Walking and soloing and practice.

[jumpinin]

Originally Posted by bassolf

Work on the chords in the tune, play the first arpeggio up second down. When you get this in your fingers try to improvise freely on the chords, attatch them to eachother. Also analyse the chords, look for places where you can use the same scales 2-3-4 bars.

Arpeggiating thru the changes is a good way to work out leading tones. Another good exercise is to play thru the changes using a single note per chord, avoiding roots and fifths. Try to develop rhythmic ideas while sticking to a single note per change. Then try two notes per chord change and so one and so on. Its sort of a Zen like exercise. If you limit yourself to single note per chord change, your mind will usually start drifting off into more involved melodic lines ... the ones that won't come when you try to force yourself to play "a solo".

[Samie]

Originally Posted by Wilbyman

As Ray Brown said (something like) "Play 10 hours a day and everything will work itself out." That is, anything you do on the bass is going to help.
....

LOl, as funny as it sounds there really are no shortcuts. You need to spend quality time big time with your instruments. You need to know all the notes, second nature. You need to know your scales inside out.

...And then you can start walking. Cause there is "walking" and "walking". You just need to transcribe a couple of aebersold bass lines to realice that these guy know what they are doing. How did you come up with that, you often wonder. Add then, the groove, the timing, the swing, the note choice, the drive, the precise tuning etc. . Even if you "learn" how to walk, it might take a lifetime of gigin' to play like that, if you are lucky(it might take 3 lifetimes if not).

[nemo]

Originally Posted by Chris Fitzgerald

Try expanding your concept of what constitutes "covering the changes" to something that... ...and also allows non chord tones on the downbeat that resolve later in the bar.

As for me, I am pretty good at that..





..walks away quietly in awe and with respect, not to disturb the competent players......