Hi, I'm 17. I'm new in jazz! I don't know where to start play jazz bass. :help: I'm learning some walking bass and grooves and I understand it...what should i learn next?:confused: I know read notes, but slowly! I'm listening all sorts of jazz...fusion mostly. BTW, I play since my 15. Thanks :)

Svila,

Welcome! You've come to the right place. There are articles you can find under the "Lessons/Articles" link that talk about developing walking bass lines and improvisation, amongst other things.

There are also a lot of very knowledgable players here who can offer you specific guidance.

Be sure to use the search tool to see if you can find answers that have already been given.

Keep on working on your reading skills and keep listening to the pros. Those are two great ways to get there. Also, if you can get a good teacher and even join a jazz band at school or elsewhere, those steps will take you far.

Finally, there are lots and lots of books that can offer you great insight. Rufus Reid's "The Evolving Bassist" is a great one.

Good luck!

Get your head immersed in the style. Pay attention to the bass player, but also pay lots of attention to the other players, how they cue and their rhythmic expression. Current favorite artists:

Michael Brecker (with Charlie Haden)
John Patitucci
Kenny Drew Quartet (with Niels Pedersen on bass)
Stan Getz
Bill Evans Trio (Scott LaFaro)

thanks:) i understand...can you recommend me a few books, please? :bassist: :)

buy this book

http://www.amazon.com/Building-Walking-Bass-Lines-Friedland/dp/0793542049

Ed Friedland has some good books in publication. If you are new to reading then you may want to try the Hal Leonard Bass Method (in three volumes) that he edited.

What bassists are you currently listening to? In the fusion genre Jeff Berlin and Jaco Pastorius are two biggies (fusion is a very big word, too).

Welcome to Talkbass. You will have a good time here.

:bassist:

Welcome to Talkbass.
I'm current at school for Jazz, and what we've done so far is Blues.
Start with blues, and learn to walk over the chords. Holding down a solid, quarter note groove.

1-3-5-b7 usually over 7ths chords.

That being said, learn your scales, modes, arpeggios, as many octaves as you can. It will help you so much.

-Mark

Welcome to Talkbass.
I'm current at school for Jazz, and what we've done so far is Blues.
Start with blues, and learn to walk over the chords. Holding down a solid, quarter note groove.

1-3-5-b7 usually over 7ths chords.

That being said, learn your scales, modes, arpeggios, as many octaves as you can. It will help you so much.

-Mark

What he said.

:bassist:

I'm currently listening [Weather Report(Jaco), The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Gary Willis, Wooten, Miller,John Patitucci, Chick Corea... and legends Coltrane and Miles...and myself:smug:
Thanks!

I'm currently listening [Weather Report(Jaco), The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Gary Willis, Wooten, Miller,John Patitucci, Chick Corea... and legends Coltrane and Miles...and myself:smug:
Thanks!

Better get some Mingus in there. Check out Michael Manring, too.

:bassist:

I'm currently listening [Weather Report(Jaco), The Mahavishnu Orchestra, Gary Willis, Wooten, Miller,John Patitucci, Chick Corea... and legends Coltrane and Miles...and myself:smug:
Thanks!

Oscar Peterson, Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, and Pat Metheny!!!!


-Mark

thanks:) i understand...can you recommend me a few books, please? :bassist: :)

I would recommend :

Jazz Bass - by Ed Friedland

This covers all the basics you need to know - not just walking lines - and I have leant my copy to several bass players new to Jazz!

I want to learn jazz badly, I'm also very new to it. Recently I decided to go ahead and buy some jazz records, and I got myself a real book as well. I've been playing for a little under 3 years, and I've picked up some basic theory here and there. I feel that I have the tools now, but I just don't know how to use them effecively for practice. Allow me to elaborate a bit on my situation.

Regarding scales, chords, and modes:

I know what an one octave major/minor scale pattern looks like on the fretboard, but I don't necessarily know the names of each note. I'm able to either work them out on paper, by counting the intervals, or by simply looking at the fretboard. However, I don't have the notes memorized in my head. Same goes for major/minor triads, and the modes. If I'm to have the ability to improvise effectively, should I be able to know the names of each note, within a given a scale, mode, chord, octave ad infinitum, in every key conceivable? That seems a lot to memorize.

So my real book arrived today, the first thing I did was look through the index, and find some songs that I had on cd. I found several, and I decided to try "Freddie Freeloader" on for size. So I had a look at the chart, and proceeded to put the song on, I was able to follow the chord progession, by playing chord tones as quarters or swung 8ths, but after a while my playing just sounded uninspired, and I didn't feel that I was benefiting from this exercise, because I was merely rehasing what I already knew. Maybe I'm jumping into improvisation too soon.

On Transcribing:
I've never seriously worked on my ear before, perhaps this is something I should start right now? I was hoping someone could recommend a jazz standard, something relatively easy for a beginner such as myself, that can be found in the real book, so that at least I have the chord progression for reference, instead of guessing blindly.

All in all, I'm itching badly to learn this thing called jazz, and I don't what to do, and where to go from here. HELP!

So my real book arrived today, the first thing I did was look through the index, and find some songs that I had on cd. I found several, and I decided to try "Freddie Freeloader" on for size. So I had a look at the chart, and proceeded to put the song on, I was able to follow the chord progession, by playing chord tones as quarters or swung 8ths, but after a while my playing just sounded uninspired, and I didn't feel that I was benefiting from this exercise, because I was merely rehasing what I already knew. Maybe I'm jumping into improvisation too soon.



Freddie Freeloader is a more or less straight 12-bar Blues - just one chord different in the turnaround!

But yes - the point is a good one - don't practice what you can already do - practice what you can't do yet!!