Playing Jazz - Ken's Corner (Bass Forums Sponsored By KSB)

Richard Prowse · #1 06-16-2009, 01:45 AM

Thanks Marcus, that was great advice.
I remember Bobby Shew saying at a clinic, many years ago, that he wore out all his record covers because he used to play brushes on them as he listened to his records.
Bobby did a lot for jazz down under in the early 1980s. I was so inspired by him that I took up the trumpet. Well, in truth, I was inspired by Roy Eldridge (sp!) and Dizzy first but Bobby delivered the knockout punch. In those days we seldom got to talk to top players or see them play close up.
I've just been working on There Is No Greater Love after reading about Ken playing with John Clayton (on another thread). It's a tune I've never really checked out in detail.

Marcus Johnson · #2 06-16-2009, 04:34 PM

Actually, John is a strong advocate of learning material by listening to it. He's a great teacher.

One other thing that can really help in absorbing and internalizing a tune is to learn the head. Lots of bassists don't seem to do that. It may be the best way to get to know it well enough to solo over the changes. Taking it one step further, it's not a bad idea to learn the lyrics of the tune as well.... anything to help give you context for your improvisations.

Richard Prowse · #3 06-17-2009, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

Actually, John is a strong advocate of learning material by listening to it. He's a great teacher.

One other thing that can really help in absorbing and internalizing a tune is to learn the head. Lots of bassists don't seem to do that. It may be the best way to get to know it well enough to solo over the changes. Taking it one step further, it's not a bad idea to learn the lyrics of the tune as well.... anything to help give you context for your improvisations.

All true. Very true.

Richard Prowse · #4 06-29-2009, 02:30 AM

It's raining and bitterly cold. I have something resembling the flu. I can't take time off school because it's too busy.
The good news? I have a week and a half off, starting next Saturday.
My beloved has lined up a few jobs so that I don't get bored - even though I emphatically informed her that I love being bored!
I plan to put the first Monday of this break aside for what I am calling
"Richard's Big Bass Improvement Day' - I thought up the name myself.
I know that Rome wasn't built in a day and that practising flat out for one day is not the answer to anything. Nevertheless, that's what I intend to do. I intend to immerse myself in bass for one day. I'll be like a one man workshop...
"Hi all, and thanks for coming. Let's start off with some questions - yes the guy at the back." Richard kicks proceedings off.
"Hi, my name is Richard. I just want to ask what Richard's Big Bass Improvement Day will cover." asks Richard.
"Good question. I intend to cover everything." Richard replies.
"But... but, that doesn't seem really possible. Not in one day." Richard retorts.
"Well," Richard replies to the man at the back, "firstly I'll be looking at time, tuning, bowing articulation and pizz. Then we'll take pieces from your repertoire and look at how we can improve tone and improvisation skills. We'll also stop, from time to time, to review our progress."
"Okay, sounds good." Richard replies.
"Are there any more questions?" asks Richard.

Ken Smith · #5 06-29-2009, 04:05 AM

Well, juts on case, let me add something else for you to make sure ALL 24 hours of this day you plan will have something worthwhile to work on.

First a short story and a theory to get there. One of my first private bass teachers ever was (and still is) the great Reggie Workman. If you don't know who he is, google him and YouTube him.

I would watch him play in a club with a Guitar duo at first and later in a Piano Duo at a few different clubs around NYC and notice that once in awhile he would do some kind of fast descending lick up in thumb position using 3 or 4 strings coming across with a lot of notes there. Each note was clear and a good note as well. He was playing his 4/4 (or bigger) Ferdinand Seitz Bass, a big beautiful dark colored old German bass with a sound to match. I have played this bass myself a few times but that was back around 1970 or so.

So, for jazz and for practice what's the best way to build up technique to play like that across the Strings in thumb position? Well, without going out and buying a bunch of books by all the new guys on how to re-invent the wheel, just take a book you already have. Take your Simandl Book I and play the first few pages of the positions, maybe up to IVth BUT at an Octave higher using T as the open string and 1-2-3 in place of 1-2-4.

Try that just as it's written but up an octave and report back to me after your done a few of these jazz gigs and had a chance to solo up in TP with a few upper descending lines. Practice this with Bow and with Pizz. Why with Pizz? Because that's how you will be playing in Jazz. Why with Bow? Because you can hold the notes longer and build up your finger strength in those positions and well as work on your intonation. Bow first, Pizz second. Back and forth.. Have fun, take two Aspirins and call me in the morning..

Richard Prowse · #6 06-29-2009, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Well, juts on case, let me add something else for you to make sure ALL 24 hours of this day you plan will have something worthwhile to work on.

Thanks Ken, you're like a slightly older big brother.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

One of my first private bass teachers ever was (and still is) the great Reggie Workman. If you don't know who he is, google him and YouTube him.

Yes, I know who Reggie is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

So, for jazz and for practice what's the best way to build up technique to play like that across the Strings in thumb position? Well, without going out and buying a bunch of books by all the new guys on how to re-invent the wheel, just take a book you already have. Take your Simandl Book I and play the first few pages of the positions, maybe up to IVth BUT at an Octave higher using T as the open string and 1-2-3 in place of 1-2-4.

"Rich, why would you be playing the 2nd Ab on the E string?

"
Remember, I'm the guy going for that Ab on the E string from the "Wolf note or not?" thread.
Thanks Ken, but I'm pretty fluent in that first thumb pos. However, I'll take your thoughts and apply them to the thumb pos. starting on D on the G string, as I'd like to make that as stable as the lower thumb pos.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Smith

Have fun, take two Aspirins and call me in the morning..

Thanks, Dr Ken.