i wana play jazz for my school

[\m/cliffB\m/]

ya ya i know probably been posted before but hear me out...

i started playing metal and rock on bass. but since the time iv started iv really transcended on other genres of music. like iv gone out side the world of rock and in to classical and jazz.

im currently studying music theory as a class. its helped me alot understand the fundamentals of the world of jazz and other genres other then rock in general.

i want to join my schools jazz band next year after failing and not making try outs this year i want to be a player ready to take this on next year.

the game isnt that simple i need to work on my chops and my reading

we are a big band style jazz with a rhythm section and brass section to.typical big band i say

we really do covers of jazz songs some standers like miles, glen miller,some swing, latin jazz...you get the idea..

anyhow i want to play jazz and really my teacher says i need to have good sight reading and able to walk a bass line.. to put it in prospective my sheet reading compared to reading English is at a 2nd grade level, im saying i read sheet music like a 2nd grader reads a book haha:

im just want to be a better player, i want to be able to create a walking line, i want to be able to sight read better. so teach me and throw anything you can to help me make jazz band next October

books,tips ,anything helps

[chuck3]

excellent ambition, stick with it.

I'm not an expert in music education. But I would suggest that, in addition to learning to read, you learn to listen and imitate. Get some Oscar Peterson Trio records with Ray Brown on bass and try to follow along. Other TBers can suggest other players to listen to.

Learning to read is good too. But you can learn to walk without reading all the notes.

Good luck with it!

[\m/cliffB\m/]

Originally Posted by chuck3

Learning to read is good too. But you can learn to walk without reading all the notes.

that what the teacher said him and his phd in music lol

any way he told me i can walk with out needing to read the melody but there will be some songs well i will have to learn a riff

[chuck3]

yes, in a big band (which it sounds like what you're trying to get into), you will need to read some of the time. But if you listen and imitate a lot (I would suggest Ray Brown for this purpose), no one will notice if you are straying from the written notes because you will be playing something like the written notes anyway, based on your ear.

Just my .02.

[JimmyM]

lessons from a good jazz teacher are always the best idea if you can swing it. just basically throw yourself into it and learn as much as you can and practice it often. and don't get impatient to learn it all at once. better to to learn one thing well and take your time with it than 20 things not so well because you rushed through them.

[Jon_West]

I have one piece of advice...

BUY THIS BOOK

I had NO jazz chops whatsoever and didn't know where to begin. I bought the book, and a few months later, I was doing regular jazz gigs every two weeks with other amazing musicians.

Best purchase I've made all year.

[\m/cliffB\m/]

Originally Posted by Jon_West

I have one piece of advice...

BUY THIS BOOK

I had NO jazz chops whatsoever and didn't know where to begin. I bought the book, and a few months later, I was doing regular jazz gigs every two weeks with other amazing musicians.

Best purchase I've made all year.

i herd about that book before i probly will get it rigth now i have the real book bass clef edition but alls it is is a bunch of jazz standerds

[fdeck]

Originally Posted by \m/cliffB\m/

i herd about that book before i probly will get it rigth now i have the real book bass clef edition but alls it is is a bunch of jazz standerds

Hang on to the real book. You'll use it later. It's not a good starting point, but after you have figured out the basics of reading and composing walking lines, then learning some standards will make more sense.

[Deathblade Eric]

Originally Posted by chuck3

excellent ambition, stick with it.

I'm not an expert in music education. But I would suggest that, in addition to learning to read, you learn to listen and imitate. Get some Oscar Peterson Trio records with Ray Brown on bass and try to follow along. Other TBers can suggest other players to listen to.

Learning to read is good too. But you can learn to walk without reading all the notes.

Good luck with it!

Too true.

Have a look at Cannonball Adderly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBxAC4ywaJ4

Also worth checking are people like Big Joe Turner & Wynonie Harris. Not Jazz players as such, but I think of them as being at the point where Jump/Jive meets R & B and starts thinking about Rock 'n' Roll. Great sources for walking.

Pete.

[\m/cliffB\m/]

he wants me to learn sight readding because what if he decided to make us to play the song cameleon the bass line is a riff so i need to be able to read sheet so i can sight read the riff

[fdeck]

Your best bet is to start right now, adopt a practice regimen, and spend time every day working through one of the walking bass books (Ed Fuqua, Ed Friedland, etc.). You will probably be impressed by the amount of progress that you have made over the summer. The only hitch for playing written-out bass parts is that they aren't all walking bass, so by the end of the summer, some time with the melodies in the real book might be useful.

And regardless of the jazz band, progress towards reading will add a dimension to your bass playing that might open up opportunities later.

[\m/cliffB\m/]

Originally Posted by fdeck

Your best bet is to start right now, adopt a practice regimen, and spend time every day working through one of the walking bass books (Ed Fuqua, Ed Friedland, etc.). You will probably be impressed by the amount of progress that you have made over the summer. The only hitch for playing written-out bass parts is that they aren't all walking bass, so by the end of the summer, some time with the melodies in the real book might be useful.

And regardless of the jazz band, progress towards reading will add a dimension to your bass playing that might open up opportunities later.

well i need a good book to help me build bass lines

[fdeck]

Both written by TB'ers:

http://www.amazon.com/Walking-Bassic.../dp/1883217504

http://www.amazon.com/Building-Walki.../dp/0793542049

[TheBasicBassist]

Get a good private instructor as well. I know there's a small handful, in New Jersey, of real deal bebop musicians.

[Jazzerbone]

I teach out of Ed Friedland's walking book and the second one "extending walking bass lines" and they are the most effective way I have ever found to teach walking bass lines and the theory involved. Very strongly recomended!!!!!!!!!!!!

[derekd]

Originally Posted by Jon_West

I have one piece of advice...

BUY THIS BOOK

I had NO jazz chops whatsoever and didn't know where to begin. I bought the book, and a few months later, I was doing regular jazz gigs every two weeks with other amazing musicians.

Best purchase I've made all year.

Yep. As I posted on the similar thread, I have helped a number of kids make thier school ensembles, and currently have 4. I pretty much just use this book plus the Real Book. Good luck

[Beginner Bass]

Rufus Reid's "Evolving Bassist" has been a staple for 34 years, and I see no reason it wouldn't work now. I love it.

[MarkMcBass]

Grab a Fake Book! And check out www.bopland.org it has a ton of walking basslines anyone can use all you gotta do is look up Walking Basslines on the site and a ton will show up!

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by \m/cliffB\m/

well i need a good book to help me build bass lines

the chord tones need to be imprinted on your brain and directly connected to your hands too.....i'd get a head start on those,as i would bet that both messrs friedland and fuqua's books will stress those ....