Chop-Monster, Book 2: Bass Book & 2 CDs

Shelly Berg built this method on something every jazz educator knows works: students internalize vocabulary faster when they hear it first, then mirror it, then own it. Book 2 pushes students into the ii-V-I progression across three keys, the harmonic motor that powers real jazz. The call-and-response format with recorded models means your students get dozens of repetitions with world-class examples, turning abstract chord changes into muscle memory.

The moment when chord changes click. Students hear a ii-V-I in E-flat, repeat it a handful of times, and suddenly their fingers find the right note without conscious thought. That's the goal, and Berg's method makes it happen through repetition that never feels like drill work because the models are genuinely swinging.

Jazz ensemble bass players ready to move beyond single-key blues into the progressions that define jazz standards. Students who've completed Book 1 will find natural progression here, though the method works for any bassist with fundamental time feel and the ability to read chord changes.

• Match the articulation and tone quality of the recorded models during the imitation phase. The CDs aren't just reference tracks; they're the standard of execution your students are learning to meet.
• Isolate the three keys (concert B-flat, E-flat, F) across separate rehearsals rather than cycling through all three in one session. Let students anchor each key before adding the next.
• Have students sing or vocalize the recorded phrases before playing them. This bridges the ear-to-instrument gap and reveals intonation issues earlier.
• Create ensemble accountability by having pairs or sections play their own responses after the recorded model, rather than individual performances. The peer feedback sharpens listening.

Slot this into your jazz curriculum during the fall and winter when you're building foundational vocabulary for spring jazz performance. Pair it with transcription of recorded solos so students hear these progressions in context, or use it as a daily warm-up across your jazz ensemble to build collective fluency before tackling new tunes.

• ii-V-I progression recognition and instantaneous recall across three concert keys
• Improvised melodic response to chord changes without charts or written guides
• Internalization of jazz phrasing and articulation through repeated listening and imitation
• Transcription and ear training by analyzing recorded models
• Walking bass coordination with comping and harmonic function