Double Bass ****in cracked it

[Gawpatron]

about this time last year I started to learn walking bass and it has been a nightmare. I hadn't been a been to get through a song without sounding repetative or plain lost. I didn't think i would improve, but i battled on doing ear training, reading theory books and stuff.

a few months ago some italian and french guys got me into ska. not ska/punk which had put me off me the past, but 50's and 60's jamacian ska. to me it's a bit like Rock n' Roll but with more Trad changes in it. so i've been practicing my changes and aproaches to this music and today I made it to first base. I felt totally free and in control at the same time i didn't get lost once. Today was the first time i looked at a song called "I'm in the mood" played by "lord tanamo" and within 20 mintues of working out the chords i was up and running (or walking) with no stress.

So i guess what i really want to say is if you want to learn walking basslines, But it all seems a bit fast, i recommend playing along to ska

 

[Zachmozach]

The biggest problem people have with walking is not starting slow and learning the basics. I remember Jim Stinnet did a really good lesson series at the institute of bass site. It's starts easy playing roots, then adds fifths, gets into adding leading tones, and then approaches scale wise movement and chromatic lines. Plus if you really want to learn anything practice in all the keys. I know I used to feel like I was way behind on my bass line building ideas especially on the blues. Now it's gotten better due to me really learning the basics and some good old transcribing of lines. Now once I get my time feel on lock down and get better intonation on the upright I think I'll be in a more comfortable place.

 

[Gawpatron]

I know what you mean, ska songs seem too use all the basics and it swings

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

"Old School" Ska does use walking bass lines, but they are not exactly the same as Jazz walking basslines.

So obviously we are talking different rhythms - and Jazz swings more...

But also, Ska uses diatonic notes only and a much simpler range of chords than Jazz - so Ska doesn't have the same chromaticism of Jazz - well modern Jazz, since bebop anyway.

Most Jazz players see developing walking bass lines as a life-long exercise of learning and something that you never completely "crack" - just a constantly evolving process.

 

[Gawpatron]

depends on the song. the one i'm working on has a few examples of tritone subsitution that i didn't understand fully until yesterday. It just seems this song has lots of space to try out stuff which you can't with the already jamed packed jazz and swing songs.

At half the pace of course but it still swings. I still don't think i'm ready to play bebop though

by cracked it i mean that i think i could play some simple standards without offending anyone listening or the other guys playing.

 

[Steve Clark]

Good for you. Music can be long plateau i terms of progress and then suddenly something opens up like it has for you.

There are some good books out there. The Evolving Bassist by Rufus Reid and Modern Walking Bass Technique by Mike Richmond. I'm sure there are lots more but these ones work for me.

 

[arbitrary]

The biggest problem people have with walking is not starting slow and learning the basics. I remember Jim Stinnet did a really good lesson series at the institute of bass site. It's starts easy playing roots, then adds fifths, gets into adding leading tones, and then approaches scale wise movement and chromatic lines. Plus if you really want to learn anything practice in all the keys. I know I used to feel like I was way behind on my bass line building ideas especially on the blues. Now it's gotten better due to me really learning the basics and some good old transcribing of lines. Now once I get my time feel on lock down and get better intonation on the upright I think I'll be in a more comfortable place.

A big +1 to the Jim Stinnet books, seems very simplistic and it is, but very good starting point and simple does work very very well.

 

[MisterFred]

Don't be afraid to keep it simple. The most important thing in a bass line in all styles of modern music is strength of intent. Repeating tones can sound great if played with conviction. Beats one & two on the tonic, three and four on the dominant, for example. I repeat notes quite a bit.In fact that was the style the early jazz cats used when they moved from 2 beat to 4/4 swing, they just repeated on beats 2 & 4 what they were already doing. Obviously there's been a great growth of harmonic and rhythmic sophistication since then, but simple still swings! Keep listening and you will hear more and more ways to connect the changes. Also very important to keep in mind... You may think repeating the same lines is boring but it usually doesn't sound that way to the listener. They are listening to the top melody line be it sung or blown. Your part is support. Think like an arranger, define your part with a strong pulse, and no part is too simple or repetitive.

 

[bribass]

Don't be afraid to keep it simple. The most important thing in a bass line in all styles of modern music is strength of intent. Repeating tones can sound great if played with conviction. Beats one & two on the tonic, three and four on the dominant, for example. I repeat notes quite a bit.In fact that was the style the early jazz cats used when they moved from 2 beat to 4/4 swing, they just repeated on beats 2 & 4 what they were already doing. Obviously there's been a great growth of harmonic and rhythmic sophistication since then, but simple still swings! Keep listening and you will hear more and more ways to connect the changes. Also very important to keep in mind... You may think repeating the same lines is boring but it usually doesn't sound that way to the listener. They are listening to the top melody line be it sung or blown. Your part is support. Think like an arranger, define your part with a strong pulse, and no part is too simple or repetitive.

Wise words!

 

[Gawpatron]

Its been a few months since i last posted.
And I can't believe I'm able to plod around a few jazz standards now, mainly; Ladybird, Four and Autumn Leaves. cos those are the ones i've played the most so far.

I think i've achieved what i set out to do and thats to play functional walking lines that don't sound to boring to listen to.



Someone told me "all you need is 4 different tactics to approach chords and that will be enough to gig with". And he was right!

memorising what they sounded like was the hardest part, but yesterday it just clicked and I feel i'm in control of what i'm playing. I'm now going back and working on my root-5th motions
in order to reduce the see-saw effect of scaler and arpeggiation has on basslines. That and taking more big jumps to the 7ths and octaves.

phew! it's taken me just over a year to get started!

 

[mrpc]

"Lullaby In Birdland", that's the one that I "discovered" the feeling of tritone subs early on. I'll never forget that feeling of thinking i'd "cracked the code"! It's a good and healthy thing to strive for after you've experienced it. It always hapens when you least expect it, IMHO, and it's ALWAYS welcome news. And cliche is often OK, when the music calls for it.