Quote:
Originally Posted by Martin Sheridan
I am underwhelmed at the response to the question.
How about some traditional methods?
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Ok, I will bite..
I worked with records when I was young (16-19?) and transcribed or learned the exact Bass lines. Back then, the Bass was not all that out front like it is today. The Speakers were not as good either. Like listening to a Jack Jones Record and hearing the Bass line. Sinatra's mix was better. For the most part, pop records had the bass mixed down a bit. Jazz records were mixed on the volume thing but I had a basic home/consumer stereo, my brothers.
Playing gigs with Piano players also made me listen. It was listen and learn or, get a new profession. I remember Major Holley telling me 'my eyes aren't so good by my ears ARE!".. I sat in on his Sunday Brunch gig at Jacque's next to the Village gate. This is about 1969-1970. Got to play with Roland Hanna, Kenny Barron and others he had there working the Duo each week. I also sat in on Reggie Workmans' Bass/Guitar gig uptown on Monday nights and played with various guys there at Brandy's(?). The Bass chair changed when Reggie couldn't make it so one week I played on Reggie's bass, the next was Wilbur Ware's, then Sam Jones' and they all knew I was OK with Reggie so they let me play a tune or two each week.
On the Gig training or sitting in will get your ears working. I did so so many reading gigs that taking a wedding job once in a while was needed just to use my ears. My pitch and intonation got really good but my ear for hearing changes on tunes I didn't know or substutitions needed work.
Here's a shaker upper.. Bill Evans at the Blue Note c.1973/4 or so when it was uptown. I would go in each night and stand by the door (for free, they let me) and it was just after I got out each night of the B'way show I was doing. Al Cohen (of Al Cohen/Zoot Simms) with a Quartet with the Piano and drums from the 'Tonight Show' (Ross Tompkins and I forget, Shaunessey maybe) and Chuck Isreals on Bass opened up for 'Evans. Eddie Gomez was the bassist then who I knew thru the drummer Marty Morell with the trio.
Well, Eddie comes up to me on a break and asks if I would like to sit in on the last set (3am-4am) and I said YESSSS. So I kept my cool and tried calming my butterflies while waiting a few hours to play... Then Chuck Isreals comes up to me on his last break half way thru the night (the set b4 I would sit in) and says, "Kenny (they called me Kenny back then.. No longer allowed
), would you mind doing the last set for me? I'm not feeling too well and wanna go home.".. Well, my first ever B'way sub was for Chuck so I could not refuse so I gladly accepted as I should. Well, I played his Italian bass on that set playing tunes I had no clue what they were and could barely hear the changes but survived.. and then put the Bass away in the clubs office as Chuck asked me to. Then.. I get called up by Eddie.. knees shaking after a set in the Twighlight zone with the Veterans who none of them even knew my name (I was announced with the Quartet.. "and an Unknown on Bass"
) and took the stage taking Eddie's bass from his hands. Talk about Pitch!!.. That was the 3rd bass I played that night counting the one I used earlier on my own gig.
Well, Bill polietly askes me "so what do you wanna play" ('kid!'.. didn't say 'Kid' but I could feel it.. or.. maybe I was just paranoid). Well.. I had this day planned out for years after all the 100s or hours playing along with the Records, mosty with Scotty playing.. So.. I said, 'Green Dolphin Street'. Well we ALL play it in 'C' in NY so I thought I was set... Then, he starts the intro.. My ears stand up.. literally.. not C..
.. oops.. Eb.. Yikes
..
Well, there went all my licks and practiced solo riffs.. Now.. memory off, Ears ON. I play the tune, playing maybe 1/4 of the notes I would normally play.. mostly feel and did hear the tune to transpose but my solo.. a Fishing expedition.. And I was a GOOD Fisherman.. no joke.. lived in Florida for 7 years as a kid.. lol..
The Tune ends.. (Thank God..) and Bill looks up and says in a quiet voice '
felt good'. period. Eddie comes back, I unlock my frozen knees from the stool and like I just landed from a 16 hour flight, touched ground and walked off the stage.. I was in a Cloud but didn't know which direction the Earth was in..
.. Later that night or the next day I asked my friend marty Morell the drummer, "what did he mean whan he said 'felt good'?.. Marty replied.. "it felt good.. or he wouldn't of sadi it".. "Oh", I replied.. Boy was I insecure back then..
So, Ear traning? Like swimming.. Jump in.. Swim or sink.. Oh.. and practice a lot, jams are good with people at or above your level, above recommended.
I can't say for sure how one should really learn this formerly but this is how my life went. In the last few years I started doing Dou and Trio gigs again and once again, the ears needed stretching out. Nothing like having music to read for me but that's not always the case. You need to work it all, Eyes, Ears and oh.. the Hands.. Just plain practicing so you can find what your looking for once you know what it is you want.. Note wise I mean..
