12 Keys to Success

by Jim Stinnett
review by Matt O’Donnell, Managing Editor

For those interested in studying the electric bass seriously in the past, it would not be uncommon for you to have to work on your fingerboard and musical skills with something out of the Sturm 110 études book for string bass, or the Nanny equivalent. While many of these studies are challenging and helpful to everyone in some way, often times undertaking them ends with tepid results, such as missing the accents as intended because of not using a bow, or having to settle for some sort of archaic fingering to get the job done.

Jim Stinnett, the Berklee College of Musicprofessor most likely to be heard saying “if you master your instrument, the music will just happen” (or, if he’s excited, “folks, let’s just master this thing, alright?”), has made life a LOT easier for all of us by releasing a book of études for electric bass entitled “12 Keys To Success”. Stinnett, who himself has had students learn Sturm études (often with a twist like performing one entirely using two-handed tapping), and studied classical string bass with Ed Barker atNew England Conservatory, put together this book to get your hands completely acclimated to the fingerboard of your bass.

Contained in the book are three études in each major and minor key, over 70 in total. To say that this book could essentially improve every aspect of your bass playing would be the understatement of the year. These pieces range from quite easy to “uhhhhh…….come again?”, and that’s just the speed and range I’m referring to, not even trying to remember that you’re sometimes playing with a ton of sharps or flats! So, by the time you get through even a handful of the pieces, your speed, dexterity and hand position should be very much improved.

What is, I think, just as useful here, are the text pieces in the book in the intro, and accompanying every chapter. Jim has trained dozens of world class bass players from their beginning stages, and here he is sharing the wisdom, advice, and plain as the nose on your face directions that you will need to achieve success with your instrument. This is also quite important, as a proper mindset is needed to ensure that you’re approaching the fingerings the right way (it’s almost embarrassing to think that you play a technical piece right, and then realize that your fingering isn’t even close to the intended one), especially if you’re not working on these as part of a lesson plan. These text pieces will help keep you motivated and driven as you work towards your goals of becoming a great bass player.

Also included is a CD featuring many of the études performed by students of Jim’s. Their hard work and perseverance shows, and should be a kick in the pants for you to get moving and learn some of the pieces. If they can do it, you can do it. (You can also order play-along CDs of every étude played at slow, medium, and fast speeds from Jim’s webstore.)

Overall, this is an exciting new addition to the pantheon of GREAT bass instruction methods out there (joining Stinnett’s already well-regardedCreating Jazz Bass Lines). If you want to get serious about your technique and become a truly better player, order this book.