Jazz. Need Adivice and Help!!!

jamersonburton · #1 04-07-2013, 04:04 PM

I just got asked to play 4 half hour sets of jazz music; a two hour gig. Mainly standards. I am not very good at reading but if i know where the chord changes are, i can usually hold my ground. My problem? I'll be playing with the best saxaphones/guitarist and pianist in the school and im nervous about my "typical" strategy for walking: root note, fifth or third and then a leading tone to the next chord. I am meeting with a couple of the musicians later for a briefing. But there is probably going to be lots of improv. Im normally a punkrock guy.... is there anything i can do to get a feel for how to walk a bassline? Does it always have to be very complex? Thanks for the patience

but im nervous about stepping into jazz territory, especially with some players who know exactly what theyre doing.

Anonymatt · #2 04-08-2013, 12:47 AM

Use what you know. Stay solid. Only play what you know you'll bring off. Play your chord tones that you know and try to end your bars on a note that's pretty close to the root of the next chord. Think "doom, doom, doom, doom."
Stay cool and keep smiling. You got the spot, so you're the man for the gig. Otherwise they would have went for somebody else or you've misled them about your comfort level with jazz.

JoeWPgh · #3 04-08-2013, 12:57 AM

Get some Miles Davis from the 50's and listen to Paul Chambers. Don't worry so much about the actual lines he plays so much as his time and the 'bounce' he brings to the groove.

Shakin-Slim · #4 04-08-2013, 01:25 AM

There's nothing wrong with your approach. More may be expected from someone with much more training, but root notes on the 1 means nobody is getting lost any time soon!

thehangingmist · #5 04-08-2013, 01:41 AM

hey if you can keep the beat and just walk with only roots and fifths thats wayy better than trying to do more than you can and losing your place in the form and then wondering which measure you are on!
so dont worry about the lines, keep the form! just speaking from my noobish walking over standards experience. and yeah let the audience listen to the sax guy and the pianist, if you have to take some solos again borrow from the melody and chord tones and stick to the form

MarkA · #6 04-08-2013, 01:48 AM

Well, the Jamerson half of your namesake was a jazz player of some accomplishment (including on upright), even if not everyone knows it.

I don't know the setting of the gig or exactly what's expected, but if these guys have any familiarity with your playing and chose you, it must be because they see something in your playing (well, that or no one else could do the gig

).

Be honest with people, but don't sell yourself short. You might have more jazz in you than you think. Maybe see if you can get a little practice time with the guys beforehand.

Here's to stepping outside your comfort zone, without a little bit of which, no progress can be made.

Good luck!

thehangingmist · #7 04-08-2013, 02:00 AM

very awesome stuff from here and theres more in there if you follow the trail
but again you just cant say it enough number of times, keep it simple - stay in the form!

http://scottsbasslessons.com/walking...eginner-1.html

Vakmere · #8 04-09-2013, 09:23 AM

Why would jazzers ask a punker to play 2 hours of jazz? Who knows? Just do it and get the experience. Gotta start somewhere. Then again why do the Phillies get bull pen pitchers who can't pitch to play in the major league? That's another story.............

tmntfan · #9 04-09-2013, 09:31 AM

like others have said get some records and listen. Miles davis is good but I would also recommend some Mingus and Monk as the "sound" of jazz is a bit more present in their music.

your approach to walking sounds like the place to start. Roots on one and arpeggio around to the next chord. you can do some chromatic walk ups/downs too. pentatonic's are your friends... and an easy way to sound hip is to pedal a note.

Have fun with it.

lfmn16 · #10 04-09-2013, 11:34 AM

How long do you have to learn how to play jazz?

fdeck · #11 04-09-2013, 08:34 PM

I think you've got the right approach if you're just diving in without a lot of preparation. Definitely go for it. Another tip is that it's OK to play the same note twice in a row, which cuts in half the number of notes that you need to figure out. Of course this is all just a starting point, and TB'er Ed Fuqua has a book on walking bass that is worth getting if this turns out to be something you're interested in digging into further.