The Bass Compendium is the first edition of a collection of teaching materials for bassists and has an emphasis on jazz and improvisation. The compendium has emerged as a FOKU-project in relation to Bjørnskov’s position  as an associate Professor at the Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus. The target group is mainly students at Academies of Music, but is intended, of course, for all bassists who are interested in the topics presented in the compendium.

The compendium is divided into topics with focus on tools which increase the student’s knowledge  about jazz and improvisation, including practice techniques and practice programs. The topics are  primarily about different aspects of jazz bass playing and focus on improvisation, accompaniment, rhythm and creativity in the hope of creating a solid foundation and overview.

It is Bjørnskov’s goal to communicate practice within improvisational music in an inspiring and  accessible way. The focus is to hold on to the music – the will to express yourself and have some-thing to say. -Even when things get really technical and theoretical it is important to  maintain a link to joy, spontaneity and creativity.

The compendium is meant to be a reference work, which provides answers to a line of the  questions that the student will encounter as a bass player and musician.  Although the focus is on jazz, the topics are essential to all styles of music, and hopefully lead the student to inspired musicianship and towards effortless mastery.

Torben Bjørnskov is an experienced and versatile musician working in Denmark and abroad.   He graduated from Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen with Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen as mentor and is now an associate Professor at The Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus.