Practicing Tunes

[Kobea]

Hello Janek. I'm having a bit of a problem practicing tunes by myself. For example, right now I'm about to start working on Fly Me to the Moon, All of You, So What, and 'Round Midnight for a jam session this weekend. I either practice without music or will use Band in a Box, but either of these options aren't really that good. When I use Band in a Box, everything is so straight and everything is played exactly as written from the Fake Book. When I get to the jam session, it's a bit more free. So I am wondering what is the best way to practice as a bass player working on jazz standards?

[janekbass]

As a basic entry point into any music where the harmony is moving like the standards you mentioned I would do the following.

For each chord in the sequence I would play quarter notes on the root, 3rd, 5th and 7th of the chord. Move through the entire song with the metronome on playing all the chord tones of each chord in the root position. Once you have that together try moving through the entire progression starting on the 3rd of each chord. Go through as many combinations as you can think of with this basic chord tone structure. Make sure you remember to work on descending patterns as well as ascending, and make sure you play combinations of patterns where you don't just do root position all the way through. Try cycling through Root, 3rd, 5th and 7th as your starting points. and try doing that through the song, so not only are the chords changing with the harmony of the song, but your exercise is changing for each chord too. Make sure you also start each four note grouping on all four fingers in the left hand. This will make sure that wherever you are on the fingerboard you will always have a shape ready for the most common chord qualities that can be found in standards.

I would stay well clear of band in a box, and always play these songs from memory. You don't need to be looking down at a sheet of paper when you're trying to create music. Once you learn a few basic standards you'll start to hear similarities between songs written in this style. You'll become more and more familiar with the sound of the ii-v-i progression, and you'll be able to pick up more and more tunes by ear, and store them in your memory without even thinking about it.

Working on the exercises with a metronome is very important. If you're looking for a swing feel, always set the metronome on 2 and 4. I highly recommend checking out this Pat Metheny youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTrxDxX18lE

and listen to how he has the metronome set to 2 and 4 and makes it really swing. The tune is an ornette Colmeman blues called turnaround.

Easy,

Janek

[needmoney]

Great points Janek, exactly the method I was taught for learning standards.

Though I'm interested by your Band in a Box comment. I tend to do the 7th chord drill unaccompanied with the 'nome until I've got a grasp on all the chord tones, and then for rhythmic improvisation using the chord tones I'll just throw on Band in a Box to play along to. Do you think it would be more beneficial improvising around the chords with just the metronome?

[janekbass]

working with just a metronome on 2 and 4 will make you far more responsible for your own time in the long run as you develop that side of your playing.

Easy,

Janek

[needmoney]

Once again, thanks!

[aks_29]

My teacher suggested playing along with actual recordings (not backing tracks). That way it's really similar to playing with actual people except that the people you're playing with can be some of the best at what they do. I've found that this works well just for practicing walking with a drummer.

Of course, every lesson he tells me to practice the other stuff with a metronome as well.

[Jim Lambie]

Janek, this is powerful advice. I'm enjoying your section of the forum. I just bought your Mystery To Me....excellent recording! I appreciate your approach and enthusiasm to share it!

Thanks,
Jim

[dafra]

Hello,

Do you know where I can find a site with a good bass chords index?

Thanks !

[janekbass]

I would suggest transcribing chords you hear on albums and working them out on the bass yourself. The less information you get from a book, and the more you soak up from listening to music the better your playing is going to be.

Take just two notes at a time to start off with. A root and a third/tenth which is either minor or major. Take a G major scale and play all the notes of that scale on the E-string, and as you move up the neck of the bass play the corresponding 10th on the G-String. the sequence will go maj, min, min, maj, maj, min, min, and resolve on the one chord which is maj again. this is just a basic major scale played in 10ths and is a great starting point for chords on the bass, and a great exercise to work in all 12 keys.

then expand this vocabulary by adding other chord tones and tensions to the chord voicings you're playing. Expansion of your harmony will come from transcribing different chord voicings from albums.

Easy,

Janek

[Snarf]

Regarding the Band in a Box thing, I used to really push that as a great tool, but in the last year or so I've come to realize that it tends to "dry up" your feel if you use it too much. Since there's no dynamics in the program, I found that as a result I wasn't very dynamic in my playing. It's important to swing hard, use pull offs, etc to get a great feel going. Band in a Box will more likely hinder that.

Eddie Gomez pointed that stuff out to me. He said younger players just don't swing very hard. I looked at how I practice and it makes sense why. Just gotta play with more swing, more dynamic tension and release.