Da Blues

[FatTony87]

Hey y'all, I recently picked up the bass again, and just checked out a blues jam at a local burger joint. Needless to say, I should've never quit playing bass, as I know I could have been playing in gigs like this (where you just sign up and play blues with randoms).

It looked like a good opportunity to play with talented blues musicians, and like a lot of fun. I haven't jammed with anyone other than me, myself, and I in the last 8 years.

I could follow sometimes what the bassist was doing, and it seemed simple, but sometimes while I was watching the musicians discuss what song they were gonna jam on stage, it looked a little more complicated than say, "12 bar blues in G."

It looked like some improv, and it looked like they would all learn a riff by ear on stage. My questions are:

What are the necessary techniques a bassist should know to not hinder a blues jam?

Is having a good ear the most important part, it seems that way?

 

[JetBlackJazz]

the absolute most important things is to keep an eye on the drummer ALL THE TIME... and just be able to go with whatever theyre doing at the moment. If you screw up, just turn down and wall of sound it...the good thing about blues is its spontaneous... unlike most other genres, your main focus is how good you make others sound. no effects (maybe comp or mmaaaayyybbbe lower gain dist) not much fancines. just good solid texas soul

 

[Stranger Danger]

Just out of curiosity, are you in San Antonio, TX?

 

[FatTony87]

Just out of curiosity, are you in San Antonio, TX?

Yeah, you probably knew when you read burger joint huh?

I took my girl to the last jam they had at Sam's, and I enjoyed it, and it made me go home wanting to play 12 bars in each key, but it was a night with the lady so I ended up in bed from excessive alcohol, but all in all a good time, I'll probably be there this next one coming up.

 

[INTP]

My suggestion to help you decide if you're ready is to take notes of what songs you're seeing, then go home and figure them out on your own (e.g. youtube). Also, this will give you some practice working through some changes of songs that you didn't pick yourself.

Some "blues" jams truly focus on blues, but others venture into more of an open mic free-for-all. The more it varies, the broader your repertoire would need to be, I think.

I would also think that working through Ed Friedland's "Blues Bass" will give you enough of a foundation to make it through a typical blues jam.

 

[JimmyM]

Ed's book "Building Walking Basslines" is also a good book to check out. If you can get a good teacher who knows jazz, that's even better still.

 

[Stranger Danger]

Yeah, you probably knew when you read burger joint huh?

I took my girl to the last jam they had at Sam's, and I enjoyed it, and it made me go home wanting to play 12 bars in each key, but it was a night with the lady so I ended up in bed from excessive alcohol, but all in all a good time, I'll probably be there this next one coming up.

Pm incoming

 

[Russell L]

The local blues jam here always ends up being something else. This time it's gone more jazzy. I went to the jam a couple of times, and both times no one ever asked me if I knew what was about to get played. So, I had to constantly jump in and hang on. I don't like doing that. They did play some tunes I knew, though, so that was ok. But, I don't have any idea of going to any more public jams, except to listen. (I mean, if it was just standard 12-bar blues, ok. But it wasn't).