Got the Arps...what next

[lowlandtrees]

Looking for suggestions for my practice routine on my double bass. Done major and minor arps to the point of boredom. Also doing the blues scales. Thinking along the lines of useful chord tones eg major/minor 7th or what. Trying to find a band but unsuccessful so far so need to expand my practice regime...got a book on walking bass but find it hard going.

[Dad3353]

The Real Book..? Playing along to Band in a Box or Aebersold..? Anyway, playing songs (tunes, melodies...) as well as scales, arps and exercises..?

[JapanAxe]

Check out [url="http://www.studybass.com/"]Study Bass[/url]. This is a chord-based learning approach. I recommend working through it from the beginning, even if there are elements you already know.

EDIT: Just realised that site is really for electric bass rather than upright, so the position approach may not transfer so well, but can't hurt to have a look.

Edited May 5, 2014 by JapanAxe

[Bilbo]

Melodic minor arpeggios. CDEbFGABC. That one changed not makes a massive difference!

[Coilte]

[quote name='lowlandtrees' timestamp='1399297472' post='2442829']
got a book on walking bass but find it hard going.
[/quote]

....which means it is a challange, so why not stick at it ? Walking bass is one on the best (and most enjoyable IMO) ways of practicing arpeggios. Most walking books come with a CD. If yours did not, then invest in an Aebersold play along as suggested earlier.

Edited May 6, 2014 by Coilte

[Hector]

Seconded on keeping at walking bass lines!

By arpeggios do you mean just the triad, or the full 7th chord? If you've not done your 7ths of all qualities in all inversions, you should get on that.

Anyway, here's some ideas:

[b]1. Play a 7th chord, and add in some upper extensions.[/b]

e.g. Go up a G7 arpeggio and play an A major triad at the top (G B D F A C# E). This spells out R 3 5 b7 9 #11 13 - a lydian dominant sound (G7#11). You can do this with all 7th chord types with an added triad on top to get exciting tensions. Alter the upper triad to spell out different chord qualities: you could put an Ab major triad over G7 chord to spell out R 3 5 7 b9 11 b13. Have a play around and see which sounds you like! It might help to play some of these on the keyboards.

[b]2. Play a chord line through a jazz standard[/b]

Play through a jazz tune in quarter notes with the corresponding arpeggios, but make sure to use inversions to minimise shifting, going to the next nearest available note of the next arpeggio. You can change this up by limiting yourself to particular areas of the fingerboard, especially good if there are areas you avoid.

[b]3. Play a chord tone solo on a jazz standard[/b]

See what melodies you can make with just chord tones and rhythmic variation (tons of possibilities!). You could gradually work in tensions and chromatic notes too, but only after a long while of just the chord tones. Limiting what you can do will make you more creative with what you have.

[SaxyBassist]

Major and Minor 251s are essential for jazz standards (assuming that's what you'll be playing on your DB )

[Dad3353]

[quote name='Hector' timestamp='1399382561' post='2443653']...Anyway, here's some ideas:..[/quote]

This little lot should keep you busy for at least a week or so..!

Excellent stuff. Bon courage.

[lowlandtrees]

Great stuff...already on it...ta