Getting Serious

[robrho1]

Hello,
My name is Al and I am a self taught Bass Player and have been playing at home for a few years. I am taking a more serious and theoretical approach to my Bass playing. I am studying music keys one by one. I am currently studying the key of B. What are some good beginner / intermediate level Jazz, R&B, and Gospel songs I can use as study material? Thanks.

[adamnitti]

Originally Posted by robrho1

Hello,
My name is Al and I am a self taught Bass Player and have been playing at home for a few years. I am taking a more serious and theoretical approach to my Bass playing. I am studying music keys one by one. I am currently studying the key of B. What are some good beginner / intermediate level Jazz, R&B, and Gospel songs I can use as study material? Thanks.

hi al, welcome to the forum! studying keys individually is good, but in my opinion you might cover things in a more efficient manner if you took on a more universal approach that instead had you working individual concepts through all 12 keys in a cycle... in other words, you would study the concept, but then practice it in a new key each day, for example. if you have the funds, i'd also humbly suggest the musicdojo course i teach titled 'jazz improvisation 1'. it is essentially a harmony and theory course for bass players that helps you to learn concepts related to theory that you can use on the bass in a practical manner. i unfortunately don't have tunes that i know of in lists categorized according keys, but as i mentioned before it might be better to approach your studies from a more global perspective. i hope that helps. let me know if you have any other questions-

adam nitti

[Griff]

Originally Posted by adamnitti

hi al, welcome to the forum! studying keys individually is good, but in my opinion you might cover things in a more efficient manner if you took on a more universal approach that instead had you working individual concepts through all 12 keys in a cycle... in other words, you would study the concept, but then practice it in a new key each day, for example. if you have the funds, i'd also humbly suggest the musicdojo course i teach titled 'jazz improvisation 1'. it is essentially a harmony and theory course for bass players that helps you to learn concepts related to theory that you can use on the bass in a practical manner. i unfortunately don't have tunes that i know of in lists categorized according keys, but as i mentioned before it might be better to approach your studies from a more global perspective. i hope that helps. let me know if you have any other questions-

adam nitti

+1

Al, I would highly, and humbly, suggest that you take Mr. Nitti's advice and purchase his learning materials. He is a world class educator and bassist, and I have learned a lot from him in the years past. I have even met him at Victor Wooten's Bass/Nature camps and Adam is an incredibly nice and genuine person. Learning the concepts and fundamentals of music and applying them to all 12 keys is much more efficient and easily understood. Most importantly HAVE FUN during your limitless search for more musical understanding!

God Bless

[Tmoney865]

Keys?

Scales, Scales, Scales. The foundation of all improvisation.

Once the pattern of one scale is learned, it fits anywhere on the Board, this is because of the 4th's Tuning of the Instrument and the ability to shift positions on the neck.

I too am confident that after Adam's studies with Russ Rogers and all of his studies leading up to GSU that even before he was 16 he was able to well define a course of attack on improvisation studies which teach these scale patterns.

Purchasing a "Fake Book" and executing these scales within the melody framework is exactly what Jazz Improv for 2 years in High School and 2 years in college programmed me to do.

The beauty of all of this in the end is that your ear will be trained to hear the Key of a song so you can lay your hand right on to the correct position, and you can join in on the line or lay down your own line at will, even if you have not seen a chart on it.

One day soon you will look back and say "That was it!?" and with confidence you will play more of what you feel.

Peace, Blessings, and Bass