I'm looking to expand my bebop vocabulary and want to get some ii v i (2 5 1) licks under my fingers. Are there any resources with these kinds of licks for bass, preferably written in bass clef?
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ii v i licks for bass
- Thread starter clodhopper
- Start date
Basso Ridiculoso: Its Language - So Here Are Some New ii-v Words
Converted from the David Baker book into bass clef.
And yes, there are thousands of licks out there. Use the google.
Converted from the David Baker book into bass clef.
And yes, there are thousands of licks out there. Use the google.
Best way to develop bebop language is just learn more bebop heads
Grab any 20 or so of them and you'll honestly have 90% of the standard vocabulary
Bonus points if you learn them in a couple keys each
Grab any 20 or so of them and you'll honestly have 90% of the standard vocabulary
Bonus points if you learn them in a couple keys each
Bert Ligon's has a book of these organized into 3 basic patterns from real world bepoppers
but treble clef and, you know, lead/solo players, but still quite the organized teaching/learning tool
but here's the thing
each pattern tends to start on the 3rd and move to the 7th in a bar, because the lead/solo player is counting on the bass player to handle the root harmony, so mentally transpose 1 to 5(?), instead of 3 to 7-- not realy sure if that works given the fundamentals of the bebop scales
Amazon.com: Connecting Chords With Linear Harmony: Not Available (NA): Books
but treble clef and, you know, lead/solo players, but still quite the organized teaching/learning tool
but here's the thing
each pattern tends to start on the 3rd and move to the 7th in a bar, because the lead/solo player is counting on the bass player to handle the root harmony, so mentally transpose 1 to 5(?), instead of 3 to 7-- not realy sure if that works given the fundamentals of the bebop scales
Amazon.com: Connecting Chords With Linear Harmony: Not Available (NA): Books
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
Try this one:
"Fleep dee-doo, ba-daba-da Beep dee-do, dwee-DAAAAHHH"
The hipsters go crazy every time I play that lick...
"Fleep dee-doo, ba-daba-da Beep dee-do, dwee-DAAAAHHH"
The hipsters go crazy every time I play that lick...
I got this book, and it gave me a new way of looking at how bebop ii V I licks are constructed. It's just another tool, but I learned a lot from reading the first few pages. I haven't yet incorporated it into my playing but I think it will help.
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
Here is the crash course in making your own ii-v licks:
1) Start on a non-chord tone, and on an upbeat, like the "and" of 4 in the measure before the two chord. To do this, just start on a half-step away (above or below) from the first chord tone you want to start on, on the upbeat before 1.
2) Put chord tones on downbeats, so on 1, 2, 3, 4, not the "ands" and chord tones are the 1,3,5,7 of the chord you are on and then 9,11,13.
3) Put any non-chord tone chromatic/passing notes on weak beats, so on the "ands" and use those to space out the line so chord tones fall on strong beats.
In the pdf I posted below, the chord tones are listed under each note, so take a look at how many of the lines follow this basic formula. Not all of them do, but a majority do. There are other licks on the blog that I have transcribed that also follow this formula. It works because it puts the strongest notes on the strongest beats and our ears like that.
1) Start on a non-chord tone, and on an upbeat, like the "and" of 4 in the measure before the two chord. To do this, just start on a half-step away (above or below) from the first chord tone you want to start on, on the upbeat before 1.
2) Put chord tones on downbeats, so on 1, 2, 3, 4, not the "ands" and chord tones are the 1,3,5,7 of the chord you are on and then 9,11,13.
3) Put any non-chord tone chromatic/passing notes on weak beats, so on the "ands" and use those to space out the line so chord tones fall on strong beats.
In the pdf I posted below, the chord tones are listed under each note, so take a look at how many of the lines follow this basic formula. Not all of them do, but a majority do. There are other licks on the blog that I have transcribed that also follow this formula. It works because it puts the strongest notes on the strongest beats and our ears like that.
My take on ii V I. Others will disagree.
One can start by taking the chord tones of the cadence
ii = m7
V= dom 7
I = Maj 7
Now the usual scales played over this are (in C) are D dorian, G mixolydian, Cmaj. And that is in fact the default position for this cadence.
But other scales are congruent with the 7th chords we are playing. As long as we stay with the chord tones, we can consider alterations on the 2, 4, 6 tones to create options:
for ii, instead of the dorian, how about the changing the flavor and substituting aeolian, phrygian, minor pentatonic, the dorian b2, dorian #4, Lydian #2,#6, Hungarian minor........;
for the V7, instead of mixolydian, try the Lydian Dominant, Mixolydian b6, Phrygian Dominant, half/whole scale, tritone scale.....
For the I chord, try the Lydian, Lydian #2, harmonic major, flamenco major......,
All of the above are some ideas for scale substitutions that fit over the cadence, although they may not fit together musically.
I guess the main point is , given the 1 3 5 and 7 are fixed for a given chord , you can still play with the 2,4, 6 (and sometimes 1, 3 and 5 as upper extensions) to create musical ideas.
You don't necessarily need to have the chord names in your head if your ear is good and can hear in your head how the scale alteration is going to sound before you play it.
One can start by taking the chord tones of the cadence
ii = m7
V= dom 7
I = Maj 7
Now the usual scales played over this are (in C) are D dorian, G mixolydian, Cmaj. And that is in fact the default position for this cadence.
But other scales are congruent with the 7th chords we are playing. As long as we stay with the chord tones, we can consider alterations on the 2, 4, 6 tones to create options:
for ii, instead of the dorian, how about the changing the flavor and substituting aeolian, phrygian, minor pentatonic, the dorian b2, dorian #4, Lydian #2,#6, Hungarian minor........;
for the V7, instead of mixolydian, try the Lydian Dominant, Mixolydian b6, Phrygian Dominant, half/whole scale, tritone scale.....
For the I chord, try the Lydian, Lydian #2, harmonic major, flamenco major......,
All of the above are some ideas for scale substitutions that fit over the cadence, although they may not fit together musically.
I guess the main point is , given the 1 3 5 and 7 are fixed for a given chord , you can still play with the 2,4, 6 (and sometimes 1, 3 and 5 as upper extensions) to create musical ideas.
You don't necessarily need to have the chord names in your head if your ear is good and can hear in your head how the scale alteration is going to sound before you play it.
