Any advice about jazz bass?
da bass playa asked:
I’m in high school jazz band, and this is my second year in jazz band and playing the bass. I’ve learned a hard song before but this year the music got harder. I’m pretty good at just sight reading a walking bass line and if I work really hard I can usually get a harder rhythm or a latin jazz tune. Auditions are next week and I’m the only bass player but my band teacher is probably going to have me audition anyway. Do you have any ideas of how to learn the song quickly but accurately? I have been playing these songs for about a week now but I just can’t seem to get them. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Even if you’re not a bassist you can still answer this question about how you learn music and give me some ideas!!!
Thanks!
How to Sight Read Music Video Lesson
I’m in high school jazz band, and this is my second year in jazz band and playing the bass. I’ve learned a hard song before but this year the music got harder. I’m pretty good at just sight reading a walking bass line and if I work really hard I can usually get a harder rhythm or a latin jazz tune. Auditions are next week and I’m the only bass player but my band teacher is probably going to have me audition anyway. Do you have any ideas of how to learn the song quickly but accurately? I have been playing these songs for about a week now but I just can’t seem to get them. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Even if you’re not a bassist you can still answer this question about how you learn music and give me some ideas!!!
Thanks!
How to Sight Read Music Video Lesson
Sight Reading Secrets Revealed
Hi there – with your audition a week away – the only real suggestion I can make is to listen and play with the music ( assuming you have – or can obtain a recording of it ). And of course spend as much time with it as you can. Jazz is a lot about feel. Get it into your ears! That is what I tell my vocal students. Listen and even if you don’t have your bass with you – sing the tune to yourself. Sing your bass line. The musicians I work with often sing their line. And when the audition comes – know that you will do your best – go in and feel the music – let it become a part of you and know – and trust that you will do well – You might want to consider looking at Kenny Werner’s “Effortless Mastery” for inspiration. Especially if jazz is appealing to you and you see yourself continuing in music.
Let the music be in and through you!
sight reading music
Groove is the top priority so make sure you are comfortable with the rhythms and that your time feels good. If you are auditioning with a drummer and piano/guitar player then simplify the written bassline if you have to. Its much better for a bass player to get the feel right then to hit every written note.
If you have to memorize a walking bass pattern, do it. If you have to simplify the rhythms of the latin tunes, do it. Just make sure you are making it swing, the rest will fall in to place later.
Learn How to Sight Read Music
If you are improvising the chords sequence it’s important to:
a) know the structure of the song, e.g. AABA with a 4 bar tag added
b) know the chord sequence in terms of main key and any modulations to new keys, i.e, IIm7 – V7 – Imaj7- IV7 in C, II -V – I in G
c) practice typical walking (or latin and funk) patterns around the sequences.
d) practice putting weight on the second and fourth beats to get a good swing (if it’s swing!) with the metronome clicking on 2 and 4
e) for a bass solo try singing a solo and then play what you sang
f) listen to some classic versions of the tune to get an idea of the feel
g) in the audition- play your ass off and you’ll get the job
when I studied jazz I was told (by Jamie Aebersold and others) that to really know a tune you must be able to:
sing the melody while playing the root notes of the chord sequence, play the melody on your instrument,
analyse the chord sequence,
sing the roots of the chord sequence,
play the arpeggios of all chords in the sequence,
sing a solo over the chord sequence,
improvise over the sequence….
and that’s not to mention transcribing walking bass lines and solos of other artistes…phew, jazz can be a ‘nightmare’ but it’s the only way to get good.
PS. A good tip to understanding a tune is to transpose it up a flat fith (C to Gflat or G to Dflat etc.,) that way, if it’s an easy key it will take it to a difficult one and vice versa…
good luck with the audition and listen to the greats like Paul Chambers, Ron Carter, Charlie Mingus, Eddie Gomez, Andy Gonzales, Jaco Pastorious, Carol Kaye…