Jazz bass compendium is a 205page jazz bass method book. Use the same method that is illustrated with the ii v is. Citing examples from key recordings in the jazz canon, the book defines the essence of the musical contributions made by more than 70 important jazz bassists, including ray brown, eddie gomez, charles mingus, milt hinton and many others. Courses archive bass guitar lessons online ebassguitar. Recognized for over 50 years as the bestpaced and most comprehensive guitar method available, alfreds basic guitar method has introduced over 3 million beginners to the joy of playing guitar. If you place in the group, please make sure you are a fluent reader prior to september, 2016. Backbeat books the jazz bass bookdouble bass thomann uk. A survey of piano styles and techniques by christopher edward white thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of doctor of musical arts in music with a concentration in jazz performance in the graduate college of the university of illinois at urbanachampaign, 2010. Certainly unaccompanied works for string instruments have. Hey groove masters its time to talk about how to play jazz standards on the bass guitar. Alfreds basic bass method is the newest addition to the family, and features clear, wellpaced instruction covering popular styles like rock, blues, country, and jazz. It doesnt make a big difference if you have 20, 22, or 24 frets on your guitar.
Stuart clayton ultimate slap bass beginner level pdf. The purpose of this lesson block is to show you what makes up good technique and to give you some beginning exercises for developing good habits and coordination. Im an electric bass player of several years who swapped to the double, and it. Pay attention, burn through this as fast as you can, and you. A flat major and minor scale and arpeggio bass tabs. Players began using the double bass in jazz in the 1890s to supply the lowpitched walking basslines that outlined the chord progressions of the songs. With so many choices it can be hard to choose, so we share whats worked for us and our students. A thesis submitted to the graduate council of texas state university in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of music with a major in music may 2014 committee members. In no particular order, here are the books we recommend if you wish to teach yourself jazz guitar. These arent particularly jazzy, as ive written them to be played in a straighteighth note style, but they can be adapted to a swing feel. Learn to play the bass line and the thirds and sevenths all at one time. In order to be a part of the jazz movement one must accept change. The capacity of a bassist to fully support an ensemble is something that can be.
While some knowledge of music theory is necessary, excellent bass lines can be. As im sure you have heard before, practice makes perfect. The first task is to focus on a tiny part of the bass and find as many ways to change between the arpeggios as possible. Scales and chords for the upright bass the following keys should be learned in the order presented. Bass improvisation, walking bass lines, jazz phrasing, jazz play alongs, and transcriptions are all part of the complete collection of jazz method books and dvds from. Florida state university libraries electronic theses, treatises and dissertations the graduate school 20 teaching improvisation to orchestral double bass players. Practice playing a steady beat on the bass drum using the heel down technique. Strings are vertical while imaginary frets are shown horizontally. Technique and tradition is the first comprehensive reference of its kind. Open quick view dialog for hal leonard essential technique for strings double bass 3 book online audio hal leonard essential technique for strings double bass 3.
Jazz bass soloing fundamental changes music book publishing. Ultimate slap bass is one of the most popular books ever written on the slap bass technique. Part players manual, part history and part biography, this book looks at all facets of jazz bass, providing expert guidance on technique, practice methods and jazz theory, as well as insights into improvisation and musicianship. Jazz bass is the use of the double bass or bass guitar to improvise accompaniment comping basslines and solos in a jazz or jazz fusion style. Extract from greens book using equidistant fingerings. Recommended classical and jazz study materials for double. Solo techniques for unaccompanied pizzicato jazz double bass. Technique and tradition bass player musicians library. More than 460 free transcriptions for bass and other instruments on basslessons. Open quick view dialog for carl fischer new method for the double bass book carl fischer new method for the double bass book. I was about twenty when it came out, and i remember how excited my bass playing. Technique and tradition backbeat books, 2002 this unique book combines both methods and historical information. Shop the worlds widest selection of jazz double bass sheet music, music books, scores and more.
Scales and chords for the upright bass desert bluegrass. This technique also allows you to work more efficiently with dynamics accenting certain notes. The fingers must instantly do what the brain or ear tells them to do. Using backing track one, begin by isolating the top two strings of the bass and play four notes from each arpeggio in each bar 14 notes. The bass guitar, electric bass, or simply bass, is the lowestpitched member of the guitar family. More than a players manual, this book portrays jazz bass as a vital element of 20th.
The worldwide leader in jazz improvisation educational materials for over 50 years. The suggested fingering for the scale is to the left of the diagram. The first part discusses the tradition of bass playing with. The jazz standards in the real book are more balanced in that respect and fea ture only. The bassline construction method explored here uses chord tones, approach notes and basic reharmonization. The origins of the first jazz bass solos are not certain, as the earliest stages of jazz. Oct 06, 2017 sorry to come down hard on you, but if youre going to call yourself a jazz musician, you are going to have to be able to read concertpitch lead sheets like everyone else does. Its a good idea to study a wide range of music methods and jazz theory can really expand your ability for improvisation and jamming with a band. Reading standard notation and chord changes, however, is necessary to participate in jazz ensemble. It begins with the teaching of the basics using illustrations of hand positions, basic theory, the first position, how to read music, fingering, accelerated fingerboard studies, a fingerboard note location chart to the 12th fret, fourstring studies, rhythm studies, syncopated rhythms and dotted notes. The best method books for bass guitars hear the music play.
This work is based on research about technical exercises and method books used by double. You may notice that certain phrases appear in many solos. Jazz bass line construction thelonious monk institute of jazz online jazz handbook welcome to the bass chapter of the thelonious monk institute of jazzs online jazz handbook. But if youre really looking for a walking jazz bass line book, then in alphabetical order ed friedland, ed fuqua, jay hungerford, and bob magnusson all have good books, each with a little different approach. Many of them are contributions from readers over the years. There are a lot of excellent tips that will allow you to play more comfortably for a longer period of time. The majority of the presentation will focus on walking bass lines in a 44 meter.
Topics include the iivi progression, creating solo lines, altered chord formulas, and comping in different jazz feels such as latin, swing, ballad, and even. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and scale length, and typically four to six strings or courses. Learn to play jazz bass with the help of these jazz bass technique books. Favourite double bass method books discover double bass. Best jazz guitar books to teach yourself jazz guitar. How to position your right hand for fingerstyle bass. Supported download walking bass for jazz and blues. The application of contemporary double bass left hand techniques applied in the orchestra repertoire. This is an excellent book on basic electric bass technique. Practice the scale until you can play it continuously and fluently. When it comes to the double bass, the string length may be from 90 centimeters for the 14 to 106 centimeters for the 34 measurements based on total length. Apr 04, 2016 here are some technical exercises that can help your technique on your instrument. In this first curriculum my intention is to put you on the right track to be not a bass player, but a bassplaying musician.
For something a little different, ed friedlands book jazz bass will walk you through some basic jazz methods. For when you have to learn to play the bass right now. This book organizes the left hand into a precise measuring device, with diatonic, semichromatic, and chromatic positions that use the thumb as an anchor point. Regardless of what style of music you play pop, funk, classical, country western, folk, etc. In approaching this method in a group context, linear jazz improvisation works with any combination of instrumentalists possessing a firm foundation on his or her respective instrument.
This just means that you can play a couple notes higher on the guitar and those notes are so high pitched they are pretty annoying to listen to anyway. The electric bass and double bass are two different instruments sharing a common function. Learning to play jazz can be one of the keys to unlocking the bass guitar once and for all for many players. Most bass guitars will also have a pickup selector switch along with volume and tone knobs.
This book contains the main afrolatin styles of bass playing as well as sections on latin jazz bass. This lavishly produced volume large format and hardcover is a wondrous celebration of the instrument, including its origins and history, and the weird and wonderful shapes it has taken. A good grounding in music theory is important for any developing musician, and the jazz theory book is simply the best one out there. This is an evergrowing archive of pdf and mp3 resources for double bassists. The bass player is one of the driving forces of any musical group, especially if that group is jazz combo or big band. The way you think about music and learning music has a big effect on how fast and well it goes for you. Now that you know the proper technique for playing the bass drum and getting a good rebound, practice the following exercises. The unaccompanied double bass solo is a relatively new medium in both jazz and classical common practice. Dedicate at least 3060 minutes each day to playing the bass.
Solo techniques for unaccompanied pizzicato jazz double. Learning and practicing the core techniques for bass guitar should be part of your practice routine. From the funkiest bass grooves to the most lyrical bass solos, from the 50s up until 2020. Here are some tips to aid you in mastering these bass blues licks. Tabs are provided to help developing readers on guitar and bass feel more confident in their audition. John jumper, ashley crawford, palfi andras, russ stevens and gerhard ersdal really we got a lot of these from our teachers, who got them from their teachers, who got them from the contributions are collected and presented on his web page by. Upright bass is the anchor in many jazz combos and you can learn how to play with study and practice. This book is designed to help you learn to play this passionate and beautiful music.
Jazz bass line construction thelonious monk institute of. It can lead to a deeper understanding of the art form of jazz and the ways in which it is observed and appreciated, while at the same time focusing on the role of the electric bass. Improve bass technique in your jazz band smartmusic. Basics of bass guitar playing 8 there are usually about 20 something frets on a standard bass guitar. A strap can be attached to the strap buttons to play the bass standing up. In this first curriculum my intention is to put you on the right track to be not a bass player, but a bass playing musician. Chords and walking bass part 1 in this lesson ill demonstrate how i approach playing walking bass lines and chords at the same time. If youve got something youd like shared with the general bass public, this site is an easy way to do it. No cost ebook pdf kindle reader online book epub digital conclusion of the book walking bass for jazz and blues. The jazz bass book technique and tradition by john goldsby foreword by ron carter goldsby is a respected bass player and bass player magazine columnist.
Youll probably want to change the articulation as well if you change the feel to swing. Jazz method, learn to play jazz bass, upright bass, double bass. Pay close attention to the quality of the chords dominant seven or minor. The book starts with basic slapping and popping technique and moves on to. This book is great for guitarists who have learned the basics of jazz harmony and improvisation. Although there are many popular righthand bass guitar techniques, it is important to learn how to position your right hand for fingerstyle playing, which is the most flexible and widely used bass guitar technique, used in virtually all styles of music. Learning exploration newspaper about walking bass for jazz and blues. So, what are the best jazz guitar books available to buy. Its a massively exciting form of music with huge amounts of artistic freedom but also huge amounts of structure. To play jazz requires discipline, and discipline is good for all of us. More than a players manual, this book portrays jazz bass as a vital element of 20th century american music. Jamey aebersold jazz does not accept liability for incorrect spelling, printing errors including prices, incorrect manufacturers specifications, or grammatical inaccuracies in any product included in the jamey aebersold jazz catalog or website. Resources on jazz bass killer walking bass blog medium. These online bass lessons cover fundamental bass techniques.
I know its not bass instruction specific, but this book is at the top of the list. This chord dictionary includes over a hundred jazz chord forms, from basic 7th chords with all standard tension substitutions and alterations to guide tone chords to triads over bass notes. Jazz bass line construction thelonious monk institute of jazz. In this book, the first in the series of three, the technique is covered from the absolute basics.
The length of strings on a double bass, as well as other string instruments, depends on the length of the instrument. Designed for bass players and jazz fans alike, the jazz bass booktechnique and tradition is the first comprehensive reference of its kind. Alfreds basic bass method, book 1 by ron manus and l. This is a a way of playing that i use really a lot in situations where theres no bass player, so mostly duo settings with a guitar player, singer or horn player. Designed for bass players and jazz fans alike, the jazz bass book. James jamerson from jazz bassist to popular music icon. C major scale in two octaves from bass guitar scale manual authors. Musical instrumentsguitar master the chords used in jazz. New all prices in us not all titles are available in all countries due to restrictions prices and availability subject to change without notice. Basic bass technique studybass fundamentals one studybass.
Good jazz bass technique will give you the necessary skill and chops to play jazz and make you a more wellrounded musician whatever your background or training. Once a player can navigate a tunes harmony confidently, then rhythm can more easily come to the foreground. The first book in the list is not specifically a jazz guitar book. Bass it was said having a technique issue find a song that requires that technique and learn it. If youre a director whos not a bassist, its not always obvious what to look and listen for in your young bassists or how to guide them. Typically, they are found in jazz and funk playing and adds a whole new kind of sound texture into the song. Here are a few simple bass technique tips that ive found to have a big impact. In the following thesis i dont discuss techniques used in jazz. His book, the jazz bass book, is an indepth look at the tradition, history and personalities of jazz bass. Textbook for jazz bass by john goldsby, reference book for double bass, textbook. The popping and slapping technique is used to add dynamics to a song. Indeed, it works with players with no background in jazz alongside those who are highly experienced. This comprehensive method includes every conceivable aspect of jazz bass performance. Since the mid1950s, the bass guitar has largely replaced the double bass in popular music.
Young double bass programs johnny hamil kansas city. Historically, the double bass passed through several transformations in its shape, structure, and tuning system. Gleaned from years of teaching, performance, and listening experience bass players at all levels will benefit from studying the numerous exercises, grooves, and musical examples offered in this book. Jazz method, learn to play jazz bass, upright bass, double. Jazz has changed greatly over the past 70 years and is presently in transition. The language of jazz or the jazz idiom is in a constant state of flux. Harnsberger book 1 features all the necessities including how to hold your bass, tuning your bass, righthand and lefthand technique, basics of reading music, notes on all four strings, scales, licks, and songs, how to read tab, playing slides and accents, and photos and diagrams. Simplified higher technique for double bass petracchis technique book is another pivotal work in bass technique.
The application of contemporary double bass left hand. Book has been the most popular book for gigging jazz. How to play jazz standards on the bass guitar bass. Bassists get expert guidance on mastering proper technique, practice. These are my desert island classical double bass technique books. The potential benefits of an academic paper on this subject are significant. The function of a bass player in the jazz combo is to work with the piano player and drummer to provide both a harmonic and rhythmic stability for the tune. This book will walk you through the basics so that you are ready. Open quick view dialog for hal leonard essential technique for strings double bass 3 bookonline.
I especially appreciated the advice on left and right hand muting. The metal bars that go across the neck are called frets. Something i notice that many times working on exercises and running scales that how a person plays them is different than when using the same scales or etc in a playing situation. This book is not intended as a compendium of every possible pattern or harmonic approach. Once you can play a steady beat using both techniques try to find the beat and play along with playalong cd 3. The sevcik bowing book presents various bow strokes and techniques in a logical and organized fashion and is one of the quickest ways to advance your right hand technique. From hammerons and pulloffs to harmonics and slidesas well as other essential bass guitar techniques. The complete walking bass method by essay heritage library retail outlet. This is the same technique used to play the violin and cello.
Most major bass teachers say that students are about two years behind in the bowing technique department compared to their left hand technique. Youll find your jazz double bass music at sheet music plus. Here are some technical exercises that can help your technique on your instrument. Bass guitar techniques lessons bass guitar player world.
From the 1920s and 1930s swing and big band era, through 1940s bebop and 1950s. A cable is plugged into the basss input jack to send the signal into the amp. As the world gets closer together, having a working knowledge of latin bass playing will increasingly be a prerequisite for any professional, improving bassist. Significance and methodology michael thomas geib follow this and additional works at the fsu digital library. From jazz bassist to popular music icon by joshua andrew zarbo, b. Recommended classical and jazz study materials for double bassists. Double bass lessons for jazz bassists by geoff chalmers of discover double bass.
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