Reddit reviews Hearing and Writing Music: Professional Training for Today's Musician (2nd Edition)

Try working with resources like good ear or Hearing and Writing Music and you'll notice a change very quickly.

Don't be surprised if the unis don't respond. You're basically asking them for help without paying the astronomical fees that now come hand in hand with degree level study in england ;)

Here's a few books that I had that are really good:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Modern-Reading-Text-All-Instruments/dp/0769233775 - We were told to use this book by clapping the 4 beats, and vocalising the rhythms in the book. It starts off simple but gets hard real fast. Full of deliberately obscure notation that smears beats to prepare you for some bad writing as well!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hearing-Writing-Music-Professional-Training/dp/0962949671/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1539085026&sr=1-1&keywords=hearing+and+writing+music

This book is basically the bible of ear training. You could study this book for 5 years standalone, if you wanted to be secure in all the stuff in it.

Aside from that, other stuff was more about production and bass guitar specifically. Those two though, seriously a good combo I think.

If you want to get into some basic theory AND develop your ear, I highly recommend a book called Hearing and Writing music by Rob Gorow. It starts under the assumption that you know nothing and starts with the basics (intervals, then scales and chords and all that).

I’ve never gotten through the whole thing but I’ve gotten a lot of mileage just by learning those fundamentals. There are exercises that ask you to sing, but if you sing and add your bass into the equation, you’ll accomplish more in less time.

If you wanna check it out here’s an Amazon link:

https://www.amazon.com/Hearing-Writing-Music-Professional-Training/dp/0962949671/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=hearing+and+writing+music&qid=1571203949&sprefix=hearing+and+w&sr=8-1

Also, like many others have said, check out YouTube channels like Scott’s Bass Lessons to learn proper technique as you start out. Adam Neely is also amazing, his videos cover everything from technique to more heady musical concepts which are fun to chew on after you’ve familiarized yourself with some theory.

Learn some songs you like, and start by aiming low, but aim ever higher. The results are more than worth the effort. I’ll never forget the moment I learned Tommy the Cat by Primus, or School Days by Stanley Clarke, or The Lesson by Victor Wooten. Those breakthrough moments where you learn a new technique or style of playing will stick with you and fuel your desire to keep playing!

Good luck, have fun and most importantly...


BASS

Edit: grammar lol

https://www.amazon.com/Hearing-Writing-Music-Professional-Training/dp/0962949671

This book goes pretty in depth on the subject of hearing well enough to write and transcribe without an instrument. You can search online for a copy.