Ok so I was utterly embarrassed today at an audition for a gospel bass position. I've never studied contemporary gospel but thought that my knowledge of Jazz would get me by. Wrong. I was asked if I was able to learn all of these ridiculously blazing fast licks and fills by ear and I replied yes but Ill need some time to work them out. Then I was asked if for any reason the keyboardist was to change keys or play something we hadn't rehearsed if I could fluently pull this stuff off. We're talking about contemporary black gospel here with more chord substitutions than I know what to do with at this time. How can I strengthen this area of my playing? I consider myself a versatile player but this stuff really threw me for a loop. I had no charts to go off of just my ear. I have to familiarize myself with all of these subs and just the style of playing in general. Being able to walk a solid line over anything in the real book benefited me nothing in this situation. All advice is welcome. Please. Oh and no I did not get the job.
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Gospel Bass
- Thread starter burns_isaac
- Start date
IME Gospel is an experiment in ear training... I can empathize with your experience though cause I have been there a couple times in my playing life...
Funny thing is that in both my experiences the other musicians were not classically trained in any form but just grew up on soul 24/7 (hell, the drummer hadn't even grown up yet, he was about 11 years old)... and crazy good at it! A lot of intuitive anticipation.
Second time around I was able to find a bit of a groove on a couple tunes though and it was some of the coolest stuff I've ever played. Couldn't re create it if I tried but really cool in the moment.
My interest is peaked to see what suggestions come of this thread.
Funny thing is that in both my experiences the other musicians were not classically trained in any form but just grew up on soul 24/7 (hell, the drummer hadn't even grown up yet, he was about 11 years old)... and crazy good at it! A lot of intuitive anticipation.
Second time around I was able to find a bit of a groove on a couple tunes though and it was some of the coolest stuff I've ever played. Couldn't re create it if I tried but really cool in the moment.
My interest is peaked to see what suggestions come of this thread.
My ear is OK. I can hear diatonic intervals just fine and I transcribe a lot of walking lines, mostly Ray Brown, but if you asked my play a jazz gig but I wasn't allowed to read, I wouldn't do a great job. So to answer your question, no my ear is not at the level it should be.
This was straight up contemporary black gospel. I've never heard any of the songs in my life. Just fast, driving, grooving, stuff, with chords I've never heard. Lol!
Go to YouTube and learn all you can from practicing the basslines from the following artists/groups.
John P. Kee
Fred Hammond
Donald Lawrence
Israel Houghton
Kirk Franklin
Tye Tribbett
This is what I consider a starting point, there's a lot more out there to choose from
John P. Kee
Fred Hammond
Donald Lawrence
Israel Houghton
Kirk Franklin
Tye Tribbett
This is what I consider a starting point, there's a lot more out there to choose from
Sorry but I do not buy into the myth that it has to be in you. I'm not a Latin guy but I've been told my Latin guys that hear the salsa band I play in that I have a great salsa groove. That is a myth bro. Sorry
Thanks for the artists suggestions. I learned jazz from the records so why not gospel. Any gospel chord sub references out there that could aid me in the intellectual department? At least a reference point to turn to in times of aural uncertainty? My keys are shot at the moment otherwise Id just sit down and pick these chords apart myself.
I'm sure there are sources for the sheet music for the popular songs (like those they play over & over on local Urban Gospel Radio), but I would suggest learning to get a feel for the chord progressions in general; each Minister of Music wil have his/her unique interpretation of how they want the music to be presented, while still staying close to the original arrangement, so while chord charts and sheet music will get you close, you need to learn fluidity in order to 'play as you go'
add
Kurt Carr
Byron Cage
Hezekiah Walker
Jonathan Nelson
Bishop Larry Trotter
Shekinah Glory
and there is a Gospel Chops section on YouTube
I believe it has to be in you. I don't mean only Gospel, all music. How can someone play heavy metal if they don't have a heavy metal music library inside of them? No offense, but if it was in you, you would have passed the audition. I had to learn jazz before I could play it.
As weird as it sounds...I'm a praise bassist......sometimes when you get into a gospel song (assuming you are a decent, well grounded bassist) you have to just "let go" and let the Holy Spirit take over your playing.
I know that sounds hokie and stuff, but there have been times when I was just stinking up the joint, lost, and totally messed up with the music.....and I just let go......in those rare cases when that happened, I left it up to the Holy Spirit and my fingers and hands just knew what to do........I know that sounds crazy, but you are a good enough bassist that your mind, fingers, know what to do...let the Holy Spirit take over...I know it's hard to do, but LET IT GO.....you'll be amazed that your playing works out for the best.....I was once told before Mass (I'm a Catholic praise bassist, with Messianic leanings) that the Mass (service) is perfect and that God Himself would never let anything destroy that, even your nervousness about playing...........let it go......God is an awesome bassist...He won't let you down.
I know that sounds hokie and stuff, but there have been times when I was just stinking up the joint, lost, and totally messed up with the music.....and I just let go......in those rare cases when that happened, I left it up to the Holy Spirit and my fingers and hands just knew what to do........I know that sounds crazy, but you are a good enough bassist that your mind, fingers, know what to do...let the Holy Spirit take over...I know it's hard to do, but LET IT GO.....you'll be amazed that your playing works out for the best.....I was once told before Mass (I'm a Catholic praise bassist, with Messianic leanings) that the Mass (service) is perfect and that God Himself would never let anything destroy that, even your nervousness about playing...........let it go......God is an awesome bassist...He won't let you down.
The argument is you have to have a knowledge of the music, a familiarity. I am trained in Classical and Jazz. I understand classical and jazz theory and chords. The OP said somewhat along the lines of that he didn't understand the chords played. Maybe he just wasn't exposed to Black Gospel music. I don't listen to heavy metal music, I have no knowledge of the way they play or the chords they use. With that being said, it wouldn't surprise me if I fail an audition for a heavy metal gig, because I am not familiar with it, but send me to a Gospel or Jazz gig, I will blow it out the water.
Thanks, Clark - between the two of us the OP should have enough to work on for a minute or two
Thanks for the music gentlemen! Regarding the "it's in you post," It's not that I wasn't used to the chords, it's the voicings I wasn't/ am not used to. From the jazz cats I've played and play with, most pianists when playing traditional stuff, use the same few voicings for each chord type. I'm not talking chick corea here, Im talking Oscar Peterson. The harmony is clearly defined enough so the soloist has the freedom to state his thoughts and I can follow and walk a good line. These gospel voicings on top of the progression subs were unfamiliar to me. Not all of them but when I hear and play a cool turnaround the first time through and are thinking about how to approach it the next time through only to be met with some chromatic ascending thing, yea I'm going to miss that because I've never heard it before and wasn't expecting it. The root changes because the chords have been subbed and revoiced in a way that the original root movement doesn't work anymore. That's where I'm coming from. If I can get that stuff under my fingers then Ill feel pretty confident in any playing situation ill ever find myself in again.
There were no rhythmic problems as far as groove is concerned. It was a continual slew of bad note choices.
