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Not getting lost playing So What

ImaStupidBaby

ImaStupidBaby

Feb 2, 2006
844
208
42
Roeland Park, Kansas
#1
I understand that So What is 16 bars of Dm and then 8 bars of Ebm and then 8 bars of Dm. My problem is making sure I'm correctly counting bars. I find that it's super easy to forget if I've played 5 bars or 6 or 7.

I've tried counting 1 2 3 4, 2 2 3 4, 3 2 3 4, 4 2 3 4 in my head as I play but I find it's super easy for my mind to wander towards what I'm playing.

I've tried counting each bar, like 1 (play a bar) 2 (play a bar) 3 (play a bar) etc but that doesn't seem to work.

What can I practice to get better at feeling how many bars I've played so I don't get lost and miss the key change altogether?
 
#5
ImaStupidBaby said:
I understand that So What is 16 bars of Dm and then 8 bars of Ebm and then 8 bars of Dm. My problem is making sure I'm correctly counting bars. I find that it's super easy to forget if I've played 5 bars or 6 or 7.

I've tried counting 1 2 3 4, 2 2 3 4, 3 2 3 4, 4 2 3 4 in my head as I play but I find it's super easy for my mind to wander towards what I'm playing.

I've tried counting each bar, like 1 (play a bar) 2 (play a bar) 3 (play a bar) etc but that doesn't seem to work.

What can I practice to get better at feeling how many bars I've played so I don't get lost and miss the key change altogether?
Click to expand...
My advice is to not count bars because that's why you get lost. Feel the music in 4 bars phrases. Then make it 8 bars when you are getting good at it. Start with 2 bars if needed. It will be easier to count the numbers of phrases within each chord instead of all the bars.
Try to build your walking bass in 4 bars phrases with a beginning and an ending. When you get at the end of the structure make sure YOU feel like it is the end and you are starting a new chorus. Everybody in the band will feel it too. I like to use a A pedal the last bar or two. You know that big I-V-I ;)
 
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#7
Groove Master said:
My advice is to not count bars because that's why you get lost. Feel the music in 4 bars phrases. Then make it 8 bars when you are getting good at it. Start with 2 bars if needed. It will be easier to count the numbers of phrases within each chord instead of all the bars.
Try to build your walking bass in 4 bars phrases with a beginning and an ending. When you get at the end of the structure make sure YOU feel like it is the end and you are starting a new chorus. Everybody in the band will feel it too. I like to use a A pedal the last bar or two. You know that big I-V-I ;)
Click to expand...

This is really good, I'll try that thank you
 
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#9
It's kinda weird that I'm in a jazz band and have never in my life played So What. I never really wanted to, but we did do Impressions a couple times.

Anyway, this may or may not help you but one song I tend to get lost on is "Wave". The A and B sections kinda run together at the end of the song and if you blink, you will have no idea where you are in the tune. So what I do is during the "A" section, I stick my left foot out in front of me and then when the "B" section comes, I pull back the left, and then stick out my right foot. Not only does it help me keep my place, but it gives me something else to keep my mind focused on, song wise.
 
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#10
Spin Doctor said:
It's kinda weird that I'm in a jazz band and have never in my life played So What. I never really wanted to, but we did do Impressions a couple times.

Anyway, this may or may not help you but one song I tend to get lost on is "Wave". The A and B sections kinda run together at the end of the song and if you blink, you will have no idea where you are in the tune. So what I do is during the "A" section, I stick my left foot out in front of me and then when the "B" section comes, I pull back the left, and then stick out my right foot. Not only does it help me keep my place, but it gives me something else to keep my mind focused on, song wise.
Click to expand...

With wave when you say they run into each other at the end do you mean a tag? Because the B section is the easiest. G min7 1 bar/ C7 1bar and /F maj7 2 bars. Then F min7 1 bar/ Bflat7 1 bar / E flat maj7 1 bar then Emin and A7 2 beats each... That is if you play in D minor Total 8 bars... Basically all 2 5's. The song is A A B A.
What will really help is learn the melody. This will help you know where you are and help you with a solo if you take one. Learn the melody to all the songs. Suggest you buy the real book in bass clef.
 
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#11
ImaStupidBaby said:
This is really good, I'll try that thank you
Click to expand...
It is a good idea to play the fifth of the new coming chord on the last beat of the section to prepare the modulation. When you are at the end of the first Dmin7 play a Bb on the last beat to go to the Ebmin7. Do the same at the end of the Ebmin7 play the A. You can use the A open string especially if you decide to go up the neck for the Ebmin ;-).

Also while playing the A pedal at the end of the structure play more rhythmically instead of the steady 4.
 
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#12
Bassist30 said:
With wave when you say they run into each other at the end do you mean a tag? Because the B section is the easiest. G min7 1 bar/ C7 1bar and /F maj7 2 bars. Then F min7 1 bar/ Bflat7 1 bar / E flat maj7 1 bar then Emin and A7 2 beats each... That is if you play in D minor Total 8 bars... Basically all 2 5's. The song is A A B A.
What will really help is learn the melody. This will help you know where you are and help you with a solo if you take one. Learn the melody to all the songs. Suggest you buy the real book in bass clef.
Click to expand...

Yeah ok, I meant I get shifted around where the last A section and the first A come together. Since I have hundreds of songs in my head and new ones coming all the time, I'm not gonna get overly excited about one, since we don't play it much anymore anyway. I did learn it from the real book, but honestly haven't looked at it in years. I just do what needs to be done, lol. Thanks for the info.
 
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#13
Spin Doctor said:
Yeah ok, I meant I get shifted around where the last A section and the first A come together.
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Yeah, this is a common screw-up for me whenever playing a song with AABA form: Unless you (and the soloists) make your final A sections conclude with emphatically "closing" statements, you wind up with this large undifferentiated sea of A sections...and then the B section takes you by surprise!
 
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#14
Bob_Ross said:
Yeah, this is a common screw-up for me whenever playing a song with AABA form: Unless you (and the soloists) make your final A sections conclude with emphatically "closing" statements, you wind up with this large undifferentiated sea of A sections...and then the B section takes you by surprise!
Click to expand...

Yep, that's the issue exactly! I should take your advice and really work up a couple solid ending phrases for that last A section. I'm sure my bandmates would appreciate it, lol...
 
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#16
Ask the drummer to cue you for the change, either verbally or with a drum fill.

+1 to thinking & phrasing in 4 bar or 8 bar chunks.

You need to signpost the last 4 bars of the last A section, especially in Modal tunes like So What. Write a couple of bass runs to fall back on - your band members are listening out for this cue.
 
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#17
Bob_Ross said:
Yeah, this is a common screw-up for me whenever playing a song with AABA form: Unless you (and the soloists) make your final A sections conclude with emphatically "closing" statements, you wind up with this large undifferentiated sea of A sections...and then the B section takes you by surprise!
Click to expand...
...I have 'played' "Impressions" (at a reasonable tempo).
For the B Sections-
We always went from a Swing feel (A) to a Latin feel(B).
That helped. A lot.
 
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