Bright Size Life Question

[nonohmic]

By hearing and evaluating the bass note(s) and Pat's melodic (and harmonic) material, I was able to construct a reasonably accurate/correct Harmonic analysis. (The Real Book is Real Wrong in this example.)
For instance - in m3 & 4 - Jaco plays MOSTLY Bb's (NOT A's) there... He also sometimes plays some (high) harmonic D's and A's on top of the Bb low note - thus - Bb maj7 + Pat's E in the melody = Bbmaj7, #11.
Having some keyboard skills ( and also some of the Dreaded Music Theory ) will help you "hear" and be able to analyze and make sense of Harmonic structures.
Also - SING as much of the melody as you are able to. Sing along with the recording many DOZENS of times to internalize the melody. Later, you can find the melody on your bass.
Good Luck!
Thanks for your interest and civility.

Ok cool that makes sense. Thanks.

No Eb in the melody then I guess. (Which is for me to go and figure out)

 

[Don Kasper]

No Eb in the melody then I guess. (Which is for me to go and figure out)

The Key Signature is that of "D Major" - 2 sharps : F# and C#....No Eb in the Key Signature...(see "Dreaded Music Theory".)
Thanks.

 

[nonohmic]

The Key Signature is that of "D Major" - 2 sharps : F# and C#....No Eb in the Key Signature...(see "Dreaded Music Theory".)
Thanks.

But just cause it's D major doesn't mean there's no Eb in the melody. Passing notes, lead voicing etc. Especially since as others have said this tune plays 'outside the rules'. Right? Or perhaps the E you're referring to is clearly defined on dominant beats and is obviously outlining the chord.

Again I need to listen more and put some work in.

 

[Don Kasper]

But just cause it's D major doesn't mean there's no Eb in the melody. Passing notes, lead voicing etc. Especially since as others have said this tune plays 'outside the rules'. Right? Or perhaps the E you're referring to is clearly defined on dominant beats and is obviously outlining the chord.

Again I need to listen more and put some work in.

I was referring to the "E" in the melody in m3 & 4 - E Natural in the Bb chord, the #11. (It appears as a written melody note for 5 1/2 of 8 beats on the Bbmaj7,#11, chord, so it is not at all "outside the rules....".)
IF the composer wanted an "Eb" anywhere in the melody, it would need an accidental ("b") written in front of an "E" note.
This tune (BSL) is not at all mysterious or "outside the rules...", IMO.
Thanks.

 

[Ed Fuqua]

To the OP -
Don't forget to learn & hear the correct chord changes, as well.
View attachment 4390310

Are you sure about your correction to the second bar of the second ending?

 

[Don Kasper]

Are you sure about your correction to the second bar of the second ending?

Yes. I hear a Dmaj in the second bar of the second ending on the original recording. (I didn't really correct the chord - just rewrote it above the staff.)
What do you hear there? (4 earz are better than 2.)
Thanks, Ed.

 

[Bill Murray]

This might be helpful as well
Skip to 2:24 for Analysis

 

[Don Kasper]

This might be helpful as well
Skip to 2:24 for Analysis

Hi Lukasonbass,
The presenter (Lothar) accepts the (incorrect) Real Book chord in m.3&4 ("Bb/A"). On the original recording with Jaco (and the live version with Richard Bona), they both play LOTS of "Bb" there, so the chord is "Bbmaj7,#11", not "Bb/A".
It's as if he never listened to the original recording and compared the recording to the Real Book chart....
But, Thanks for your interest and information.

 

[Bill Murray]

Hi Lukasonbass,
The presenter (Lothar) accepts the (incorrect) Real Book chord in m.3&4 ("Bb/A"). On the original recording with Jaco (and the live version with Richard Bona), they both play LOTS of "Bb" there, so the chord is "Bbmaj7,#11", not "Bb/A".
It's as if he never listened to the original recording and compared the recording to the Real Book chart....
But, Thanks for your interest and information.

Yea, that’s the major downfall with the real books… it’s all too common to have incorrect voicings or even keys.

 

[Ed Fuqua]

…I didn't really correct the chord - just rewrote it above the staff.

It was a joke, son, I say, a joke. Ya gotta stay alert or you miss these things…

 

[BassBrass]

Depending on the accuracy of the information contained within it, if what was shared in Jaco's biography written by Bill Milkowski is indeed 100% true, Jaco would not have been able to tone down his energy and creativity to fit within the 'ECM standards' for a buttoned-up, chill vibe. In the book, it's discussed that Metheny was almost considering having Dave Holland play bass on the record instead of Jaco because of label pressure regarding the 'vibe' of the music. Jaco took the energy up 110%, and even what is on the record is tame compared with what they were doing on live gigs. I have friends who were in Boston in the late 70s hearing Gary Burton, Metheny, etc. and they confirmed that those shows were crazy energetic that Metheny/Moses/Pastorius were playing.

I agree but if you take Jaco's 1st album, it stands alongside those ECM recordings as a neutral gallery space showing off special tracks. Not an ECM cover image though, which you can recreate from any old factory or farm wall or field. For me the most important ECM recording that year was Kenny Wheeler, who asked for Jack DeJohnette Dave Holland and Keith Jarret as his backup band. Jarrett was outstanding. Holland was a fellow Brit to Wheeler they both played with A.Braxton.

 

[Spin Doctor]

Shout out to the OP for bringing up this post and this tune. I'd never really given it much thought, even though it's a song I love. Planning to give this one a go. Probably will take some time to wrap my head around the whole thing.

 

[JazznFunk]

I agree but if you take Jaco's 1st album, it stands alongside those ECM recordings as a neutral gallery space showing off special tracks. Not an ECM cover image though, which you can recreate from any old factory or farm wall or field. For me the most important ECM recording that year was Kenny Wheeler, who asked for Jack DeJohnette Dave Holland and Keith Jarret as his backup band. Jarrett was outstanding. Holland was a fellow Brit to Wheeler they both played with A.Braxton.

Perhaps so... but my point was that ECM/Manfred Eicher - and Pat himself to a certain degree - wanted a certain thing from Jaco for Metheny's tunes - which Metheny alludes to in his long form recent YouTube interview.... and they had to rein him in a bit in order to get that to happen. Both strong personalities in terms of their musical goals, but this was Metheny's record.

And yes, I'm a huge Kenny Wheeler fan as well... I need to check out that record you mentioned.

 

[IamGroot]

I've played that song for the better part of my 26 years as a bassist. Bright Size Life is a quintessential example of non-traditional harmony.... i.e., not based in 'functional' harmony like most 'Standards' are.... where the ii-V7-I progression and all of its permutations are the basis for the song's harmonic form. To that end - it may be most helpful for you to source the lead sheet for Bright Size Life, which is widely available in a variety of Real Book volumes, and in the Pat Metheny Real Book specifically. Without even thinking about picking up your bass yet, LISTEN to the song as it's playing and study the sheet, study the melody, study the chords. Listen to how Pat is outlining certain voicings, and leaving other parts to Jaco. Attempt to play along with the recording itself, while using the sheet as a guide. I know plenty of others will advocate for not using a lead sheet at all, but with a song like this, it's helpful to have some sort of road map to understand what's happening, especially as a very very raw beginner.

And - as others have said - show some humility when people offer you advice.... that'll get you much farther along in your musical career and development playing with others than pithy replies and snark will.

Exactly what he said.