Don't play the thirds? - Page 5

Roadkill · #81 11-30-2012, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ACalbass

I mean, why are you guys in a band after all?

I'd guess half or so of the guys posting on TB aren't - it's considered impolite to point out why

.

Russell L · #82 11-30-2012, 10:28 AM

This thread is confusing as hell. Look, I play in three bands, one of which is the host band for a blues jam. I have a degree in music theory also. Doesn't mean I know everything, I don't. But this I KNOW, sometimes it's best to NOT play certain things. Perhaps this is what the guy had in mind just for a tune. Otherwise, of course thirds can be played in walking bass lines. In other lines that don't move around as much a third that stays put too long has the effect of making the chord sound like it's in first inversion. That sound would not always be appropriate, depending on the song. You certainly don't hear many inverted chords in blues like that. (If you don't know what inversions are, look it up rather than make me explain it here and now).

It would be good if the OP could ask that guy why he said that.

henry2513 · #83 11-30-2012, 11:02 AM

I don't think there's any animosity, I just found it strange that the trumpet player was advising the op to do something that doesn't make any sense. It's not like he was playing the 11th over a dom/maj chord etc.

Roadkill · #84 11-30-2012, 11:28 AM

While I don't mind if yous guys have more useful tips or just want to beat up on this dead horse I think I got what I need out of it. As I may have mentioned I do have enough music theory to know what most things are but not the why of things like the indeterminate third which also explains some jazz chord progressions I've seen

. I'm also far from internalizing all that I've read

but working on it

. Thanks all!

prd004 · #85 12-01-2012, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roadkill

While I don't mind if yous guys have more useful tips or just want to beat up on this dead horse I think I got what I need out of it. As I may have mentioned I do have enough music theory to know what most things are but not the why of things like the indeterminate third which also explains some jazz chord progressions I've seen

. I'm also far from internalizing all that I've read

but working on it

. Thanks all!

This is talkbass, where dead horses get resurrected, beaten to death again and again!
:-D

Anonymatt · #86 12-01-2012, 09:58 AM

You know, I was thinking about this thread. There was this one dude who said, I'll paraphrase, "You should try doing whatever it takes to make this guy happy the next time you play with him."

I think this is the best advice to try. So regardless of what you think you ought to play or not play or what you think the role of the bass should be for the jam, you should make this guy happy. Maybe that's already what you're doing. If one went at it any other way, they'd miss an opportunity to learn something. Even if the trumpet player's a dope, you'd be learning from yourself by trying to compromise your playing w/ his.

SkylineFiver · #87 12-06-2012, 12:39 PM

The 3rd is second note played by the bass player in 90% of all blues jams.

Maybe he was refering to 3rds(10ths actually) the way Marcus Miller and Chuck Rainey are famous for.

M Sterling · #88 12-06-2012, 12:56 PM

I've heard this before, but mainly on modal type tunes. When you're comping through a set of changes, the third and other color tones can help your bassline with some melodic movement. On modal tunes, a lot of horn players like to keep the quality somewhat ambiguous and if you are hammering out a major third every other measure, it limits how they can explore that ambiguity.

John Coltrane was known for replacing guys if they restricted his harmonic explorations by spelling out the quality (major/minor) too clearly.

**Ric5** · #89 12-06-2012, 01:05 PM

Don't play thirds?

I guess he doesn't like James Gang ...

lustersilk · #90 12-06-2012, 01:06 PM

This has been an excellent read - thank you all very much

Roadkill · #91 12-06-2012, 01:27 PM

Yes, thanks again for all the opinions

! I'm actually sitting here watching the video I shot down at the Mohegan Sun Wolf Den last Monday of one of the bands that trumpet player is in - awesome place to do video

.

bassinplace · #92 12-06-2012, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ric5

Don't play thirds?

I guess he doesn't like James Gang ...

*rimshot!*

jeffbonny · #93 12-06-2012, 02:01 PM

So at this point what do you think he was after with such an out of the ordinary request?

Roadkill · #94 12-06-2012, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffbonny

So at this point what do you think he was after with such an out of the ordinary request?

Just that he and the sax player wanted to mess around with the quality and I should grow some damn ears, listen, and at least stay out of the way - scales are for wienies

.