Reading electric bass notation

[rodlloyd]

I have been asked to play bass in a pit orchestra for a show "The Last Five Years" for a small amateur theater. I like this kind of gig but when I received the music, a small percentage is just electric bass cords.

I have no

training or experience reading and playing from such cords and apparently no other music is available. Is there a simple way to work out a bass line with just the cords.

 

[bholder]

Chord root and 5th to fit the rhythm if you're desperate...

 

[Bill Staudt]

It looks to be a straight quarter note walking bass line. Start with the chord tones (R-3-5-7th) of each chord.

 

[Febs]

1. You're always safe playing the roots using rhythms similar to the written part you've been playing. So you could do something like this:

2. You're always safe playing the roots whenever a chord changes and then connecting the changes with other chord tones.


3. Look at other parts of the same song to see if there is a similar section where there is a line already written and then use that for ideas on what to do in the improvised section. In this particular song, measures 27 through 34 have the same chord progression, and the bass line is partly written out, so you can use that for ideas.

Similarly, measures 143 through 148 look like the same chord progression as measures 63 and 64, so you could use those measures for ideas:

4. Listen to the original cast album for ideas.

 

[Febs]

It looks to be a straight quarter note walking bass line. Start with the chord tones (R-3-5-7th) of each chord.

Those slashes indicate to improvise a line in the style of the song. They don't indicate a walking line.

 

[BassChuck]

I played that show a few years back, and we're starting rehearsals for another production it in a few days. Get a OCR (original cast recording) there are 2 one from 2002 and one from 2013. Get the 2002 one. In the '13 version the song "Summer in Ohio" is in B major, the '02 recording has the same song, but in Bb, and that's what you'll see in the rental music. In song #5 "Moving to Fast" there is at the top of page 5 about 16 bars of chords for piano, bass and guitar. It's totally open solo. On the '02 recording the piano fills the whole section, in the '13 recording that section is omitted, so you'll not be able to see what happens. Apparently in the current production I'm involved with we'll pass the solos around the rhythm section.
Jason Robert Brown, the composer, learned about bass by listening to Jaco recordings and so this piece and many of his other shows are written with fretless electric in mind. The first time I played the show, I did it on fretted and there really isn't a problem there, but for this next production, the music director has asked for fretless. It's a challenge. Don't try to walk into the first rehearsal unprepared. If they are using the prescribe orchestration you'll see piano and guitar one violin and 2 cello. This is not easy music for anyone in the pit. Good luck, it's very rewarding music.
BTW, the only song in the show that is just R-3-5 walking is "Summer In Ohio" and most of that is written out. Harmonies are not simple or standard progressions. Expect a lot of chromatic shifts with flat 5's in the chord.

 

[Malcolm35]

To improvise a line or this phrase has been used earlier in the song so just do the same thing that happened earlier. Notice you find this at the 59th measure.

 

[bobsax]

A little bit off subject here but I think I could get some good information from at least the OP. I’m doing a show that will require upright and electric bass. Just wondering how you deal with the switch the space and what kind of stands are you using? Also I guess an amp with two inputs?

 

[dreamadream99]

I’m doing a show that will require upright and electric bass

The biggest issues are usually the different impedance (from piezo vs. traditional electric pickups or active preamp), volumes, and EQ. This can be addressed with a good two channel amp, as long as each channel has its own gain and EQ—or it can be addressed with separate preamp/DI’s if you have a PA system, then combined or separate monitor amps. You can also consider an AB/Y pedal to quickly switch between signals for FOH and monitor amp.

Myself, I came up with a free solution. Upright into my combo input (so I can take advantage of the combo preamp), and electric into the effects return, using the volume on the bass to match outputs, and as a mute.

 

[IamGroot]

BassChuck's advice is sound. If you dont read, you need to listen how its played and copy that. No magic short cuts.

Thats why there is sheet music.