Hey I have been playing bass in bands for 16 years now. Up to this point I have just been playing what I think sounds good.
Now I would like to learn Theory so that i can be a better musician.
Does anyone have some suggestions as to a few books that might be a good starting point or the end all be all book to own?

Thanks for any help anybody may have for me.

A good beginning http://www.amazon.com/Music-Theory-Guit ... 063406651X Welcome to the forum, enjoy your stay......... Mike

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The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.

Thanks Mike I look in to it when i get of work.
I can play all night @ work in the fender forum but heaven for bid I could look @ amazon while I'm here.

I tried the book thing. Didn't work so well with me. I did find a great teacher in my area. With out some one to ask stuff it's kinda hard. Once I got some lesson work, books and online stuff is a big help.I think I'm like you and a lot of guys. Played for years. But once I got some foundation work under my belt the fret board is not such a foggy mess.. Never stop learning.. Oh yeah my playing say from 1.5 years ago to now... So much better.. Maybe all people don't notice but who ya playing for any way.. Just my 2 cents adjusted for inflation... Mark

if you find a good teacher who can run you through a good book series, that will be the best, if you're serious about learning music the "right way", i. e., 1 - being able to play what's on the paper, and 2 - being able to put what you play (or better, what's in your brain) on the paper, find a teacher who can do just that. sting said it best when he said "music is math".
if you can find a teacher who can site read, that's a really good start... and there aren't many. there are multitudes of piano teachers, because that's the nature of the instrument. bass and guitar are entirely different animals in comparison... the same note on the staff can be played in so many different places and all that... but music structure, what scales go with what arrangements, what accidental notes can fit within a certain arrangement of chords... that's theory.
if you can already figure out "what sounds good" you're at a really good starting point. consider yourself lucky. a good teacher can turn a good musician into an excellent one.
congrats on you for wanting to take it to another level!

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Thanks for the advice guys.
I have looked into lessons. I found that the best teacher around is one of my best friends but he can't fit me into his schedule. With a full roster of students, being a full time student playing in the college jazz & pep bands & filling in for other bands.
He helps me when I ask but I can't go running to him all the time.
So books are my best bet until he has a spot open up.
I play for me but that also includes my band & our fans.
Please keep the suggestions coming!

take a look at the "Music Theory!!!" thread MarkusKarkus, maybe it will help.

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

There is a great 3 DVD set that you can order at www.licklibrary.com called Harmony and Theory by Danny Gill a great player and teacher(former student of Satriani and teacher at MI) There is basics, Intermediate and Advanced. I would highly recomend you get all 3 as there is a lot to digest and it will take you through the Modes and how to apply them to Secondary Dominants which are very cool to know. Hey for the price of one lesson you get 5 hours of great DVD lessons that you can watch over and over and soak in. If you go to the site I mentioned you can preview all 3 DVDs John-5 is just one of many great players that took his playing to another level by watching instructional DVDs. He says when after a show and the band would be out partying he would go buy some country DVDs and work on that technique. Though I am self taught they have helped me greatly and I rather watch than figure out in a book though I do both.