ARGH! TEEN TOWN!

[okcrum]

Listen to Jaco's touch as it changes while he plays the piece. It'll help you not dig in too much and slow yourself down. Jaco only hits the last two or three notes of each phrase really hard.

 

[msaone]

I just started working on teen town myself.

There's some work there.

I practice fast things slower with my mimicopy app i can play at about 75% speed.

It's a fun song.

Play it perfect slowly, then work up to speed.

Keep at it you'll get it'

 

[pnchad]

even when you get up to speed, then you've got to make it flow effortlessly

there's a reason why he's JP and your not

If you can't play it fast yet, work on getting it REALLY clean at slower tempos. That will do you more good as a player. Also look at other Jaco recordings like Come On, Come Over. Or River people. That should get you learning simpler examples of his phrasing. Jacos right hand coordination and delicacy was incredible, so don't expect to get it right away. Even after you can play teentown, it will take a lot of work to make it sound right.

 

[JP Morin]

And then after your good at the right tempo, re learn it the Marcus Miller way (full slap)

Then I'll ask you : "Man !! how ya doing that !!"

 

[dougjwray]

After that, you can start working on "Donna Lee."
But first... watch this...

 

[coughiefiend]

After that, you can start working on "Donna Lee."
But first... watch this...

OH WOW... I always (sadly) forget about NHOP when I'm thinking of killer players. That clip is AMAZING!

 

[davidhilton]

For the past 2 months I have been constantly trying to get down teen town, with little to no avail. I am able to play along to slower tempos such 80bpm and 100 bpm, but for some unknown and immensely frustrating reason, when I try playing at the actual full speed, 128bpm, everything goes to bits. My hands freeze up; my right hand misses strings while my left cant fret the notes properly. Its become more and more infuriating, because I have a personal standard for myself being a player for 1.5 years, and this seems to be the only damn song I can't get right. I really want to get down this song, but it's seems the harder I try to the harder I f**k up. Any advice that can help me with this conundrum would be greatly appreciated.

Why don't u post a vid/audio of you playing it at the slower tempo. That way I could give u more realistic advise.
www.basslessonslosangeles.com
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[bass12]

After that, you can start working on "Donna Lee."
But first... watch this...

Now THAT makes me feel inadequate.

 

[akuma12]

One thing that helps me learn difficult pieces is to video record myself. It helps me see what I'm doing physically, since I can really only look at one hand at a time, and see if there is anything that might be tripping me up at higher speeds. Something that works at slower speed may turn into a jumble of fingers at higher speed, and being able to see that objectively can help quite a bit.

 

[1958Bassman]

It's a difficult one. I "played" it years ago for an exam and man did I not do it justice! I haven't tried playing it in a while but maybe I will, just to see what happens.

It would be much easier if the full versions were on video, but they usually don't show the whole tune. Knowing where to play it would help. OTOH, teachers often recommend practicing in all positions, so......

 

[BrotherMister]

Honestly Teen Town isn't all that difficult to play. The most difficult part, in my opinion, is maintaining clarity within the first 3 notes since a minor7 sits more awkwardly on the instrument. Outside of that it's fairly straight forward stuff.

Go slow, very slow, strive for consistency and clarity then the speed will come.

 

[Brian Hubbard]

I know this thread is older but the tune is a bass must for players learning to execute jazz fusion phrasing. My take on this is to learn the piece to the best of your ability and enjoy it for the love of playing. I’ll never articulate like Jaco, and I’d make myself miserable trying to play like him. For that matter, I can’t even wrap my mind around the Pass Pedersen version of Donna Lee. Those cats landed here from a different planet.

 

[cxcxcx]

I know many guys who have been playing for decades in working bands that can’t dream of playing “Teen Town”.

It might take an experienced player several months or a year to get this piece up to speed and presentable for live performance or recording. You have to get the notes clean and cut in terms of execution and you do have to play it in time. It’s not common for someone who’s only been playing 18 months to have that sort of ability or discernment. “Teen Town” is not easy - the problem is always that Jaco/Marcus/insert accomplished player makes it sound easy.

Ultimately, the best advice I can give is to not overestimate what you can get done in a weekend, but don’t underestimate what you can get done in a year.

 

[Blue1]

For the past 2 months I have been constantly trying to get down teen town, with little to no avail. I am able to play along to slower tempos such 80bpm and 100 bpm, but for some unknown and immensely frustrating reason, when I try playing at the actual full speed, 128bpm, everything goes to bits. My hands freeze up; my right hand misses strings while my left cant fret the notes properly. Its become more and more infuriating, because I have a personal standard for myself being a player for 1.5 years, and this seems to be the only damn song I can't get right. I really want to get down this song, but it's seems the harder I try to the harder I **** up. Any advice that can help me with this conundrum would be greatly appreciated.

Look and think carefully about the fingers of both hands and where they work best together, rake, open string ...