Double Bass Jazz bass- how?

[Rasputin]

I'm coming from the solo instrument in jazz- the saxophone. I know that in order to solo, you must know the changes, how to build a chord, how to approach notes with chromaticism to make it interesting etc.

But what about the bass? It can't all be summed up to "play the tonic and the dominant" can it?

Most books on jazz theory are either piano-oriented or trumpet/sax/guitar. Any recommandations on a strictly bass book?
I know there is a collection of Upright Bass in jazz, will it help me understand?

 

[Marc Piane]

Ah Mad Monk. Your psychic powers and mystic visions must have revealed to you that folks 'round here like it when even the most infamous of faith healers fill in their profiles.

All kidding aside I'd start with Invalid Link Removed. I also use Rufus Reid's book with many of my students.

 

[Jack Clark]

I know that in order to solo [on sax], you must know the changes, how to build a chord, how to approach notes with chromaticism to make it interesting etc.

But what about the bass?

Gee, from what I've learned around TB and elsewhere, you've pretty much described what it takes to play jazz bass, too--not only to solo on bass, but just to play good bass lines.

I expect it'll be years before I can do it, though.

 

[Marcus Johnson]

Listen, listen, listen some more to bass players you like.

 

[William Hoffman]

Paul Chambers (with John Coltrane and Miles) for starters.

 

[JtheJazzMan]

Listening to charlie parker, hank mobley, miles davis, lee morgan and similar players gave me a ton of walking line ideas.

Then you can use the same ideas for solos.

Its all about finding nice ideas for shapes and phrases. Obviously when youre walking the rythmic phrases are a bit more limited but you can add phrases to your walking direction.

 

[Huy Nguyen]

Listen, listen, listen some more to bass players you like.

Yep. Get as many Ray Brown records as you can get your hands on and drown your ears in it.

 

[Fletcher Lanning]

If you already have the music in your ears from playing sax, just listen to bass players. Outside of that, Improviser's Bass Method by Chuck Sher is a good bass line book.

 

[Rasputin]

Thanks.

ANy recommandations on the most complete theory book aside Mark Levine's?

I like Paul Chmabers, but indeed there is a sense of limitation. Take Naima for example. you can hear the bass line, which is rather the same for each bar of the first part.

 

[Marc Piane]

Mark Levine's book is great. This Scott Reeves book is also really good.

You can't look at guys like Paul Chambers in a vacuum. In order to really understand where the bass is now you have to look at music from whatever era as part of a progression. Invalid Link Removed is really good for this.

 

[Bruce Lindfield]

I like Paul Chmabers, but indeed there is a sense of limitation. Take Naima for example. you can hear the bass line, which is rather the same for each bar of the first part.

Well I think you have to realise that Naima is a particular tune that has a spiritual intention on the part of the composer - almost like a repeated mantra...it is in no way typical of a Jazz bass line - listen maybe to "Stolen Moments" from "Blues and the Abstract Truth" to hear a more typical "classic" bass line from Mr. PC!!

 

[Asher S]

1. Walking: any one of these books will do you fine-

• Walking Bassics (Ed Fuqua)
• Building Walking Basslines (Ed Friedland)
• Walkin' (Bruce Gertz)

2. Soloing: Take a look at Marc Johnson's book "Concepts for Bass Soloing". It's a good resource for moving from scales to solos: http://www.shermusic.com/cncpbass.htm
This guy here still occasionally works out of this book:

3. Find a good teacher if possible.