Eight Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 I've decided this month is the time to start using that double bass I bought years ago which has done little else but stand and gather dust. (Bought it before I had a bass guitar and then realised I didn't have a clue where to start on a bass instrument). Looking for any suitable song suggestions (pizz not arco) to help me get going. I can play some scales, and can slap a little but that's about it. Cheers guys. BTW This is also the first time I've ventured into this area of the forum. It's like going into the back room of that local boozer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 My Baby Just Cares for Me by Nina Simone Moon Over Bourbon Street by Sting Two simple but interesting lines that won't cramp your hands up, the first two i learned on EUB Any Nina Simone is worth looking at Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Hughes Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 'Love Cats' by The Cure is a good one to get your head and hands used to the stretch's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eight Posted May 23, 2010 Author Share Posted May 23, 2010 Cheers guys, I'll have a crack at them. It's quite exciting to be picking the thing up again - only this time with a bit better of an idea of what I'm supposed to be doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted May 24, 2010 Share Posted May 24, 2010 A Quick Sketch from this Herbie Hancock Quartet CD. Ron Carter on bass. [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Quartet-Herbie-Hancock/dp/B0012GMWUC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1274693581&sr=1-1"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Quartet-Herbie-Han...3581&sr=1-1[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJ Posted May 24, 2010 Share Posted May 24, 2010 Some of the old Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong stuff is fun to play. Easier standards with great arrangements. I think the trio for a lot of it was Oscar Peterson on piano, Ray Brown on bass and various drummers. Glad to hear your delving back into DB. Enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eight Posted May 24, 2010 Author Share Posted May 24, 2010 (edited) Thanks for the extra suggestions. Just been trying My Baby Just Cares For Me... this double bass thing is harder than it looks But coming along. [quote name='TPJ' post='846431' date='May 24 2010, 12:26 PM']Glad to hear your delving back into DB. Enjoy[/quote] Cheers mate. First time around was a bit of a false start really - but now that my ear is better and I actually know a little about bass, I'm hoping to make more progress. Edited May 24, 2010 by Eight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted May 24, 2010 Share Posted May 24, 2010 Fever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greydad Posted May 24, 2010 Share Posted May 24, 2010 [quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='846880' date='May 24 2010, 09:20 PM']Fever [/quote] +1 Also 16 Tons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted May 24, 2010 Share Posted May 24, 2010 All Blues and Song for my Father? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 I stuck on the Graceland album on Spotify the other day, there's some stuff on there that sounds great on double bass and also that's interesting enough to just jam around if you're not good enough yet to play the stuff Bakithi played on it. Also try some old '60s soul tunes, and '60s ska/rocksteady stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greydad Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 [quote name='thisnameistaken' post='847103' date='May 25 2010, 01:58 AM']I stuck on the Graceland album on Spotify the other day, there's some stuff on there that sounds great on double bass and also that's interesting enough to just jam around if you're not good enough yet to play the stuff Bakithi played on it. Also try some old '60s soul tunes, and '60s ska/rocksteady stuff.[/quote] I got into it by starting off with some bluegrass stuff - much of it simple root-fifths initially but good practice anyway, you need your timing to be solid and you have plenty of time to work on your (simple) intonation. I also got to gig almost immediately and that is the fastest way to get down the first part of the learning curve. Moved from there on to walking lines (some pretty fast in bluegrass) which leads into blues - straightforward blues lines in different keys are another good area for practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorick Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 Jonny Cash... One Piece At A Time, or A Boy Named Sue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted May 25, 2010 Share Posted May 25, 2010 Try some nice walking lines. Start with a 12 bar blues - look at the Major's Boot Camp in the Theory posts. Vary the lines you take and you will get a nice feel. Play in Bb, F, Eb and C - you will see how easy it all falls to hand. Much easier that the sharp keys - G,D,A,E in my opinion. Then find the chords for 'All the things you are' by Jerome Kern ( Musos tend to call it 'All the Chords There Are') for a real walking work out. Use a metronome. See Jakesbass for lessons. Keep at it and enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 How about 'Susans House' by Eels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumble Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 Been lurking on this thread coz I was thinking of posting the same question so just to say a huge thanks to everyone for their suggestions. Ticked My Baby Just Cares for Me and Moon Over Bourbon Street off the list now working my way through Fever and realising what a fscking great song it is ! Many thanks ladies 'n' gents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eight Posted June 7, 2010 Author Share Posted June 7, 2010 [quote name='grumble' post='860340' date='Jun 7 2010, 08:55 PM']Been lurking on this thread coz I was thinking of posting the same question so just to say a huge thanks to everyone for their suggestions. Ticked My Baby Just Cares for Me and Moon Over Bourbon Street off the list now working my way through Fever and realising what a fscking great song it is ! Many thanks ladies 'n' gents.[/quote] Hahah. I did My Baby and Fever (not to a high standard I might add). I feel like I should try this Moon Over Bourbon Street just so we're on level pegging. Although I do feel the allure of A Boy Named Sue... not a phrase I ever thought I'd utter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 I've just spent the evening with a nice bottle of Rioja, jamming over [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyXmp-FiPJo"]Lisa Hannigan[/url]'s album on Spotify, some Duran Duran, Beach Boys (Good Vibrations has some forays into thumb position for the verses and a thump-a-long chorus that exercises intonation quite nicely on the E, A and D through several positions), some of OK Computer, bow practise with some ELO (call me every name under the sun I don't care I love ELO I also got the bow out for some of the OK Computer stuff), and finished off with a bunch of Jamaican-ish tunes (Take It Easy - Hopeton Lewis, Can't You See - Ken Boothe, Once Upon A Time - Delroy Wilson, Stupid Marriage - The Specials, Man At C&A - The Specials, Bed's Too Big Without You - The Police, It's Hard To Confess - The Gaylads, Drop The Ratchet - Stranger Cole & The Conquerors). I can't get enough of DB now. I only pick up a bass guitar when I'm required to really. I still enjoy playing BG in the band but if I wasn't doing a band I probably wouldn't pick it up at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumble Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 [quote]call me every name under the sun I don't care I love ELO[/quote] I loved ELO in their earlier albums (10538 Overture still sounds superb) but got bored with Lynnes production later on, so you wont find me calling you ! Once I've got to grips a little better with my EUB (maybe 'proper' DB soon) I want to have a go at some of the Ska etc. you mention. [quote]Hahah. I did My Baby and Fever (not to a high standard I might add). I feel like I should try this Moon Over Bourbon Street just so we're on level pegging[/quote] Standards ? No-one mentioned standards ! Race you to A Boy Named Sue , first to fsck it up wins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted June 9, 2010 Share Posted June 9, 2010 [quote name='grumble' post='860340' date='Jun 7 2010, 08:55 PM']now working my way through Fever and realising what a fscking great song it is ![/quote] Don't be fooled. Its crap. Captain Smith and Pochahontas? What the hell is THAT all about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumble Posted June 9, 2010 Share Posted June 9, 2010 [quote name='Bilbo' post='861892' date='Jun 9 2010, 10:55 AM']Don't be fooled. Its crap. Captain Smith and Pochahontas? What the hell is THAT all about [/quote] I meant great as in 'no guitards/keys/horns '. Ignore the lyrics ( Captain Smith and Pochahontas? not exactly a classic love story I suppose ) everything else is great The original drum n bass ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 [quote name='Bilbo' post='861892' date='Jun 9 2010, 10:55 AM']Don't be fooled. Its crap. Captain Smith and Pochahontas? What the hell is THAT all about [/quote] Oh c'mon Bilbo, it's not complete crap. The changes are a tad subtle and it's not that easy to play right first or second time. There are plenty of first time 'jazzers' that are not so demanding - 'My Baby Don't Care' for one. I bet the bass line in Fever turned a lot of young guys on to the double bass in the sixties in the same way that some very good jazz guitarists of today were hooked on Barney Kessel's riffs in 'Cry me a River'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eight Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 Just thought I'd point out one thing: the double bass is bloody difficult. It should mandatory for anyone who starts thinking that being a bassist is easy... There. I needed to get that off my chest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 (edited) Snakefarm's reading of 'St James Infirmary' is worth a look (not to everyone's taste, but there you go). [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuzrgu55lkA"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuzrgu55lkA[/url] Edited March 4, 2011 by alyctes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 This is dead easy, and lots of fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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