guitar players can be somewhat secretive about their tone or settings . Where do bass players generally fall into from your perspective ?
[ Norm ] I ’ d say we tend to be pretty openminded , whether it be sharing musical knowledge with each other , or even as it relates to our instruments — as evidenced by the fact that there ’ s widespread acceptance among bassists of anything from traditional 4-string passive basses all the way to 7- ( or more !) string active basses with fanned frets , crazy exotic woods and unorthodox body shapes .
[ WM ] As an educator you have developed some quality content . Tell us about the The Worship Bass Book : Bass , Espresso , and the Art of Groove that you wrote for [ WM ] and also how folks can find that ?
[ Norm ] I love how God directs our steps ! I never set out or strategized being an educator , but I ’ m so grateful as it ’ s been a really fulfilling aspect of my ministry / career .
While directed toward players in the worship environment , The Worship Bass Book is actually really relevant for any bassist . It was written for Hal Leonard Publishing and was largely compiled from articles I ’ d written as the longtime bass columnist for your Christian Musician magazine , then supplemented with a handful of updated elements .
It ’ s not a comprehensive guide to learning bass , but more like a big collection of nuggets — many involving things I learned the hard way over many years ! It covers a really broad range of topics , including technique , gear , theory , working effectively with a drummer , navigating a rhythm chart , and much more . There are also a couple of really inspiring interviews with iconic bassists John Patitucci and Dominique Di Piazza .
This book is one of the primary resources I use in my teaching , whether in private lessons or with my bass students at Biola University in Los Angeles .
[ WM ] You also have other training materials … Grooving for Heaven comes to mind and the Art of Groove . Fill us in !
[ Norm ] Yes , the Grooving for Heaven videos are what initially established my momentum as an educator . I was traveling around North America as a clinician with Maranatha Music and there never seemed to be enough time at the events . The first two volumes were created as a resource to help those largely self-taught bass players continue in their musical growth once the event was over . They ended up being really well received even in the mainstream , and Volumes 3 and 4 were added several years