STUDY GROUP: Topics In Jazz Bass Volume 1: Harmony, by Danny Ziemann

[Rob MacKillop]

I've just put myself to the test over So What and Footprints, and became somewhat depressed that things didn't flow as I had expected. Occasionally I got the patterns to work, but they threw me out here and there. More time playing to backing tracks is required. Sometimes the #7 sounded ok, when thinking or hearing horizontally rather than vertically. 

 

Looks like it's just you and me, Gareth...oh well. 

[dkziemann]

Hi everyone, imagine my pleasant surprise to see this thread! I'm thrilled to know you're diving into these materials together. What a great motivation for me to continue my work as an educator!

I'll keep an eye on this thread from time to time (I generally have moved away from forums as my attention is being pulled in so many different directions), and answer questions as I can.

Regarding any typos — very possible that some small things have been missed by me or my editor. I'll compile them, and eventually do a v2 release.

Regarding the major 7th — it's always been my thought that minor is a tonality with variations in flavor, not a set-in-stone harmonic rules. To that point, to me the true sound of minor is always the sound of melodic minor, and anything else is just a flavor (Dorian, Aeolian, harmonic, etc.). If you listen to Paul Chambers walk over So What, he uses C# in D Minor all the time since it's the leading tone... despite the fact that the tune is in "dorian" (which it is not strictly). So, when I walk, I often prioritize using Major 7ths in minor since it has more harmonic strength and support.

To everyone... I know this stuff is dense! Do your best to keep up with it and try not to get discouraged. It took me five years of practicing, and 16 months of writing this book to really deeply ingrain these concepts into my playing. A lot of it is influeneced Barry Harris's teachings and what I learned directly from Bill Dobbins, filtered through my own experiences and the lens of the bass. 

It will take time. But it will work. 

Keep it up!
DZ

[Gareth Hughes]

Danny - you rock! (or ‘you jazz’ but that doesn’t have the same ring)

 

Thank you for your time in posting here, it is very much appreciated. I especially appreciate your thoughts on the #7. For me, my (aural) stumbling blocks were firmly cemented in my early heavy metal beginnings - so a minor scale is Aeolian and there is nothing else!
 

But I’m chipping away at that concrete and your explanation of, to paraphrase, a ‘constantly variable minor’ has just cleared away a huge block. Thanks again.

[Rob MacKillop]

It's an honor to have you here, Danny! And now that I know you are tuning in, the more I'll have to practice! 

 

Regarding So What, being primarily a guitar player, I initially improvised over it with the three minor pentatonics and minor blues scales in C Major. The blue notes add some interesting dissonance. So I see a minor chord - especially a static one - as an opportunity to explore a variety of related minor modes and scales. That d#/eb in the A Minor Blues scale works if the general flow allows it, likewise the a#/bflat in the E Minor Blues scale. I haven't yet been so free with my bass playing, but I guess there's no reason why these things wouldn't work in context? 

[Gareth Hughes]

Hey Rob - just thought you’d like to hear this. My 16 year old  son has joined a jazz workshop group here for teenagers, a once a month rehearsal with a great jazz drummer/educator. As he’s wanting to improve his jazz knowledge and walking abilities I suggested that the two of us work through Danny’s Low Down Vol.1 book one evening a week, in the same manner of this study group here, so thanks again for getting the ball rolling all round.

[Rob MacKillop]

Well, that’s great news, Gareth. Get them while young 😀 Between you and Danny, he’s in good hands. Keep us posted. 

Edited Sunday at 21:58 by Rob MacKillop

[nekomatic]

On 23/10/2025 at 20:13, Rob MacKillop said:

Looks like it's just you and me, Gareth...oh well. 

I’ve just received my copy of Topics vol. 1, so I’m looking forward to joining in, although I can’t promise to necessarily keep up with the rest of the group!

 

Thank you for starting this up though - it’s good to see some proper Theory and Technique action going down. And thank you @dkziemann for writing the book!

[Rob MacKillop]

Welcome aboard, nekomatic! I’m not moving very fast, so you should catch up with me soon. I’m trying not to race ahead, as I often do with books. This stuff I want to embed. 

[Gareth Hughes]

Nice one Nekomatic. It’s slow and steady here for me, little bit often. 
 

I had an interesting breakthrough/revelation earlier. I was working on adding the b9 to a dominant 7. So, playing along with a looped chord on iReal, I’m playing all the variations of the arpeggio and then I wanted to try adding other notes from outside the arpeggio. My ear finally led me to playing a half step/whole step scale - so (over D7b9) it was D Eb F Gb Ab A B C. I’ve practiced this before but never ‘got’ it. My ear was doing the work and it began to make sense. I hope it still seems this way tomorrow!

[Rob MacKillop]

I’ll have to check, but I think there’s a chapter on that later on, Gareth. Have a look.