Is anyone else getting as much as me from J. Gwizdala's book?

[TrevorG]

Just started "Jazz Vocabulary for Electric Bass". So accessible and you feel you're getting somewhere really quickly. Got a million great books (and a couple I really regret buying) but from the first page I've been sitting thinking why didn't I get this years ago?

Any other fans?

 

[BassChuck]

https://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Vocabul...ix=jazz+vocabulary+for+electri,aps,163&sr=8-1

 

[Spin Doctor]

Just started "Jazz Vocabulary for Electric Bass". So accessible and you feel you're getting somewhere really quickly. Got a million great books (and a couple I really regret buying) but from the first page I've been sitting thinking why didn't I get this years ago?
View attachment 3754297
Any other fans?

I got this book over a year ago, but then fell in with an R&B band that loves to rehearse and gig so I never got time to get into it. I never even opened it really. Well, with all gigs now discontinued for the foreseeable future, I've been getting back in to jazz related stuff. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[TrevorG]

There are gonna be some mammoth players by the end of this year.

 

[fivestringgecko]

Now that I have some time due to this COVID thing (all gigs/rehearsals cancelled through the beginning of May, which I totally think is a good thing, despite the pinch on the music income), practicing technique and fundamentals is where it's at rather than practicing music for bands that don't have anything going on. This (and a couple other Janek books) are on my list, along with a ton of other stuff in my Pile Of Shame. Currently working on a couple master classes at SBL.

5sg.

 

[Spin Doctor]

...Pile Of Shame.

That's exactly what it is... I'd be ashamed to show a picture of it.

 

[fivestringgecko]

That's exactly what it is... I'd be ashamed to show a picture of it.

Right? Seriously, it's embarrassing. I keep buying educational books like Janek's and never find time to dig into them. I've always been learning songs for bands, and never have time for an actual practice routine. But now with a stay at home order, maybe I can get to some of them!

5sg.

 

[Spin Doctor]

Just started "Jazz Vocabulary for Electric Bass". So accessible and you feel you're getting somewhere really quickly. Got a million great books (and a couple I really regret buying) but from the first page I've been sitting thinking why didn't I get this years ago?
View attachment 3754297
Any other fans?

Just a follow up on the Janek instructional books, I just got "The Bass Players guide to Pentatonics". Like his other books it's super accessible with a galactic shipload of backing tracks and a few videos that you can download and put on your device if your want. I had some decent facility with pentatonics before, but I was used to playing them in like one position and sort of moving them around. This book gets you moving them all over the fretboard right from the jump. I'm just getting into it, but I can tell it's going to be a huge boost to my knowledge level and playing. It's a little pricey, but it's worth every nickle, IMO. Pentatonics are too important to ignore.

 

[phillipkregg]

I wasn't aware of this book, and apparently he has a whole series of books. Thanks for the tip!

 

[phillipkregg]

Just a follow up on the Janek instructional books, I just got "The Bass Players guide to Pentatonics". Like his other books it's super accessible with a galactic shipload of backing tracks and a few videos that you can download and put on your device if your want. I had some decent facility with pentatonics before, but I was used to playing them in like one position and sort of moving them around. This book gets you moving them all over the fretboard right from the jump. I'm just getting into it, but I can tell it's going to be a huge boost to my knowledge level and playing. It's a little pricey, but it's worth every nickle, IMO. Pentatonics are too important to ignore.

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I remember an interview with Jimmy Haslip - former bassplayer for the Yellowjackets - where he talked about his soloing.

He gave an example and said that when he solos, it's pretty much all pentatonic scale patterns. When people think of pentatonics it's usually blues or rock playing, but seeing them used creatively in a jazz context gave me a new appreciation for them.

 

[Spin Doctor]

I wasn't aware of this book, and apparently he has a whole series of books. Thanks for the tip!

No problem. Janek's books are probably the best I've come across for instruction so far. I feel they are more geared toward intermediate/advanced players, but he really gets how to present the information. I have a couple other books of his: the "ii-V-I" book mentioned above and "All the Good Stuff". I work in the Good Stuff book everyday and am getting near the end of it. At which point, I will start it over again. It's mainly a book of exercises that gets you thinking in a different way about handling the fretboard. It's not really like a specific course. I haven't gotten into the ii-V-I book very much yet.

BTW, if you happen to want physical copies, you can get them on Amazon. I don't really like e-books because I like to write in them.

 

[Spin Doctor]

I remember an interview with Jimmy Haslip - former bassplayer for the Yellowjackets - where he talked about his soloing.

I've transcribed a lot of Jimmy's solos. He's really plays diatonic to the key and only rarely uses outside notes. But it sounds awesome and lyrical at the same time. I'm not really into those guys who play a lot of notes without any real sentiment behind it.

 

[bass12]

PDF versions are also available from Janek’s website. I’m generally a book person but for these kinds of bass exercises I find the PDF versions much more user friendly than books (especially books that are not spiral bound!).

Link Removed

 

[TrevorG]

Just a follow up on the Janek instructional books, I just got "The Bass Players guide to Pentatonics". Like his other books it's super accessible with a galactic shipload of backing tracks and a few videos that you can download and put on your device if your want. I had some decent facility with pentatonics before, but I was used to playing them in like one position and sort of moving them around. This book gets you moving them all over the fretboard right from the jump. I'm just getting into it, but I can tell it's going to be a huge boost to my knowledge level and playing. It's a little pricey, but it's worth every nickle, IMO. Pentatonics are too important to ignore.

View attachment 3860489

That'll be next on my list then. Very many thanks. I'm sat here with the II-V-I book as I read this. Probably trying to rush everything into my head too quickly but it great fun and cleverly organised.

 

[Spin Doctor]

That'll be next on my list then. Very many thanks. I'm sat here with the II-V-I book as I read this. Probably trying to rush everything into my head too quickly but it great fun and cleverly organised.

Cool. The way I approach books lately is to sort of get the material down, and then move on. I don't try to perfect every page. I get through it once, then do it all again from the beginning, which typically goes much faster.

 

[Pacman]

I remember an interview with Jimmy Haslip - former bassplayer for the Yellowjackets - where he talked about his soloing.

He gave an example and said that when he solos, it's pretty much all pentatonic scale patterns. When people think of pentatonics it's usually blues or rock playing, but seeing them used creatively in a jazz context gave me a new appreciation for them.

I took a 2 hour lesson with Jimmy, and he uses pentatonics heavily. In fact, he says pentatonics, dorian mode and what he calls double diminished (half/whole diminished) makes up 99% of his solos.

 

[GastonD]

Just started "Jazz Vocabulary for Electric Bass". So accessible and you feel you're getting somewhere really quickly.

If I may ask, how does it differ from any other licks/phrases/lines books out there?

 

[TrevorG]

If I may ask, how does it differ from any other licks/phrases/lines books out there?

I have a mountain of books on exercises, patterns, licks and theory that really haven't helped me. Perhaps it's "horses for courses" but I think the better books inspire me to put licks /exercises into my playing quicker. Maybe just the way something is explain helps me understand better than others. I'm only a dozen or so exercises in the book but he's got me thinking it through for myself based on the way he presents the exercises. But they're simple enough to become your way of dawdling when you're nowhere near the book... not a bad habit.

 

[starjag]

I'm gonna get me this book

Just started "Jazz Vocabulary for Electric Bass". So accessible and you feel you're getting somewhere really quickly. Got a million great books (and a couple I really regret buying) but from the first page I've been sitting thinking why didn't I get this years ago?
View attachment 3754297
Any other fans?

 

[starjag]

I don't read music, curious does this book have tab as well?

Just a follow up on the Janek instructional books, I just got "The Bass Players guide to Pentatonics". Like his other books it's super accessible with a galactic shipload of backing tracks and a few videos that you can download and put on your device if your want. I had some decent facility with pentatonics before, but I was used to playing them in like one position and sort of moving them around. This book gets you moving them all over the fretboard right from the jump. I'm just getting into it, but I can tell it's going to be a huge boost to my knowledge level and playing. It's a little pricey, but it's worth every nickle, IMO. Pentatonics are too important to ignore.

View attachment 3860489