• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Bebop!!! POINTERS?!

metalguy2

metalguy2

Dec 26, 2004
516
0
41
Boston
www.thefailureinitiative.com
#1
Hey guys.. I am starting to become really inspired by bebop music in general. And it is really awesome. Now I am taking lessons from a rock guy who dropped out of Berklee. So I am almost positive he will not be able to teach me how I need to be taught to play the way I want to.
In short. I need to find out how I need to be thinking about music to create standard bebop tunes. I.E. Where do I start learning to become like this. I am already trying to learn site reading. So I kind of need to know what else I can do to steer me in the right direction.
 
#3
1) Learn Bebop heads (ie. Learn to play some of the "standard" bebop tunes on the bass).

>>> Get the music for tunes such as "Scrapple from the Apple", "Billie's Bounce", "Ornithology" (all by Charlie Parker), "Well you needn't", "Rhythm'n'ing" (by Thelonious Monk) <-- get the music from a real book, and/or get a book called "Fifty Essential Bebop Heads for Bass" (published by Hal Leonard) <--- this book has those above-mentioned tunes, and they're tabbed as well which might be helpful coz learning them, even when one is able to sight-read, can be quite difficult

2) Listen to Bebop (listen to the originators: Charlie Parker Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, etc.)

3) Get a Teacher; an upright bass teacher would even be HIGHLY beneficial, just someone who plays jazz alot; I'd suggest checking out some local jazz gigs, if you dig the playing, approach the Bassist (regardless of if he/she is playing Double bass or electric bass)

:)
 
#8
You need to learn some Jazz Theory, alot of Jazz Theory. Bop is about improvisation, pushing limits and breaking, or re-writing the "rules". Before you can do any of that you need to learn the rules, and be able to play by the rules(IMO)..
I would try to get into Jazz improv and Jazz theory classes at a Jr College nearby as a start..If this is not an option there are many great theory programs with books, lessons and cd's you can start with..they will take you along way..oh yea, if you want to learn to play jazz it sounds like you need a new teacher!
 
#10
The first thing is to go watch and talk to jazz bassists. There's probably an open jam going on near you this week (maybe tonight) where you can talk to people who are actually doing what you'd like to be doing. All of them are still learning, so you already have a lot in common.

If you want to get started without a teacher, I have found the following books to be very helpful:

1) Building Jazz Bass Lines by Ron Carter - teaches you to create your own bass lines.

2) Ron Carter Bass Lines - transcribed from Aebersold Vol 6 (Charlie Parker) - shows you what a master played.

3) Hal Leonard Jazz Playalong #3 (Blues) and #5 (Bebop) - gives you a chance to practice the tunes in private.

These 2 playalongs have most or all of the tunes in #2 - I would learn 1 or 2 choruses from a song in #2 and play them along with these recordings.

The bass track is separated so you can remove it to play along. I like these better than Aebersold's because the tempos are more reasonable and the recordings have someone playing the melody.


Good luck!
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back