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The Major's Bass Boot Camp - Session 36


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The Major's Bass Boot Camp - Session 36

Creating solo bass guitar arrangements

I'll be adding more videos to this Session over the coming weeks but to get us started, have a look at this:



[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9jPdYUeGSU&feature=youtube_gdata_player"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9jPdYUeGSU...be_gdata_player[/url]

I've taken the old jazz standard "Honeysuckle Rose" and created a short solo piece with accompaniments to the melody using sometimes 3 note chords and sometimes intervals like 3rds and 6ths.

If I was creating a performance arrangement, I would most likely vary each repeated section a little, but here I have kept it the same so you can (hopefully) see what I'm doing.

I chose to play in a quite "rubato" style - ie not in a constant tempo. When you play entirely on your own, unrestricted by other players, it's an option to be considered.

Although I'm playing on my 24 fret 5 string bass, this is all playable on a four string with 21 frets.

In order to let the strings ring freely when playing chords, its necessary to pluck like a classical guitar rather than the usual method of playing into the next string down.

The Major

Edited by Major-Minor
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And here's another:

"You Go To My Head"



This time it's in a regular tempo with a swing feel.

Please feel free to ask questions !
You might want to say "Well, why bother trying to sound like a guitar ?" !! Good question !
Well I'm finding it very good for keeping on top of left hand strength, dexterity, and co-ordination just for starters.
And as an arranger, I find it a really good mental exercise, trying to find ways to make the harmony work at this register, to create little performance pieces that are complete in themselves, and (now that I'm 60) keeping the memory working !!!

The Major

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[quote name='Major-Minor' post='1305194' date='Jul 15 2011, 10:19 PM']Yet another:

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz0yGsnz7zs"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nz0yGsnz7zs[/url][/quote]
Good evening, Major...
Many thanks for the beautiful 'Misty' (not that the others are not..!); I've been playing this (well, struggling to play it...) for way too many years now (on my Hofner Comittee 6-string...). This solo bass version is wonderful, although I didn't understand all (most especially the 'montée' just after the introductory 'hook' phrase...). I don't suppose a transcription could be made available (not even sure that my old Hofner Verithin bass can play that high..!)?
A tad more melodic than 'Rage against the Machine' (good in their own way, of course, but tiring...).
More power to your elbow, sir; respect.

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[quote name='Dad3353' post='1305351' date='Jul 15 2011, 11:48 PM']Good evening, Major...
Many thanks for the beautiful 'Misty' (not that the others are not..!); I've been playing this (well, struggling to play it...) for way too many years now (on my Hofner Comittee 6-string...). This solo bass version is wonderful, although I didn't understand all (most especially the 'montée' just after the introductory 'hook' phrase...). I don't suppose a transcription could be made available (not even sure that my old Hofner Verithin bass can play that high..!)?
A tad more melodic than 'Rage against the Machine' (good in their own way, of course, but tiring...).
More power to your elbow, sir; respect.[/quote]
Good morning, Dad (!)
Actually, I'm really pleased you've asked for a transcription of "Misty". I had decided that if nobody requested the written material, I wouldn't bother to write these things out ! (they are all in my head at present). So I'll crack on with it.

The Major

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Good evening, Pete...
Phew, that was quick..! Just as well; apnee is not my strong point. Excellent transcription, with the added bonus of giving me a few hours work to transpose all to bass key (I needed the exercise anyway...). Once that's done, I'll get down to working it out on the fingerboard (shouldn't take too long, just a decade or two...).
([i]I'll let you know (discretely...) if I come across any Major errors...[/i])
Excellent work, anyway; sincere thanks.

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[quote name='Major-Minor' post='1306171' date='Jul 16 2011, 08:50 PM']And here it is:

"Misty" arranged for solo bass guitar. Written in treble clef, but sounding an octave lower.

[attachment=84857:Misty.pdf]

The Major[/quote]

Ach!! I'm having trouble enough with bass clef! lol

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[quote name='Dad3353' post='1306301' date='Jul 16 2011, 11:45 PM']Excellent transcription, with the added bonus of giving me a few hours work to transpose all to bass key (I needed the exercise anyway...).[/quote]

Perhaps you could post the bass clef version when transposed......?

:)

Thank you!

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[quote name='Blademan_98' post='1306760' date='Jul 17 2011, 04:46 PM']Perhaps you could post the bass clef version when transposed......?

:)

Thank you![/quote]
No problem, if you're in no hurry (2012, perhaps..?). If you only knew how slow I am...

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Damn these young whippersnappers..! So blasted fast..! Now when I was a boy, we showed a bit more respect for our elders..! Showing me up like that an' all..!
Well I'll transcribe it anyway (yes, I still need the practice...), but can get straight down to trying to play it much sooner.
[url="http://www.emoticonland.net"][/url]
Seriously: I would be voting the Major for President, if UK was a republic (...and I not an anarchist...). Sorry, but the bar is now very, very high. I'm sure I won't be the only one eagily awaiting your every video, transcription included.
([i]How long can he keep this pace up, huh..? I give 'im two months[/i]...)
Keep 'em coming, sir, we're highly grateful.

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Dang..! Like wild horses; once he's got his head he's unstoppable..! We'll just have to patiently wait 'till we've got through 'Giant Steps' and 'The Girl from Ipanema' etc.; sooner or later when he's run through the whole gamut he'll have to fall back on 'Sunday, Bloody Sunday' or 'Message in a Bottle' (it's going to be a long winter, however...).
I play mostly drums, and some guitar; bass is one of my 'violons d'Ingre', but only one. Unlike most 'cats', I don't have nine lives. How the hell am I going to soak up 1% of all this?
Yep, it's going to be a long winter... ([i]Sigh[/i]...)

Edited by Dad3353
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