Reviews
Reviews of Gear, CD's, DVD's, Books, etc.
Norm Stockton's: Groovin' for Heaven
Rating: 
If you are looking for a DVD that will get you well on your way to playing, look no further, Groovin' for Heaven, is complete, thorough and excellently put together. I've encountered too many extraordinary musicians that could not articulate what they are doing to save their lives. This is not the case with Mr. Stockton, he is well equipped with ability to teach, what he is able to do on the bass, which is a lot. Norm takes his time and starts with the basics, Volume 1, building a solid foundation to build upon.
The Bassist & Contemporary Worship Volume 1 Gives a solid founation for any beginner bass player starting out. The topics include
- Warm-Ups for the Impatient
- Proper Hand & Bass Positioning
- Fingerboard Familiarity, Part I
- Pre-Groove Studies (Rhythmic & Harmonic Pre-Groove Primer)
- A Fresh Approach: Diverse Styles
- What's Your Concept?
- Practice...for Groove's Sake
- Effects
- The Heart & Ministry
The Bassist & Contemporary Worship - Volume 2 Volume 2 begins to take the basics learned in Volume 1 and gives you a musical springboard, which is lacking in so many instructional videos. The tendency is to be too technical and not musical, or two musical and not technical. Groovin' for Heaven does a wonderful job of bridging the gap, with topics such as:
- Fingerboard Familiarity, Part II: Modes & Intervals
- Bassic Communication (How to Say What You Mean)
- Bass Idioms Analyzed: "What Makes the Funk....Funky?"
- The Slap Style
- Taste ("Is It All In Your Mouth?")
- Fretless Bass: Expanding the Pallette
- The Grace-case's Perspective on Ministry
"The art of groove" Taking Your Bass/Drum Relationship to the Next Level - Volume 3 My favorite DVD of them all has to be Volume 3: The Art of the Groove. This DVD is about "taking the Drum/Bass relationship to the next level. A must have for every bass player. Many different rhythms and grooves are demonstrated on this CD. The DVD covers:
- Essential Ear-Training (Rhythmic & Harmonic)
- Groove 101 (Concept/Approach, Bass Parts, Context & More)
- Musical Genres & Groove Vocabulary: A Bass & Drum Focus
- The Critical Subtleties (Tempo vs. Feel, Conveying Emotion Musically, Fills, Groovicidal Tendencies)
- Bass & Drum Dialogues: Developing the Synergy
"Pondering bass technique" from bass pyrotechnics to art - Volume 4 further builds upon principles already taught in the prior DVD's going into techniques to add to your repertoire.
- Slapping (Intermediate to Advanced, including Double-Thumbing)
- Tapping (Arpeggios, Single-String, Variations)
- Chording
- Chimes, Thuds & Swells (A Spectrum of Tones)
- Combining Techniques
- Effects to Enhance
- Introduction to Solo Bass Arranging
If you looking for someone to tell you how to play, then this probably isn't the DVD for you. But if you want someone to break down the fundamentals, and the thought process, behind laying down some meaningful bass lines, then pick it up. Norm doesn't delve exclusively into the Gospel genre, so you will not be able to take some of the lines learned and plug them right into a Fred Hammond song, but after sitting down with the music, you will have a better ability to articulate what is happening. This also isn't an overnight Learn the Bass in 24 hours type course. But with time, effort and dedication, your playing ability should increase.