Thanks for the kind feedback! When I was first starting out on double bass, I had a few online mentors who helped me out immensely. Part of the reason for doing these videos is to try to pay that gift forward. As for the money, ads annoy me immensely, so I didn't want to enable them. Keep working at getting better, and I'll do the same.
People are so generous in sharing their teaching. Thank you so much!! I have also started learning DB after my father who played jazz. I hope i can "get there" one day!
loved your 'disclaimer' at the beginning, ie. walking bass is a lifetime journey,etc. Thank you for that, Chris, and for your wonderful videos. Very helpful and generous instruction.
Unbeleaveably good videos you do. Me as a rookie double bass player who just started to get into jazz a year or so ago, really apprieciates the effort you put in your lessons. I played the electric bass in rock and funk bands for maybe 4 or 5 years before I started playing the double bass. Nontheless did I grow massively on your lessons in terms of technique and musical theory. I just wanted to thank you so much for not taking money for these videos! Kind regards from germany.
The humility you communicate is so valuable and necessary for the lifelong journey that jazz is very honest and illuminating both for those of us who've paid some dues or those who are about to .
This is a super helpful lesson. I have been playing upright bass in a jazz trio for 4 years and teaching myself I always get a bit lost on walking like some of the pro guys... I play the big notes lol. It is helpful to have you lay it out in simple terms with an actual progression from a song I can practice to. my walking lines had been sort of stagnating and I think this will help thanks.
Thank you so much for this amazing video. As a composer it is really informative to gain the insight of how players think through their decisions. Thank you for being a clear presenter and teacher.
Thanks Chris, This is very detailed and insightful lesson. i enjoyed it very much. It reconfirms what i have read in many books already, but presented very eloquently
This is great! I found your PDF via TalkBass, which lead me here. You are very articulate and have distilled things very well for a beginner like myself. Thanks!
Your awesome man thank you I'm 14 and this summer I was lucky that a group of college jazz majors at URI took me under their wing and I fell in love with jazz and music in general now as I'm saving up for a double bass this lesson still helps me on my electric. Thank you again
Thanks, Anthony. I agree that the ending one is a bit more "melodic", but even that is just cracking the door open another few inches. The beauty of a walking melody is that it almost always exists in context, so how far it can go from "outlining" can only truly be defined by what everyone else is playing. Some of my favorite players play with musicians so advanced that they can deconstruct a tune to a point where a walking line can become almost anything headed for a collective release point.
Thanks Carter. Yes, you are correct. I haven't worked it out as a percentage, but about half the time sounds right. I plan to cover some of those kinds of issues/details in the next video.
Great video, as always. Love the walking line in the beginning and end. They really reiterates the concept of a "bass melody"/"improvised counterpoint" (more so the ending one, but the beginning one could be a melody all to itself). Love your tone as well. Thanks for these fantastic videos.
Thanks for the feedback - it's always good to hear. I'm trying to cover most of the important basics with the series so far, but hope to drop in a more advanced topic from time to time for those with a little more experience. :)
Thankyou so much! I now feel completely vindicated. one of my favourite bassists of all time is the legendary Dusty Hill and much of my playing style has been inspired by his simple yet faultless solid approach. I was given a double bass 18 years ago but never really felt worthy as my knowledge of music theory is minimal to say the least. You have inspired me.Time to dust it down and get playing again. Cheers
Thanks so much for this Chris. Great series! I'm not a beginner (I recently returned to playing after a long detour), and there wasn't a lot that was really new to me here, but I still found the explanation really good and well-organized. Your manner of presentation is really superb. The opening "top 10 list" is really good for those of us who, from time to time, may get just a little too caught up in the pursuit of "interesting note choices" (hand raised). Looking forward to more!
Not much by way of dedicated clubs, but a lot of nice players and casual gigs, a couple of jam sessions, and a jazz society that helps those interested keep track of where there's music happening. I've been very happy here thanks to great players like Harry Pickens, Craig Wagner, Jacob Duncan, Mike Hyman, Todd Hildreth, and more.
Hi, Chris. Thanks for this, I never thought I'd be playing any Charlie Parker, now I love it. I have one request. When you start adding chromatic or diatonic approach notes, you speak at length on what you're going to do, then play through very quickly without describing what exactly your approach note choices are, sometimes it's a half step, sometimes it's a whole step, as someone with little musical theory or background, those tiny details would be very helpful. I read through the comment thread to see if anyone had asked this or you had addressed it, and found the note about playing the A-natural vs the Ab in the diatonic walk. I would love more of that sort of detail! Thank you, I'm learning so much!
+Jenine Abarbanel Hi Jeanine, thanks for the feedback. Because there are two half steps built into most scales, some diatonic approach notes are also half step approach notes (making them technically "chromatic". I explain all of this in more detail in the videos entitled "Walking Bass line Theory Basics" and "Walking Bass Line Examples And Analysis". However, if you can give me a timeline range of the passage you are referring to in this video, I can try to take a look and see if i can answer your question. Don't be shy about asking questions, as this is what the series is here for!
+Chris Fitzgerald Thank you, Chris! I wasn't expecting such a fast reply! I've just gone through the Beginner Theory video, and I'm going to practice the exercises in there for an hour or so and then apply to another tune just to see what that sounds and feels like. Many thanks.
Wow! What a fantastic lesson. It is sooo obvious you are a professor (not "just" a music teacher). When I was learning to teach (NOT music), a mentor said, "Talk less and say more." You demonstrate this superbly! I do have one question, and I'm unsure I can phrase it correctly (I'm using terms I am still learning), but were you always arpeggiating the 3rd as a major third (up four half steps), or for the minor chords (e.g., the D-7), were you playing a minor third (up three half steps)? Thanks again! I watched this several times, pausing, backing up, playing along (electric bass), and LEARNING.
Thanks Steve! The 3rd of any chord used would be type of third belonging to the quality of the chord - for Major and Dominant chords, it would be a major 3rd, and for minor chords it would be a minor chord.
+Jay superstion I'm not really sure, but since there was no music on the staff I may have just not bothered to change them since it didn't affect the chord changes.
Thanks Chris for another fantastic video. You really have a knack for giving useful instruction efficiently. Question -- is it correct that about half the time the diatonic approach note will also be a chromatic approach note?
Great video, especially guidelines for beginner players. Any idea from where one can get more examples of chord progressions like this, to have more material to practice?
Any real book or fake book would be a good choice for chord progressions that are predominantly 2 chords-per-bar - Real Book series, New Real book series, etc. If you have a smart phone, the "iRealB" app is nice, and you can download over 1400 sets of changes for jazz standards and have playalong software built in to practice along with with. Hope this helps!
Hey Chris! I've been playing bass for almost two years now and I really am interested in getting into jazz. I just wanted to know your opinion on electric basses? Do you think they're inferior/ less desirable than upright basses in jazz?
Electric basses not "inferior", but they are a totally different sound envelope and technique than the double bass. For traditional/straight ahead jazz playing many people (including bandleaders and other musicians) prefer the double bass because it's the instrument that was used to make the music in the he first place. Sonically, there is a physical "thump" on the front of the note, and then a relatively quick decay compared to an electric bass sound; in addition, the scale length and lack of frets also provide a particular sonic color that is impossible to exactly duplicate on an electric bass. On the other hand, these days I think it's a good idea for young bassists to play both, since the world is full of more than just jazz and roots music. At my school all of my students end up doubling at some point.
hey Chris thanks for responding..if i could ask you something..i have a much shorter little finger! driving me nuts, makes it so much harder to reach with the 4th finger!! any tips?
The fingers are only the final extension of the hand, which attaches to the wrist, forearm, elbow, shoulder, etc. Rather than thinking of the finger as being short, focus on the motion of the arm to get it to where it needs to be. I almost never reach with my fingers because it's so much more efficient (considering how much force it takes to press the string) to move the hand/arm assembly to get the finger in place in a relaxed way. See the "Left Hand Technique Basics" video for more detail on arm weight.
Professor Fitzgerald, I wonder if I could ask a question about this lecture/lesson. You mention in Bass Line Priorities that Time and Groove are mostly self-explanatory. But what do you specifically mean by "Groove."? I know it's related to time, and that time basically is about maintaining a steady beat, as if you had a built-in metronome. But what is Groove? Does that mean "swing" or syncopation? For example a 4/4 bassline played in perfect time does not necessarily "swing"; the bassist has to swing it and try not to sound too "straight." Is that the kind of thing you mean by groove? Thanks in advance :)
Groove, as I talk about it here, refers to the feel, pulse, and flow of the line. It's best described by examples in sound, but since in this medium we have to use words, I would use phrases like "relaxed but still forward moving", "dancelike", and "inviting". A good groove makes you want to move to it and to play with and over it - it is settled and yet has motion that draws you in, like a current in water. In the context of this video, all dancing about architecture aside, it means that the feel of the notes is as important/more important that the notes themselves. Like the famous quote about pornography only describing music, you know it when you hear it. In short, whatever you are playing, however you constructed it, whatever techniques you used to put it together, it has to feel good in order to inspire others to dance and play. I emphasize it here mostly to make that point - creating a line with the right notes in the right rhythm is a craft, but making that line feel great is the true art. (best I can do in words right before bedtime). :)
+burricanecarter At first, this may be a good idea until the process becomes ingrained and natural. After a while, you'll find yourself mixing and matching approaches on the fly.
+Simon David That's a really big question. To narrow it down, I would have to ask if you are talking more about the construction of the lines themselves, or in the execution of the lines once you know how to build them? If the question is about the construction of the lines, there's really no shortcut, but I would say that at faster tempos it's much easier to execute linear melodies than arpeggiated lines because they flow much more smoothly in a physically ergonomic sense (i.e. - less "jumping"). Also lines played at faster tempos are more likely to be simpler, less embellished, and more repetitive since the real trick is to keep the groove and pulse strong. If the question is about how to execute them, then there are two things going on: the note choices in the left hand and the pulse in the right hand. For the left, there are no real shortcuts; for each tune, every player will have to work out a number of preferred paths through the changes. But for the right, I work with my students on accent patterns when playing at faster tempos. Information about this form of right hand articulation can be found in the "Permutations" video, and there is a short discussion of what's going on at tempos and a brief demonstration of the results here: ruclips.net/video/m7OKUDHOMXU/видео.html
thank you very much for getting back to me, i've been playing bass guitar for years and have good knowledge of chords and can solo over the changes well but doing the actuall job of walking at high tempos and not getting lost is a réal art. I will check out your link. God bless you. simon
thanks again, you know i am a christian and i prayed for help with my walking bass and God led me to your teaching, i find cherokee much easier now. any tips for giant steps at tempo?
the tips would be much the same, only the choices for the "2 chords per bar" portions of the tune would be much more restrictive than the "1 chord per bar" portions. For the former, I would refer you to the "Walking Bass Line Theory Basics" video and PDF, and for the latter, check out "Walking Bass Lines part 2". All you need to build the lines can be found there. As far as the right hand, it won't really be any harder than Cherokee.
Really fantastic lessons, love the tone of your bass too. What is the bass and what mic are you capturing it with? It sounds too detailed to be a room mic?
Thanks! The bass is a New Standard LaScala hybrid. The mic is just a cheap-ish Audio Technica 2022 running straight into the camera input. That's just the sound of the bass.
wow thats great, I think your being a bit modest though as I know a lot of that tone is coming from your fingers and great technique too. Keep up the great content :)
It's "You Don't Know What Love Is". You can find the duo recording I made with Dave Klingman here: 2014.chrisfitzgeraldmusic.com/?page_id=142 in the "Sparrow and the Bear" playlist.
Hi Chris, great videos. Quick question: If I'm doing a diatonic approach from below to Bb, don't I have to play an Ab? Otherwise, technically an approach to Bb in the key of F using A, would only be a chromatic approach. Is this correct? I think I saw/heard only an A leading to Bb. Of course, in Confirmation I probably wouldn't play an Ab. To me it would be too edgy.
If the chord you are coming from is an F ma or and F7 (in other words, one which contains an A natural as its third), then the diatonic approach note is the A natural. Remember that "Diatonic" means "within the key/chord".
1,5,1,connect, chordtones, scale target to target, make sure connect to next root is chromatic. Ok pianist here not bassist. Just checking in to see if I'm on target. Working with bassists I am coaching.
Sounds mostly right, but to get the full story, download the PDF for "Walking Bass Line Theory Basics" here and pass on to students studying the subject: www.chrisfitzgeraldmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Walking-Bass-Line-Theory-Basics-PDF-File.pdf
Does, at any time, anyone, ever, ask what it is that a bass player looks for in the other players in the band? It has always tended to, depending on the personality of those players, lead one to feel as if a necessary annoyance. As in, "support ME" and otherwise be as invisible as possible.
This is, from the disclaimer till the end, the most honest, insightful, helpful video of this kind I have ever come across.
Thanks for the kind feedback! When I was first starting out on double bass, I had a few online mentors who helped me out immensely. Part of the reason for doing these videos is to try to pay that gift forward. As for the money, ads annoy me immensely, so I didn't want to enable them. Keep working at getting better, and I'll do the same.
Chris is a true master.
Thanks so much! It took some of the mystery away from walking bass lines
+Mark Walker Thanks! I love to hear that.
GREAT video! This will be the "Featured Player video" on today's jazz blues jam track for bass players :)
Thank you!
U got the best video on RUclips about this concept. Lotta ppl don’t know how to dish this information out in a concise easy to follow manner. 👏🏻👏🏻
People are so generous in sharing their teaching. Thank you so much!! I have also started learning DB after my father who played jazz. I hope i can "get there" one day!
Go for it - it's never too late to start. :)
No matter how good your baseline construction is, if its no played in tune, it sounds horrible. This video demonstrates that perfectly.
loved your 'disclaimer' at the beginning, ie. walking bass is a lifetime journey,etc.
Thank you for that, Chris, and for your wonderful videos. Very helpful and generous instruction.
Unbeleaveably good videos you do. Me as a rookie double bass player who just started to get into jazz a year or so ago, really apprieciates the effort you put in your lessons.
I played the electric bass in rock and funk bands for maybe 4 or 5 years before I started playing the double bass. Nontheless did I grow massively on your lessons in terms of technique and musical theory.
I just wanted to thank you so much for not taking money for these videos!
Kind regards from germany.
The humility you communicate is so valuable and necessary for the lifelong journey that jazz is very honest and illuminating both for those of us who've paid some dues or those who are about to .
Thank you! It's easy to keep things in perspective when you stand at the end of a long line of giants. :)
I have been taking bass lessons for almost a year now. this video was very helpful, thanks for sharing
You're very welcome. Thanks for checking in!
This is a super helpful lesson. I have been playing upright bass in a jazz trio for 4 years and teaching myself I always get a bit lost on walking like some of the pro guys... I play the big notes lol. It is helpful to have you lay it out in simple terms with an actual progression from a song I can practice to. my walking lines had been sort of stagnating and I think this will help thanks.
Glad to help... the big notes are a great place to start!
Thanks Chris! this are my first steps on the walking bass. Regards from South america!
+Andres Kunz Thanks for the feedback. Keep at it!
Fabulous systematic approach. Helps me a lot. Thanks so much.
Thank you so much for this amazing video.
As a composer it is really informative to gain the insight of how players think through their decisions. Thank you for being a clear presenter and teacher.
Ellis Kettle Thank you!
Thanks Chris,
This is very detailed and insightful lesson. i enjoyed it very much. It reconfirms what i have read in many books already, but presented very eloquently
Keys to the Kingdom with CF's WBL, Parts 1 and 2!
Thank you!
This is great! I found your PDF via TalkBass, which lead me here.
You are very articulate and have distilled things very well for a beginner like myself.
Thanks!
Thanks! Please share if you know anyone who could benefit.
Chris Fitzgerald No way! I have to keep the competition ignorant. ;)
Your awesome man thank you I'm 14 and this summer I was lucky that a group of college jazz majors at URI took me under their wing and I fell in love with jazz and music in general now as I'm saving up for a double bass this lesson still helps me on my electric. Thank you again
Just wanted to say thank you so much for the time and effort you put into making these videos and sharing them with us.
Thanks, Anthony. I agree that the ending one is a bit more "melodic", but even that is just cracking the door open another few inches. The beauty of a walking melody is that it almost always exists in context, so how far it can go from "outlining" can only truly be defined by what everyone else is playing. Some of my favorite players play with musicians so advanced that they can deconstruct a tune to a point where a walking line can become almost anything headed for a collective release point.
I'm hooked and loving this. This man is the antidote to bullshit.
Thanks Carter. Yes, you are correct. I haven't worked it out as a percentage, but about half the time sounds right. I plan to cover some of those kinds of issues/details in the next video.
hi chris, things clear up... great advices, thanks a lot for these great videos, and greetings from munich, germany.
Thank you! I love to hear from people outside the states... youtube is pretty amazing in that way.
Great video, as always. Love the walking line in the beginning and end. They really reiterates the concept of a "bass melody"/"improvised counterpoint" (more so the ending one, but the beginning one could be a melody all to itself).
Love your tone as well. Thanks for these fantastic videos.
Thanks for the feedback - it's always good to hear. I'm trying to cover most of the important basics with the series so far, but hope to drop in a more advanced topic from time to time for those with a little more experience. :)
Thankyou so much! I now feel completely vindicated. one of my favourite bassists of all time is the legendary Dusty Hill and much of my playing style has been inspired by his simple yet faultless solid approach. I was given a double bass 18 years ago but never really felt worthy as my knowledge of music theory is minimal to say the least. You have inspired me.Time to dust it down and get playing again. Cheers
very helpful for me as a begining jazz piano player trying to understand the bass role.
Thanks so much for this Chris. Great series! I'm not a beginner (I recently returned to playing after a long detour), and there wasn't a lot that was really new to me here, but I still found the explanation really good and well-organized. Your manner of presentation is really superb. The opening "top 10 list" is really good for those of us who, from time to time, may get just a little too caught up in the pursuit of "interesting note choices" (hand raised). Looking forward to more!
Not much by way of dedicated clubs, but a lot of nice players and casual gigs, a couple of jam sessions, and a jazz society that helps those interested keep track of where there's music happening. I've been very happy here thanks to great players like Harry Pickens, Craig Wagner, Jacob Duncan, Mike Hyman, Todd Hildreth, and more.
Thank you, Mr Fitzgerald!
You are very welcome!
This was a very helpful instructional video. Thank you
Thank you very much, super video, tomorrow listening for second time and doing together with you with my bass.
Excellent video, thanks so much
Wonderful video! Thank you Chris!
Just fantastic. Really clear, really logical and such a helpful lesson. Thank you very, very much indeed. Subscribed!
Thank you!
Excellent. Thank you for sharing.
Hi, Chris. Thanks for this, I never thought I'd be playing any Charlie Parker, now I love it. I have one request. When you start adding chromatic or diatonic approach notes, you speak at length on what you're going to do, then play through very quickly without describing what exactly your approach note choices are, sometimes it's a half step, sometimes it's a whole step, as someone with little musical theory or background, those tiny details would be very helpful. I read through the comment thread to see if anyone had asked this or you had addressed it, and found the note about playing the A-natural vs the Ab in the diatonic walk. I would love more of that sort of detail! Thank you, I'm learning so much!
+Jenine Abarbanel Hi Jeanine, thanks for the feedback. Because there are two half steps built into most scales, some diatonic approach notes are also half step approach notes (making them technically "chromatic". I explain all of this in more detail in the videos entitled "Walking Bass line Theory Basics" and "Walking Bass Line Examples And Analysis". However, if you can give me a timeline range of the passage you are referring to in this video, I can try to take a look and see if i can answer your question. Don't be shy about asking questions, as this is what the series is here for!
+Chris Fitzgerald Thank you, Chris! I wasn't expecting such a fast reply! I've just gone through the Beginner Theory video, and I'm going to practice the exercises in there for an hour or so and then apply to another tune just to see what that sounds and feels like. Many thanks.
+Jenine Abarbanel Good. Let me know how it turns out.
Wow! What a fantastic lesson. It is sooo obvious you are a professor (not "just" a music teacher). When I was learning to teach (NOT music), a mentor said, "Talk less and say more." You demonstrate this superbly! I do have one question, and I'm unsure I can phrase it correctly (I'm using terms I am still learning), but were you always arpeggiating the 3rd as a major third (up four half steps), or for the minor chords (e.g., the D-7), were you playing a minor third (up three half steps)? Thanks again! I watched this several times, pausing, backing up, playing along (electric bass), and LEARNING.
Thanks Steve! The 3rd of any chord used would be type of third belonging to the quality of the chord - for Major and Dominant chords, it would be a major 3rd, and for minor chords it would be a minor chord.
loved it Chris! Ripper sound, informative, beautifully explained.
regards Timobee4
Thx...A very important thing I look for in a bass played is sound...what kind of a sound does he make? I like round, warm tone and velvet timbre!
Excellent tutorial
Thank you Thank you
Can someone tell me why the tabs at 10:00 have a treble clef instead of a Bass cleff
+Jay superstion I'm not really sure, but since there was no music on the staff I may have just not bothered to change them since it didn't affect the chord changes.
You're very welcome. Glad you enjoyed them!
This is fantastic! Can't thank you enough.
thank you!
Great lesson really helped a lot!
Exceptional. Sincerest thanks.
Thanks Chris for another fantastic video. You really have a knack for giving useful instruction efficiently. Question -- is it correct that about half the time the diatonic approach note will also be a chromatic approach note?
Very very informative... thanks a heap!
Great videos. Is there any way I can watch them in the order they were meant to be watched?
Only the walking bass ones are really ordered. i would just go from oldest to newest.
great lesson mang!
Great video, especially guidelines for beginner players.
Any idea from where one can get more examples of chord progressions like this, to have more material to practice?
Any real book or fake book would be a good choice for chord progressions that are predominantly 2 chords-per-bar - Real Book series, New Real book series, etc. If you have a smart phone, the "iRealB" app is nice, and you can download over 1400 sets of changes for jazz standards and have playalong software built in to practice along with with. Hope this helps!
Hi Chris, what's the musical scene like in Louisville?
Master Class!!
Hey Chris! I've been playing bass for almost two years now and I really am interested in getting into jazz. I just wanted to know your opinion on electric basses? Do you think they're inferior/ less desirable than upright basses in jazz?
To be honest they are my jazz teacher at my college said that I should learn double bass that people prefer double bass instead of electric
Electric basses not "inferior", but they are a totally different sound envelope and technique than the double bass. For traditional/straight ahead jazz playing many people (including bandleaders and other musicians) prefer the double bass because it's the instrument that was used to make the music in the he first place. Sonically, there is a physical "thump" on the front of the note, and then a relatively quick decay compared to an electric bass sound; in addition, the scale length and lack of frets also provide a particular sonic color that is impossible to exactly duplicate on an electric bass.
On the other hand, these days I think it's a good idea for young bassists to play both, since the world is full of more than just jazz and roots music. At my school all of my students end up doubling at some point.
Bob Cranshaw switched over to mostly electric bass with Sonny Rollins. I think it sounds fine... (as does Sonny) :-)
this is 1/2 size double bass?
hey Chris thanks for responding..if i could ask you something..i have a much shorter little finger! driving me nuts, makes it so much harder to reach with the 4th finger!! any tips?
The fingers are only the final extension of the hand, which attaches to the wrist, forearm, elbow, shoulder, etc. Rather than thinking of the finger as being short, focus on the motion of the arm to get it to where it needs to be. I almost never reach with my fingers because it's so much more efficient (considering how much force it takes to press the string) to move the hand/arm assembly to get the finger in place in a relaxed way. See the "Left Hand Technique Basics" video for more detail on arm weight.
Professor Fitzgerald,
I wonder if I could ask a question about this lecture/lesson. You mention in Bass Line Priorities that Time and Groove are mostly self-explanatory. But what do you specifically mean by "Groove."?
I know it's related to time, and that time basically is about maintaining a steady beat, as if you had a built-in metronome.
But what is Groove? Does that mean "swing" or syncopation? For example a 4/4 bassline played in perfect time does not necessarily "swing"; the bassist has to swing it and try not to sound too "straight." Is that the kind of thing you mean by groove?
Thanks in advance :)
Groove, as I talk about it here, refers to the feel, pulse, and flow of the line. It's best described by examples in sound, but since in this medium we have to use words, I would use phrases like "relaxed but still forward moving", "dancelike", and "inviting". A good groove makes you want to move to it and to play with and over it - it is settled and yet has motion that draws you in, like a current in water.
In the context of this video, all dancing about architecture aside, it means that the feel of the notes is as important/more important that the notes themselves. Like the famous quote about pornography only describing music, you know it when you hear it. In short, whatever you are playing, however you constructed it, whatever techniques you used to put it together, it has to feel good in order to inspire others to dance and play. I emphasize it here mostly to make that point - creating a line with the right notes in the right rhythm is a craft, but making that line feel great is the true art. (best I can do in words right before bedtime). :)
fantastic, thank you so much..will do!
Chris, do you suggest writing out all the bass lines when practicing different approaches over the same progression?
+burricanecarter At first, this may be a good idea until the process becomes ingrained and natural. After a while, you'll find yourself mixing and matching approaches on the fly.
What's the track playing during the intro/outro?
+Jake Beamish It's called "You Don't Know What Love Is, in duo format with David Klingman. You can find the full track at my website.
+Jake Beamish Here's the direct link: soundcloud.com/chris-fitzgerald-27/you-dont-know-what-love-is-duet-with-dave-klingman
Very nice track indeed.
got any tips for fast walking basslines please?
+Simon David That's a really big question. To narrow it down, I would have to ask if you are talking more about the construction of the lines themselves, or in the execution of the lines once you know how to build them?
If the question is about the construction of the lines, there's really no shortcut, but I would say that at faster tempos it's much easier to execute linear melodies than arpeggiated lines because they flow much more smoothly in a physically ergonomic sense (i.e. - less "jumping"). Also lines played at faster tempos are more likely to be simpler, less embellished, and more repetitive since the real trick is to keep the groove and pulse strong.
If the question is about how to execute them, then there are two things going on: the note choices in the left hand and the pulse in the right hand. For the left, there are no real shortcuts; for each tune, every player will have to work out a number of preferred paths through the changes. But for the right, I work with my students on accent patterns when playing at faster tempos. Information about this form of right hand articulation can be found in the "Permutations" video, and there is a short discussion of what's going on at tempos and a brief demonstration of the results here: ruclips.net/video/m7OKUDHOMXU/видео.html
thank you very much for getting back to me, i've been playing bass guitar for years and have good knowledge of chords and can solo over the changes well but doing the actuall job of walking at high tempos and not getting lost is a réal art. I will check out your link. God bless you. simon
thanks again, you know i am a christian and i prayed for help with my walking bass and God led me to your teaching, i find cherokee much easier now. any tips for giant steps at tempo?
the tips would be much the same, only the choices for the "2 chords per bar" portions of the tune would be much more restrictive than the "1 chord per bar" portions. For the former, I would refer you to the "Walking Bass Line Theory Basics" video and PDF, and for the latter, check out "Walking Bass Lines part 2". All you need to build the lines can be found there. As far as the right hand, it won't really be any harder than Cherokee.
ok thanks again
Hi Chris. Just discovered your great videos today. I'm just starting out on DB. Which of your videos should I start with?
Hi Walter. I would start with the Right Hand Tone Production andLeft Hand Technique Basics videos. Good luck!
Chris Fitzgerald Thanks!
Really fantastic lessons, love the tone of your bass too. What is the bass and what mic are you capturing it with? It sounds too detailed to be a room mic?
Thanks! The bass is a New Standard LaScala hybrid. The mic is just a cheap-ish Audio Technica 2022 running straight into the camera input. That's just the sound of the bass.
wow thats great, I think your being a bit modest though as I know a lot of that tone is coming from your fingers and great technique too. Keep up the great content :)
what is the ending song with clarinet?
It's "You Don't Know What Love Is". You can find the duo recording I made with Dave Klingman here: 2014.chrisfitzgeraldmusic.com/?page_id=142 in the "Sparrow and the Bear" playlist.
Chris Fitzgerald thank you very much : )
lovely playing. respect
Hi Chris, great videos. Quick question: If I'm doing a diatonic approach from below to Bb, don't I have to play an Ab? Otherwise, technically an approach to Bb in the key of F using A, would only be a chromatic approach. Is this correct? I think I saw/heard only an A leading to Bb. Of course, in Confirmation I probably wouldn't play an Ab. To me it would be too edgy.
If the chord you are coming from is an F ma or and F7 (in other words, one which contains an A natural as its third), then the diatonic approach note is the A natural. Remember that "Diatonic" means "within the key/chord".
Chris Fitzgerald I didn't know what diatonic meant afterall. Again, very appreciative of your videos. Thank you.
You forgot tone , I need to have some of that rich and resonating tone of a Double bass behind me.
É isso oque temos para o natal, excelente (:
it makes sense!
1,5,1,connect, chordtones, scale target to target, make sure connect to next root is chromatic.
Ok pianist here not bassist. Just checking in to see if I'm on target. Working with bassists I am coaching.
Sounds mostly right, but to get the full story, download the PDF for "Walking Bass Line Theory Basics" here and pass on to students studying the subject: www.chrisfitzgeraldmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Walking-Bass-Line-Theory-Basics-PDF-File.pdf
Does, at any time, anyone, ever, ask what it is that a bass player looks for in the other players in the band? It has always tended to, depending on the personality of those players, lead one to feel as if a necessary annoyance. As in, "support ME" and otherwise be as invisible as possible.
W