Hector Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Hi all. Realised that while my knowledge of Jazz theory is pretty good right now, my knowledge of how to apply it to the bass is trailing far behind it. Basically I need to know my scales/arpeggios as pools of notes rather than just a pattern, in order to be able to get what's in my head out through my hands.... To learn this, I've started working through Gary Willis' Fretboard Harmony, but I'm finding it a real slog! Can anyone recommend me a method to use to learn my scales and arpeggios in a slightly less dreary way? Preferably about an hour a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKenrick Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 I don't know if you'll find it any less dreary, but Mick Goodrick's book 'The Advancing Guitarist' is probably the most comprehensive book on the subject that I've found. Yes, it's aimed at guitarists, but 90% of the concepts can be applied to the bass. An hour a day should get you up to speed in no time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 No. There is no quick fix and it is a hard slog. And its boring and it takes a long time. It is taking shortcuts that messes people up. There aren't any and don't believe anyone that tells you differently. Get on with the work and be patient. It will bear fruit, I promise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector Posted August 7, 2009 Author Share Posted August 7, 2009 [quote name='bilbo230763' post='562783' date='Aug 7 2009, 02:17 PM']No. There is no quick fix and it is a hard slog. And its boring and it takes a long time. It is taking shortcuts that messes people up. There aren't any and don't believe anyone that tells you differently. Get on with the work and be patient. It will bear fruit, I promise.[/quote] Cheers Bilbo, I needed that! It's not that I'm not prepared to slog away at it - playing jazz is what I love and even with a full undergrad degree to do, I'm still willing to set aside an hour a day [i]minimum[/i] to shed it. It's just that you lose faith a little bit when you don't see great results. Back to patiently spending my days with Mr. Willis then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 If you want to break the scale practice up a bit, try learning some 12-bar be-bop heads. One a week at first, rising to one a day eventually. Or look for saxophone pattern books (try [url="http://www.jazz-o-matic.com/Default.aspx"]http://www.jazz-o-matic.com/Default.aspx[/url] as a source. You will need to transpose to bass clef but there is a mountain of stuff here>) But, as I said, there is no substitute for the grind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkle Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 (edited) [quote name='bilbo230763' post='562834' date='Aug 7 2009, 03:21 PM']But, as I said, there is no substitute for the grind.[/quote] Amen to that. I'm working through Chord Studies for Electric Bass, by Rich Appleman and Joseph Viola. (http://www.berkleepress.com/catalog/product?product_id=11172). It's what Jeff Berlin was having me start when I was at his school. Every single exercise to be done in all 12 keys. I'm only just today moved to Bb (having done C, F, and D). I am improving, as well as speeding up, and certainly my fretboard knowledge is better, but I'm humbled at the thought of how far there is yet to go (11 more keys!). One day, I will look back and be delighted I'm done with it. But each individual exercise, after being done in all 12 keys for a couple of days, is a little mini-victory as it is completed. Also working on heads of tunes, ii-V7-I exercises (all 12 keys), and playing arpeggios of jazz tunes (in all inversions). It's a lot of work. Results come only very slowly. Jeff used to say 'If you're happy taking a baby step every day, then you've already won'. Basically, persistence will eventually see you right. Nice to see others are also grinding away! All the best, Pete Edited August 7, 2009 by funkle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bozzbass Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 (edited) yep, grinding it is. i remember when i decided to get my reading more together, i started at the beginning of that james jamerson book and just did a bit every day till i got to the end. can't remember now how long it took, but it worked. keep on trucking with it Edited August 7, 2009 by bozzbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamapirate Posted August 15, 2009 Share Posted August 15, 2009 [quote name='bilbo230763' post='562783' date='Aug 7 2009, 01:17 PM']No. There is no quick fix and it is a hard slog. And its boring and it takes a long time. It is taking shortcuts that messes people up. There aren't any and don't believe anyone that tells you differently. Get on with the work and be patient. It will bear fruit, I promise.[/quote] Bah rubbish! all you need to do is play the root, then the octave and the respective third above (minor or major depending on the chord) and you'll have people oohing in no time!! [size=1]Pleas, please dont follow that advice - work at it and go for what I've quoted.[/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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