looking into getting into jazz

[jcphockey16]

i love jazz and i want to get into jazz at my school but don't really know much about jazz what should i know to get started? (stuff like scales)

[Deacon_Blues]

Know your scales, arpeggios and the most basic modes. Also learn chord theory, so you can identify all notes in any chord given. Then practice along the play-along records by Jamie Aebersold. Start with turnaround exercises like ii-V-I's (volume 3 in the Aebersold series). It is the basis for most of the jazz there is. Then move on to play real songs, like jazz standards. Also play some jazz-influenced pop or funk.

That should get you started. (And that is approximately how far I've come in the learning jazz process...)

[Freddels]

LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN, and LISTEN some more to as much jazz as you can. Early Miles, Parker, and anything with Paul Chambers or Ray Brown on it.

[steve66]

Get yourself the free demo of Band in a Box. It comes with a few practice chord progressions. You can create your own progressions also. I have been checking it out lately and I think I am going to buy the full version since the demo is limited

[jcphockey16]

thanks for the info guys

[gloveskates]

Learn blues scales, modes, maybe even some pentatonics. But in jazz sooo much is improvisational and dont be constricted to just using these scales, listen to your bass, and play you feel. Play whatever emotion your feeling when you improvise. because the music that is being played will give you that emotion to work off and it'll all fit together nicely.

[chicagodoubler]

If you want to play jazz, you're going to have to learn to walk basslines. Transcribing early cats, especially Paul Chambers, will teach you the vocabulary and concept (not to mention GROOVE) faster than anything else. Just try to write out a chorus a week.

If you don't have a good teacher, get one. If your teacher doesn't make you transcribe, reconsider your situation...



As I say over and over. Books and concept are good, but transcription separates the boys from the men, and the girls from the women.

[hunta]

A lot of learning to play jazz is getting the right sound in your head. Listen to as much old school (traditional) jazz as possible (like Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, John Coltrane. Avoid "modern" stuff like Jaco and MMW to start with). http://www.jimsnidero.com/books/bass_lines.html is a nice easy book of walking bass lines with a CD. The Jazz Conceptions books by Jim Snidero were standard reading/listening material for anyone trying to join the jazz bands at my college. Making the connection between the sounds and the written music are very important, because so much of jazz is in the way it's phrased and accented.

You also want to make sure you learn enough theory at least up to Major Modes, Diatonic Chord Functions, Chromatic Alterations (appogiaturas, neighbor tones, retardations, passing tones, suspensions, escape tones, anticipations), and Secondary Dominants. Learning actual "jazz theory" for chord substitutions, extended chords, proper voicings, etc, is great but you don't HAVE to know it (if you want to be serious about jazz then yes you do have to). Most instruments can get away playing jazz from a chart without knowing any theory at all, but since you're expected to improvise walking lines on bass, you really have to know at least the basics of theory that jazz is built on.

[chicagodoubler]

Hunta has good points.

Theory realllly matters to all bassists- we have to know why we play the notes we play, 24/7.

In my studio, theory is taught as an after effect to the music. I never teach a new concept without analyzing a piece of music by the masters. Do a pile of bass transcriptions and bring them to the best teacher you can find in your area. Before the lesson, circle every area you have a question about. You will walk away with a much deeper understanding for the tradition if you are hungry for answers, rather than being spoon fed lines and concept from a book or lazy teacher.

[grovest]

If you love jazz, then I think you've already started getting in to jazz. Talk to the teacher(s) at your school for specific guidance. Find a good jazz radio station (terrestrial, satellite, or Internet) and have it on all the time. Try walking through a 12-bar blues. (I I I I IV IV I I V IV I I)

[onewebfoot]

If obsessive listening (to extreme) is the baseline, I would further defer to *any* input from others, particularly because it repeats what performing jazz musicians tell me in person. Then I'd add an unknown resource to ask if anyone has used the Jazz Standards Real Book software.

-- My performing jazz guitar playing friend (Brad out of Laguna Beach, CA) told me "Do not buy a bunch of books." His emphasis was on procuring one book on Jazz standards, and he likes the Real Book CD.

-- Two bass players with whom he performs told me to hammer on every conceivable permutation of the chords in a *specific* song.

Todd Johnson's "Practice Document" sticky is not so much focused on jazz specifically, but he would say to have a very specific purpose in mind for anything that you do going in.

And after this, the following website offers an interesting Real Book package, but I've never seen anyone speak to it. www.realbooksoftware.com The creator, Blake, is a very cool guy who has had utmost patience with me and computer problems (my own disk space issues - not having to do with the software). He's working hard on the Mac version now. What I love about this is that it combines original recordings (which people often say to emphasize - learn a piece as originally written/performed), combined with charts and printing functions, and more.

Also pending my complete digestion is a book that has received good marks on TB: "The Total Jazz Bassist" by David Overthrow and Tim Ferguson. The scope and concepts of this book will already have a huge impact on me.

My performance timelines TBD, but open jazz jamming (privately with 2+ others) hoepfully within 3 more months. Aebersold has great stuff often considered standard, as cited. Have fun!

[mutedeity]

I would say, if you want to get into playing jazz, that firstly you need a good grasp of relative tonal theory. From there you need to read as much as possible about jazz composition and ways of thinking. George Russel's lydian dominant theory is an almost essential thing to study, in my opinion. You need to understand the basic concepts of tension and release, the circle of 5ths and 4ths, secondary dominance, chord substitution, voice leading and so on.
Also I think it is helpful to study types of music that are not strictly "jazz", for example 20th century composers like Debussy, Schoenberg, Messiaen and Ives, for example, as well as Latin, African and Indian traditional music and blues and Creole music, since all have had a big impact on the development of what is known as jazz.

[Jazzerbone]

Theory is incredibly important. Bass players use theory knowledge more in jazz than in any other style.

Knowing the style is just as important if not more so. All the right notes mean nothing if you can't swing. I think some one already said this...

Listen, Listen, Listen, Listen, Listen, Listen, Listen, Listen, Listen, Listen, Listen, Listen, Listen, Listen!

+1 Real book software. Got it. Love it.
+1 Abersold

[chicagodoubler]

yes

listen listen listen

theory theory theory


But


talk to the best and busiest bassists out there and they'll tell you the only book you need is your own book of Paul Chambers Ray Brown and Ron Carter transcriptions!

Wanna get your solo chops together? Learn horn solos that *you* transcribe. Cut your own wood and it will warm you twice.

And added bonus to transcribing is that nothing in this world is better for your ear or reading chops.

[Freddels]

Also, get into some old blues. Really learn how to play it. You'll learn how to do walking bass and follow changes by playing the blues.

[DocBop]

Originally Posted by Freddels

Also, get into some old blues. Really learn how to play it. You'll learn how to do walking bass and follow changes by playing the blues.

+100 As I was taught early on... A Blues player can't always play Jazz, but a Jazz player can always play the Blues.

It is a good way to start with trad Blues to internalize the feel and chord movements. Then start expanding the chord progressions like Jazz players do. Great play to start working on Walking Bass and Improv from simple to complex.

[jcphockey16]

thanks for all the good advice

[chicagodoubler]

Yo Doc

I wish alot of the Chicago kids I play with knew the blues....

Every day I am thankful for being born and raised in Memphis!