Bilbo

I have played all sorts of music on a fretless, not just jazz/ballads/quiet stuff and there is next to nothing you can't do on it (it will only go MWAHHHHHHH if you want it to!). THe only thing I think that the fretted bass excells in is slapping and, possibly, tapping (although the latter of these still sounds horrible to me, fretted or fretless). Re: Sound in the toilet - If anything moves in the room – the sound source, the listener or any reflecting surface – then the Doppler effect comes into play. The Doppler effect is best demonstrated by the siren of a passing fire engine, which appears to drop in pitch as it goes past. Sound can’t travel faster than its natural velocity in any given medium (in this case, air), so if the sound source moves, then velocity of the source converts to a rising in pitch for an approaching source, a lowering of pitch for a source that is moving away. In most contexts where acoustics are important, neither the source nor listener will be moving significantly, nor will the reflecting surfaces. If, however, you move several tens of metres away and listen to the original sound through three brick walls, each covered in tiles, plaster, wallpaper etc stuff that is in tune 'onstage' will appear not to be.

The playing of the thing is important and the points raised are valid but. for me, after playing fretless almost entirely for 23 years (on the full range of the neck - no dusty bits here!!), I find that the most important things to ensure good intonation are the sound you have at any given time and your ability to hear and listen to that sound on stage. Your muscle memory is important but your EARS are what tell you when you are or are not in tune. If you can't hear yourself, you may be in big trouble, even if you don't know it. I would practice intially in a quiet space so you can get used to developing reference points for your tuning (open strings, octaves and harmonics) and can relate your intontation to other sources such as other players or recordings. As you get more confident in your intonation, you can get out there and play - its may takes hours, days or weeks; that is a matter for you. Your commitment to effective intonation will, however, remain your priority forever as, without attention, it can easily slip, even after decades.

[quote name='jakesbass' post='503657' date='Jun 2 2009, 12:08 PM']Is he a relative of Martin France by any chance?[/quote] I used to think so but for some reason I think he isn't related (I can't remember the facts, its just that I remember being wrong about something - its such a rare occurance, it sticks in my memory ). If someone can confirm the either/or, that would be great. As for subaudios question, the charts were a mixture of basic chord charts (such as you would see in one of the real books) but with added kicks, stabs, riffs, fills, intros and codas - some were very intricate/clever arrangements and needed us to be really focussed in terms of nailing the chart. The dots refer to specific details. You would expect to create your own walking lines or groove parts 'in the idiom' required (swing/Latin/funk/pop etc) but certain details would be written out very specifically (eg if you were doubling a piano part or a lead line or if you were playing a specific fiqure as a lead in or ending). The most important skill under these circumstances is to be able to deal with the geography of the chart (sines/codas/repeats etc) so, whatever else goes wrong, you know where you are in the performance.

That went ok. We had to play for 7 different graduating jazz singers (Anglia Ruskin University) and I had to learn 34 tunes/arrangements in a two hour rehearsal - hurrah for dots, I say!! It was great becasue Nic and Chris Ingham (the pianist/arranger) were 100% on the money so, as a result, I was able to relax and just nail the gig. I missed a couple of odds and sods (the odd coda and a couple of endings were imperfect) but basically I did a professional job. Nic is half way through a tour with Terri Callier and Chris plays with Claire Teal and some other name vocalists so I feel like I have had a valuable experience. On the downside, my soudn was not what I wanted (should have used the Eden) and the room was unforgiving but, otherwise, a good night.

I have recently discovered this technique and argue that it can be done without the nail (I hve hardly any nails) but not for more than a few mintes at a time at first. You need to build up a callous on the top side of your thumb the same as you did the bottom side so take your time an be patient. Its a case of practising the techique until it is 'automatic' and confortable, same as most other aspects of technique (PS I haven't used it on a gig, yet, and feel that I am unlikely to!)

For me, this is another of those things that is surrounded in myth. When we are young, developing players, we are convinced that we need to give 100% to our chosen instrument, in this case the bass, and that to spen anytime with another instrument, such as the guitar, will udnermine us in some way. Bad! There are 1,000s of great musicians out there that can play more than one thing. The one that impresses me at the moment is saxophonist Chris Potter who also plays guitar, keyboards and flute (if not more). Charles Mingus and Jack DeJohnette have both done solo piano lps, most arrangers have more than one instrument (piano is often one of them). Steve Swallow writes mostly on piano, as, I believe, does Pat Metheny. Al DiMeola is a credible percussionist. Omar Hakim, drummer with Weather Report and Madonna () plays guitar. The list is endless. I play guitar and bass and am getting into piano to fill some gaps in my knowledge of harmony and orchestration. Bass is the one I gig on (have done a few on guitar but you wouldn't want to hear it ), Its the music that matters and knowledge you gain from playing one instrument is invaluable in broadening your insight into the MUSIC

I've got a jazz gig with Nic France on Monday. He's played with Allan Holdsworth, Jim Mullen, Ronnie Scott, Ian Carr's Nucleus, Loose Tubes, Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor, Andy Sheppard, Hank Crawford, David 'Fathead' Newman, Mose Allison, L. Shankar, Bill Withers, Pete Townsend, Jools Holland and Annie Lennox, Billy Cobham, Terry Callier and Pink Floyd's David Gilmour ('David Gilmour Live' DVD). Not that I am nervous or anything Its the Anglia Ruskin University Jazz Singers bash in Cambridge. I think every other bass player in East Anglia must be busy that day. I am just looking forward to playing with a great, great drummer and seeing if I can deliver at this level. Should be interesting, one way or the other.

Hadn't gigged for a month before a jazz trio gig I did last night. Sounded like it

Anyone know what happened to that Jaco fella?

I played one and a half minutes of jazz on the National Lottery Live in 1994. The piece opened with 12 bars of walking bass with the camera on me throughout - full screen. When I went to work on Monday, everyone had seen the programme but noone had recognised me (except an offender who appeared in reception on the following Thursday). So much for 15 minutes of fame!

AAAH - the wonders of tabulation!!

Last month, I posted a transcription of the first saxophone solo I ever wrote down (it is under the Theory and Technique forum), Gerry Mulligan's baritone solo on 'Song For Strayhorn'. The amazing thing was that I did (most) of it from memory (there was one four bar passage I made a complete dog's breakfast out of and had to revisit) - I originally learned that solo before I bought my Wal in 1986. Nowadays, I can't remember my name unless someone shouts it at me.

Passive Jazz? Is that like Kenny G?

Definately a wah. One of my earliest 'party tricks'!

I have used Transcribe for several years now and it really dioes make the job so much easier. At the price quoted, its a must have. After years of rewinding cassettes, this was, for me, a blessed release. I can now hear stuff I previously struggeld with because, by slowing it down with this software, it has become familiar enough for me to recognise it on the fly. Marvellous tool and its costs less than the average PC game (and you know what I think of THEM!!)

Marc Johnson - Bass Desires Dave Holland - Extensions (quartet) and Ones All (solo) Steve Swallow - Damaged In Transit Tribal Tech - Spears (Gary Willis) Stanley Clarke - Journey To Love Wayne Johsnon Trio - Grasshopper (Jimmy Johnson) Pat Metheny - Bright Size Life (Javo) & Rejoicing (Charlie Haden) Paul Chambers - Bass On Top Herbie Hancock Quartet - V.S.O.P. Live (Wynton Marsalis, Tony Williams and Ron Carter) Pat Metheny Group - Still Life (Talking) and We Live Here (both Steve Rodby) John McLaughlin Trio - Live at the Royal Festival Hall (Kai Eckhardt) Gradually Going Tornado - Bruford (Jeff Berlin)

Dig that crazy beat......

As a card-carrying jazz nazi, I am supposed to be an 'acooustic is best' fanatic but I have always thought: Electric bass strings - wires and electricity (pick-ups) - wires and electricity(amp) - wires and electricity (desk) - wires and electricity (amp) - wires and electricity (speakers) vs Acoustic bass strings - wires and electricity (microphone) - wires and electricity - wires and electricity (desk) - wires and electricity (amp) - wires and electricity (speakers) So, on that basis, if the chain goes Electric bass strings - wires and electricity (pick-ups) - wires and electricity (compressor) -wires and electricity(amp) - wires and electricity (desk) - wires and electricity (speakers), how is that cheating? Whatever you need to get the sound you want is entirely defensible. It's the music that matters not the tools you use to get to it.

[quote name='The Funk' post='485818' date='May 12 2009, 12:26 PM']While listening to some of the classic recordings of those three tunes, I can hear some of the band bringing in the changes slightly ahead of the bar when it should happen. Am I supposed to follow that or does that undermine what they're trying to do?[/quote] It is pretty rare for a pianist or guitar player to comp on the first beat of a bar; they do tend ot push to the beat by playing on the 4th swung off-beat (4 and). It helps push the tune alone, helps give it some momentum. The secret is for the bass player to stay on the beat and the drummer to accent the pusheed beat with the harmony instrument. The bass player can, on occasion, push too, creating a certain urgency to the groove, but this should not be overdone as it will get boring quickly.

[quote name='jakesbass' post='484714' date='May 11 2009, 12:08 AM']too much messing around rhythmically makes it sound like a mess.[/quote] Jake's right, but here's the rub. When you get the harmonies involved deep into your head, AND when you are playing with great players who you KNOW you can trust AND who trust you, AND you are playing in a conducive environment, you can get into some really advanced rhytmic stuff and play excruciatingly complex cross rhythms, knowing that it will resolve organically when its completes its cycle. Its all about tension and release but you've got to be ready for it. THAT is why you study, so your s*** is really together when you need it to be. The best thing to so in most situations, however, is as Jake says play straight four. I listen to a LOT of Paul Chambers (odd that...) and he hardly ever breaks things up like, say, Scott LaFaro or Dave Holland. When he swings he SWINGS....THAT was why he did 300+ lps in 13 years with the greatest players in the world (37 with Coltrane alone). Your job is to make the singer/frontline players sound good. Most rhythmic juggling doesn't do that and,if you over egg it, you won't get called back for more gigs.

I am self taught but that's not the point. I think its down to your learning style. I do books etc but did have a couple of lessons early on (Dan Quinton and Dudley Phillips). You need to find your own way but I would say that, teacher or not, you do most of the work yourself as there are no quick fixes. Teachers don't give you new skills by osmosis but by giving you the information you need to learn when you need to learn it and by stopping you from going up blind alleys and wasting time.

Don't worry, pip. I only found that out last year and I have been reading for nearly 20 years

A transcription of Steve Swallow's intro solo to his tune 'Let's Eat' off his cd 'The Real Book'. Its quite a fast tune and it is important to note that Swallow plays it with a pick (the phrasing works better that way but you can easily play it without). The composition is based on the chord changes to 'Softly As In The Morning Sunrise'.

They are all in the theory and technique section of the forum (as they are meant to help people with their reading practice)