(Bass Method). This money-saving pack includes the Hal Leonard Bass Method Book 1 with CD (HL#00695068), plus the corresponding instructional DVD (HL#00695849) as presented by Ed Friedland. A great deal!
The best bass method book for beginners and intermediates. Teaches you to read music and to audiate on the bass. All the exercises are great. Brilliant brilliant brilliant!
Honestly learned more from YouTube… I think this is a great book for someone picking up bass with no background in music. It teaches you how to read music and definitely helped me with getting around the low end of the fretboard.
As far as technical stuff… I thought this book lacked in ways that other resources excel. For example, while there are bass lines that you learn, there aren’t any technical exercises or etudes that you are really forced to woodshed.
If you have a background in music, get your hands on a real book in bass clef and start learning tunes.
I’m giving up on Ed Friedland’s method; however, I do like the way he presents concepts so I will definitely be back working through his more advanced material when I feel ready. For now, though, I might try Simandl’s method. I’m a trombone player and I’ve heard someone say it’s like “Arban’s for double bass.”