Hal Leonard Extreme Metal Bass

Well, buying a book will not transform you into Alex Webster, but the pieces of Information contained in this book, are definitely of use to people like me, who are in (/or are interested in joining) a band in the extreme metal genre.

His approach is always very "hands on", and he does not explain very much about the theoretic background (there are more then enough books that cover this part), a fact that I appreciate a lot.

Topics covered are:

-Technique:
Important Chords and scales widely used in extreme Metal (with examples), Right hand techniques (3 finger), left hand technique (excercises to get you hand in shape), Tapping (just check those insane Blotted Science Licks, here the technique is explained)

-Application:
Rhythm Excercise, Triplet Grooves, Sixteenth Notes grooves (3 finger technique), Writing Bass lines, Doom/Sludge, Song examples.

AND there's a CD that comes with this book, with some awesome backing tracks to play to. (midi files are delivered as well, to change the tempo of the backing)

This book will teach you scales, chords and right hand techniques for extreme metal. It is written in a step-by-step approach and every exercise is short and to the point. No uneccessary fluff. My playing has improved considerably in just a few weeks after many years of stagnation from using other means of learning. You just can't learn to play metal from a blues or jazz player....

Just follow the exercises in order and you are all set! The only minor negative thing about this book is that it is written for 5-string basses. But it is rather easy to adapt it for 4 string if you know basic theory.