Question for Ed Friedland

bassdog · #1 04-17-2010, 07:00 AM

Ed, I was wondering if it is appropriate to open a discussion and/ask questions about your Bass Improvisation book on this Forum of should that be on you website? I have begun working through this book. I find it very challenging and have a few questions as I go. BTW, your Slap dvd really got me going a few years back. I appreciate all you bring to bass education and information. Bassdog

sedgwick1489 · #2 04-19-2010, 08:44 AM

Hey Bassdog,
I realize you are looking for Ed's reply, but wanted to throw out there that I've worked through Ed's Bass Improv. book so if you have some thoughts you want to throw out here for discussion I'd be game. I may not have the answers you're looking for, but it might be good discussion and idea sharing.

bassdog · #3 04-20-2010, 04:55 PM

Hey sedgwick1489,

Great. Thanks. I probably should have just gone to Ed's site for this question first. Maybe we can start a discussion here. I am finding the book challenging and helpful. Lots of stuff to work on for a while it seems. I'm on exercise 12 after going through all the prelim. Taking it slowly. I may go back and start again though. Bd

sedgwick1489 · #4 04-21-2010, 10:07 AM

Hey Bassdog,
One tip for Ex. 12 - Ed makes a statement on page 25 about finding short melodic fragments from each scale. I think this is a key statement for this section. Try playing three note groups such as 12321 then 32123 or 34543 then 54345. You will find these scale fragments more melodic than the scale itself.

edfriedland · #5 04-22-2010, 01:29 AM

Hi! Glad you're digging into Bass Improv. There is no place on my website to discuss as I don't have a forum, or comments section. But I'm happy to answer your questions here. Sedgwick's comment about using smaller melodic fragments is a good idea... Anyway, fire away. I will try to stay in touch, I don't always remember to look on TB for questions.

Ed Fuqua · #6 04-22-2010, 05:43 AM

Hey Ed, it's Ed! You can "subscribe" to this thread so that you can get an e-mail notification if someone posts something new. When you post a response/reply, scroll down and look for the Thread Subscription window and choose what Notification you'd like.
See ya!

monroe55 · #7 04-22-2010, 06:44 AM

I'm a big fan of Eds improv book too.
I love this quote from the advertisement of Ed's blues book from the website.

"After you've learned everything in this book, you'll be ready to hit the local blues jam and do it right. A whole world of $50 gigs in smoke filled bars will be yours for the taking."

That cracks me up.

edfriedland · #8 04-22-2010, 06:57 AM

I should have added - "playing for drunks".

bassdog · #9 04-25-2010, 07:45 PM

Ed, you are a treasure. Yes those blues bar gigs can get old fast. Fortunately I am not stuck doing much of that.

I'm looking number 13 and 14 tonight. 13 comes easily since those scales are all in the C major. It is pretty easy and fun to improv those chord changes given what I am learning, but 14 is tough for me. I'm not sure if I am identifying the key centers properly and am sort of going "huh?". Maybe I'm just spent from 3 gigs with three different groups this weekend.

Looks like measure 1 1/2 is C major (C (I) Dm (ii) Em (iii)). Then there is the A7 chord. That's a V7. Would that be key of D for 2 beats? (I hear that little thing you do on the track for those beats. A little Em run to D) Then the Dm (ii) and G7 (V7) in meas 3 and 4. Key of C for those two meas.? So the scales would be from C major for meas 1-4?

I hope this makes some sense. Good night and regards to all. Bob

varunkapahi · #10 04-25-2010, 11:33 PM

slightly off topic, Ed you have written some fantastic books on reggae, walking - jazz, blues styles! but if am not mistaken there is no dedicated book on funk right? i guess all of us would love to see one sometime in the future, one based on funk just like your other books covering all the details/styles along with backing tracks and awesomenss

i had this thought a while back so i thought why not just post it here!
and really thanks for all the information, gear reviews and amazing books and video lessons

bassdog · #11 04-26-2010, 05:38 AM

Hey varunkapahi. Ed's Slap bass dvd covers the funk pretty well. Bob

varunkapahi · #12 04-26-2010, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassdog

Hey varunkapahi. Ed's Slap bass dvd covers the funk pretty well. Bob

hmm i mean to study the whole lot of funk not just the slap kind of funk

edfriedland · #13 04-26-2010, 08:57 AM

Yeah, that would be a fun book to write. Not sure if it will happen or not. My publisher has a few title that cover that area, Funk Bass (which is slap) and Funk Fusion Bass (which is more fingerstyle) by Jon Leibman. They are good books, and typically the publisher tries not to double up on subjects. Plus, there is The Funkmasters about James Brown's rhythm sections by Dr. Licks, another awesome book by him....

SteveC · #14 04-26-2010, 09:01 AM

Ed does great books. Very well written, good info, well presented. I would say the same for his video demos on You Tube. Makes me want to buy everything he demos.

varunkapahi · #15 04-26-2010, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edfriedland

Yeah, that would be a fun book to write. Not sure if it will happen or not. My publisher has a few title that cover that area, Funk Bass (which is slap) and Funk Fusion Bass (which is more fingerstyle) by Jon Leibman. They are good books, and typically the publisher tries not to double up on subjects. Plus, there is The Funkmasters about James Brown's rhythm sections by Dr. Licks, another awesome book by him....

i understand that but your books are of totally different kind, a bit of funk stuff was covered in the bass grooves book i have like the JB groove, meters groove, etc but fingerstyle syncopated funk is indeed pretty tricky to really understand very well you know. anywho if you do come up with it i'd be getting a copy for sure!

bassdog · #16 05-14-2010, 05:38 AM

Can anybody help me figure out the key center stuff going on in number 14 and how to practice to this track?

bassdog · #17 05-17-2010, 02:57 PM

Ok, I think I'm getting it. Been stuck here for a while. Put the book down and did some other practicing. Then came back. Time to move on. Bd

edfriedland · #18 05-19-2010, 11:04 AM

Always better when you figure it out for yourself!

bassdog · #19 05-20-2010, 06:42 PM

Yes, I know. Tough love bro.

bassdog · #20 06-06-2010, 11:40 AM

I am working on numbers 19 and 20 now but keep refering back to number 12 and play it as an exercise every few days. That's the one where you play through I-vi-ii-V in Bb but start on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th mode each time through. It has been very helpful in getting me to think differently and play the expanded chord, not just root movement. Solos are getting much more interesting. Bob