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LBM for Bass
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Mark
VM Coach


Joined: 26 Feb 2007
Posts: 479
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 9:15 pm    Post subject: Re: One or Two Fingers? Reply with quote

nylenny wrote:
I am a little more relaxed about alternating when playing bass (than I am on classical guitar) -- so I often will repeat a finger when changing to a lower string or striving for a consistent tone.


Len,

Good point, so let me just chime in here on the subject and offer a little more advice. When I'm walking on bass and using rest strokes, rarely do I alternate right-hand fingers unless I am interjecting an occasional 8th note or triplet into a quarter-note line. Not only is there no need to alternate regardless of tempo, but you couldn't be more correct regarding the consistency of tone gained from using the same finger (index for me). Watch any good upright player and you'll see that they typically use the index and middle fingers together for both physical control and uniform tone.

It's an entirely different matter when the rhythmic common denominator changes to 8th notes, like when you're playing heads or soloing. However, if you factor in left-hand slurs as a big part of the jazz language equation, you should still be leaning towards the use of one finger more than the other. It's not unlike Wes' approach to jazz guitar and his use of the thumb in successive downstrokes, relying on slurs to achieve speed while phrasing more like a horn player. All for now...

- Mark
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"Anyone can make the simple complicated. Creativity is making the complicated simple" - Mingus
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nylenny



Joined: 31 Mar 2007
Posts: 291

PostPosted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 12:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, I am now working on my second bass lesson, and I can report that light bulbs are going on all over the place. Here are some observations:

a) The first lesson contains some "plug and play" two-five licks. Using these, I was instantly able to solo over a jazz blues. I found that I can apply things I've been working on for years on guitar, but have never thought of using on the bass. What an amazing breakthrough. The licks are fingered to be easily transposable.

b) The walks are easily transposable to other keys (think "slide rule" guitar). So I can actually play jazz blues in the typical keys after only two lessons. That accounts for about 25% of any given jam session.

Great lessons Mark! Keep 'em coming.
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Larry_DC



Joined: 31 Mar 2007
Posts: 207

PostPosted: Fri Jan 23, 2009 12:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Len,

I'm on bass lesson #6. Believe me when I say it just gets better! I remember telling Mark I wasn't really interested in learning heads on the bass and he didn't really say anything. Now I know why: he knew once I started learning them as part of the lesson plan I would see how COOL it is to play them. I made the same observation as you did, that the II-V's from the guitar lessons transfer easily to the bass and add another dimension the playing.
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Mark
VM Coach


Joined: 26 Feb 2007
Posts: 479
Location: Portland, OR

PostPosted: Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:19 pm    Post subject: Re: Jazz Bassist Feedback Reply with quote

Lenny wrote:
Well, I am now working on my second bass lesson, and I can report that light bulbs are going on all over the place.

Great lessons Mark! Keep 'em coming.


Len,

Will do. Solid breakdown of the content and potential application of the first two chapters in the course. You can probably see why I am constantly on the soapbox expounding on the value of guitarists interested in jazz doubling on bass. Wink

Larry wrote:
I'm on bass lesson #6. Believe me when I say it just gets better! I remember telling Mark I wasn't really interested in learning heads on the bass and he didn't really say anything. Now I know why: he knew once I started learning them as part of the lesson plan I would see how COOL it is to play them. I made the same observation as you did, that the II-V's from the guitar lessons transfer easily to the bass and add another dimension the playing.


Larry,

Good to hear that you're enjoying the course. As you know (and as Len will soon discover), chapters 4-6 expand the focus to non-blues, 16 and 32-bar progressions, like Sugar, Rhythm Changes, and Take the A Train, all while developing expertise in soloing over the swing blues vehicle. In authoring this course, I purposely began with blues, and beyond the first 6 chapters it continues to move back and forth between the two. I really believe that the Jazz Bassist is one of my best courses ever, a "best-kept-secret" that needs more exposure in the educational community. All in good time...

- Mark
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