Citing examples from key recordings in the jazz canon, the book defines the essence of the musical contributions made by more than 70 important jazz bassists, including ray brown, eddie gomez, charles mingus, milt hinton and many others. Bass improvisation, walking bass lines, jazz phrasing, jazz play alongs, and transcriptions are all part of the complete collection of jazz method books and dvds from. Sometimes it is called the contrabass, string bass, upright bass, or bass fiddle. It encourages an approach that will make you think and work hard in the practice room, but relax while performing.
Had and still have a lot of fun doing it, though i always wanted to learn upright bass too, so 2 years ago i started learning the big bass. He is very knowledgeable about the history, and all aspects of the instrument, as well as teaching and explaining the playing technique and music theory. Upright bass lessons in hendersonville music academy of wnc. Brass and woodwind instruments including the trumpet, saxophone, and clarinet are also considered jazz staples. The upright bass or double bass is one of them, thanks to the many great jazz bass performances over the years. Free upright bass samples, sounds, and loops sample focus. For example for a one octave scale on the bass guitar starting on a on the e string you would usually use a moveable scale. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and scale length, and typically four to six strings or courses. A strap can be attached to the strap buttons to play the bass standing up.
Designed for bass players and jazz fans alike, the jazz bass book. Upright bass is designed to help open up your technique. Certainly unaccompanied works for string instruments have. The metal bars that go across the neck are called frets. Upright bass method and study books, simandl, hrabe, solo music, montanari, etudes, 8006002689, lowest prices. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Because i started playing upright bass i now play better by ear and i gained more interest in for me new music styles, like jazz. Regardless of what style of music you play pop, funk, classical, country western, folk, etc. This upright double bass comes in size 44 and it is operated upright like most double basses.
The bass lines are good and one simple addition to know is that just about any chordwalking bass line, you can always use a leading tone that is, 12 step below to whatever is the next chord. John goldsbys technique and tradition highlights the significant contributions that have been made by some of the greatest bass players both past and present. From the 1920s and 1930s swing and big band era, through 1940s bebop and 1950s. Jazz method, learn to play jazz bass, upright bass, double bass. Hes a prince of a guy and one of the best living upright jazz bassists imho. The main method book for students studying jazz and bluegrassrockabilly bass is the improvisers bass method by chuck sher. Ive been a fan of marcs playing since i was a little kid, watching him play with uncle pete in ny clubs. The term upright bass is used by those of us who focus on jazz or nonorchestral genres. We have over 150 freely available lessons, interviews transcriptions, and articles to help you learn the double bass. How to practice upright bass on electric bass quora. Part players manual, part history and part biography, this book looks at all facets of jazz bass, providing expert guidance on technique, practice methods and jazz theory, as well as insights into improvisation and musicianship. Jazz method book, how to play jazz bass lemur music. Most major bass teachers say that students are about two years behind in the bowing technique department compared to their left hand technique.
Ray browns bass method instructional exercises book at. This is a very solid technique book, particularly for experienced players with. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the modern bass players toolbox. Squareback saddle stitch, blues, jazz, upright bass, technique, theory and reference. Getting into slap bass bookcd set mel bay publications, inc. Bass arpeggios are a great resource for both practicing finger exercises as well as learning the fundamental components of chords every practice routine should include some kind of incorporation of finger exercise both for developing dexterity and finger independence as well as understanding chords from a fundamental perspective and how they relate to one another. Recommended classical and jazz study materials for double. As the genre progressed the piano was usually featured in the rhythm section of a band, which was typically configured as one or more of piano, guitar, bass, or drums, or other instruments, such as the vibraphone. Essential scales, patterns, and excercises brown, ray on. New method for double bass this is another muchloved series of method books that i havent used much in my own practice. Lemur stocks dozens of arco technique books, bowing studies, and fingering methods for upright bass.
Goldsbys book documents jazz bass players and their techniques from a historical perspective. Six common problems with left hand technique on the double. Our bass models combine our love of tradition with a modern sense of tone, ergonomics, and design. This firstofitskind work is filled with transcriptions, historical and. An upright bass, also known as the bass or double bass, is a stringed musical instrument that is played either by plucking its strings pizzicato or with a bow arco. First finger plays fret one, second fret plays fret 2, pinky plays third fret. Jazz method, learn to play jazz bass, upright bass, double. Mel bay everything is covered here starting with all the basics like octaves, hammerons and pulloffs. Mastery of the upright bass jazz method book 1 the neck until transition position kindle edition by debriano, santi. He touches on just about everything important to a jazz bass player.
Good jazz bass technique will give you the necessary skill and chops to play jazz and make you a more wellrounded musician whatever your background or training. Jul 07, 2016 left hand technique for double upright bass lesson with geoff chalmers duration. Jb100 rufus reids the evolving bassist is a classic, must have book for any kind of player interested in jazz playing. I feel honored to be able to vicariously study with the best upright player in the history of commercial and jazz. Learn to play jazz bass with the help of these jazz bass technique books. This is one of the easiest places to find on the bass from a tactile perspective. The unaccompanied double bass solo is a relatively new medium in both jazz and classical common practice. Included are lessons on technique fundamentals, reading music, and basic music theory. This book organizes the left hand into a precise measuring device, with diatonic, semichromatic, and chromatic positions that use the thumb as an anchor point. Jazz at lincoln centers jazz academy 105,759 views.
The intended audience is beginner to intermediate upright bass players, or advanced players who have never played gypsy jazz. Good mic technique is critical to capture this subtle and beautiful instrument. The exercises are designed to give the upright bassist and electric bassist strong jazz bass lines. Technique and tradition john goldsby book with audio. This book and accompanying audio is a detailed guide to learning how to play the upright bass. The approach is similar positionally to that of the violin, with six major positions based around the harmonics of the instrument and scale exercises running up and down through all six of these positions. Jun 24, 2014 bass arpeggios are a great resource for both practicing finger exercises as well as learning the fundamental components of chords every practice routine should include some kind of incorporation of finger exercise both for developing dexterity and finger independence as well as understanding chords from a fundamental perspective and how they relate to one another musically. Upright bass method and study books string emporium.
The double bass might have the same amount of strings as a bass guitar. Its much easier for beginning bassists to make this hand span work at first. More than a players manual, this book portrays jazz bass as a vital element of 20th century american music. The bass guitar, electric bass, or simply bass, is the lowestpitched member of the guitar family. String bass or trombone beginningintermediate composed by jack wilkins. The jazz bass book technique and tradition by john goldsby foreword by ron carter goldsby is a respected bass player and bass player magazine columnist. Oct 15, 2009 the size of the upright bass means we have to be very efficient in how we approach playing music, especially if you are going to be playing for a long gig or concert. Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, someone told a recording engineer that all of the good sound in an upright bass came from the fhole, and that a microphone should be placed only inches away from this magic place. This is a nice websiteblog about playing upright bass. Textbook for jazz bass by john goldsby, reference book for double bass, textbook. As players, builders and enthusiasts, were always up for talking upright bass. You can browse the lesson categories below or use the search bar to find what you need. Strings are vertical while imaginary frets are shown horizontally.
Legendary, prolific jazz bassist and teacher ray brown reveals his lessons and. This instrument may also be known as a double bass, contrabass, standup bass, bass violin, or bass fiddle. The jazz basss neck was narrower at the nut than the precision bass 1 1. I am fortunate enough to have a fantastic bass teacher, who is also an author for the american school of double bass, and has developed multiple fingering strategies to help you. Simplified higher technique for double bass petracchis technique book is another pivotal work in bass technique. Royaltyfree sound that is tagged as bass, acoustic, loop, and bassy. But whether it is bowed, plucked, or played slap style, this instrument forms an integral aspect in many music genres including classical and symphonic compositions, jazz, bluegrass, country and western, and rock. Instruction method books, at gollihur music upright basses. Anything written by ed friedland is good, the complete bass method published by hal leonard is great. Practice the scale until you can play it continuously and fluently. It is considered to be a member of the violin family, and it has the lowest pitch in that family.
Theres both jazz and classical books covered in this episode, plus if you have a. Our expert tutors cover a diverse range of styles including jazz, classical, blues and more. It is conventionally a member of an orchestras string section and is also used. Jazz method, learn to play upright jazz bass, upright bass, double bass, jazz technique book, walking, improvisation, bass lines, transcriptions, playalongs. These are my desert island classical double bass technique books. A drum kit, of course, often rounds out the ensemble when jazz musicians get together to creatively improvise and perform. Youre at the neck block, or heel of the bass as my friend lauren pierce calls it. Getting into slap bass bookcd set mel bay publications. His book, the jazz bass book, is an indepth look at the tradition, history and personalities of jazz bass. I specialize in upright bass, jazz bass, funk bass, bass technique, and rhythm. Jazz bass is the use of the double bass or bass guitar to improvise accompaniment comping basslines and solos in a jazz or jazz fusion style. Scales and chords for the upright bass the following keys should be learned in the order presented.
How to switch from bass guitar to double bass upright bass. This lesson is on what i consider to be the most overlooked aspect of jazz pizzicato. Ive extensively studied jazz, latin jazz, funk, rock music, hip hop, bluegrass, folk, and composition. Scales and chords for the upright bass desert bluegrass. Designed for beginners, no prior musical knowledge is necessary. A comprehensive study of lefthand technique with numerous demonstrations using orchestral and solo repertoire. Its definitely not super modern, but its an amazingly simple walk through the fundamentals. The sevcik bowing book presents various bow strokes and techniques in a logical and organized fashion and is one of the quickest ways to advance your right hand technique. Technique and tradition is the first comprehensive reference of its kind. Try to play as much as possible in the open position. At the end of this lesson im going to show how to play a 12 bar jazz blues using a fingering technique that will work on both electric and double bass. Frederick zimmermann played principle double bass for the ny philharmonic, and taught at juilliard, columbia, manhattan school of music and nyu. The best books for a bassist to read and learn from.
Daniel is an accomplished bassist, with the patience of a saint. Technique and tradition this is another good book for aspiring jazz bassists and offers a unique historical approach to playing. Jazz method book, ray brown, todd coolman, sigi busch, ed friedland. Fingering strategies for the upright bass no treble. Intermediate to advanced lessons by one of the worlds greatest jazz bassists.
Im an electric bass player of several years who swapped to the double, and it. Upright bass is the anchor in many jazz combos and you can learn how to play with study and practice. The worldwide leader in jazz improvisation educational materials for over 50 years. Its accompanying accessories are a wellpadded bag for safety, bridge and 2 sets of strings.
Ive worked through a lot of various systems through the years, but these. This text covers all aspects of bass playing including right and left hand technique, scales, basic music theory and reading, improvisation, musical styles, bass line construction, soloing, how to analyze music, and. This firstofitskind work is filled with transcriptions, historical and technical information, discographies and more. Essential right hand techniques for jazz bassists youtube. Part one of a threepart series, this book introduces music theory, scales and chords. The suggested fingering for the scale is to the left of the diagram. Through many helpful exercises and patterns, this book teaches double bassists techniques to help them master the fingerings and bowing patterns needed to play this instrument. Aug 14, 20 in this beginners upright bass lesson i show you the 6 most common problems that i see with lefthand technique and of course, how to put them right. This book takes a component of the rabbath technique and fleshes it out for all keys.
Technique and tradition bass player musicians library john goldsby. Players began using the double bass in jazz in the 1890s to supply the lowpitched walking basslines that outlined the chord progressions of the songs. The content is geared toward an improvisatory approach. Jul 10, 2019 concepts for bass soloing this was the book that really started to open up my mind to some of the more advanced concepts behind soloing on the bass. The size of the upright bass means we have to be very efficient in how we approach playing music, especially if you are going to be playing for a long gig or concert. John goldbys jazz bass handbook is the best source for jazz theory and an excellent resource for the history of jazz as well.
Since the mid1950s, the bass guitar has largely replaced the double bass in popular music. Drawing upon years of performance and teaching, master jazz bassist andy mckee has developed a jazzbased lefthand fingering technique to strengthen your. But if youre really looking for a walking jazz bass line book, then in alphabetical order ed friedland, ed fuqua, jay hungerford, and bob magnusson all have good books, each with a little different approach. After all, most of the songs we practice and perform on today have their beginnings in jazz and blues from the founding fathers. But whether it is bowed, plucked, or played slap style, this instrument forms an integral aspect in many music genres including classical and symphonic compositions, jazz. As an added bonus for the upright bassist part 1 provides a complete study of the blues in f whilst in the first position. I started playing bassguitar 5 years ago and a bit acoustic guitar too. Find the upright bass sound you are looking for in seconds. Rhythm embellishments lesson john goldsby duration. Slap it funk studies for the electric bass by tony oppenheim should be on every bass players book shelf. Save an extra 10% on all clearance items with coupon code extra10 in checkout. But everything you know about playing the bass guitar can not be applied to the upright in any way. A book that really helped me understand jazz and the way its composed is actually a guitar book yes i used it for upright bass, it helped me get through my real book.
Backbeat books the jazz bass bookdouble bass thomann uk. Early on, black jazz musicians created ragtime on the piano. In addition, you can find their piano accompaniments and playalong cds to help develop your bass playing skills. I will inspire a positive attitude and good practice habits that will help any student succeed. Perhaps youve played bass for a while but are new to the style, or perhaps youre already playing gypsy jazz but want to get tips from somebody whos been doing it.
Upright double bass instruments, accessories, parts, pickups, amplifiers and more. Upton bass is open to the public our shop and showroom are open tuesday through saturday. A supplemental resource of jazz bass lines book 2 low2 was. Feb 07, 2017 the sevcik bowing book presents various bow strokes and techniques in a logical and organized fashion and is one of the quickest ways to advance your right hand technique. When walking into a music shop, youre better off using the term double bass since thats what its been most commonly called for that last. Jazz studies, bluegrass howtos, tuning in 5ths, all the genres have method books and lemur stocks those also. Solo techniques for unaccompanied pizzicato jazz double bass. Most bass guitars will also have a pickup selector switch along with volume and tone knobs. Beginnersgetting started the upright bass site double bass. It includes exercises, his etudes, walking bass lines and tons of photos on technique. Jazz piano has played a leading role in developing the sound of jazz. It then builds into the most advanced slap techniques including double and triple pops, flamenco thumb technique, and plucks. Ray browns bass method instructional exercises book at gollihur.