Lets get your suggestions for "Neely Clickbait". I'll start off: "Drummers hate him: This bassist's surprising technique for playing polyrhythms" "This bassist played a F# minor 5-7 and chromatically descended to anticipate the tritone sub, you'll never guess what happened next"
re: who is the audience for this channel -- i did my bachelors in music but i left the musicology phd track to become a nurse. I like the channel because it keeps me feeling connected to the whole theory/analysis/thoughtfully-engaging-with-music world. So thanks!!
I am the target demographic for this channel. Since discovering it, I have watched every single video (almost) on the channel. I am an academically trained lead trumpet player who loves soloing too. My theory goes pretty far, but not composition major far. Adam is fun to watch because he does it so genuinely. He is what he's saying he is. Keep it up.
the last answer really touch me! Thank you. When we love the music, it can't be fake. Anything inside your music has to be real, even the smallest deatil. The amount of time I need to paint carefully every note is gigantic, but it's something that I really love doing.
I won't recommend people take up drinking to counter nerves, because of the negative (slowing) effects and because of the potential dependence. But I *have* recommended to singers in distress that they gargle and then swallow a half shot of hard liquor to soothe a throat that would otherwise be on the edge of coughing all night. It just shouldn't become a regular thing.
To clear things up: I meant that if you're the kind of person that would get a few beers for the occasion anyway, drinking one (and only one) before the gig instead of after may calm your nerves. If you don't drink in the first place, don't.
If you want to perform under the influence you have to practice under the influence. I used to jam w my uncle a lot, sober. Then he would bust out some good weed and i’d take a few hits and suddenly my brain and hands wouldn’t complete the circuit. Very difficult.
I went to a swing dance event not long ago with a really killer live band. It took me several dances to realize they didn't have a drummer. Just really solid bass and rhythm guitar players.
Thank you for posting that “just feel it” comment. I’m a vocalist and bassist, with my primary instrument in voice. While I’m classically trained, I’ll sing jazz and gospel for gigs. I had a gospel gig a few weeks ago that required some vamping (semi improvisational riffs). We got this information the day before hand, so I suggested to the director and my fellow soloists, who I’d be reading off with, that we get together and get a lose structure to how we want to vamp. The director looked at me and said “just feel it, you’re the master of your instrument”. Which...I tend to agree with but there’s really no such thing as TRUE improv. Even professional improv actors spend hours practicing improv skills and what if scenarios. The idea that you should go on stage and simply “make magic” works 1/25 times and leaves the other 24 times sounding like hot garbage. Unfortunately in this case and any other case where myself and another vocalist are asked to improv without structure, it’s sounded like hot Garbo.
as a drummer of 8 years whose picked up bass in the last 6 months i can 100% guarantee you'll notice a huge improvement in your own playing. i was the same but in the opposite way, i knew about the bass guitar, i knew how a bass ramps up in intensity, i know how to take cues from a bass run for example, how to accent the main notes in a riff etc. just before, i'd felt like i'd hit a brick wall. my rudiments weren't getting faster, i was struggling with remembering songs with more difficult structuring (which as a drummer whose supposed to be leading a band that is horrible) etc. but i picked up bass coz i thought it'd be a bit of a break from drumming, i still wanted to learn more about music but i just felt at the time drumming became more frustrating than fun. and now im still learning, finding bass still really interesting and fun to mess around with, but my drumming man. i think its because i now know what a good drummer FEELS like rather than what one SOUNDS like! now that i've felt a drummers groove, played off of it and now i know what a bassist wants out of a drummer! im sure the opposite will be true for you! also ive found because i was a drummer beforehand i could already learn rhythms by ear. like i brought my bass to a guitar player friends house one time to learn some basics in the first month or so of playing and my fingers already knew the rhythm, i was muting with my left hand and plucking the rhythm in my right all i needed was the notes!
I really appreciate that you are your own target demo. I've always done it that way (for no audience) and it's really the only way to guarantee you love your own work. Thank you for validating me!
I think the "do we even need a bass player" question might have been asking if that role can be covered by another member of the band -- like Ray Manzarek did for The Doors. The answer to that is obviously yes, because it has been done before. Also it could be someone like Charlie Hunter, who essentially does the same job with an extended range guitar. Fidget spinner? Maybe if you can find some way to play your bass with one, like playing with an eBow, then you can do a fidget spinner episode.
In regards to your "audience" - As a amateur guitarist learning with a Jazz Guitarist I find your videos instructional and also they give me a lot to think about. It has been more than once how you have explained something that has made me finally 'click' on what something my teacher was talking about. So thank you! :)
pls can you make the characteristic chord thing (and maybe some applications of it) into its own video? I find it really interesting and want to be able to use that in some modal-y contexts. Thanka!
Adam, your insight is mindblowing. I've been toying with the idea of studying music theory seriously for the first time in a decade, and stumbling across your videos has been nothing short of uniquely inspiring. Thank you so much, and all the best for whatever comes next!
Adam, your mini-speech at the end about attention to detail was really inspiring. Thank you for all the quality content you put out! Always interesting and motivating.
Hey Adam! That final answer on the topic of attention to detail and holding yourself to a higher standard really resonated with me. I just started a theme park gig playing saxophone and making sure that everything musically and choreography-wise is accurate has come up a few times between the band members. Doing the same music and performances day after day can be mentally and physically draining, but if we don't hold ourselves to the highest standard and make sure every show is precise and accurate, then why even bother? I just wanted to say thank you for really fleshing out a response on this topic because I feel that it can really escape us sometimes when working musicians have to play the same types of show every day.
Can i add something to your answer to the question at 14:07 (about the target of your channel)? I love classical music, and also hear a lot of folk music of different countries (Brasil has some good genres of folk music) and some metal subgenres, besides other genres. I also study Arts and Philosophy in general. Your videos are a great inspiration, and yours is the first channel i will patreon as soon as i can. Thanks for sharing your knowlegde!
Man... That last question, especially the answer, are really relatable. I'm not a really schooled musician... I love the theory, I love my bass, I love my guitar. But I never really took the time. I know just the basics in theory, but everyone I know who claims to be a musician just wants to play chords at a campfire. And while I love the atmosphere and the free beers it yields, I would love to just sit in a room with another musician and go nuts. Mentally jerk off to scales and other theories and let it all out through our instruments. I only just recently found your channel and it is exactly that what I was looking for. To be able to just do or play is knowledge while looking at, underneath, through, next to and beyond it is wisdom, my old guitar teacher once taught me. Thanks for sharing it with me and everyone here. I hope I get to meet someone around here where I live with a passion close to yours when it comes to music!
This went up on my birthday! Just want to say, keep up the good work! I was gifted a bass (I play guitar/drums/piano) and so I'm excited to not only learn musical theory and concepts, but now I can learn and understand the techniques behind it! I'm an illustrator in my professional life, but I do music/composition as a hobby (creativity runs in the family). I appreciate everything you do, Adam!
I like how this guy makes videos about music that interesting and unique instead of covering songs with instruments or playing pop songs with heavy instruments
Holy shit, Paul Hanson! I attended a clinic with him at my local community college a couple months ago. The man does amazing things on the electrified bassoon.
I enjoy your videos! I'm a 49-year-old piano accompanist in suburban California. I play for community plays, I accompany a violin group and school choirs, as well as playing organ and piano at church. I'm still learning theory so I really enjoy your theory videos (the ones I understand!) I like hearing about what's it like to be a successful musician in New York. It's true that the more you perform the less nervous you get, and fear of the unknown is what causes nerves. A few weeks ago I played for a funeral and a choir came up to sing that I had not practiced with and I was not told whether or not I was going to accompany them, although I had the song up in my hymn book. Luckily they had their own accompanist so I was off the hook. That was the only time I was nervous during the funeral because I didn't know what was going to happen. Thanks! 😉
My only music education is a semester of choir in high school many years ago, but my lack of technical knowledge has not diminished my enjoyment of your content. I've even been considering picking up some sort of instrument as a hobby, just so I can learn to play around with some of the things you discuss! If only I could figure out which would suit me...
Man, your desire to learn drums as a bass player really resonated with me because I myself am a drummer who has been very interested in learning bass for similar reasons to you described. I play vibes and to a lesser extent piano as well, and I find that understanding more about those instruments helps me interact with them in more meaningful ways during performance.
9:35 "The fear of the unknown" is a great way of putting it. As an adult, my stage fright has never been much of an issue; the joy of performing for others and thrill of it has always outweighed my nerves. I always thought the problem for other people was just the fear of embarrassment. I've always told them that the audience is much more likely to think a bad performance was boring or forgettable instead of embarrassing, whereas a good performance is memorable and cheers them up; statistically, your potential gains outweigh your potential losses. However, that argument doesn't always convince everyone, and my bit of nerves doesn't go away completely either. I think it is true that even if you don't care about the audience at all, the idea of only having one chance and not getting to re-record or do it over makes you anxious. Some of that control is taken away. However, something like an instrument breaking or something falling in the middle of a song I like to incorporate into a performance. For example, once my friend's guitar amp wasn't working and making all these weird sounds before we started, and I said into the microphone, "Hey, it looks like we're rocking out already!"; the audience had a good laugh. Audiences love performers with a good sense of humor who don't pretend like nothing happened when something like that happens.
really appreciate your outlook and philosophy on music. will definitely use some of your ideas to form my own musical philosophy as I go through music school!
To answer the first question correctly, How does functional harmony work in the modes, Dorian specifically? EXACTLY like it does in major. Literally take D minor and call it i, Em is ii, F major is iii, etc. and then play chord progressions as you normally would; all the tonic, sub-dominant, and dominant functions apply 1 to 1 with the major mode. Five is dominant, Four is sub dominant Six is tonic, Two is sub-dominant, etc. . You don't need to do this at all, but adding a diatonic seventh to the five chord helps it to be slightly stronger, but it works perfectly well without it. The modes may be a little more delicate, but functional harmony works FULLY in the modes with ZERO accidentals. AND you can also modulate to other keys WITHOUT a major minor 7th chord as a dominant. If you are in Bb major, and wish to modulate to E Phrygian, simply play a B half diminished 7th chord at an appropriate place in the phrase and go right to the E minor chord. You can start in D Dorian and modulate to Bb Phrygian, just at an appropriate place in the chord progression you can go F, F half dim7, Bbm, boom, you are in Bb Phrygian. Take note of the natural five chord of each of the seven modes, specifically if it is major or minor and what kind of 7th it has. For example Lydian has a five chord that is a Major 7th chord. So any major 7th chord can be used to modulate to the Lydian key a fifth below that chord's root. This works even with Locrian, even with the b5 sounding in the tonic chord. Doubling the root though can help if the dim chord is sounding too unstable, but the root is normally doubled anyways and it is not even always necessary. Also note that Locrian and Lydian both have a five chord that is a major 7th chord. So the same chord can be used to pivot between Lydian and Locrian.
Drums! Right answer. (Guitar player here.) One guy I knew told me the first thing you see in Chick Corea's place is a bloody great drumkit. Which, to me, explains a lot about his playing. Late in life I started just doing some stick rudiments, and it's really helped my "microtime", if you will. And of course my own timing errors on guitar are heard that much more clearly, which helps accuracy again. It's a win-win, if you ask me.
regarding Berklee funk, I remember watching JP Bouvet videos early on, and since I have continued to keep track of him, I've noticed such a maturation in his playing and style. I knew what you meant by Berklee funk immediately
Electric drum kits are a gift from the music gods, trust me, if you want to learn and are worried about noise they're fantastic. I have the Alesis Strike Pro and it feels and sounds great.
I am currently in the program Jazz House Kids in Montclair New Jersey, and Christian McBride is the artistic director. I have also gone to a masterclass with him and asked mainly about the importance of bari sax in a big band because that is my main instrument. In a lot of ways, the bass and the bari sax/bass trombone have a similar function. The bari/bass Trombone give a low end "foundation" if you will to the horn section, and without them, you can often feel a void as you said about the bass in relation to the entire ensemble. I found it very interesting. (also a side note, Mr. McBride's wife and founder of JHK Melisa Walker knows me and talks to me every week I go into class. Super happy that I have such a supportive environment for me as someone aspiring to be a professional.
Thank you for including the comment about people saying "just feel it". People tend to say that in an attempt to kind of discourage a desire to play with more technique and use music theory. How would you respond to people who would say/do this?
Just my 2C. I rip the Hammond organ and write for the horn section in old school R&B, funk and gospel flavored music. The question if the bass player is necessary never even crossed my mind. It's one of the most important instruments. Not only is the bass together with the drums the groove machine of the band, the bass also is in full control of the harmony, provides melodic fills, smooth transitions, killer licks and that beautiful timbre where nothing else exists. I'm sure a lot of people aren't aware of the fact that a ton of their favorite pop/rock tunes sound great because the bass is a crucial part of it. Just my humble input.
I absolutely like what you've said and most of all took the time to give a good respond to that comment about music theory. It is really useful seriously thanks. :)
Target demographic? That's pretty funny. I'm a sax player who also plays bass. They used to be pretty even in terms of paid gigs, but I stuck at what I'm best at - and I love this channel! The best, most erudite and entertaining discussion of music in general available on the web. Adam's attention to detail and innovative approach lighten up my day, and gets me thinking! I kind of knew about the similarities between rhythm and pitch, but Adam's explanation expanded my understanding of the concept. Musical fractals however were a jaw dropping experience into something that I didn't even realise was possible. Anyone who has the slightest interest in music should watch this channel. Bass!
Re: nerves. If you're not nervous, it means you don't care. I never got over the nerves, but I got to the point where I could use them to my advantage.
Hey Adam! To learn drums I find a lot of the ground work can be done with a practice pad, metronome, a seat, a mirror and stick control for the snare drummer. Sit in front of the mirror and analyze your hands and movements so you get coordination before moving on to a real kit :)
I'm a part of a jazz ensemble in school. We do not have a drummer, only a bassist. The week our bassist wasn't there, we sucked ass. Our instructor had to play drums so we'd stay in time. So yeah, bass is important. It fills up a lot of important music space.
I started on drums, then went to bass and now I play guitar. I highly recommend it if you have about 30 years to go through it. If you do this it teaches you what and when to listen to what. You learn to play drums and bass on the guitar. I progressed 3 times as fast on guitar than I would have normally. Always wear ear protection. I am almost deaf now and it makes it very hard to play guitar being deaf! I played drums for 20 years and then bass for 10 years. It will drive you crazy because now, I want to play all 3 in the band. I am never satisfied! I usually played with people better than me and they forced me to get better, fast and eventually I would pass them up and move on to better players and on and on. I am older now and my health is not so good and I miss playing on a regular basis. Enjoy the moment, guys because it will happen to you, too.Good luck.
In Washington Square Park a month or so ago I saw a trio of a soprano sax, a trombone, and a drummer. It really worked. The horns were in tune---which is amazing because both are legendary for being difficult to keep in pitch---and the trombonist held things down on the low end. She was really good. But in general, I'd say that, just like Adam said, the bass (upright or electric) really helps hold things down, being designed for it. It can outline the changes as well as being rhythmic in a way no other instrument really manages. That said, John Paul Jones played pretty killer bass lines using bass pedals when he was on an organ and you can see jazz organists like Barbara Dannerlein working the pedals in a really sophisticated way.
I just discovered your videos, Adam, and I love the back catalog. Trying to feel offbeat triplets is now a mid-level obsession of mine. Thanks, nerd. :) (Physicist, here. Apologies if you find the term offensive; I mean it to be endearing.)
Regarding "just feeling it" I understand that it can be used as a cop out by a player who cannot explain it properly.... However, at the end of the day, everything u are trying to do in/with/through music (theory, timing, practice, etc) comes down to one thing....a listener hearing/feeling it.
Hi Adam, Here's a question for you: You can determine the key of a musical piece by looking at the key signature (duh!). But the key signature doesn't tell you the mode, like minor or major or dorian. So is there an easy way of telling the mode of a piece?
Berry Vos I would generally say that you figure out what mode it is by listening or looking at the functions of the chords in the track. For example if it feels like it's "resolving" on the major keys I chord or if it feels like it's resolving on the minor keys I chord. Or that's at least the the way I've understood it :)
I know that you didn't ask me, that the answer may depend on the genre and that I'm shooting from the hip here, but looking at the last chord is kind of Ockham's razor to this question.
you can look at the key signature to find the parent scale and then search for the tonal centre of the piece to find to mode. If you have one sharp, you will be using the notes of G major but if the music resolves around an A chord, you can assume that the piece is in A dorian
It all depends on context. If the chord in a piece that you're hearing is a Dominant 7, and the music sounds Major, for instance, most likely that chord would be the V chord. If it's a Major (Major 7th) it's probably either the I or the IV. If it sounds unresolved and it's a Major chord, it would be the IV and not the I. If you can get one of those chords figured out, you can deduce the rest from context.
A good example of a band without a bassist is Major Power's Lo-Fi Symphony. They just have a guitarist, drummer, and pianist. They all do vocals. The piano does the job of the bassist. They aren't jazz or high-music, but it's a good way to demonstrate how the bassist's job can be done with limited instrumentation at least in certain genres.
personal tip for Kalen Austin: invert the roles and become the observer of what's going on around you (even/especially in the audience). Of course this works for my samba band in which I sing and play chords on my cavaquinho. Not sure my advice can transfer to playing technically challenging music.. HIH anyway
I´d like to add 2 points to the question if a you need a bass player. 1) How would you define "Bass Player"? Is it a person which plays an instrument commonly called electric bass guitar? Or could be anyone with an Instrument able to play in the bass range? i.e. Sousaphone, Bassoon, Synth, and so on. 2) Contrary to Adams example, you (or better“we“) should be aware that there are a lot musical genres/ traditions which actually dont even own/ involve bass instruments. A lot of our western hearing expectation comes from how we learned to hear (and what to expect). Anyway great video and channel. Thanks for all the enlightment.
Your guess of your target demographic was pretty accurate - math and philosophy bent with a musical interest. You bring a rational perspective to a creative art.
There's one thing I never found people saying when I got into bass, yet everyone seems to point at in a way: a bass is a guitar you can drum on. The way I see it, the bass guitar is a melodic/percussion hybrid. That's why it adds meat to the sound, it makes everything mesh. The lower frequency of the bass meshes with the percussion, and the notes connect those "hits" to the melodies. I dunno I always found myself thinking that. And I follow that logic.
i certainly don't need a bass player. But i'm a hairdresser so what do i know
Can't help but think it would be pretty awesome to have someone rocking the bass while having your hair done tho
Are you sure about that tho?
Doesn't the sound of the drier feel totally disconnected from the sound of the scissors? I can't imagine it sounding good.
Maybe it's not the aesthetic you are looking for, but you could try to fill that bass gap with vocals. I've heard a few barber shops do that!
this ones in 'hair minor'
Lets get your suggestions for "Neely Clickbait". I'll start off:
"Drummers hate him: This bassist's surprising technique for playing polyrhythms"
"This bassist played a F# minor 5-7 and chromatically descended to anticipate the tritone sub, you'll never guess what happened next"
Darius Alexander 4:3 polyrithms? In my pop song? Its more likely than you think
"6 Ways of Helping The Singer Deal with Her Dominant-7th Addiction-
(#5 Will Shock You!!)"
Take these dominant seven chords and modulate anywhere before they disappear!
"The video that classical musicans DON'T want you to see!"
Q+A #34 - Fidget spinner on a double bass??
"Do you just like to hear yourself talk?"
"The target demographic for my channel is myself."
lol ok adam
(jk we love you)
The cat has meowed a C# sliding down to a B...kind of a master of Portamento.
portameowto
Purrtamento
Purrtameowto:)
This was the comment that inspired the cat piano video
Dear Adam,
Were you to start making music exclusively for cats, what changes would you make to your compositional choices?
Write only in Meowxolydian....
... I'll see myself out.
Only use purrfect cadences.
re: who is the audience for this channel -- i did my bachelors in music but i left the musicology phd track to become a nurse. I like the channel because it keeps me feeling connected to the whole theory/analysis/thoughtfully-engaging-with-music world. So thanks!!
I am the target demographic for this channel. Since discovering it, I have watched every single video (almost) on the channel. I am an academically trained lead trumpet player who loves soloing too. My theory goes pretty far, but not composition major far. Adam is fun to watch because he does it so genuinely. He is what he's saying he is. Keep it up.
For the guy that couldn't find a decent bass player for his band: Find a keyboardist to play bass. See: The Doors
The Doors actually used session bassists on every album from Strange Days onwards
@@notaname8140 Manzarek did a wonderful job carrying the bass live, though.
the last answer really touch me! Thank you. When we love the music, it can't be fake. Anything inside your music has to be real, even the smallest deatil. The amount of time I need to paint carefully every note is gigantic, but it's something that I really love doing.
" Maybe a little bit of alcohol might help"
- Adam Neely 2017
Well now we know...
Well, I've personally found that sometimes a single beer does wonders for my nerves.
I won't recommend people take up drinking to counter nerves, because of the negative (slowing) effects and because of the potential dependence. But I *have* recommended to singers in distress that they gargle and then swallow a half shot of hard liquor to soothe a throat that would otherwise be on the edge of coughing all night. It just shouldn't become a regular thing.
To clear things up: I meant that if you're the kind of person that would get a few beers for the occasion anyway, drinking one (and only one) before the gig instead of after may calm your nerves. If you don't drink in the first place, don't.
If you want to perform under the influence you have to practice under the influence.
I used to jam w my uncle a lot, sober. Then he would bust out some good weed and i’d take a few hits and suddenly my brain and hands wouldn’t complete the circuit. Very difficult.
I went to a swing dance event not long ago with a really killer live band. It took me several dances to realize they didn't have a drummer. Just really solid bass and rhythm guitar players.
Thank you for posting that “just feel it” comment. I’m a vocalist and bassist, with my primary instrument in voice. While I’m classically trained, I’ll sing jazz and gospel for gigs. I had a gospel gig a few weeks ago that required some vamping (semi improvisational riffs). We got this information the day before hand, so I suggested to the director and my fellow soloists, who I’d be reading off with, that we get together and get a lose structure to how we want to vamp. The director looked at me and said “just feel it, you’re the master of your instrument”. Which...I tend to agree with but there’s really no such thing as TRUE improv. Even professional improv actors spend hours practicing improv skills and what if scenarios. The idea that you should go on stage and simply “make magic” works 1/25 times and leaves the other 24 times sounding like hot garbage. Unfortunately in this case and any other case where myself and another vocalist are asked to improv without structure, it’s sounded like hot Garbo.
as a drummer of 8 years whose picked up bass in the last 6 months i can 100% guarantee you'll notice a huge improvement in your own playing. i was the same but in the opposite way, i knew about the bass guitar, i knew how a bass ramps up in intensity, i know how to take cues from a bass run for example, how to accent the main notes in a riff etc. just before, i'd felt like i'd hit a brick wall. my rudiments weren't getting faster, i was struggling with remembering songs with more difficult structuring (which as a drummer whose supposed to be leading a band that is horrible) etc.
but i picked up bass coz i thought it'd be a bit of a break from drumming, i still wanted to learn more about music but i just felt at the time drumming became more frustrating than fun. and now im still learning, finding bass still really interesting and fun to mess around with, but my drumming man. i think its because i now know what a good drummer FEELS like rather than what one SOUNDS like! now that i've felt a drummers groove, played off of it and now i know what a bassist wants out of a drummer! im sure the opposite will be true for you!
also ive found because i was a drummer beforehand i could already learn rhythms by ear. like i brought my bass to a guitar player friends house one time to learn some basics in the first month or so of playing and my fingers already knew the rhythm, i was muting with my left hand and plucking the rhythm in my right all i needed was the notes!
Hey Adam, I started watching your channel after my band director showed a video of yours in our music theory class. Love the videos man. Keep it up!
"Nobody's going to get hurt if you play a wrong note" is brilliant. Thanks for the shift in perspective.
I really appreciate that you are your own target demo. I've always done it that way (for no audience) and it's really the only way to guarantee you love your own work. Thank you for validating me!
Found myself enthusiastically nodding along to so many of these answers. Except for the first one. That went right over my head.
Watching these videos at half speed is too much fun. Definitely would recommend.
"The target audience for this video is myself." This is a great attitude for music, videos, or really any other art.
Hahaha my senior year our bass player left us and my instructor ended up filling in that empty space with a tuba whenever we’d do gigs
So thought-provoking! So refreshing to hear clear thinking applied to music! Keep doing what you do, man.
At the end there don't know what's cuter the cat or Adam's adorable smile of true joy hearing its meow
I started watching a few videos, now I'm going back to watch all of them. Quality information and videos.
I think the "do we even need a bass player" question might have been asking if that role can be covered by another member of the band -- like Ray Manzarek did for The Doors. The answer to that is obviously yes, because it has been done before. Also it could be someone like Charlie Hunter, who essentially does the same job with an extended range guitar.
Fidget spinner? Maybe if you can find some way to play your bass with one, like playing with an eBow, then you can do a fidget spinner episode.
In regards to your "audience" - As a amateur guitarist learning with a Jazz Guitarist I find your videos instructional and also they give me a lot to think about.
It has been more than once how you have explained something that has made me finally 'click' on what something my teacher was talking about.
So thank you! :)
pls can you make the characteristic chord thing (and maybe some applications of it) into its own video? I find it really interesting and want to be able to use that in some modal-y contexts. Thanka!
I really thought you were going to say BASS into the cat...
For people who get nervous just remember this: We all want to see you succeed and we all want to hear awesome music.
Adam, your insight is mindblowing. I've been toying with the idea of studying music theory seriously for the first time in a decade, and stumbling across your videos has been nothing short of uniquely inspiring. Thank you so much, and all the best for whatever comes next!
Adam, your mini-speech at the end about attention to detail was really inspiring. Thank you for all the quality content you put out! Always interesting and motivating.
Bass is the guidepost of music. I am really lost without them
Hey Adam!
That final answer on the topic of attention to detail and holding yourself to a higher standard really resonated with me. I just started a theme park gig playing saxophone and making sure that everything musically and choreography-wise is accurate has come up a few times between the band members. Doing the same music and performances day after day can be mentally and physically draining, but if we don't hold ourselves to the highest standard and make sure every show is precise and accurate, then why even bother?
I just wanted to say thank you for really fleshing out a response on this topic because I feel that it can really escape us sometimes when working musicians have to play the same types of show every day.
Can i add something to your answer to the question at 14:07 (about the target of your channel)?
I love classical music, and also hear a lot of folk music of different countries (Brasil has some good genres of folk music) and some metal subgenres, besides other genres. I also study Arts and Philosophy in general. Your videos are a great inspiration, and yours is the first channel i will patreon as soon as i can.
Thanks for sharing your knowlegde!
Man... That last question, especially the answer, are really relatable. I'm not a really schooled musician... I love the theory, I love my bass, I love my guitar. But I never really took the time. I know just the basics in theory, but everyone I know who claims to be a musician just wants to play chords at a campfire. And while I love the atmosphere and the free beers it yields, I would love to just sit in a room with another musician and go nuts. Mentally jerk off to scales and other theories and let it all out through our instruments.
I only just recently found your channel and it is exactly that what I was looking for. To be able to just do or play is knowledge while looking at, underneath, through, next to and beyond it is wisdom, my old guitar teacher once taught me. Thanks for sharing it with me and everyone here. I hope I get to meet someone around here where I live with a passion close to yours when it comes to music!
Adam you blew my mind off at 2 mins in the video: I`ve been dying to know this information!! PURE GOLD!
Can`t ever thank you enough
This went up on my birthday! Just want to say, keep up the good work! I was gifted a bass (I play guitar/drums/piano) and so I'm excited to not only learn musical theory and concepts, but now I can learn and understand the techniques behind it! I'm an illustrator in my professional life, but I do music/composition as a hobby (creativity runs in the family). I appreciate everything you do, Adam!
Was just binge watching your videos all night and got a notification you uploaded something right at the end of one of your videos. Interesting.
You're closing statement on attention to detail statement really got to me.
Well said.
I like how this guy makes videos about music that interesting and unique instead of covering songs with instruments or playing pop songs with heavy instruments
Holy shit, Paul Hanson! I attended a clinic with him at my local community college a couple months ago. The man does amazing things on the electrified bassoon.
Bass is such a fun instrument to play in a band it gives that very vital energy to the whole sound.
I enjoy your videos! I'm a 49-year-old piano accompanist in suburban California. I play for community plays, I accompany a violin group and school choirs, as well as playing organ and piano at church. I'm still learning theory so I really enjoy your theory videos (the ones I understand!) I like hearing about what's it like to be a successful musician in New York. It's true that the more you perform the less nervous you get, and fear of the unknown is what causes nerves. A few weeks ago I played for a funeral and a choir came up to sing that I had not practiced with and I was not told whether or not I was going to accompany them, although I had the song up in my hymn book. Luckily they had their own accompanist so I was off the hook. That was the only time I was nervous during the funeral because I didn't know what was going to happen. Thanks! 😉
My only music education is a semester of choir in high school many years ago, but my lack of technical knowledge has not diminished my enjoyment of your content. I've even been considering picking up some sort of instrument as a hobby, just so I can learn to play around with some of the things you discuss! If only I could figure out which would suit me...
love the use of 'the lick' between shots
Man, your desire to learn drums as a bass player really resonated with me because I myself am a drummer who has been very interested in learning bass for similar reasons to you described. I play vibes and to a lesser extent piano as well, and I find that understanding more about those instruments helps me interact with them in more meaningful ways during performance.
that characteristic pitch thing blew my mind u are the best adam
really enjoyed your philosophical opinions on "attention to detail". thanks for making this.
Love that groove and pair of shades you have on international television
So, so, much respect for you Adam. You're pretty much the smartest RUclipsr out there. Keep on smangin' it
9:35 "The fear of the unknown" is a great way of putting it. As an adult, my stage fright has never been much of an issue; the joy of performing for others and thrill of it has always outweighed my nerves. I always thought the problem for other people was just the fear of embarrassment. I've always told them that the audience is much more likely to think a bad performance was boring or forgettable instead of embarrassing, whereas a good performance is memorable and cheers them up; statistically, your potential gains outweigh your potential losses.
However, that argument doesn't always convince everyone, and my bit of nerves doesn't go away completely either. I think it is true that even if you don't care about the audience at all, the idea of only having one chance and not getting to re-record or do it over makes you anxious. Some of that control is taken away.
However, something like an instrument breaking or something falling in the middle of a song I like to incorporate into a performance. For example, once my friend's guitar amp wasn't working and making all these weird sounds before we started, and I said into the microphone, "Hey, it looks like we're rocking out already!"; the audience had a good laugh. Audiences love performers with a good sense of humor who don't pretend like nothing happened when something like that happens.
I have no idea what you are saying, but it is interesting
Wow. I have to bookmark this for your answer to the first question.
thanks Adam, I enjoy your Q&As a lot, so I must fall into that non-target audience of musician-philosopher-math/music geek. Keep up the good work.
You looked so fucking badass during the Niagara falls shoot!
Dancing, wearing sunglasses, this is a new kind of Adam Neely!
really appreciate your outlook and philosophy on music. will definitely use some of your ideas to form my own musical philosophy as I go through music school!
Still interesting to watch these Q&A videos in 2024
To answer the first question correctly, How does functional harmony work in the modes, Dorian specifically? EXACTLY like it does in major. Literally take D minor and call it i, Em is ii, F major is iii, etc. and then play chord progressions as you normally would; all the tonic, sub-dominant, and dominant functions apply 1 to 1 with the major mode. Five is dominant, Four is sub dominant Six is tonic, Two is sub-dominant, etc. . You don't need to do this at all, but adding a diatonic seventh to the five chord helps it to be slightly stronger, but it works perfectly well without it. The modes may be a little more delicate, but functional harmony works FULLY in the modes with ZERO accidentals. AND you can also modulate to other keys WITHOUT a major minor 7th chord as a dominant. If you are in Bb major, and wish to modulate to E Phrygian, simply play a B half diminished 7th chord at an appropriate place in the phrase and go right to the E minor chord. You can start in D Dorian and modulate to Bb Phrygian, just at an appropriate place in the chord progression you can go F, F half dim7, Bbm, boom, you are in Bb Phrygian.
Take note of the natural five chord of each of the seven modes, specifically if it is major or minor and what kind of 7th it has. For example Lydian has a five chord that is a Major 7th chord. So any major 7th chord can be used to modulate to the Lydian key a fifth below that chord's root. This works even with Locrian, even with the b5 sounding in the tonic chord. Doubling the root though can help if the dim chord is sounding too unstable, but the root is normally doubled anyways and it is not even always necessary. Also note that Locrian and Lydian both have a five chord that is a major 7th chord. So the same chord can be used to pivot between Lydian and Locrian.
Paul Hansen is an awesome bassoon player! He played on the Flecktones "Live at the Quick" album. Great video Adam, keep 'em coming!
Men Adan congratulations going deep as always! "Attention to Detail" so true and meaningful...
i dont understand enough music theory to get some of this but i still cant help but watch
Drums! Right answer. (Guitar player here.) One guy I knew told me the first thing you see in Chick Corea's place is a bloody great drumkit. Which, to me, explains a lot about his playing. Late in life I started just doing some stick rudiments, and it's really helped my "microtime", if you will. And of course my own timing errors on guitar are heard that much more clearly, which helps accuracy again. It's a win-win, if you ask me.
regarding Berklee funk, I remember watching JP Bouvet videos early on, and since I have continued to keep track of him, I've noticed such a maturation in his playing and style. I knew what you meant by Berklee funk immediately
Electric drum kits are a gift from the music gods, trust me, if you want to learn and are worried about noise they're fantastic. I have the Alesis Strike Pro and it feels and sounds great.
The target audience is myself... the best creative advice ever.
I am currently in the program Jazz House Kids in Montclair New Jersey, and Christian McBride is the artistic director. I have also gone to a masterclass with him and asked mainly about the importance of bari sax in a big band because that is my main instrument. In a lot of ways, the bass and the bari sax/bass trombone have a similar function. The bari/bass Trombone give a low end "foundation" if you will to the horn section, and without them, you can often feel a void as you said about the bass in relation to the entire ensemble. I found it very interesting. (also a side note, Mr. McBride's wife and founder of JHK Melisa Walker knows me and talks to me every week I go into class. Super happy that I have such a supportive environment for me as someone aspiring to be a professional.
Wow! You can smile AND laugh. Never thought I'd see it! ;)
Thank you for including the comment about people saying "just feel it". People tend to say that in an attempt to kind of discourage a desire to play with more technique and use music theory. How would you respond to people who would say/do this?
Killing it with those last two answers!
Lol R.I.P Hugh. New to your channel man. But I can easily say, I dig it so far! Cheers ❤️
Yoooooo. Just saw this (idk how I missed it). Thank you for answering! I appreciate it!
19:06 Neely you just nailed life purpose
Just my 2C. I rip the Hammond organ and write for the horn section in old school R&B, funk and gospel flavored music. The question if the bass player is necessary never even crossed my mind. It's one of the most important instruments. Not only is the bass together with the drums the groove machine of the band, the bass also is in full control of the harmony, provides melodic fills, smooth transitions, killer licks and that beautiful timbre where nothing else exists. I'm sure a lot of people aren't aware of the fact that a ton of their favorite pop/rock tunes sound great because the bass is a crucial part of it. Just my humble input.
That diatonic tritone/characteristic pitch thing was news to me! Thanks.
Dude! U have a really nice smile! Show it more often! As a Piano Teacher and performer of many years I really enjoy yr vids! Peace :-) 😂
I absolutely like what you've said and most of all took the time to give a good respond to that comment about music theory. It is really useful seriously thanks. :)
Target demographic? That's pretty funny. I'm a sax player who also plays bass. They used to be pretty even in terms of paid gigs, but I stuck at what I'm best at - and I love this channel! The best, most erudite and entertaining discussion of music in general available on the web. Adam's attention to detail and innovative approach lighten up my day, and gets me thinking! I kind of knew about the similarities between rhythm and pitch, but Adam's explanation expanded my understanding of the concept. Musical fractals however were a jaw dropping experience into something that I didn't even realise was possible. Anyone who has the slightest interest in music should watch this channel. Bass!
Re: nerves. If you're not nervous, it means you don't care. I never got over the nerves, but I got to the point where I could use them to my advantage.
Hey Adam! To learn drums I find a lot of the ground work can be done with a practice pad, metronome, a seat, a mirror and stick control for the snare drummer. Sit in front of the mirror and analyze your hands and movements so you get coordination before moving on to a real kit :)
Love your channel brother. Totally eclectic in the Music bent. Great stuff and keep it coming.
that last Q n A made my day. love all of your content man.
"Maybe a little alcohol will help [with nerves]." I'll remember that for my next marching band competition at my high school.
Watching this video, you have exactly 200.000 Subscribers. Congratz!
I'm a part of a jazz ensemble in school.
We do not have a drummer, only a bassist. The week our bassist wasn't there, we sucked ass. Our instructor had to play drums so we'd stay in time.
So yeah, bass is important. It fills up a lot of important music space.
I started on drums, then went to bass and now I play guitar. I highly recommend it if you have about 30 years to go through it. If you do this it teaches you what and when to listen to what. You learn to play drums and bass on the guitar. I progressed 3 times as fast on guitar than I would have normally. Always wear ear protection. I am almost deaf now and it makes it very hard to play guitar being deaf! I played drums for 20 years and then bass for 10 years. It will drive you crazy because now, I want to play all 3 in the band. I am never satisfied! I usually played with people better than me and they forced me to get better, fast and eventually I would pass them up and move on to better players and on and on. I am older now and my health is not so good and I miss playing on a regular basis. Enjoy the moment, guys because it will happen to you, too.Good luck.
J Dilla’s “Donuts” is a work of genius. It’s such as shame he died so young.
New painting! Cool!
Thanks. His mom did it. It is an abstract guitar-on-table collage study of George Braque, the mid 20th century French painter.
Cate Frazier-Neely Really like it!
If there's a cat in the background, *I*'m watching the cat.
In Washington Square Park a month or so ago I saw a trio of a soprano sax, a trombone, and a drummer. It really worked. The horns were in tune---which is amazing because both are legendary for being difficult to keep in pitch---and the trombonist held things down on the low end. She was really good.
But in general, I'd say that, just like Adam said, the bass (upright or electric) really helps hold things down, being designed for it. It can outline the changes as well as being rhythmic in a way no other instrument really manages. That said, John Paul Jones played pretty killer bass lines using bass pedals when he was on an organ and you can see jazz organists like Barbara Dannerlein working the pedals in a really sophisticated way.
Can someone please make a compilation of Adam doing his "wooooohh" thing? as in 3:52
I really enjoy your content and your perspective on things, keep it going!
Lol, Berkelee Funk.
When I was at Cornish, I heard my teachers bemoan the "Berkelee Factory" quite often.
I just discovered your videos, Adam, and I love the back catalog. Trying to feel offbeat triplets is now a mid-level obsession of mine. Thanks, nerd. :)
(Physicist, here. Apologies if you find the term offensive; I mean it to be endearing.)
Regarding "just feeling it" I understand that it can be used as a cop out by a player who cannot explain it properly....
However, at the end of the day, everything u are trying to do in/with/through music (theory, timing, practice, etc) comes down to one thing....a listener hearing/feeling it.
Hi Adam,
Here's a question for you:
You can determine the key of a musical piece by looking at the key signature (duh!). But the key signature doesn't tell you the mode, like minor or major or dorian. So is there an easy way of telling the mode of a piece?
Looking at the music ;)
Berry Vos I would generally say that you figure out what mode it is by listening or looking at the functions of the chords in the track. For example if it feels like it's "resolving" on the major keys I chord or if it feels like it's resolving on the minor keys I chord. Or that's at least the the way I've understood it :)
I know that you didn't ask me, that the answer may depend on the genre and that I'm shooting from the hip here, but looking at the last chord is kind of Ockham's razor to this question.
you can look at the key signature to find the parent scale and then search for the tonal centre of the piece to find to mode. If you have one sharp, you will be using the notes of G major but if the music resolves around an A chord, you can assume that the piece is in A dorian
It all depends on context. If the chord in a piece that you're hearing is a Dominant 7, and the music sounds Major, for instance, most likely that chord would be the V chord. If it's a Major (Major 7th) it's probably either the I or the IV. If it sounds unresolved and it's a Major chord, it would be the IV and not the I. If you can get one of those chords figured out, you can deduce the rest from context.
A good example of a band without a bassist is Major Power's Lo-Fi Symphony. They just have a guitarist, drummer, and pianist. They all do vocals. The piano does the job of the bassist. They aren't jazz or high-music, but it's a good way to demonstrate how the bassist's job can be done with limited instrumentation at least in certain genres.
personal tip for Kalen Austin: invert the roles and become the observer of what's going on around you (even/especially in the audience). Of course this works for my samba band in which I sing and play chords on my cavaquinho. Not sure my advice can transfer to playing technically challenging music.. HIH anyway
I´d like to add 2 points to the question if a you need a bass player.
1) How would you define "Bass Player"? Is it a person which plays an instrument commonly called electric bass guitar? Or could be anyone with an Instrument able to play in the bass range? i.e. Sousaphone, Bassoon, Synth, and so on.
2) Contrary to Adams example, you (or better“we“) should be aware that there are a lot musical genres/ traditions which actually dont even own/ involve bass instruments. A lot of our western hearing expectation comes from how we learned to hear (and what to expect).
Anyway great video and channel. Thanks for all the enlightment.
Your guess of your target demographic was pretty accurate - math and philosophy bent with a musical interest. You bring a rational perspective to a creative art.
I recall a great performance by a ethno-jazz band I heard once, who had no bass player, but had a tuba player playing a bass part.
There's one thing I never found people saying when I got into bass, yet everyone seems to point at in a way: a bass is a guitar you can drum on. The way I see it, the bass guitar is a melodic/percussion hybrid. That's why it adds meat to the sound, it makes everything mesh. The lower frequency of the bass meshes with the percussion, and the notes connect those "hits" to the melodies. I dunno I always found myself thinking that. And I follow that logic.