENGINE. OUCH! CHUNDER! VOMIT! NAUSEA! YOU HAVE TO START WITH SOMETHING SIMPLE, LIKE A BICYCLE. OR EVEN SIMPLER, A DOOR HANDLE. YOU DON’T PUT A SIX-YEAR-OLD KID BEHIND THE CONTROLS OF A B52 BOMBER, DO YOU? IT STARTS WITH A TRICYCLE THEN A BIKE THEN A MOPED THEN A MOTORBIKE THEN A CAR THEN A VAN THEN A TRACTOR TRAILER SEMI (LORRY) THEN A HELICOPTER THEN A CHEROKEE

10

THEN A SMALL JET THEN AN AIRLINER

SO, R.T.F.M.

WHICH MEANS “READ THE FLAMING MANUAL”. AND STAY IN RANGE, DON’T GO PRODDING AROUND IN THE V12 ENGINE UNTIL YOU HAVE GOT BIKES AND DOOR HANDLES SORTED OUT, REMEMBER IT IS HANDLED AND DEALT WITH IN STAGES AS YOU GROW WITH IT. (WHICH MEANS GRADIENT SCALE OF ASCENT, LIKE EACH STEP OF A STAIRCASE, IS ONE GRADIENT.) FIND THE MISUNDERSTOOD WORDS AND SYMBOLS. KEEP COOL, KEEP PLODDING ALONG WITH THE BIT IN QUESTION, THE PART OF YOUR STUDIES YOU ARE TACKLING IN QUESTION, FIND OUT WHERE YOU WERE LAST DOING WELL, AND JUST BEFORE THE END OF THAT YOU WILL FIND THE M.U. = MISUNDERSTOOD WORD. YOU MAY HAVE

11

TO BACKTRACK EVEN FURTHER BACK AND WORK YOUR WAY FORWARD, CLEARING UP ABSOLUTELY EVERY MINUTE FRAGMENT, UNTIL TOTAL UNDERSTANDING IS OBTAINED BY USING DICTIONARIES, AND BUILDING THE WORD INTO SENTENCES, AND LOTS OF THEM, UNTIL YOU HAVE GOT IT, IT MAY TAKE QUITE A WHILE TO UNDERSTAND THAT DICTIONARIES HAVE QUITE A BIT OF STUFF IN THEM, LOTS OF DEFINITIONS, AND THE DERIVATION IS LOADED UP WITH INFORMATION AS WELL. CLEAR THE WORDS UP RIGHT GOOD AND PROPER. THAT MEANS 110% BEFORE EMBARKING ON THE NEXT BIT BECAUSE IF YOU DIDN’T UNDERSTAND THE BIT IN QUESTION, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO ADD TO IT? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MOVE UP THE LADDER WITH A RUNG OF THE LADDER MISSING? OR TWO RUNGS MISSING? STAY COOL, DILIGENCE REQUIRED, FIND IT, CLARIFY IT, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS, THE WHOLE KIT AND KABOODLE, THAT

12

MEANS HARD WORK, LOOKING THINGS UP. EVEN ENGLISH TEACHERS, AND PROFESSORS WILL CLIMB DOWN OFF THEIR HIGH HORSE, WHEN THEY FIND THIS TO BE TRUE, AND ROLL THEIR SHIRT SLEEVES UP, AND CLEAN UP THE WHOLE AREA. SO WHY SHOULDN’T YOU? ________________________________________ YOU CAN ALWAYS WRITE TO ME, AT MARK PERCY, PO BOX 3085, UPPER HOLLOWAY, LONDON N19 5SF, ENGLAND/UNITED KINGDOM. (PLANET EARTH. MINOR SOLAR SYSTEM. MILKY WAY. THIS UNIVERSE.) ________________________________________ REMEMBER TO PASS THE INFORMATION ON TO OTHER BASS PLAYERS THROUGH THE GENERATIONS, TO KEEP THEM INTERESTED IN THE MIGHTY CRAFT OF THE BASS PLAYER. OBVIOUSLY, IT’S A BIGGER GUITAR THAN THE ELECTRIC GUITAR, AND THE AMPS ARE BIGGER

13

THAN ELECTRIC GUITAR AMPS, SO IT’S A MUCH MORE IMPORTANT INSTRUMENT, OBVIOUSLY. A GOOD BASS PLAYER IS WORTH HIS WEIGHT IN GOLD, ASK ANY DECENT GUITARIST. RUMBLEFUMBLE IS NOT WHAT IS WANTED, HORRIBLE RUMBLING, WITH DREADFUL FUMBLING WILL PUT THE REST OF THE GUYS OFF A HELL OF A LOT, AND YOU WON’T BE VERY POPULAR, IF YOU RUMBLEFUMBLE. MAKE SURE YOU ALWAYS STAY INTERESTED, BY GETTING NEW RECORDS, AND GOING TO SEE BANDS WITH GREAT BASS PLAYERS IN, TO INSPIRE YOU INTO PICKING YOUR BASS UP OFF THE SOFA, FLICKING THE AMP SWITCH ON, AND PLAYING ALONG TO RECORDS, VIDEOS, DVDS, TAPES, 33’S, 45’S, 78’S, 16’S, WAX ROLLS, WHICHEVER TIME FRAME YOU ARE FROM. MAY THE BASS BE WITH YOU. LOVE, MARK PERCY

Name Student No. Course Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Morning Morning Morning Morning Morning Morning Morning

Upstat

Student No.

Afternoon Afternoon Afternoon Afternoon Afternoon Afternoon Afternoon

Dow

nstat

Course

Evening Evening Evening Evening Evening Evening Evening

Retread

Nam

e

© Mark Percy

STUDENT NAME:- STUDENT NUMBER:- COURSE:-

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun