Ray Brown! Show me a cooler, more authoritative bass player with groovier bass lines. I'll wait.
This classic album is laden with juicy lines but there are some amazingly swinging moments and Ed Thigpen really drives it home. This record is so much fun to play along to.
#doublebass #bass #raybrown #oscarpeterson
Finally finished transcribing this album. I gave myself the challenge of learning Paul Chamber's 'Bass on Top' note for note. Over the course of the last couple of months I committed the whole feckin thing to memory. Usually I write my learned transcriptions down but decided that for this I'd refer only to the record.
The hardest part was getting inside the phrasing. PC plays behind the beat sometimes, then other times he's right on top of it. Playing along, as opposed to referring to sheet music, really helped in internalising this.
This is 'Confessin'
PS pay no attention to my expressions or that I cut myself shaving a few days ago 😅
#doublebass #bass #paulchambers #jazz
Some people have asked me recently about timing and 8th notes. Here's an exercise I've been working on for the past year. Click is at 205bpm here in 5/4.
Generally, start slow with one note per bar then increase that frequency.
I've played different variations of this exercise; 165bpm in 4/4, 120pm in 3 etc. and using different scales. The ultimate goal of this isn't to play it perfectly or as fast as possible, it's to focus on the space within/between beats.
It also works to reinforce polyrhythms. Playing 14 notes over 5 is the same feel as 7 but with less margin for error. I'm unlikely to ever play 14 over 5 but creating that headroom in my playing allows my 7 feel to solidify. Or so I think. Maybe it's all nonsense.
Anyway, if you've read all that I'd love to hear what other people do to work on this stuff.
#doublebass #bass #rhythm
My take on a classic Ray Brown solo from ‘You Look Good To Me’ from the Oscar Peterson album ’We get Requests’.
#doublebass #raybrown #toneenvy
I hope you guys like bass solos because, well, here's another one for yis. This time from Paul Chambers. HUP
#bass #doublebass #swinging #wishicouldswing #bagofcatsmaybe
Here's an impression of the inimitable Christian McBride (yes, I'm aware of the irony). Far from perfect but have to post it to help get it out of my system!
#bass
#doublebass
#christianmcbride
#kickingmyass
Playing trad tunes provides a serious warm up on bass. A really great way to work both right and left hand endurance, especially if you're involving triplets!
It's also great craic!
Now, if someone would only let me sit in on a session....
#trad #bass #doublebass #robes
