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Big Band charts


OliverBlackman
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Afraid I can't help with the specific request - but on the subject of big band charts, I never (or very rarely) saw one which had good written walking lines.  So perhaps it's best to make up your own anyway.

So as an example: I went to the above site and chose any old song - it happened to be Tangerine.  So, given this chart, I would play the first two bars as written.  Then for section A, ignore the written part and instead play my own walking line over the usual changes to Tangerine - apart from the last bar, where I play the G and C as written, as I'd guess that is syncopated with the rest of the band.  Then from section B, go back to my own line.  Etc.

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3 minutes ago, jrixn1 said:

Afraid I can't help with the specific request - but on the subject of big band charts, I never (or very rarely) saw one which had good written walking lines.  So perhaps it's best to make up your own anyway.

So as an example: I went to the above site and chose any old song - it happened to be Tangerine.  So, given this chart, I would play the first two bars as written.  Then for section A, ignore the written part and instead play my own walking line over the usual changes to Tangerine - apart from the last bar, where I play the G and C as written, as I'd guess that is syncopated with the rest of the band.  Then from section B, go back to my own line.  Etc.

t.png

My experience is different. I'd say about 60-70% of the stuff is well thought out, the remaining has a range of quirks from few to 'loads'. I've only ever been tempted to play something other than the given bassline when its quite a boring one which could obviously benefit from some variation or ornamentation; and only then, once I've played through the song at least once, to understand where the others might have a solo or distinctive line.

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1 hour ago, OliverBlackman said:

A nice resource Ian,  it I was looking for bass clef parts rather than the full arrangements. Guessing there aren’t many big band players on basschat?

I have played many big band charts that have been arranged by top arrangers. Note for Note transcriptions during the head and chords for the solos.

So, It really depends on who has done the arranging.

 

Oliver, you download the PDF (Full Score) from the site/link above. Then (virtual) print the page(s) you want to PDF. In my case (windows 10), 'Microsoft Print to PDF'.

That then saves a PDF file (you don't actually print the part if you don't want).

 

The below PDF is a Buddy Rich chart. Not Walking, but a funk chart. There are loads of top walking lines, you just need to extract the Bass part.

The arrangements are excellent and are spot on. You are not going to get any better, especially for free.

 

Soul Kitchen - Bass Guitar Buddy Rich.pdf

Edited by lowdown
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8 minutes ago, paul_c2 said:

 played through the song at least once, to understand where the others might have a solo or distinctive line.

Yes - perhaps I was a bit brazen, and yours is much better advice.

I suppose the situation I have in mind is more if I know the song - in which case, I'd rather get out of the dots for a chorus and instead bond with the drummer, etc, than worry about having to read every single quarter note exactly as written.  I played some charts where rhythm changes were written out in full for a dozen choruses... 
 

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I have just downloaded 'Straight No Chaser' (Buddy Rich Band) and extracted from the score. Absolutely spot on arrangement.

There are tons of terrific arrangements on that site, some hand written, some engraved (Finale/Sibelius etc). Really worth hunting through and downloading.

I know there is a bit of work extracting, but hey, they are free. A massive amount of work gone into those arrangements.

 

Chart below.(Straight No Chaser).

Straight No Chaser - Bass Buddy Rich.pdf

Edited by lowdown
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2 hours ago, OliverBlackman said:

A nice resource Ian,  it I was looking for bass clef parts rather than the full arrangements. Guessing there aren’t many big band players on basschat?

The bass parts are there. If you download the pdf they are usually around the last few pages. Also, I’ve only played in one band since I took up bass and it’s a big band! 😎

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2 hours ago, lowdown said:

I have played many big band charts that have been arranged by top arrangers. Note for Note transcriptions during the head and chords for the solos.

So, It really depends on who has done the arranging.

 

Oliver, you download the PDF (Full Score) from the site/link above. Then (virtual) print the page(s) you want to PDF. In my case (windows 10), 'Microsoft Print to PDF'.

That then saves a PDF file (you don't actually print the part if you don't want).

 

The below PDF is a Buddy Rich chart. Not Walking, but a funk chart. There are loads of top walking lines, you just need to extract the Bass part.

The arrangements are excellent and are spot on. You are not going to get any better, especially for free.

 

Soul Kitchen - Bass Guitar Buddy Rich.pdf

Amazing, serves me right for being so impatient and not looking properly! Thanks for correcting. 

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53 minutes ago, ianrendall said:

The bass parts are there. If you download the pdf they are usually around the last few pages. Also, I’ve only played in one band since I took up bass and it’s a big band! 😎

What a great way to start playing bass. I seem to be working backwards through time and genres, and big bands are something I know less about.

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26 minutes ago, OliverBlackman said:

What a great way to start playing bass. I seem to be working backwards through time and genres, and big bands are something I know less about.

There are still quite a number of professional big bands out there recording and performing original material. It is so much more than just Glenn Miller and Frank Sinatra 😃

Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band is one of the more popular modern big bands but also worth looking up The Loudhorns, Tim Akers Smoking Section, Chris Walden and Maynard Ferguson amongst others.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

would be interested to know how you are approaching it, I found that playing the first part with the stretch from index finger on the G over to the pinky on the Bb then C# to D  with the two middle fingers ensures that most of the following patterns can be left to muscle memory. from what you can see in the Video he may not be doing that. but I had just about got it down then the MD wants all faster now.

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55 minutes ago, deepbass5 said:

would be interested to know how you are approaching it, I found that playing the first part with the stretch from index finger on the G over to the pinky on the Bb then C# to D  with the two middle fingers ensures that most of the following patterns can be left to muscle memory. from what you can see in the Video he may not be doing that. but I had just about got it down then the MD wants all faster now.

Exactly how I’m trying to do it! :)

 

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