Book for Beginning Jr. High Jazz Band Student

[praisebass]

I don't do a lot of teaching but I have taught, I read music, played in orchestra and jazz band through college and I continue to be an active musician. A friends asked me to take on her 11 year old daughter who is being recruited to play electric bass guitar in jr. high school jazz band next semester. The kid is a piano player, reads well and is learning nashville number system/playing without dots. She plays piano beyond her years. She's also done well playing flute in 6th grade band.

Is there a particular text or method book you would reccommend? Im thinking about not using a method but just start reading tunes in standard notation, playing scales and arpegios and working from the charts her jazz band teacher gives her.

What are your thoughts?

 

[MalcolmAmos]

Im thinking about not using a method but just start reading tunes in standard notation, playing scales and arpegios and working from the charts her jazz band teacher gives her.

What are your thoughts?

After you get her through how to hold it, tune it, and find the notes on it, yes I'd take her to what the kids in the jazz band will be doing. Jr High jazz band - the kids will be playing by rote from sheet music.

Good luck.

 

[GastonD]

Chuck Sher has a good book out for that exact purpose, titled "Real Easy Real Book" or something like that. It presents well selected tunes with all the corresponding scales, comping rhythms, sample bass lines, guitar chord grids etc. Very well done and useful.

 

[praisebass]

Thanks. I'll check that out. It sounds like it could be what I'm looking for.

 

[BassChuck]

Jr. High jazz band students more than likely will not be playing from fake books, or even chord charts. That kind of thing only happens in HS and in very comprehensive jazz instruction. It will be a written out part. There are tons of great arrangements for that age group. I taught Jr. High jazz band for 22 years. I'm not sure why anyone is bothering to teach her the Nashville system, that will not enter into the instruction they have at school, and since she already reads music, just get her some trombone books for Jr. High or beginning band. Some of Ed Friedland's books might help, but really the playing and reading level is going to be pretty easy. She will not, for instance, have to construct walking lines from chords, it will all be written out. And in bass clef.

One of the major things I find with school jazz bands is that they are often taught by wind players and not always players who have much jazz band experience. I heard a pretty good group like that today. All the trumpets and trombones and saxes had great tone and control. They played in tune and did passably good solos, although almost always the solos are written out. The rhythm section all played their parts correctly, but swung like Chinese farmers. The rhythm section, as we all know here, is a different world. Also, in Jr. High arrangements the LH of the piano part and much of the bari sax part is the bass lline, so she'll have people to listen to for her part. Not great jazz, but good learning.

 

[praisebass]

Yes, I am looking for easy bass lines to practice reading as I expect bass lines to be notated. I'm reaching WAY back but I recall my own Jr high jazz band that solo sections would include the scales utilized in the solo for learning purposes. That's nearly 40 years ago so my memory may be faulty.

The reason Maddie is learning to play piano from chord charts is because that's what the jt high praise and worship band at our church. My plan is to stick with reading simple bass lines and scales and arpeggios. I sense from the last reply a concern about taking a young learner off into left field before learning the basics. My plan is to stick very much to fundamentals.

 

[MD]

Yes, I am looking for easy bass lines to practice reading as I expect bass lines to be notated. I'm reaching WAY back but I recall my own Jr high jazz band that solo sections would include the scales utilized in the solo for learning purposes. That's nearly 40 years ago so my memory may be faulty.

Sounds like an Aebersold chart.
I'd also suggest physical technique... hand strength, L/R coordination etc. along with the reading part. Here's some links to transcribed bass lines.
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Bill Bentgen - Etudes

 

[Woodstockz]

Chuck Sher has a good book out for that exact purpose, titled "Real Easy Real Book" or something like that. It presents well selected tunes with all the corresponding scales, comping rhythms, sample bass lines, guitar chord grids etc. Very well done and useful.

Yes, I am looking for easy bass lines to practice reading as I expect bass lines to be notated. I'm reaching WAY back but I recall my own Jr high jazz band that solo sections would include the scales utilized in the solo for learning purposes. That's nearly 40 years ago so my memory may be faulty.

The reason Maddie is learning to play piano from chord charts is because that's what the jt high praise and worship band at our church. My plan is to stick with reading simple bass lines and scales and arpeggios. I sense from the last reply a concern about taking a young learner off into left field before learning the basics. My plan is to stick very much to fundamentals.

+1 for the Real Easy Book from Chuck Sher, Volumes 1, 2, and 3. It is just what beginners of all ages need.

 

[fdeck]

Don't overlook asking the band teacher if she can borrow some of the bass parts. Some of the publishers even provide a recording along with the chart, if it's newer material, so she could get some practice with the time and feel. The teacher has a vested interest in bringing up a good bassist. And of course listening to jazz and getting excited about it are things too.