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Jazz musicians tend to try to play ALL the notes that fit (whether they do or not) - you can pretty much justify any note in a jazz context if you invoke enough theory. Bass is jazz is as much a solo instrument as it is an ensemble instrument. Your job is sometimes to make the ensemble sound goo, but also to show off here and there.
Rock musicians play the notes that make the song go places. Bass in rock is a support instrument, which means your job is to make the band sound good, even if it means people don't notice you.
Practice playing to songs that you don't know - put on the radio and play along. For Rock, you need a good ear - being able to play what's needed in unfamiliar context is a great skill to have when you audition, or when your guitarist takes a left turn somewhere, and you need to still sound like a band.
Rock musicians play the notes that make the song go places. Bass in rock is a support instrument, which means your job is to make the band sound good, even if it means people don't notice you.
Practice playing to songs that you don't know - put on the radio and play along. For Rock, you need a good ear - being able to play what's needed in unfamiliar context is a great skill to have when you audition, or when your guitarist takes a left turn somewhere, and you need to still sound like a band.
I recommend watching plenty of footage of big rock shows. Rock and metal are both very performance oriented styles. I played jazz and big band many years ago and play hard rock now. There's a huge difference in stage presence/performance at shows. If you stand on stage like you would playing jazz at a rock show a lot of people are going to think it's boring no matter how good the band is. You have to put on a show so to speak. Move around a little bit, Interact with the crowd and so on. And I think that just comes with the territory. Rock shows are more about the the bands where when I was playing jazz it was mainly governors ball type gigs where we were more so background music.
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The question about originals vs covers is a valid one. Beyond that, it honestly feels like you are grossly overthinking this. There is no need to "unlearn" anything. If covers, just learn the songs. Theory and a good ear can only help with that. If originals, the theory will be invaluable.
I thought the same thing.
It all depends on how you conceptualize theory. In rock it works better, from my experience, to use it to understand a song after you've learned how to play it, rather than using it on the front end to figure the song out.
It's easy to learn rock songs. Listen and repeat. Just like talking. It's basic structure plus fills.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Amen to remember your theory. I play both rock and jazz, and had two years of theory in college. It helps in any genre of music.
Transitioning from Jazz to Rock is like transitioning from surgery to nursing. You're more than qualified.
It takes more than qualification imo. A Formula 1 driver doesn't necessarily get the job because he wants to switch thing up and drive a city bus.
The one thing, as an educated musician, you might want to consider letting go of, for a rock band is the notion of "you can't do that in music". Just do whatever sounds awesome.
Don't unlearn any theory. It will only help you, assuming you have any groove, which as a jazz player you probably do already.
Me too, and I've been playing for 15 years. Technical discussions--especially about amps--make my eyes glaze over. Just get something big enough that you can be heard in a typical bar setting, and nothing too fancy. Any good music store could advise you, or talk to any rock music teacher in your area.
Listen, listen, listen to music you'd like to play. Play along. Learning by ear is a great tool and great practice. YouTube is full of helpful stuff too (and garbage unfortunately), but there are tons of decent bass cover videos out there. Watch them to learn, but remember, you can always do your own thing. As long as it works for the song, it's cool. Most important: find some other people to play with. Check out any local rock music school and see if there are other adults students looking to play. That's how I got hooked up with my current band mates, and we've been gigging for nine years now.
When you say "Rock music," songs/bands come to mind? Rock music has existed and spawned new forms within the idiom for more than half a century. While there are some universals, a lot of the answer comes down to the specifics of your goal.
Practice dumbing down your lines, but upping your physicality (it requires practice). You don't need to live on the root or anything, but full-on wanking is rarely the best thing, either.
Looking like you feel the music is important, though. Even if all you do is bop your head and alternate between smiling and hardcore bass face, that's something. If you can get yourself dancing/ rocking out to the music that will keep you in people's memory.
Watching video of yourself will be a good way to decide if you're interesting. If you're afraid you look stupid because you're doing too much, watch some video of Flea or Mick Jagger and ask yourself, 'if I was doing this, would I think I look stupid.' You have to go really far to look too stupid for the stage.
Looking like you feel the music is important, though. Even if all you do is bop your head and alternate between smiling and hardcore bass face, that's something. If you can get yourself dancing/ rocking out to the music that will keep you in people's memory.
Watching video of yourself will be a good way to decide if you're interesting. If you're afraid you look stupid because you're doing too much, watch some video of Flea or Mick Jagger and ask yourself, 'if I was doing this, would I think I look stupid.' You have to go really far to look too stupid for the stage.
I took a similar path. I studied trumpet and voice in college and got a degree in music. After college I took up the guitar (which I'd always played but not well) and started an original band. It lasted six years and we had fun.
Knowledge of music theory is never a bad thing and won't get in your way playing rock music.
Knowledge of music theory is never a bad thing and won't get in your way playing rock music.
First change is in form. You're going from being a sitting music-reading bassist to being a standing music-memorizing bassist. You'll need to learn how to memorize a lot of music. Typically load for a generic rock band is about forty songs. That's a boatload of work in anyone's book.
The other thing is how you constitute the rhythm section. You're no longer a member of the three-legged stool (bassist as pianist's left hand, bass providing basic pulse, drummer proving swing, etc.), you're going to lock in with the drummer. Getting along with the drummer is most of the ball game in rock.
You and the drummer are the rhythm section. If the two of you don't get it happening; it ain't happening.
The other thing is how you constitute the rhythm section. You're no longer a member of the three-legged stool (bassist as pianist's left hand, bass providing basic pulse, drummer proving swing, etc.), you're going to lock in with the drummer. Getting along with the drummer is most of the ball game in rock.
You and the drummer are the rhythm section. If the two of you don't get it happening; it ain't happening.
Do not wear the little beenie hat they issued you at jazz school.
Do not call anyone Cat or Daddy-O.
Notes AND chords come in I, IV, and V. Remember that D#fermented7 with a b6? Now forget it.
Do not call anyone Cat or Daddy-O.
Notes AND chords come in I, IV, and V. Remember that D#fermented7 with a b6? Now forget it.
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Music theory degree, jazz experience? You are not any kind of beginner! Go find some open mics or rock jams and just play. You don't need recordings, if you get out there enough, I suspect people will be recruiting you. In rock music, or any kind of dance music, I like to think of the drums as the engine that drives the music, and bass is the transmission--the part that takes energy from the drums and gets everything moving. It ain't rocket science.
One other thought: If you really need examples of your playing, bring a friend with a smartphone to shoot some video of you in action at a jam. They'll provide the additional benefit of showing you how you come across on stage in a rock environment.
One other thought: If you really need examples of your playing, bring a friend with a smartphone to shoot some video of you in action at a jam. They'll provide the additional benefit of showing you how you come across on stage in a rock environment.
