Hector

Rely on the primacy of the ear. All music theory, especially Jazz theory, is simply a way to formalise stuff what other people done played that sounded good. Don't get me wrong, theory is lovely and important. Use the theory to inform you about what sounds you like, and how to practice them, but when you're soloing get those ears working. You can even try to play what you sing to get some lovely lines out that are dictated by your ears. To solo well, I'd recommend doing some ear training - learning to recognise intervals and chord types (or at least the 4 basic triads) is pretty vital. An exercise I like is to play every chromatic tone over each of the 4 basic triads and get them in my head (I'll often try and sing them without an instrument over a triad played on piano). Getting familiar with the sounds of various intervals above triad types allows you to use those sounds in your soloing, they're your pallet of colours if you will. People like those colours differently, and which ones you use when is an essential part of your musical personality. The real music goes on in your head, and that becabled woodchunk and carpetybox are just there to get all that stuff out.

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1329703250' post='1546236'] After viewing that. I had to buy... Looks very interesting, well its two o'clock in the morning anything looks interesting. Thanks for the link [/quote] Another convert! Things are going well. I really hope you like it as much as I do - my current project is chapter 10 (where the real meaty stuff is) in 12 keys at different positions (trying to improve my dusty thumb position chops). Really like the three basic outline chapters and how they deconstruct/demystify so much bebop vocabulary, but feel they're more to dip in and out of. Let me know how you get on with it!

[quote name='JakeBrownBass' timestamp='1329679918' post='1545850'] Cheers Geoff, No point in doing them and keeping them to myself! Share the wealth [/quote] Lend us a tenner yeah Jake?

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1329595147' post='1544763'] Couldn't resist it and bought the Galper book as a Kindle book. So far so good! Have already learned some stuff that has effected the way I look at melody (I was composing today and was thinking differently from the off). Good call, Hector (very Worthy) [/quote] Yes, a convert! Nice one Rob, hope you enjoy it as much as I have (and still am). When I first picked it up a few months ago, it had a similarly immediate effect on how I was thinking about my melodic lines. I found that it's also the sort of thing that adds a slightly new context to other theory books you read.

Just as an addendum to my last post, here's the first 30 pages of the Bert Ligon book for your perusal. [url="http://www.scribd.com/doc/51885034/7346612-Bert-Ligon-Connecting-Chords-With-Linear-Harmony-1"]http://www.scribd.com/doc/51885034/7346612-Bert-Ligon-Connecting-Chords-With-Linear-Harmony-1[/url]

I've always gone for the same method as already mentioned. Had my bass bar readjusted recently and low E tone is righteous! I reckon that it's always a good idea to revisit basic mechanics of bass playing (RH and LH) once in a while, to prevent bad habits taking hold. Actually way overdue for some shedding myself. One thing that trips me up is using my middle finger on the E string, especially alternating with index. Never have much cause to play too fast down there, so never really worry about dloing it.....

Forward Motion - Hal Galper Connecting Chords with Linear Harmony - Bert Ligon Inside Improv Vol.3: Jazz Line & Vol.1:Melodic Structures - Jerry Bergonzi (quite like all his books but those two are my faves) I would actually say that the Levine book hindered my development more than helped it in the early stages, and would strongly recommend the above for beginning improvisers. That said, the Levine book is a monumental achievement, a fantastic reference book and an indispensible part of my theory library. Just his approach is not overly practical to those just starting out who need a clear and applicable approach to playing melodic lines that outline harmony - I find it a little too "modal" (imo of course, everyone learns differently). I would also recommend a volume on ear training but don't know about specifics - I just have a hodgepodge of exercises gathered from over the years that I work on.

[quote name='fatback' timestamp='1328465924' post='1527531'] I haven't been able to find a european source. The only source I've found is Film Baby. they say it's an all-region DVD. Film Baby 13909 NE Airport Way Portland, OR 97230 1-877-345-6222 [email="[email protected]"][email protected][/email] [url="http://www.filmbaby.com/"]www.filmbaby.com[/url] [/quote] Thanks! Will maybe just have to accept that this DVD just costs quite a bit (and is probably totally worth it) and buy it from there. What were your thoughts on it in the end? I've basically been starting to apply something similar Rabbath's technique a lot more in my playing (especially for faster bop lines), but in a very ad hoc, disorganised manner. Hoping to get a more complete coverage of his LH, so I can take a bit more a structured approach.

Guys, I'm also on the search for this - if anyone knows a good place to buy please let me know!

[quote name='fatback' timestamp='1326284449' post='1494856'] Very interesting. I'm not sure that what they're looking at is entrepreneurship though. I recognise what they're talking about in terms of managing creative teams, but management and entrepreneurship are not the same thing, although overlap is usual. In my (fairly wide) experience, entrepreneurs are driven, individualistic, inspirational but often disorganised, difficult to constrain and often containing the seeds of the project's destruction. Rock stars, anyone? When they suceed, it's often because of the moderating influences around them, often people who work to mitigate the chaotic side of their natures. Maybe why entrepreneurial partnerships vcan be very successful. Are there any notable jazz partnerships? [/quote] Most enduring: Ellington & Strayhorn Mingus and Dannie Richmond Bird & Diz (quite an interesting partnership) Less Enduring: Evans & LaFaro Chet Baker & Dick Twardzik Chet Baker & Gerry Mulligan Probably more, but these are just off the top of my head.

Oh, one other thing about reading that I'd recommend thinking about: Try and think of the end of the note as a rhythmic event just as distinct as the beginning. Took me much longer that it should've to get that concept, but I find it really makes a difference. Edit - Just a thought about that note learning exercise is that it could be useful to do it by visualising the fretboard in your head and trying to do it that way.

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1326672139' post='1500420'] Your points are valid, Faithless, but I put a lot of store in practising the art of reading in real time because all the practice in the world won't prepare you for dealing with the dots passing in front of your eyes in reai time in a 'sh*t or bust' fashion that is demanded by a reading gig. Agonsing over each bar is important and the stage I am describing won't be possible without having learned how to read the dots but learning to read several bars at a time, across bar lines, as you glance over the page, whilst the tune is being performed and whilst there is no time for reviewing and slowing down to nail it perfectly can [i]only [/i]be learned in 'performance' mode. [/quote] QFT. I first learnt to read music by lying and claiming I could in order to get the gig and then spending every rehearsal/performance bricking myself until I could actually do it (Les MIs as well, not an easy score). Did wonders for my reading! My 2p's worth of advice would definitely be to get familiar with rhythms, as they're the tricky bit: there's only so many notes, but lots of different rhythms. If you're playing in a certain style, maybe familiarise yourself with the basic types of rhythms used?

[quote name='fatback' timestamp='1326054560' post='1491728'] Interesting. Can't think why it should be different though. I was watching Rabath's Art of the Bow the other night and he makes a point about fingering I wasn't aware of before. Instead of pressing down with all fingers equally to 'fret' a note, he advocates using the pivot so that the relevant finger(s) come down in an arc, with a twist of the wrist towards or away from you. Talking about bowing he says it vastly improves the tone because of the power concentrated on the string that way. I tried it with pizz and it seems to improve my tone there too - eliminates the occasional 'fuzziness' that's so frustrating. It's a very decisive way to play too, if that's not an odd way to put it. That man is is an inexhausitible source of insights, no doubt about it. I mean to get his 'Art of the left hand' but it's very pricey, so i keep putting it off. I really should just go for it. [/quote] You mean twisting your wrist towards the nut for first finger, and towards the bridge for second finger? You're right he is a wealth of knowledge. And I find it's staggered in it's presentation as well: every so often I'll decipher his accent in another section, and it reveals a further great insight I'd previously missed!

I really love playing the bass. That is all.

[quote name='jakenewmanbass' timestamp='1325617897' post='1485300'] Not always 7 Geoff, and the daytime sets tend to be 25/30 mins but still amazing for the stamina... says a lot for practising in 20/30 min spells. [/quote] Funny, I've actually started doing this recently: 20 mins on, then 5 off. I find it helps me to give my poor brain a rest - especially when trying to absorb a lot of new musical information! Also if I'm concentrating on something difficult I tend to tense up, so that little break lets me take stock with a cuppa and relax my body if I need to. Great to hear about how much you're enjoying playing Rob!

[quote name='visog' timestamp='1325098659' post='1479875'] Looks like a major project... Is it for advanced players or is applicable to mere mortals? I've done scales to death but phrasing is a bit of a black-art. (Realised how far I had to go when I heard Nigel Price [guitar - sorry] just setting up to support Stanley & Hiromi at Ronnie Scotts. Every line swung so well.) Be interested to hear how you're getting on with the book? [/quote] It's for everyone! Definitely worth a read - more of a book about how to think about playing and to outline the harmony clearly (amongst some other useful concepts). I did some reading, and developed a new practice routine for the foreseeable future that I'm happy with, but the information in the book is yours to use as you wish. He's a little intense, but he makes some fantastic points.

[quote name='Faithless' timestamp='1324125800' post='1471043'] I think there is a difference in how you start - scales are basically the outcome of chord tones+tensions. Pat Martino's 'minorization' concept is a super-imposition concept, which is really advanced - it's not for guys who don't know the basic 6 7th chords and tensions. First you want to learn 'the grain' - six basic 7th chords - minor 7, dominant 7, major 7 - they're used for major II V I harmony.. And, another 3 in minor II V I: m7b5, diminshed, and minor(Maj7)...... Shed all inversions of each chord in all positions on bass (there are 5 positions for each chord). I'd say, sign up for [url="http://www.joehubbardbass.com/"]Joe Hubbard's[/url] newsletter (and don't forget to check out his stuff on his website) - last time he sent a "Fundamental Chord Worksheet" for those who are following him via newsletter - you'd get a better idea of what I'm talking about. If you wouldnt get that sheet by signing up, don't hesitate to contact him, maybe he'd send you that. easy Laimis [/quote] Great advice from Laimis as usual! I started a topic about it (and nobody replied so I guess nobody is that familiar) but Hal Galper's book "Forward Motion" really hammers home the importance of chord tones as the strongest possible method of outlining the harmony in your improvisations, and how their rhythmic placement can really make or break a line. Practising these chords in all inversions so you have them at your fingertips all over the neck really is the foundation of solid improvisation. It's also important to know how the chord tones change through a progression, in terms of voice leading. For example, in a ii-V-I in Cmajor we have Dmin7 G7 CMaj7. In this progression the 3rd of Dmin7, F, becomes the 7th of G7, whilst the 7th of Dmin7, C, resolves down a semitone to become the 3rd of the G7, B. For me, I tend to think in terms of the way these chord tones (3rds and 7ths primarily, but roots, 5ths and sometimes 6ths are also useful) relate to one another across progressions, and my improvisation in aimed at linking these tones. The possibilities for how to link them are huge, pentatonics, arpeggios, synthetic scales, chromatic motion etc, but for me it starts with chord tones. I'd just also like to add some info, in case anyone is confused about the role of the diminished chord in the minor ii-V-I: Usually a minor ii-V-I is spelt iim7b5, V7b9, I min(Maj7). In C minor, this would be Dm7b5 G7b9 and Cmin(Maj7) However, a diminished chord can fit in place of the V7b9. The G7b9 for example, which has the notes G(root) B(3rd) D(5th) F(7th) and Ab(flat 9). If we ignore the root, we actually have a cheeky diminished chord: B D F Ab (stacked minor thirds). Thus, a Bdim chord can functionally take the place of the G7b9. In fact, because diminished chords are symmetrical, the diminished chords built off D F and Ab all contain the same notes as a Bdim, so the G7b9 can be substituted for any of: Bdim, Ddim, Fdim and Abdim. Neat.

Has anyone else worked through this book? Totally making me rethink my playing and practising, and I've got tons of new ideas about how create my own exercises and how to analyse what other players are doing. Looking forward to seeing it translate into my playing. Haven't gotten a buzz like this from an instructional book in a long time. Seriously recommended!

Playing an exercise where I start at 128bpm in time with the metronome. Then I keep playing at the same tempo, halving the metronome as I go. Eventually, I'm playing at 128bpm, with the metronome at 2bpm (which is one beat every 16 bars). That single beat is a check to make sure I have good time, but not a crutch to lean on, so the good time really comes from me.

I have one on my iPhone, which is great, but I'm looking for PC software for a friend.

Hi guys, Looking for a good metronome program to download. Preferably free as I'm a tight git. Needs to be able to go down to 2-3bpm as well, for some exercises that involve trying to play along with slower clicks. Anyone got any ideas? Cheers. H

Love what I've seen of him on youtube etc. - I already do a similar palm mute thing (usually picking with thumb and index/middle fingers, but starting to use the pick more), but this guy's on another level! Can anyone recommend me some classic records with Bobby on? Probably have a bunch without even realising it....

Any time mate, pleased to share the love. Happy walking!

[quote name='WishICouldWalk' timestamp='1320574255' post='1428376'] It's all interesting stuff. I find myself relying a lot on chromatic leading notes either above or below the root of the target chord. I think the problem with this approach is in bebop for example, where you've got loads of 2 chord bars, it can make the line a bit jumpy. When I listen to experienced jazz bassists, they seem to effortlessly weave very melodic lines through the harmony. The other thing is how they respond to 'out there' piano voicings. They just seem to be able to target the right notes to complement the piano. I think it's down to having a great ear and knowing the harmony of a tune so well that they don't even have to think about it. I've got a long way to go! [/quote] You could try not playing roots on the first beat of a chord, and instead play another chord tone (3, 5, 7) or even a 9 or 11 (e.g. over a II-V bar of, say, Dm7 G7, play D C B G, as B is the 3rd of G). A nice way to think of these II-Vs with two chords to the bar is as just one chord, which can get you away from strict root playing. You can either think in terms of just the II chord, or just the V chord. In particular, the latter is very common, as (staying in the previous example in the key of C) playing a G over a Dm7 gives a lovely G7sus4 sound. Have a play around, and see how it sounds to you, and try coming up with some lines that suit you and sound good to your ears. You'll find that not strictly sticking to the root motion will allow you a bit more freedom, and allows you to think in terms of the contour and direction of a line without just joining up the dots of the root motion and feeling all constricted. Like any other tool in your walking bass kit, make sure not to overuse it! Roots on the 1 will always sound good, and provide very strong harmonic support for the rest of the band. Sorry I'm not a very good explainer, so let me know if this needs clarification/elaboration. H

Oh yeah! The way Janek picks up that motif at the end of Bob's solo and takes it elsewhere is awesome.