Playing in a Piano Trio

[rufus.K]

Bring groovy original riffs to the rehearsals and try to stack them into eachother.

 

[Spectrum]

The problem is that I don't know HOW to do that! I've never played with a piano before. My main experience is in heavy metal, bands like Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, and Rush (okay, they're not metal, but you get the picture). Heavy on the minor pentatonics and such.

How's your walking skills?

I grew up playing the same stuff as you but when I decided to get into a little jazz I had to dive into walking over a chord chart and learned an awful lot from that.

Don't know if you're playing jazz or something else, though walking is a great skill for blues, some kinds of rock, and lots of other stuff.

 

[AndyPanda]

My suggestion is going to be pretty old school - and I've only used these books for sax, flute, piano and not for bass (I'm new to bass). But these books, the Aebersold play along books, have piano (or guitar or whatever chording instrument) on one channel and the bass on the other channel with drums in the center so you can pan to the bass side and listen to what the bassist is playing (different person on each album but someone who is near the top of the jazz heap) or pan to the chording side and play your own bass. Sheet music has chord charts and the melody of the "head" in bass clef, treble clef and Bb and Eb. There will also be some pages discussing jazz theory and modes and what scales work with which chords and why. These books have been around for many, many years - so a little dated maybe - but it is still a great way to learn the fundamentals of jazz.

 

[TrevorOfDoom]

Don't be afraid to walk lines, be melodic, and take risks.
Communicate with your pianist. Let him know that you're capable of holding down the low end while also creating interest.
Hiromi is awesome, but the trio is a bit more advanced than i'd suggest for someone just getting started.

 

[NoiseNinja]

I'm in an organ trio (same thing).
Don't over think it.
Listen to Medeski Martin & Wood.

Medeski, Martin & Wood is a great trio as well as a good suggestion.

It has been an awful long while since I last listened to them though, but I love what they are doing and have some of their records myself.

 

[MalcolmAmos]

OK, piano, bass and drums. But I am unsure what kind of music you will be playing. I work almost exclusively with a piano trio. We cover the American song book, the Real Books, show and pop tunes in a relatively low key and appropriate jazz style. This to me is the other side of the planet compared to metal or most rock genres. improvisation is expected by all. Sometimes, trading 4's or 8's (measures). A lift of the eyebrow could mean a 3 tag ending. In other words there are conventions which are commonly used and expected of you. The jazz diet is radically different from metal. Are you familiar with the standards? The musically historic giants? Could you sing 3 or 4 Rodgers and Hart tunes right now if you had to? When i'm fishing for improvisation ideas, I may start by thinking about the root, major or minor 3rd, 5th, dominant 7th, octave notes to anchor my improvisation (not necessarily played). It helps if you know the tune inside and out, use passing tones, chromatics maybe as fills. (don't over play) turn arounds, etc etc. And yes as others suggested, the pianist can get in your way, so make your peace with him or her left hand. Again, a piano trio infers traditional straight ahead jazz to me. Might mean jazz fusion to another, (which actually be more like metal because of the tendencies for speed and theatrical technique). Or if I'm wrong a piano trio could mean something completely different and progressive and hard to catagorize. In any event, there are many benefits, you will be able to show up with a Rumble 100 v3 combo and a vintage Precision as I do, and have plenty gear. The venue will be way quieter than a typical metal room. More benefits: You will not be" getting old" in such a setting. Clientele and venues will probably be more refined. Repertoire (in my opinion) much more interesting. Best of all, no deafening guitarists!
In short going from metal to jazz? (Remember Less is more in terms of stage production). Your knowledge of theory, sophisticated extended chords and the traditional chord cadences, reading will be challenged and there are many performing conventions that you will only realize you need to get familiar with; when you get there. For now, get the Real books, hang with horn players. attend jazz workshop type jams. (not blues). This probably will not happen over night.

In case you skipped over this one it is well worth a second read.
Thanks for posting.

 

[bassliner50]

In case you skipped over this one it is well worth a second read.
Thanks for posting.

Thank you, MalcolmAmos for reading this and "getting it".

 

[Bob_Ross]

Listen obsessively.

^^^This...and not just as homework, but when you're in the actual session playing w/ the pianist and drummer. Really pay close attention to the sound of the music being created; does it suggest a mood, an atmosphere, an environment, a direction? Be prepared to contribute to that mood/atmosphere/environment/direction as well as to guide it (sensetively, logically, inventively) elsewhere. Remember, in an improvising ensemble it's rarely enough to just react to the other musicians' playing; you also need to inspire (or provoke) them.

Also: Think in terms of shapes and gestures. Don't get too hung up on "will G Lydian b7 work against what he's playing, or should I stick to D minor pentatonic?" Take a step back from the mechanics and think more broadly, e.g., "will a lilting feel work here, or should it be more urgent?" or "Are these long phrases that sound declaritive, or are they shorter, almost inquisitive statements?"