Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Does not being able to play jazz = being a poor bass player?
- Thread starter glocke1
- Start date
What about in a phrase?
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
It's a fact that jazz is more complex than rock/blues (compare 12 bar blues). No, it's not the only way to expand your horizons, but it's a great way to do so.
The complexity of rock and blues hides well in the minutiae. the complexity of Jazz is typically on full display.
madbass6
Inactive
- Jan 13, 2009
- 2,428
- 1,295
- Disclosures
- I do not give consent to use any of my photos ! please respect that. thank you.
if you're good you're good period!
able to do the jazz thing is just a great bonus!
Bull crap. You don't have to play jazz to be a "good" bassist. By all means, explore the genre. But that is it, it is A genre, one of of many. To me the best bassist should know enough about as many as he can, but know which ones may not be in his (or her) wheel house. Not playing jazz certainly will not keep you from having opportunities to play.
god, i hope not...if that's the case, i'm doomed to always suck...i would rather not even listen to most jazz...it isn't because i don't appreciate the skill level of those musicians, because that isn't the case, those folks know their craft...i just don't really get (understand) it, personally
Does not being able to play jazz = being a poor bass player?
No, it makes you a rich bass player.
But seriously, not being able to play any genre makes you a less versatile bass player, by definition. That's different than good / bad. Also, "jazz bass player" carries some connotations such as knowing how to read, that also confer versatility in their own right, even when not playing strictly jazz.
In my view the only reason to learn jazz is if there's a chance that you will actually enjoy it. I suppose another reason for learning another genre is if it opens up an opportunity that meets all of the other criteria: Hang, money, etc.
Treating jazz as a form of theory training, if you don't actually like the music, is going to be a tough slog doomed to failure.
No, it makes you a rich bass player.
But seriously, not being able to play any genre makes you a less versatile bass player, by definition. That's different than good / bad. Also, "jazz bass player" carries some connotations such as knowing how to read, that also confer versatility in their own right, even when not playing strictly jazz.
In my view the only reason to learn jazz is if there's a chance that you will actually enjoy it. I suppose another reason for learning another genre is if it opens up an opportunity that meets all of the other criteria: Hang, money, etc.
Treating jazz as a form of theory training, if you don't actually like the music, is going to be a tough slog doomed to failure.
Some good well thought out answers have been posted.
I've played and gigged jazz bass all my life. I am in awe of classical upright bassist's ability.
Go figure.
I've played and gigged jazz bass all my life. I am in awe of classical upright bassist's ability.
Go figure.
glocke1: IMO, this brief video sums up jazz quite well! Be sure to listen to what Jackson Jeffrey Jackson has to say in his brief interview that starts at 3:21 in the vid. It is incredibly insightful!
No it does not mean that you are a poor player at all and this comes from a Jazz Bachelor. It is extremely revealing and rewarding though. Brings your musicality up a great deal but if it isn't your cup of tea no need to bother yourself with it.
I still stand by the fact that a good jazz player doesn't necesarrily make a good funk player at all. Transpose this statement to all other genres and you see the point. Each genre has their own vibe to it and mastering it takes time and devotion and just because you study jazz won't make you a beast player in every style.
What you can do though is pick up the practicing routines a jazz musician would normally do. That mainly includes playing all types of scales across the neck in all three positions: first, second and fourth finger (as a starting point). This alone will increase your instrument knowledge A LOT.
Also, knowing scales very good will greatly ease the struggle of learning the mysteries of Jazz
As with nearly every question on TB, there is a lot of room for "it depends."
Yes, jazz has a reputation for being a demanding genre that requires a high level of competency. It is also true that many great bass players in other genres tend to dabble in jazz a little; whether that is because it presents a challenge, or because it offer a lot room for people that love the bass, I don't know.
What I have noticed is that jazz runs the gamut from pretty simple bass lines to extraordinarily difficult bass lines. Not all of it requires demi-god like skills. Working around the genre does seem to require a very strong foundation in music theory, and the ability to interpret instructions or sheet music almost instantly.
However, I don't think that means if a person doesn't have a deep understanding jazz, or invests a lot of time in learning jazz, they are a "poor" bass player. There is a snobbery that follows jazz around like a bad smell that may endeavor to make non-jazz players feel inadequate. That doesn't mean it is true. There are a lot of terrific bass players that may have been able to play jazz, but they weren't known for it.
I feel like unless a genre of music speaks to you, you can't really be excellent at it. If you don't "get" jazz, you could have the technical skill to do it but none of the passion to make it believable.
Yes, jazz has a reputation for being a demanding genre that requires a high level of competency. It is also true that many great bass players in other genres tend to dabble in jazz a little; whether that is because it presents a challenge, or because it offer a lot room for people that love the bass, I don't know.
What I have noticed is that jazz runs the gamut from pretty simple bass lines to extraordinarily difficult bass lines. Not all of it requires demi-god like skills. Working around the genre does seem to require a very strong foundation in music theory, and the ability to interpret instructions or sheet music almost instantly.
However, I don't think that means if a person doesn't have a deep understanding jazz, or invests a lot of time in learning jazz, they are a "poor" bass player. There is a snobbery that follows jazz around like a bad smell that may endeavor to make non-jazz players feel inadequate. That doesn't mean it is true. There are a lot of terrific bass players that may have been able to play jazz, but they weren't known for it.
I feel like unless a genre of music speaks to you, you can't really be excellent at it. If you don't "get" jazz, you could have the technical skill to do it but none of the passion to make it believable.
this doesnt apply to all players but the biggest reasoning ive heard over the years that affects many jazz cats is that they are always trying to fill space...what makes funk work is the space between the notes of the phrase or figure, not just the note values themselves...also, a lot of guys that made the impetus of their career about stealing Jaco licks and converting Coltraine sax lines tend to play on top of the beat
I've accepted that I'll always be a mediocre player and never reach a truly proficient level in playing or theory. Once I accepted that, I was liberated and able to play whatever I want, however I want, whenever I want while only worrying about how I feel about it.
I started playing with a jazz guitarist on and off several years ago, over the last 2 years we've gigged more steadily, not much money but a heck of a lot of fun doing jazz, R&B, roots, blues and some funk as a duo.
I've always wanted to play jazz but never really got around to studying theory academically. My theory is more practical, essentially from playing. The guitarist likes what I do, so do I and we've had nothing but compliments from audience members so I guess we're doing something right. Best part is I'm always learning something new.
I've always wanted to play jazz but never really got around to studying theory academically. My theory is more practical, essentially from playing. The guitarist likes what I do, so do I and we've had nothing but compliments from audience members so I guess we're doing something right. Best part is I'm always learning something new.
