The Real Book - Volume 1, Bass Clef Edition

Rico509 · #1 05-03-2009, 07:40 PM

Does anyone have this book? I have been playing for a couple months, going through the Hal Leonard books I really like them. I just started the scales and figure I could use some real songs to go along with them so I don't get bored out of my mind with the memorization.

Berklee Music Theory, Book 1

Similar question. Anyone have this book?

Jactap · #2 05-03-2009, 07:50 PM

I have it. I also have it in Bb.

Asher S · #3 05-03-2009, 08:32 PM

I have the Real Book Vol 1- bass clef too- it's a great way to practice sight reading too. If you don't know the tunes, there are a few websites that will let you hear samples.

Sway420 · #4 05-03-2009, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asher S

I have the Real Book Vol 1- bass clef too- it's a great way to practice sight reading too. If you don't know the tunes, there are a few websites that will let you hear samples.

I was actually just thinking that. I have the realbook and want to practice my sight reading, but its hard to get a feel for the songs if you've never heard em. Do you have any recommendations for places to hear these tunes?

SundanceChile · #5 05-03-2009, 08:56 PM

I had heard that the Bass clef edition had some messed up transcriptions.

So I got the standard. I just read the chord changes anyway, so yeah. Can anybody else confirm my above statement?

Jim Carr · #6 05-03-2009, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sway420

I was actually just thinking that. I have the realbook and want to practice my sight reading, but its hard to get a feel for the songs if you've never heard em. Do you have any recommendations for places to hear these tunes?

Besides reading them at the KB, I recommend you collect cds and mp3s and links. Go hear live Jazz.

Search on the titles.

Googled Joy Spring youtube, and got Clifford Brown: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJcuwurIwhQ

vyse933 · #7 05-03-2009, 09:03 PM

You should get the regular book and learn to read treble. (Assuming you can read bass cleff)

Asher S · #8 05-03-2009, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sway420

I was actually just thinking that. I have the realbook and want to practice my sight reading, but its hard to get a feel for the songs if you've never heard em. Do you have any recommendations for places to hear these tunes?

I also recommend collecting CD's and/or purchasing individual tunes, however to get just an idea about a tune, you can listen to partial samples of a variety of recordings for many jazz standards here:

http://jazzstandards.com/compositions/index.htm

fish slapper · #9 05-03-2009, 09:21 PM

I have both the bass clef and the treble. Easier for me to read bass clef, but I've heard many times suggested to bring a treble clef one to a jam in case something gets called that you have to share your book. My big trouble is that in my Jazz combo we use Vol II as well and I only have that in treble, so I have to tell myself to switch to treble if we do a song from that one. Confused? yup. My point.

RyRob813 · #10 05-03-2009, 09:22 PM

+1 to everything said here,

but I have the book, and for someone that has never played or really listened to jazz before, it's a great tool. The melody line's there, so I can just sight read that to get something of a feel for the tune, and then read through the changes.

I'd recommend it. (although as a music geek, the legality of the whole thing kinda bums me out....)

Rico509 · #11 05-03-2009, 10:20 PM

http://www.bassemporium.com/item.php?sku=HL00240226

Sorry, I just realized that there are two versions of this book floating around the legal one and the not legal one. The link above is for the legal version where apparently Hal has fixed the mistakes in it. I don't know anything about jazz, I just wanted something to do over the summer that didn't involve just doing memorization. I guess I wanted something tangible for my work so far besides being able to play the little practice tunes from my other book. Plus there is always the ulterior motive that I have.

rditmars · #12 05-04-2009, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SundanceChile

I had heard that the Bass clef edition had some messed up transcriptions.

Given the tendency for jazz artists to reharmonize tunes, I don't know if "messed up" is the right description.

For example, I've been working with my teacher on Monk's "'Round Midnight" first with the version in Aebersold's Monk volume. Looked at the Real Book, and some of the changes were different. I have a few recordings of the tune, one from The Harper Brothers "You Can Hide Inside the Music" and two versions from the Miles' 2 CD release of "Round About Midnight" including a live version with Monk. All use slightly different changes.

The Harper Brothers version most closely matches the Real Book transcription. The Aebersold version seems to be a hybridization of different versions. In any case, it is has been a good lesson to look at the different versions and try to learn why the different harmonic approaches "work."

Buogon · #13 05-04-2009, 11:00 AM

If you get the sixth edition , you can also buy the real book play alongs for that volume
and hear most of the songs . The play alongs have 3 cd's with 20 songs on each cd.
I just got volume I L-R that's 60 songs, a great way to hear the tunes and play with them.

rditmars · #14 05-04-2009, 11:03 AM

Thanks, Buogon, I'll check those out.

Buogon · #15 05-04-2009, 11:19 AM

They also have the sixth edition on CD rom, where you can put on your computer and view all 400 songs print them and give to your band members to use.

rditmars · #16 05-04-2009, 11:23 AM

One thing I noticed in the Amazon comments is that the bass track is not isolated on one channel. Has this affected your ability to use the CDs as a practice tool?

Buogon · #17 05-04-2009, 11:52 AM

Not for me it does'nt, i put my focus on the piano and follow the chord changes.

Rico509 · #18 05-05-2009, 06:18 PM

I started reading some of the reviews on Amazon and now I am kind of worried about buying this book. People are talking about having to improv using the chords and all that fun stuff. I want to learn that, but I don't know if I am at that point yet having only two months of practice under my belt.

Classical_Thump · #19 05-05-2009, 11:14 PM

Good stuff! I have the bass clef book and the treble CD. Bass is really handy b/c I am much more comfortable with the clef so I can add the melody to solos and support a lot easier. Definitely worthy pickup

Toronto Bassist · #20 05-06-2009, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sway420

I was actually just thinking that. I have the realbook and want to practice my sight reading, but its hard to get a feel for the songs if you've never heard em. Do you have any recommendations for places to hear these tunes?

That's kind of the point, though. The whole idea behind sightreading is to be able to play a chart cold without having heard the music before. The more sightreading you practice, the more you'll be familiar with different phrases and rhythms, making the process more intuitive as you go.