Good tips for learning jazz and preparing for audition

[McHaven]

I'm at university and really missing playing with an ensemble. I don't have much opportunity to play with my band at home, and I'm debating auditioning for the jazz band here. I don't have much experience with jazz. About as far as I ever got was learning "So What?".

I know the audition process here is playing off of chord charts and then I believe soloing over a progression. So obviously, I'll need to brush up on my scales and chord structures. I'm rather hopeless when it comes to jazzier chords since I pretty much only ever learned typical Major/Minor/Pentatonic scales (coming from a rock background).

I was a music major my freshman year (tuba), so I'm not totally lost in theory so I do understand the meanings of the chord symbols and structures, I just need to practice them on the fretboard and work on putting different chords together.

So aside from just practicing chords/scales/voices, does anyone have any tips for preparing for a jazz audition? Pieces to learn, extra knowledge to know, etc?

Thanks
Mick

[Asher S]

Listen to as much jazz as you can, listen to what you like, and have a look at The Total Jazz Bassist by David Overthrow- great book for all you are looking to do:

[Jason Hollar]

Yeah Mick -- there are also some great thread topics over on the DB side.

My favorite books on learning bass lines are by Rufus Reid, Todd Coolman, Ray Brown, etc.

Also buy a few Aebersold methods -- especially the ones with transcribed bass lines.

Your bass and your tuba will thank you! ; )

[Zombbg4]

Yea anyway...what I would first recomend is to learn the four basic chords- major,minor,dominant, and diminished. When you see a chord marking, simply arppegiate the chord if its for the entire bar, or root 3rd/root 7th if its for half a bar. Practice this SLOWLY, its a lot to wrap your head around at first. Once you're comfortable with that, add in a chromatic passing note a half step away from the next chord. This is the best way to start walking over chord changes. Once you get a grasp on that start listening to some of the greats and how they walk over chords, study it and try to copy them.

That should get you rolling anyway, but a teacher is very helpfull for learning jazz as it's difficult at first. Best of luck man!

[Mark Wilson]

I've deleted all the posts, so if you made one, and it's gone, that's why.

Seriously you guys, grow up.

[McHaven]

Thanks Mark.

Anyway, I've managed to find an instructional book in my school's music library. It's "How to Play Jazz Basslines" by Clarence Jackson.

It goes over building lines in the style of Ray Brown, Ron Carter, and Paul Chambers. So far it looks pretty good and I'll be hitting it real heavy soon.

[COOL AND DEADLY]

I'm glad the poster posted this. I play reggae and have been digging into jazz and fusion lately. I am 38 and am starting to learn about jazz just now. A teacher showed me a common chord progression of 5-1-2. An example is Emin- G 7 - and C maj. You are familiar with the minor and major chord structure, the G 7 (called dominant) is like a major chord with a flat seventh. This stuff is new to me too, and I'm not looking at my notes now, so if I have relayed any misinformation feel free to correct me. Please do so respectfully, not like that other guy, Johnny Stingray.

[lowb1970]

Originally Posted by COOL AND DEADLY

I'm glad the poster posted this. I play reggae and have been digging into jazz and fusion lately. I am 38 and am starting to learn about jazz just now. A teacher showed me a common chord progression of 5-1-2. An example is Emin- G 7 - and C maj. You are familiar with the minor and major chord structure, the G 7 (called dominant) is like a major chord with a flat seventh. This stuff is new to me too, and I'm not looking at my notes now, so if I have relayed any misinformation feel free to correct me. Please do so respectfully, not like that other guy, Johnny Stingray.

Hi and thanks for the information. I believe you may have been meaning the ii V I progression which is a very prominent chord progression used in jazz. In the key of C that would be dmin7, G7 & CMaj7. Best wishes with your studying.

[Asher S]

Originally Posted by McHaven

Thanks Mark.

Anyway, I've managed to find an instructional book in my school's music library. It's "How to Play Jazz Basslines" by Clarence Jackson.

It goes over building lines in the style of Ray Brown, Ron Carter, and Paul Chambers. So far it looks pretty good and I'll be hitting it real heavy soon.

Excellent- try to have a listen to Ron Carter's album "Stardust", particularly track #4, "Bohemia After Dark", track #6, "Blues In the Closet", and track 7 "That's Deep". Ron is a master, as were Ray Brown and Paul Chambers.

Listening to a lot of the greats, especially the albums you like, is a great way to get the feel of great jazz bass in your head, and then out via your bass. It's addictive...

[Johnny StingRay]

Below is a link to what are called "Vanilla Changes" for jazz standards. The person breaks down the songs into some very straight forward chord changes. They would be good to help develop some really nice, tight walking lines.

May I recommend these tunes to work on:
Ain't Misbehavin'
Autumn Leaves
Body and Soul
Come Rain or Come Shine
Don't Get Around Much Anymore
Easy To Love
Giant Steps
Honeysuckle Rose
I've Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
Mood Indigo
Perdido
Satin Doll
Take The A Train

Since you have a good amount of time to practice, if you learn these tunes you should be very prepared for any jazz ensemble audition.

I also recommend that you purchase Ed Friedland's "Building Walking Bass Lines". Excellent, solid instruction on putting together very solid basslines. It comes with a CD that you can play along to and a section at the end of examples of standard/common jazz progressions.

Here's the link for "Vanilla Changes": http://ralphpatt.com/Song.html

Good luck.

[COOL AND DEADLY]

Low B 1970- Yes, that is it, I went back and looked at my notes last night. I had a feeling I was off on the Emin. It is definetly ii V I. Thanks , man!