Paul McCartney Bass Master. Playing the Great Beatles Basslines

Customer Reviews

Real Musicianship

2008-09-01
This is a fascinating book, because it's more musucally aware than 99% of the hundreds of books on music I've read. It's not just anecdotes and instruments, but some very detailed discussion of what choices were made, what technical elements went into the effect, and how the bassline shapes the song. It's not just helpful transcription, but intelligent analysis. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Finally, McCartney's bass-playing gets its due

2008-05-19
Written with wit and verve, this book finally gives McCartney's extraordinary bass-playing its due. By analyzing each Beatles album through the lens of McCartney's bass lines, Bacon and Morgan give us a chance to hear these extraodinary recordings with fresh ears. My only quibble is with their choice of "Something" as "the best piece of bass playing he's evr committed to record." Better than "Rain"? Better than "The Word?" Better than "Taxman"? Better than "It's Getting Better All the Time"? C'mon, guys!

A must-have. The best music book I've ever read

2007-11-27
The transcriptions are fine, but most of all: this book is brilliantly well written, a delicious reading, and it's clear and deep analysis of Paul's bass lines (along with a lot of background information about recordings, instruments etc) will open your ears for one of the most important features in the never-ending beauty of The Beatles' music. Great job!

a reply to rodrigo

2007-10-22
Tony Bacon & Gareth Morgan, England, October 2007.
Firstly, thanks a lot for the review, Rodrigo. We had great fun putting the book together - the story of Macca's bass playing and the transcriptions - and did a lot a lot of hard work on it. In answer to your regret concerning the wonderful 'Something', in fact we did prepare a transcription that was originally in the book, but permission to reproduce it was declined by the licensor, Harrisongs. We agree with Rodrigo and say so in the book: it is McCartney's finest hour with the Fab Four. The dynamics, phrasing, melodic content and feel (or groove) of what he plays is simply sensational. We hope the book also underlines some of PM's other great work with The Beatles.

The Bassist

2007-09-07
I've been a fan of the Beatles since I was fourteen especially Paul Mccartney. Like him,I am also a bass player and it was his style that inspired me to be one. There are a lot of flamboyant bassist in the world but it's Macca's simple but original style that makes him unique. I was happy to have bought the Bass Master book because all the featured songs there have nice bass lines, but am a bit disappointed that the song SOMETHING was not included. To me this was Macca's greatest bass riff.

about time.

2007-03-13

Paul McCartney is one of the best pop bass players in the world, and this book presents a musical analysis of his consistently inventive and influential bass playing during his tenure in the Beatles. This indispensable guide offers full transcriptions (including tablature and chord names) of nine of McCartney's most revered bass parts: "Dear Prudence," "Drive My Car," "In My Life," "Lovely Rita," and more. Each track is analyzed and explained in detail to show today's bassists how much they can still learn from McCartney's remarkable skill and imagination.

Brilliant book! 2006-09-11
This wonderful book is beautifully written and beautifully produced. The authors Tony Bacon and Gareth Morgan have done a superb job of presenting McCartney's music and showing just why it works so well. All Beatles fans, all fans of the bass guitar, and indeed all pop fans everywhere should buy this book.