Chord tones

[mambo4]

If you "know it" but don't know how to apply it, here's a few suggestions:

for soloing, Our own Ed Fuqua wrote a very good post on really learning a tune.

For me, the next step after I "knew it", but wasn't sure how to apply it, was to learn and analyze the bass lines I loved and see exactly how the masters used their own music theory knowledge /intuition. Standing In The Shadows of Motown is great for this. Any book with examples of typical bass lines in various styles would also be useful for this.

Keep in mind that outlining the harmony is only part of the equation: maintaining the appropriate rhythm for the song is just as important, sometimes more so, for pointing you at the best note choices.

for solos beyond basslines, the 'learn and analyze" approach can work just as well: pick a melody you particularly love and reverse engineer it to see how it fits into the stuff you already know.

Don't fear being a clone, it's a false fear. No shame in copying the greats! Each phrase you learn is just another tool in your kit, any ultimately you'll develop a unique blend of ideas that only you will have.

 

[monroe55]

The following books keep being mentioned with regards to Chord Tone study:
Whats the difference between the "chord tones for bass" book and the Jeff Berlin chord tone book(on scrib) and the trombone chord tone book and the old Jeff Berlin BP article on chord tones.
Which one do I want?

 

[Chupacabra]

The following books keep being mentioned with regards to Chord Tone study:
Whats the difference between the "chord tones for bass" book and the Jeff Berlin chord tone book(on scrib) and the trombone chord tone book and the old Jeff Berlin BP article on chord tones.
Which one do I want?

Simple answer is use all 3 of them. The JB BP article covers some of the stuff in his book, but the book has a few more exercise ideas to put the chord tones to use. The Bass chord studies book is really just a re-write of the trombone book (Trombone is in bass clef too) & the Trombone book is a re-write of the Sax book on the same subject.
Jeff's stuff looks at the chord tones & inversions & ideas based on that. The Chord Studies books use approach/passing tone exercises.
Considering they're all free (2 can be d/l'd from Scribd), there's no excuse not to get them all & work on the whole lot.