Getting Back Into Jazz

[Vendele197]

Since this is topic concerning "general bass playing", I believe in goes in this forum. Hopefully I'm right.

Anyways... I've been playing BG for about 3 years now and am looking to get back into jazz playing. I started out playing bass at the end of my sophomore year in high school and ended up playing in my school's Jazz Band and Guitar Ensemble my next two years (played DB as well during my senior year once I found the guts to tackle that instrument). After high school, I started playing rock and metal and kind of forgot about my jazz-y beginnings. Now, I feel like getting back into it and playing at a level of skill higher than what a high school jazz band demands. Basically, I'd like my fellow TBer's advice on how to get there.

Here's what I've started doing:
-I found this thread https://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=522578, and have started brushing up on my walking bass technique. I've been working on transposing the ii-V-I pages and will then be moving on to the other chord progressions Toronto has posted there.
-I've started working on my scales more, including two octave scales and modes

What else should I be doing? My ultimate goal is to play at the level of the bass players you regularly see playing in jazz clubs. Since I'm a few months shy of 20, I still have some time before I can actually play in a jazz club, but that's where I'd like to be sometime in the near-ish future. Are there any books I should pick up, any standards that I should have committed to memory, any resources I should look up/locate, etc.?

Thanks in advance.

[Chris K]

In the field of theory you're doing fine I would say. I would try to visit jam sessions where they play Realbook jazz. Ask for a list of the standard jazz tunes they often play. Once you get some experience, you'll sound find out which theoretical stuff you need to study next.

[Vendele197]

Luckily, theory is my strong point. Right now it seems like I just need to work up my chops, again, and start applying my theory knowledge to some actual charts.

[Ed Fuqua]

Kevin's not that much older than you, maybe you want to e-mail him see what it is he found that worked and what was kind of pointless.
This music isn't particularly about chops (just listen to Charlie Haden), it's more about a kind of communication. Working on playing scales in two octaves and paying particular attention to position shifts and string crossing, making sure no one finger that you are plucking with is favored, working on arpeggio exercises in all inversions and open and closed positions, all of that is great for getting some of this in your ear and a certain familiarity with the fingerboard. But you need to augment your work on understanding (theory) and physical approach (technique) with some ear training. And some pretty formal approach, not just pulling stuff off records, actually sitting at the keyboard and playing and singing intervals in the first octave, second octave, triads in all inversions in closed and open positions, 4 parts, 4 parts and a tension, 4 parts with two tensions. Teachers (well good teachers) are great at working through all of this stuff with you.
I've written a book on the fundamentals of building a walking bass line, here, that might help with direction....

[thudfromafar]

^^I actually bought that book not too long ago. And it's great... recommended!

Figures the guy who wrote it is active on talkbass

[Rudreax]

If you can, I think you might want to find some more experienced jazz bass players in your area (BG or UB) and study with them. Also, go to as many jazz concerts as you can get listen to the music.

[Vendele197]

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

Kevin's not that much older than you.

What's kind of funny to me is that my name is Kevin as well.

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

sitting at the keyboard and playing and singing intervals in the first octave, second octave, triads in all inversions in closed and open positions, 4 parts, 4 parts and a tension, 4 parts with two tensions.

And here I thought I was done with 4 part stuff... At least I'm familiar with 4 part writing, voice leading, inversions, etc.

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

Teachers (well good teachers) are great at working through all of this stuff with you.

Sadly, my school/work schedule and current financial situation does not facilitate studying with somebody. Hopefully that will change in the near future.

Thanks, though, for the advice. I will look into the suggested book.

[Ed Fuqua]

Think of it as investing in yourself. All of us have lives - job, girlfriend, mortgage etc. - but if it's important to you, you find a way.
Or not, it's your life.

[basskopf]

Ed Friedland has a fantastic book called Building Walking Bass Lines, published by Hal Leonard. I recommend it highly.
There is a bass version of the Real Book bass as well, but this won't help you with theory. It will however give you many jazz standards with the chord progressions and the melody in bass clef.

[basskopf]

Also try "Jazz Basss" by Ed Friedland, same publisher.

[Ed Fuqua]

Originally Posted by Vendele197

What's kind of funny to me is that my name is Kevin as well.

Do you play like him, too?

[Vendele197]

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

Do you play like him, too?

Not yet. Working on it.

[Ed Fuqua]

Kevin is too. With a teacher.

[Vendele197]

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

Kevin is too. With a teacher.

Yes, I understand that studying with a teacher is preferable. However, my work/school schedule keeps me busy from 5am-10pm with only a few hour long or so breaks during that time. At some point I will probably begin studying with a teacher, but for now I'm looking for things I can do on my own between the hours of 10pm and 5am, hours most teachers are unavailable.

[Ed Fuqua]

OK, good luck with that.
Have a blessed day.

[bassplayertom77]

Real Book, Real Book, Real Book. And if that doesn't help...Real Book.