Double Bass How did you learn to bebop solo?

[jolaaled]

Yes! Coincidentally, I just happened to be listening to several Pettiford recordings before I checked this board. I'm listening now to Bohemia After Dark. Ron Carter takes a really great solo on his version--worth studying. Yes, Pettiford is a great source for study. I've worked on Tricotism, and I do need to go back to that and really start transcribing more of his solos and memorizing them.

Does anyone have a short list of easier DB bebop solo fragments as I'm overwhelmed on where to start! Thanks all!

IMO, bassists, esp. DB, take a different approach at soloing in the bebop style than other instruments. And a lot of stock licks that are available for study (David Baker's book, google jazz licks see what comes up) are just darn difficult to play at tempo. Some do work. I've been working on memorizing Parker's "Now's The Time" (no1) solo from the omni book and it's a bear on the DB. Good stuff in there, no doubt.

 

[jolaaled]

Oops..I'm looking for suggestions for easier DB bebop language ..where to start!

 

[bass183]

Oops..I'm looking for suggestions for easier DB bebop language ..where to start!

I don't know what your skill level is, but the book: The Music of Paul Chambers transcribed by Jim Stinnett is perhaps a good start. I think a lot of his solos can be played by a beginner at a very slow tempo, and learned measure or phrase at a time. Also, learning what the dominant bebop "scale" is & how it may be used (passing tone between root & b7) is a good start & great excercise. That scale & it's permutations give you the chord tones on strong beats, which is the rule of thumb w/ bebop. These scales are typically played as a descending line and can be used as a lick. e.g. C-B-Bb-A-G-F-E-D-C; that same scale played from 3rd down (E-D-C-B-Bb-A-G-F-E), from the fifth, from bseventh. That might be the most rudimentary. ??

Learning & analyzing transcriptions is a great way to see how players use the language. It helps to have a teacher work through it with you otherwise you'll be lost. i know a lot of people swear by transcribing but, if you don't understand the language, transcribing solos yourself will be a difficult task. If you can find Oscar Pettiford's "All the things you are" solo transcription (I've seen it on youtube), that is a relatively easy solo to learn. Memorize it, or parts of it and use it in your playing. That's essentially what i'm doing. it's a slow process. I can see the little improvement, and I've only just tapped into this after several years of playing jazz rep but sucking at the solo part. lol! Hope that helps.