Big Band or Community Orchestra?

[b1644]

My $.017 USD (being from "Canuckistan")...

I played many years in local college and community big bands and they were very worthwhile.

However, playing in the community orchestra for the past 4 or so years has been far more beneficial both for the development of technique and overall "musicianship" (i.e. sight-reading, paying strict attention to dynamics and all the other musical details that *tend* to get *somewhat* overlooked in your *typically* more casual big-band setting).


- Martin

[armybass]

Gotta say orchestra. Builds bow chops, playing is a section helps you learn to listen for phrasing, intonation ect. The benefit you'll gain in your intonation could be worth it alone.

[Paul New]

I don`t know a thing about playing in an orchestra, but I do know that the big-band will do one thing for you, for sure. When you have to keep time, and swing, for 16 players that all have different ideas about what the tempo should be, you will either develop a very solid time-sense, or suffer.

The band I played up until very recently, has a huge book, and most of the charts are transcriptions from the BB era. So that was a good learning experience for me.

[RevJPBass]

I've played in a community orchestra, and I'm currently playing in a big band. I found that I was able to "hide" in an orchestral bass section, and being "The Bass Player" in a swing band forced me to get my, er, manliness together and play out loud. The orchestra made me develop my tone, technique, and counting (there's a lotta rests in orchestral music) In the big band I've learned how to keep a tempo and how to swing. Nuances of technique are often out the window and very secondary to driving the band. So both develop different parts of your all around bass chops. Me, I like the big band because I'm playing music that is part of my DNA, having grown up with parents from the WWII generation.

[vier-personen]

Originally Posted by clink

I use my Arco skills everytime I play with the band.
Arco:
"The long note at the end...."

or is Arco the stick?



Well it does have a bend in it......

I use the acro to shoot the one who wrote down the walking line

but seriously, I´d go to the orchestra. If you´re going to be a professional jazz musician, you probably won´t have the time or chance to play in a classical orchestra, so take it now! IMO there´s a greater chance to play in a big band later...

[chris de bass]

I've played electric bass in big bands since being 16 and after 18 years gratuated to an EUB two years ago.

Everyone at first plays the dots and it takes time to feel swing. As you say being the lone bass in a BB can be daunting but keep the beat and drive the band.

[Ric Vice]

Originally Posted by TroyK

I've decided to spend a year in either a big band or a community orchestra. I believe that either will force me to get my reading together, play some set parts and clean up some technique vs improvising my way through combo jazz, which is 99.9% of what I do now. I get asked to join a variety of one or the other virtually every month, so there are plenty of good options for me.

I will ask my teacher what he things might be better for me and of course, I'll consider time, location and who I feel like I would enjoy spending more time with. All that, not withstanding, however, I'd to see your opinions about which might be more beneficial.

Troy

Troy,
The other essential difference, at least to me is that in an orchestra your "will" is not you're own, since you are playing inside a bass section with other bass players, and there is very little room for interpretation of the actual part. While playing in a the big band is also limiting for all the reasons Sam stated. IMHO a chamber orchestra, playing local musical theater productions, or small jazz ensemble affords the reading experiences that I find useful. But that's just a personal bias. It also depends on how the conductors of these various groups pick their musical selections. It they have a limited scope then your experience will be limited as well.

Ric