Genre specific techniques and stuff

[Paul New]

I was looking around for a discussion a while back where it was proposed that we create a sub-forum dedicated to playing jazz on Bass Guitar, and realized that the Technique forum is the only sub-forum on the Electric side about playing. We discuss equipment endlessly, but music not so much.

Are there electric players around here who consider themselves primarily straight ahead jazz musicians? And if so, how do you practice, are there specific practice materials you’re working through, do you just play along with iReal, are you gigging, do you try to create a fat round sound, etc, etc…?

 

[Watchootognbout]

Are there electric players around here who consider themselves primarily straight ahead jazz musicians? And if so, how do you practice, are there specific practice materials you’re working through, do you just play along with iReal, are you gigging, do you try to create a fat round sound, etc, etc…?

Straight ahead jazz is predominantly DB oriented.
This is best posted on that side.

 

[Lenny JG]

Just practice playing any given note w/ confidence at any given time. Yes, ESPECIALLY the 'wrong' notes.

 

[Groove Doctor]

I was a doubler but swapped my DB for a Rob Allen Mouse, a 30” Fretless piezo bass with tapes.

I found very little GOOD PAYING jazz work in this town, and more DB players than gigs. There’s a world class Jazz Course at the Conservatorium of Music here, but not enough gigs to sustain the number of graduates they produce. Sad, really.

I’m a versatile player covering most genres so I can actually turn down work in other genres. Currently doing a 7-piece 70’s Disco theme show which is niche but well received by all. It’s a higher budget show than most venues want to pay, and we don’t travel out of town (city of 4.4 million).

Unfortunately quieter Jazz gigs are pretty low pay compared to most bigger/ louder production gigs. Outside the cities they only want pub rock in bars & clubs. I started with those gigs when I was 15yo. I’ve definitely moved on a long way from that after 34 years of gigging.

OP - I find most of the Jazz discussion I need over on the DB side. Just ignore the surly blowhards and snooty dinosaurs and you’ll be fine.

 

[JRA]

Are there electric players around here who consider themselves primarily straight ahead jazz musicians?

i came up as a "primarily straight-ahead jazz musician" but i've "diversified" since retiring from full-time music.

...how do you practice, are there specific practice materials you’re working through...

i practice keeping 'nimble' these days, but in my version of a heyday: the only materials i practiced were the new-to-me tunes that were likely to be played on the set, e.g., scanning the changes, maybe playing the melody a few times. i usually tried to play the faster bebop tunes even faster than i thought my bandmates would play it --- just in case!

...do you just play along with iReal, are you gigging...

i didn't have "iReal" --- gigging the music is/was the best teacher!

...do you try to create a fat round sound, etc, etc…?

no, it's the same as rock/country/pop/metal = you just want to be heard: find a tone that works in the ensemble.

i like to read some of the "theory" threads/posts on TB's DB side, sometimes, but most of those cats are also 'searching' for answers, just like you --- they just play different bass instruments...usually more expensive than our EBs, but no better for the task at hand, just different. music = same. theory = same. notes = same. yada yada

the best way to study jazz is to play it! good luck!

 

[Paul New]

I’m just looking for fellow travelers, people. I play double bass too, but really love both, and don’t want to stick them in their usual boxes all the time. I.E., i like to hear sometimes a P Bass used in straight four bop, and a double bass on funky stuff.

 

[JRA]

i like to hear sometimes a P Bass used in straight four bop, and a double bass on funky stuff.

same. the right bass part for most tunes can be played on most bass instruments.

edit: e.g., i've heard some tuba players tear it up on some bebop 'standards'.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

i came up as a "primarily straight-ahead jazz musician" but i've "diversified" since retiring from full-time music.

i practice keeping 'nimble' these days, but in my version of a heyday: the only materials i practiced were the new-to-me tunes that were likely to be played on the set, e.g., scanning the changes, maybe playing the melody a few times. i usually tried to play the faster bebop tunes even faster than i thought my bandmates would play it --- just in case!

i didn't have "iReal" --- gigging the music is/was the best teacher!

no, it's the same as rock/country/pop/metal = you just want to be heard: find a tone that works in the ensemble.

i like to read some of the "theory" threads/posts on TB's DB side, sometimes, but most of those cats are also 'searching' for answers, just like you --- they just play different bass instruments...usually more expensive than our EBs, but no better for the task at hand, just different. music = same. theory = same. notes = same. yada yada

the best way to study jazz is to play it! good luck!

I agree 100%

 

[40Hz]

Straight ahead jazz is predominantly DB oriented.
This is best posted on that side.

From what I’ve seen, anything not directly related to DB technique, gear, performance, etc. doesn’t get much consideration or comment the DB side. EB technique and other questions posted on the DB side tend to get politely pointed back towards the EB forums.

Which makes sense. The DB is a very different animal if comparing its technique to that of a bass guitar.

 

[mambo4]

Technique forum is the only sub-forum on the Electric side about playing. We discuss equipment endlessly, but music not so much.

The General Instruction sub forum is where music and theory, including Jazz theory , is most often being discussed

 

[Paul New]

Trying again…I’m seeing electric bass more often in situations where we would formerly expect an upright. Anyone else notice this? It’s mostly younger players, who nearly all double these days. I wonder if electric is not inching closer to
respectability as a mainstream instrument? We (bassists of a crrtain age) thought that transition was in progress many years ago. Of course there are still many who play one or the other, and plenty who play them in the traditional roles only.

 

[micguy]

Just practice playing any given note w/ confidence at any given time. Yes, ESPECIALLY the 'wrong' notes.

So, you're saying if I'm playing fretless, and my in ears go out, I'm playing jazz.

 

[Paul New]

So, you're saying if I'm playing fretless, and my in ears go out, I'm playing jazz.

we need a laugh button really bad!

 

[Phaidrus]

So, you're saying if I'm playing fretless, and my in ears go out, I'm playing jazz.

It could be argued that intention makes all the difference.

 

[Rocket Queen]

I was looking around for a discussion a while back where it was proposed that we create a sub-forum dedicated to playing jazz on Bass Guitar, and realized that the Technique forum is the only sub-forum on the Electric side about playing. We discuss equipment endlessly, but music not so much.

Are there electric players around here who consider themselves primarily straight ahead jazz musicians? And if so, how do you practice, are there specific practice materials you’re working through, do you just play along with iReal, are you gigging, do you try to create a fat round sound, etc, etc…?

Paging @jzucker....

 

[bass12]

Trying again…I’m seeing electric bass more often in situations where we would formerly expect an upright. Anyone else notice this? It’s mostly younger players, who nearly all double these days. I wonder if electric is not inching closer to
respectability as a mainstream instrument? We (bassists of a crrtain age) thought that transition was in progress many years ago. Of course there are still many who play one or the other, and plenty who play them in the traditional roles only.

I think a lot of people just don't care one way or the other (where upright vs electric is concerned). Sure, there are still people who would like to see an upright on stage but I think most people probably don't care that much. And I don't think most people are going to even be aware of the sonic differences between the two. DBs are a pain in the butt to gig with. They're a pain to transport and they take up a lot of room on stage. I've found that stages in small venues are increasingly cramped and a lot of younger players, especially, are not likely to have a car. If you play both DB and electric, and you are relying on public transport/taxis, it's going to be very tempting to take the electric to the gig. I have a regular gig where it would be really fun to play upright for at least one of the sets, but the way the stage is set up it's simply too cramped and I wouldn't have anywhere to put my DB between sets, so I just go electric.

 

[Jazzdogg]

I was looking around for a discussion a while back where it was proposed that we create a sub-forum dedicated to playing jazz on Bass Guitar, and realized that the Technique forum is the only sub-forum on the Electric side about playing. We discuss equipment endlessly, but music not so much.

Are there electric players around here who consider themselves primarily straight ahead jazz musicians? And if so, how do you practice, are there specific practice materials you’re working through, do you just play along with iReal, are you gigging, do you try to create a fat round sound, etc, etc…?

I'm an older guy who primarily plays jazz. I practice first by listening, breaking songs down into phrases, and practicing slowly. Doesn’t seem to matter whether my initial practice is on electric bass or double bass; it's more about first playing the song, with the instrument secondary. Of course, if I am learning a song to be played primarily on double bass or electric, that Intention will inform my practice. But, first and foremost, my approach is "play the music, not the instrument."

 

[JimmyM]

I think a lot of people just don't care one way or the other (where upright vs electric is concerned). Sure, there are still people who would like to see an upright on stage but I think most people probably don't care that much. And I don't think most people are going to even be aware of the sonic differences between the two. DBs are a pain in the butt to gig with. They're a pain to transport and they take up a lot of room on stage. I've found that stages in small venues are increasingly cramped and a lot of younger players, especially, are not likely to have a car. If you play both DB and electric, and you are relying on public transport/taxis, it's going to be very tempting to take the electric to the gig. I have a regular gig where it would be really fun to play upright for at least one of the sets, but the way the stage is set up it's simply too cramped and I wouldn't have anywhere to put my DB between sets, so I just go electric.

When they care, though, they CARE!!!

 

[jdjk7]

I was looking around for a discussion a while back where it was proposed that we create a sub-forum dedicated to playing jazz on Bass Guitar, and realized that the Technique forum is the only sub-forum on the Electric side about playing. We discuss equipment endlessly, but music not so much.

Are there electric players around here who consider themselves primarily straight ahead jazz musicians? And if so, how do you practice, are there specific practice materials you’re working through, do you just play along with iReal, are you gigging, do you try to create a fat round sound, etc, etc…?

I don't think that playing technique on electric bass really differs enough between genres to warrant separate subforums.

Plus... there's simply less to talk about. Playing technique on the electric bass is less rigidly codified than that of upright. Unless you're majoring in electric bass at conservatory, your technique doesn't matter so much as long as it gets you the sound you want without causing issues that matter to you. It's more idiosyncratic and its considerations are more subjective.

That's not to mention that you would need to decide which generic groups deserve their own subforums... Rock? Jazz? Funk? Disco? Pop? Electronic? Metal? Latin? Punk? Blues? Ensemble? Bass guitar is a more prolific instrument than the double bass is, just in terms of the greatly disparate genres it serves. You could very quickly end up with a long list of overspecialized subforums.

 

[Paul New]

I don't think that playing technique on electric bass really differs enough between genres to warrant separate subforums.

Plus... there's simply less to talk about. Playing technique on the electric bass is less rigidly codified than that of upright. Unless you're majoring in electric bass at conservatory, your technique doesn't matter so much as long as it gets you the sound you want without causing issues that matter to you. It's more idiosyncratic and its considerations are more subjective.

That's not to mention that you would need to decide which generic groups deserve their own subforums... Rock? Jazz? Funk? Disco? Pop? Electronic? Metal? Latin? Punk? Blues? Ensemble? Bass guitar is a more prolific instrument than the double bass is, just in terms of the greatly disparate genres it serves. You could very quickly end up with a long list of overspecialized subforums.

Electric bass pedagogy is coming soon. In fact, it’s here. But there’s a lot of disagreement, and it’s still evolving.

The double bass side has Jazz technique, orchestral technique, Bluegrass and Rockabilly sub-forums. The technique used in those styles are radically different from each other. The electric is used in a lot of different genres, but aside from slapping, the technique used in all of the popular music styles is pretty similar.

But you’re probably right. All of the two dozen different shades of death metal would probably want their own sub.