I grew up in rural Ontario (Canada) and there was a local big band. They needed a bass player and a guy I knew recommended me despite the fact that I was: a) 15 years old b) couldn't read music for shit c) had no idea how to play jazz I'll never forget the first rehearsal. I pull out the bass book and... NO CHORD CHANGES! I could read chord symbols ok but a chart with only notation was instant death. I read the first bar or so as quickly as I could before they counted it off. The band started up and after a bar or so I just stopped playing. The first trumpet/band leader yelled "Don't stop playing! It doesn't matter if you're not playing the right notes, just don't stop!" The tune finished and I just wanted to crawl under my chair and die. There was no guitar player in the band so I grabbed the guitar book and played out of that for the rest of the rehearsal. At least I could outline the changes. Fortunately for me everyone was super supportive (and very, very desperate for a bass player) and they kept me on. That's how I learned to play bass. That band was my music school. I got lucky.
I had a similar experience growing up here in SLC area. My buddy who came from a musical family (his dad was music director of the Utah Symphony) needed a bass player and I was asked to join his band, I was also 15 (in 1969). I'm not sure how I bungled my way through that audition but we had a lot of fun and it led to a spot on the Jazz Band in high school. To this day the drummer and I are still good friends fifty something years later. Cheers.
Just randomly started playing Autumn Leaves on my piano as you guys are talking about jazz standards, and suddenly Scott comes in with the bass line for the next chorus right on the downbeat in the same key and tempo. Thanks man!
At one point, I started teaching myself jazz harmony on guitar, writing solo chord melody arrangements, etc. Moving from rock to jazz was like moving from elementary school science to graduate astrophysics. Just picking up the rudiments was super challenging, humbling, and demanding--and very rewarding.
What a beautiful discussion - two great players who only became great by the humility, generosity, and passion on display here. Brilliant stuff, gentlemen - Thank you so much!
I own a bass guitar (I wouldn’t call myself a bass player). I’m married with children and don’t have much time to devote to this instrument…but I do wish I could. I love this instrument. Thank you for providing this type of content. I would love to get to the skill level one day to play with others. I admire you guys and all of the people you feature on this channel for your mastery of this instrument. Thank you for your time!
I feel very fortunate to have had a jazz teacher when I was 14 years old and just starting bass. I'm not going to say I ever became a skilled jazz bassist, but the principles he taught me have informed my playing for the last 30 years. I mostly play rock music. But that doesn't mean the ability to connect chords together using scales and walking lines isn't useful. In fact, it's this ability to visualize bass lines on the fly that has gotten me many gigs. I'm not the most technically advanced player. But if you put me in a room with 3-4 other musicians and they play for me a song I've never heard before I can quickly come up with something that both sounds good and is interesting. And I can do that because of my solid foundation in jazz theory. It trains your ear to quickly recognize patterns and it trains your mind to build within those patterns.
Great insight lads and stories. Its so important to encourage in the right way and believe in your students. Not to embarrass or put them down, but to see them develop into the players and people they were destined to be. I've always found your videos to be informative and communicated in a way where the natural curiosity of learning is not threatened. Marcus Miller tells of his commitment to learning Jazz by having to travel to one side of New York to get the knowledge from fantastic Teachers. Its what you do. I still remember the disgruntled face of my Music Teacher at school who really had nothing but discouragement. What I did was to never give up and continue to learn. I am still learning at 62 and have met a great deal of my bass heroes who continue to inspire me. Just like you guys - Thankyou dudes, love the banter and funny anecdotes. Take care.
This is one of the ABSOLUTE best shows you guys have ever done. I've been playing almost 50 years with many, many credits to my name and you guys literally made me cry 😢 😭 🤧, like a little girl. The pain I re-lived as you told your stories came back and I began to doubt myself all over again. As much as I love you guys, I hate you two for the feeling I now have. Thanks a lot Scott and Ian, happy freaking new year to you too... P.S., Ian, you two are now D!(KS too!😅😅😅
I feel it almost inevitable the longer your tenure in playing instruments. You will go through those phases playing punk power-chords, then you hear chunky 1-finger drop-D/C riffs and that becomes your thing for a while. Then it's maybe shred... and then those 7-strings start laughing at your feeble 6. And then you get a bass... and the music your parents listened to, all the Motown, R&B and soul starts to become awesome. Like, at some point in peoples musical journey they'll eventually just come around to "MUSIC is cool" rather than just "GENRE is cool", and start experimenting outwards. This is usually when the jazz and prog comes in and appreciation for all music styles.
You guys are so infectiously positive and I always appreciate it! I hope (and honestly suspect) that your great attitudes will have an overall positive effect on the vibe of jazz over time, at least from the bass chair’s perspective. Thank you both for making jazz so approachable. I love the idea of falling down forward. The “reluctant jazz guy” really resonated with me also. ✌️❤🎶
I think Ian has said this before, but you've got to find something you LOVE about music to play it and learn it. I really really love Jazz music, and bass in particular, and it was still the hardest thing to learn (still is!) But because I LOVED the music it made the whole process much easier and more fun for me. I was also lucky to have encouraging and nice mentors who were patient with me learning the craft, without tossing my bass into the street haha!
This is one of your best conversations. I'm trying to be a real bass player too. A long road and I'm trying to learn jazz a much as I can, but get distracted.
Hey, am a rock bass player on a pick for a 20 years now and I always felt tempted to join Scott's program but there's so much going on, I never took the time to learn the depth of bass. I do NOT want to be a jazz musician but I do understand the value of knowledge "behind the scenes". Great podcast, a bit long but great nevertheless! I also love the storytelling bits which makes the whole podcast very personal, warm and human-like. Well done guys, I wish I could join some day and would be great to meet in person as well (I live in London UK). All the best, cheers!
I’m a lifetime member at SBL and I’ve bought all the accelerator courses. I’ve been a member for a LONG time and I’m split on the recent offerings. On one hand I’m stoked to see the programs grow in format and interaction. It’s really, really awesome. I honestly think that the way these programs are evolving sets them apart from anything else available on the internet. SBL is the online platform I compare all other platforms to. On the other hand, the last 3 offerings (the blueprint, the live practice sessions, and now the Jazz intensive) have priced me out and, frankly, I’m jealous that I can’t take part. I think they are priced well for what is being offered, I just really want to be a part of them and just can’t afford it.
That's where I'm at. I'm not saying it's not worth it, but $2000 is SO much money! It sucks to be priced out of all the new offerings, but at least there's still a huge amount of stuff in the regular academy membership to work through.
Good talk. Apart from conducting, jazz bass (not just walking bass, but rather the entire discipline of performing jazz on the bass) is the most challenging, demanding, stimulating, rewarding musical pursuit of my 60- years as a musician.
Thanks guys, great podcast, it really is hanging out with friends ! - The videos are great & I intuit that the platform is amazing. I have noticed over the years when there's been a certain 'jock' mentality towards music, thankfully not here. Although admittedly I did cackle when Scott said 'Oh Jazz, brrr bu brrr bmm bu bmm - & then with Ian's testimony, replete with a great big caricature smiley face !
If you're having this problem 5:34 Please, do take a 220 or 320 sandpaper and put the paper between your fretting hand and back of the neck and just wipe up and down (do not squeeze too hard, just hold it gently against the lacquer) two or three times. Check, and wipe a few more times if it is not perfect/didn't cover the whole neck. It will thin the lacquer only theoretically but your hands will not stick anymore. Neck stays smooth for ages
I started bass in 1990 at junior high school, in what turns out was a very special and not common way. I was lucky to have a very good music teacher that in that three years took us through basically everything from Swing to Jazz to Blues to Soundtracks to Rock. He was super encouraging and we were doing live concerts within a few months for holiday concerts. After those 3 years, high school was a more grumpy but just as talented teacher. It was only a few year period on both sides of my experience that the same combo of teachers existed, but those of us that went through it got a crazy education that even years later, I'm still finding ways that my path was much different. Kind of embarrassed I guess that I never really played much after 2000 let alone had an option to turn it into a career, I definitely had a very good setup for it.
Another great episode! I must say, from walking bass lines, to the modes of the major scale, to the circle of fifths, and so much more, I have learned so much from SBL over the last few years! Love you guys! Now get Tal Wilkenfeld on your show!! =D
I was in my high school’s “jazz band,” which was a vocal jazz/show choir. When I graduated, I had no idea how much jazz I didn’t know and got embarrassed trying to play with tons of jazz groups. The thing that stopped me from learning jazz: I was gigging in a country band making $200-500 a gig, then I’d show up to my college jazz band on Monday and got sneered at by jazz guys who’d never played a gig outside of school. People will say that the institutionalization of jazz in colleges ruined it, but I think a more crucial component of that mythos is how jazz guys completely chased people off from an already-dying genre. This happened to me in the 2010s, and it doesn’t really seem much different from what was happening in earlier eras.
Not taking anything away from any genre of music, but jazz has quietly made everything that came after better. I don't care for heavy metal music, but I love the drummers with those double bass pedals going, man its awesome. I think as musicians we should be able to make music that we don't care for sound better. We shouldn't shy away from things that are challenging. Man what if Jaco thought like that? He embraced all music.
Not a lot of people know the origin of the term Jazz. An upper-class, socialite (very connected) New York couple had gone to New Orleans, I'm gonna say around the turn of the century (20th), and attended a concert by Buddy Bolden. They were thrilled by the musical experience and went up to Bolden afterwards and asked him, "What kind of music is that you were playing?" And Bolden shrugged and replied, with his raspy N'awlins voice: "It's juz music!" (it's just music). The couple went back to NY, and raved about this "juz music" they'd heard in N'awlins, and eventually the "juz music" became transliterated and printed as Jazz music, and later, to just: Jazz. And this is what many beginner, or pop-rock-country musicians tend to forget: Jazz is just music. It's the same 12 notes, sames modes, same symmetrical or asymmetrical scales, same rhythmic vocabulary (swing feel notwithstanding), same chords... as ALL other music. It just encapsulates all of music: it doesn't stop at triad chord voicings like Pop and Country; it doesn't stop at straight 8ths or 16ths or 32nds (etc) feel like Classical; it doesn't stop at at backbeat, or basic melodies tailored for bratty tweens who can't sing but want to feel like they're connected to each other while singing 'anthems;' it doesn't stop at pretty. It goes beyond. I'm not saying Jazz is "better" music - enjoy your thrash or trash metal, twangy and nasal country, or "Queen" (Adele, Beyonce, Rihanna, take your pick) anthems, or t/rap crap all you want. But, as Miles Davis said when he quit Julliard: "I can play everything you play, but you can't play what I can." And that is why listening to, learning, and playing Jazz is important, paramount even, to becoming a well rounded contemporary music musician. Now, the dirty little secret of Jazz, is that it requires hefty and speedy processing power. All the great Jazz musicians, from Art Tatum to Art Blakey, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Bird, Dizzy, Monk, Miles, Herbie, Bill Evans, Sonny (Stitt and Rollins), Mingus, Brubeck, Getz, Keith Jarrett, Gary Burton, Metheny, Scofield, Stern, Berg, the Brecker Bros, and of course Louis Armstrong, were and are all incredibly intelligent and cultured people. This may sound elitist, but everyone can play Jazz, it's just music - you approach like you do all music: slowly. And Jazz, like all music, develops new neural pathways in your brain - called "orchestration" in neuroscience - it literally develops your brain, and makes your smarter, even if you grew up with an average (or unstimulated) cerebral cortex. That's the power of Jazz; that's the power of music.
for those who can read (not myself) - Ray Brown had an excellent bass book - also listen to Pablo's first Basie Jam ( RUclips) w. Brown, Bellson, Lockjaw Davis, Zoot Sims, Irving Ashby, and Basie on B3 - a desert island album imo.
I always hated Antigua…but I absolutely love seeing Ian play his! There's just something so cool about seeing somebody that talented keep coming back to the same instrument. I hope Scott can find his Excalibur too 😂
I love 70’s jazz basses and was digging in this era. They are increadible specially for slap. This one in sunburst looks like a late 70’s. I would guess it is a 78. And you hate it but some people out there including myself love it. And it makes sense when you put it as give away 😁
The 70s bass is 1978ish because of the strat knobs. I had one with a rosewood neck. My 1975 reissue has a ton of gloss. Currently doing a Monk course in London with a homemade 70s jazz bass and loving it.
These podcasts and vids available by yall on youtube has taught me more usable music info than my five years at MSU Moorhead im Minnesota. They have/had a bunch of professors that thought they were the jazz elite and that was perpetuated by a lot of the students.
When you started playing the Longview bassline I died laughing… my first jazz tryout that I had to improv was in D major when I didn’t know theory… I just knew Longview was on a d so I started playing with that and it sounded good for the first couple of bars and then just started playing what sounded good with those notes. Improv ended up being my highest score in that tryout😂 37:53
When I was a freshman in high school I couldn't imagine anyone treating someone that way. Everyone knew that everyone was a beginner at that point and was treated nicely and was taught the way to do things.
Jazz is way more fun on the Bass than Guitar. I've been a guitar player for nearly 40 years and except for Joe Pass I was never turned on by Jazz Guitar. I've always loved the Bass in Jazz (I played Trumpet in High School Marching and Concert Band, I played Bass in Jazz Band), so now that I'm finally really getting into Jazz I'm back on the bass.
ok i love your channel watching a long time and one ting that you have not covered is dub, reggae, ska 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's 90's etc as i feel them are the best bass players of that music. please can you do an episode on them bass players thanks
Had a previous teacher suggest jazz to level up my playing (from level 0 lol) but haven't found a way to learn it. Signed up for Scott's Jazz Lab and have high hopes for it.
As someone with similar stories of musical harshness from older players/teachers growing up: those people are losers. There's nothing cool, informative, or helpful when someone more experienced humiliates a student, especially when that student is a child. It's seriously despicable and it took/is taking me many years to break out of that humiliation and embrace jazz as the fun medium it actually is. Patience and understanding go much farther than the yard stick ever does.
I cannot echo this video more, I think that it is necessary to learn these jazz lines, not just to build your theory knowledge but fluency and the character of your bass playing too. For me, my bass studies actually started with jaco, I bought the modern electric bass cd and tab book. Well that's what I thought, I didn't realise that it was actually notation. I cannot express how long I sat there studying from this book, it really helped me in my journey
Hey, love the RUclips content. There seems to be almost nothing anywhere on In Ear Monitors (IEM) - maybe you could do an hour on that for idiots like me?
In high school i was in a class called guitar workshop and it was my second year. Its basically a blow off class and you really didn't learn anything. One day i decided to bring in my sisters Yamaha RBX 170, a pretty decent bass for the price. The music teacher knew i was pretty good at guitar and told me that i was going to be in the jazz band next year since the bass player was going to graduate. I just though "oh cool, bass cant be that bad". The next year i showed up to class and i had no idea what i was doing, i knew how to play chords on guitar but i didn't understand anything about what notes made up the chords, i had no real experience playing jazz outside of being a low chair trumpet player. We played a ton of standards but one of the song the band played a lot was What is Hip, which was particularly brutal. I used to just fake my way through sight reading, then i would go home and figure out which notes were in the chords and put it into Guitar Pro then play along to it to try and learn, and i would then print that out to use in rehearsal. The teacher was pretty frustrated with me since i didn't know what i was doing. The guy is an incredible trumpet player but a particularly bad teacher. I was so stressed all the time about messing up which made me play worse. After the school year I didn't even touch the bass during summer break, i just played guitar. When the next school year started we had a new teacher, since the old one went to a new school that got built. The new teacher would actually try and help the students to learn. We started doing some sight reading and after a year of faking my way though it i guess i learned some stuff. The piano player looked over at me after the first song and he said "did you practice a lot over the summer?" I guess i just stopped worrying about being bad and started to feel the music. I would still take home the chart and tab it out but eventually it got to the point where i would just listen to the rest of the band and try to complement them, playing different walking lines within the chord. The new teacher was really into competition and for the first time in decades the school competed in marching, jazz, and choir competitions. The Monday after a competition we would listen to the tapes of what the judges would say. It was so vindicating when they would mention they liked what i was doing. I went on to play not only in the jazz band, but i was in the pit for marching band where we played a bunch of Queen songs, played in the pit for Percussion competitions. Now years later i still consider myself to be a guitarist, but i play bass more than any of my other instruments and I just enjoy it so much more. On no other instrument can i feel the music and just intuitively write something like i can on bass. I didn't have a bass for years but i finally got one about 5 years ago, it was on clearance at guitar center for less than half of what it was listed for, i bought it and it just felt like the perfect bass for me. I ended up looking up the model number LTD RB-1004 and to my amusement it was a Rocco Prestia signature. The same guy who wrote the bass line i struggled with so much years before.
Great episode, guys. I had to step down from SBL academy for this month, but I'll come back. For anyone reading this comment: these guys lessons are amazing, do give them (and you) a chance
The thing is, to play jazz, you need to know your chords and scales and music theory to a much bigger degree than pop or rock. So once you've learned it, you will know music and your instrument better, even if you decide not play jazz as your main thing.
Something I found out recently is the Jamerson would write his lines around power chords. Playing a lot of first, fifths, and octaves. At first I thought there is no way this is true. But sure enough after looking over his lines, yep it's true.
Jazz is like learning a new language. In classical music, everything is bassically (sorry about the pun) played as written but jazz is more of branching out of that. Most modern music pulls from jazz and blues progressions and tunes. I totally get that Jazz can be challenging but if you understand the language, you can pretty much speak fluently.
Scott’s Jazzbass is a ‘79/early ‘80. In those two years they used both that particular knobs and the metal part of the pickguard. And it still had the thumbrest. Later they used a one piece plastic pickguard and lost the thumbrest. 🖖
I had a similar experience sitting in a jazz band at school. There were four saxophones. If one of them skipped a note it would have been hard to spot, except for the director. If I made a mistake everybody in the house would look at me like "ah, you made a mistake". I realized that there was nobody else on bass and nobody else on the root of the chords. This put a lot of pressure.
Fine gauge wire wool rubbed up and down the back of a high gloss neck for a few minutes will make all the difference. No need to worry about scratches or remove any strings, this creates more of a satin finish or the equivalent of a few years of playing.
My love of bass playing is rooted in my love of groove. And there's no discernible groove in 99% of the jazz I've heard. It's just a neverending storm of bloopity blip bops that never find their way to any semblance of a groove. "You just don't get it bro" You're right, I don't. And I'm all the way okay with that. P.S. If you mix jazz with something else, I can dig it. Fusion is spectacular.
Great PodCast guys! Weird question for Ian. Where did you get your flannel shirt? I saw a guy in a mall at least 6 months ago with the same shirt and I have been trying to find it since then.
I’m so glad you guys talked about this. I love jazz and I love to play it, but the culture of jazz ensembles and jam sessions is really toxic and full of people who watched Whiplash and thought the music teacher was the good guy 😅
I love playing jazz! Just a chord chart and shots. In essence you're playing a solo all night all the time. Never the same way twice, and it gives you so much room to play off the other players.
Yeah, learning Jazz on bass can be really rough. I played in jazz band in high school, reading only the notes. Then, finally learned how to construct walking lines (along with finally learning upright) in college. Unfortunately, I hadn't really bothered memorizing or analyzing chord progressions, until about 14-15 years after that. It's slow going, but that's why they call it work! My first bass teacher was a rock guitarist, soo I feel that pain. 😅 For using a pick with Jazz, I think if would be totally acceptable to use a rubber pick, a felt pick, or even a thicker pick with more rounded or curved edges (and maybe roll off a bit more tone or treble).
Ever watch the movie Whiplash? I was getting those kind of vibes from your boat story, lol. My high school band director was very similar, but in turn, I feel my dedication towards my music journey is much stronger because of this.
IMHO, you guys forgot to talk about one of the MOST SATISFYING parts of playing jazz... To play jazz with a bunch of friends is literally to keep a conversation using instruments. It's just amazing to go over 10, 20, 30 minutes in a SINGLE SONG just "talking" to each other. For me... This is what makes it amazing! =)))
Besides that it’s only four strings and most basic baselines seem easy to play…. There a lot about playing bass as a newb where you just don’t know what you don’t know. Heck I’ve been playing 50 years and I’m still learning!
After playing bass for a decade, I bought a guitar. But never tried to work on my guitar technique and theory. A couple of years ago I dived into playing guitar like a beginner. I paid attention to leave no gaps in my theory or technique as I advance. Chords, fingerpicking, arpeggios... It requires some patience if you consider yourself an intermediate/advanced musician, but music is huge and deep, and one can never reach its frontiers; there is always an area to grow into. To cut it short, nothing improved my bass playing like guitar. Only you have to keep balance and practice both daily. The size and feel difference of both instruments might test you as you switch them but after some time you adapt. Now as an intermediate guitar player I perceive bass playing and theory in a new light. Wish I had started earlier. Also, I recommend learning basic piano/keyboard to put music theory and knowledge in a perspective. Being a bass player is not a license for being ignorant.
HI Scott and Ian. I used to hate jazz, not because of the music, Nina Simona and Ella Fitzgerald, plus a brief email dialogue with Carol Kaye gave me a appreciation for the skills needed.. Not sure if you will count this, but one of the first bass lines ive learnt is fever by Peggy Lee. Bit it was the snobbery and pretentiousness of the jazz players - remember the fast show? Its like Jazz was superior and alll other forms less than as Ian Mentioned those who've gone to music school and can reel off intervals for the overly complicated jazz chords. . .. I agree that so much can be learnt but it can be overwhelming as a newbie. I'm so appreciative that you've shared your story as a beginner and the mistakes you've made, the first bass teacher I went to in my local area was the only one and unfortunately a Major douchebag with an ego the size of texas. I came home and vowed I would find another way by books and your channel. when i'm not working away at sea - so its two steps forward one step back sort of thing. thanks for taking the time to read,
Love the channel! Story's pretty phenomenal. The 21 year old you would be really proud to see you now. ..... My dude, you gotta get that bracelet away from your Panerai! It's killin' me! Lol
I've heard it's better to learn one song inside & out than glancing several songs. I'd rather jump in the deep end of the pool and touch the bottom instead of sticking a foot in the shallow end and moving on. All 12 keys, etc. That said, what's the first standard I should dig into?
@@IanMartinAllison I was wondering if you were going to say that! It's commonly the one you're "supposed" to learn first. I assume it's not a just cliche, but for the pragmatic reason of ingraining the circle of fifths. Thanks, Ian!
As I started, the nearest Bass Teacher lived 30km away! Immposible as a Teen to get there- So I try my best by my own. Later in my twentys I had the chance to get some lessons from Paul Harryman (Bassplayer from John Farnham) and this boost my way of practicing and voicing. Fun Fact: In the first lesson he ask me anout the Music I like most- At this Time "Purple Schulz", a Band from Germany, was my favorite and my own Band also played "Neue deutsche Welle" Music and I gave him a Tape of them, 6 Month later Paul joined this Band.
It's an entirely different language. Inflection, verb and noun placement. Like others have said, it's probably 'best' learned around other jazz musicians. Immersion learning for the best results. I dabble in 60's and 70's R&B, mostly rock and hard rock. Jazz is overwhelming to me. I played violin as a child, 10 y/o, but there's a huge gap between when that happened, and when I started playing bass at 15.
Olinto Jazz Bass : 60s - Fender Antigua Jazz Bass : 70s - WONT SOUND THE SAME. I don't care the wood, the construction, the pickup wire::: the bridge pickup placement changes EVERYTHING. Period.
You're of course totally right. They made this for me not to sound the same - but to see if they could beat the Antigua. It's a better instrument in every metric . . . but I still love love my 78 to the moon and back.
@@IanMartinAllison your 78 is my dream tone for Jazz Bass, there's something in the old 71-83 pickups... I tried the Pure Vintage 74 and 75 but they don't sound the same at all! Aging probably :) have a nice day Ian
In an introduction and tutorial for performance of jazz/popular music, (once more popular), I would encourage listening to standards sung by "straight" singers There is much to be learned from a few years of hearing those songs, rhythm sections and short solos/ oblongatos
PS We have all had terrible bandstand/ classroom/ audition/ humiliation My saddest times were getting replaced with no discussion or warning Most embarrassing -- orchestra Liszt Les Preludes I could not play the rhythm in a soli with trumpet Conductor made some mean comments; a few of orchestra chuckled I so wished I had not been there
Thank you guys - for your honesty! I have a Master's degree in Jazz Studies from one of the best schools in the world. I got my degree in 1996 and walked away from music. You're right, in general, jazz players are dicks. The industry is full of sheisters and back-slapping good ol' boys. Some of the very best players are incredibly inspiring. Most players aren't "great." It shows by their jealousy of others' talent and derision of those who aren't as good as they are. I can't tell you how many jam sessions that I went to where the rhythm section would alter chords to confuse people sitting in - or just to make them sound badly. As I got better, I realized this. I had an amazing career in music and the degree just showed me that I didn't want to be with this kind of culture. I play bass now (for about 3 months). I never EVER played a stringed instrument in my life (woodwind player). I LOVE it, it's fun, and it's going to remain a hobby. I might gig, but I will never allow that kind of behavior towards someone who wants to "try" playing music of any kind in my rhythm section.
When i think about jazz sucking it comes down to a few things, soloing wind instruments, that includes Charle Parker, Miles, Wayne Shorter etc, long extended solos of any kind, that the music is far outdated and suffers cultural & aesthetic problem, its close relation to Klezmer. I can tolerate some of it when there are no wind instruments, ideally just drums, bass and electronic keyboards with no extended solos.
Just started listening and got to the "real players play jazz" section, and I feel it. I went even further and told myself "real bass players play jazz on upright" and subjected myself to years of self loathing brought on by trying to learn jazz on what is essentially a new instrument (compared to bass guitar).
I BELIEVE that jazz is the launching point for everything else, but online courses are very difficult...I wish I could find someone for in person. I'm in ATL, any recommendations?
You just gotta go for it, just make sure you have some real nice high grit stuff for the end. And get some tung oil or something like that to put on when you’re done
Scott, I noticed that no one talks about or mentions Alfonso Johnson (who I learned alot of my technique from). Is he not on the level of the players you most often mention or has he been blackballed from the jazz bass players league? Please give me a heads-up on his statue cuz I loved his work.
Not at all, he's fantastic! His work with Weather Report tends to (unfortunately) get overshadowed by the Jaco Era, but it absolutely stands up to the test of time!!
I nodded my head when you said Paul Geary showed up to a gig and there was another bass player there. That happened to me on a church gig. I was asked to play with the church band and rehearsed with them for about a month for a special service. At the last rehearsal, the MD said "Is that the way you are going to play?" The next day at the service another bass player sets up, so there was me, with my full rig, volume on 1, and him playing through a PA speaker. Church gigs are tough, smh.
Learning to admit I don't know a thing was a big shift. I don't know if it was competition or hanging out with a bunch of know-it-all hipsters or what, but I always pretended I knew, or knew about "but couldn't remember, refresh me" when some obscure band or technique was brought up by someone else. Eventually I learned to find it really COOL to learn new stuff, to let someone else geek out on me. What I do NOT accept is when they try to big time me by acting surprised that I don't know a thing. There are reaction videos on YT of musicians reacting to Metallica. Metallica. And they've never heard them. That means I can have missed out on Skrankling Menfolk of Drusselstein. I can learn about them and that's cool. I also try to never pull that on someone else. "You've never heard of [x]?!" Instead of judgement, excitement that I get to share something new.
I grew up in rural Ontario (Canada) and there was a local big band. They needed a bass player and a guy I knew recommended me despite the fact that I was:
a) 15 years old
b) couldn't read music for shit
c) had no idea how to play jazz
I'll never forget the first rehearsal. I pull out the bass book and... NO CHORD CHANGES! I could read chord symbols ok but a chart with only notation was instant death. I read the first bar or so as quickly as I could before they counted it off. The band started up and after a bar or so I just stopped playing. The first trumpet/band leader yelled "Don't stop playing! It doesn't matter if you're not playing the right notes, just don't stop!" The tune finished and I just wanted to crawl under my chair and die. There was no guitar player in the band so I grabbed the guitar book and played out of that for the rest of the rehearsal. At least I could outline the changes. Fortunately for me everyone was super supportive (and very, very desperate for a bass player) and they kept me on. That's how I learned to play bass. That band was my music school. I got lucky.
I had a similar experience growing up here in SLC area. My buddy who came from a musical family (his dad was music director of the Utah Symphony) needed a bass player and I was asked to join his band, I was also 15 (in 1969). I'm not sure how I bungled my way through that audition but we had a lot of fun and it led to a spot on the Jazz Band in high school. To this day the drummer and I are still good friends fifty something years later. Cheers.
Just randomly started playing Autumn Leaves on my piano as you guys are talking about jazz standards, and suddenly Scott comes in with the bass line for the next chorus right on the downbeat in the same key and tempo. Thanks man!
At one point, I started teaching myself jazz harmony on guitar, writing solo chord melody arrangements, etc. Moving from rock to jazz was like moving from elementary school science to graduate astrophysics. Just picking up the rudiments was super challenging, humbling, and demanding--and very rewarding.
What a beautiful discussion - two great players who only became great by the humility, generosity, and passion on display here. Brilliant stuff, gentlemen - Thank you so much!
Appreciate the warm words!!
I own a bass guitar (I wouldn’t call myself a bass player). I’m married with children and don’t have much time to devote to this instrument…but I do wish I could. I love this instrument. Thank you for providing this type of content. I would love to get to the skill level one day to play with others. I admire you guys and all of the people you feature on this channel for your mastery of this instrument. Thank you for your time!
I feel very fortunate to have had a jazz teacher when I was 14 years old and just starting bass. I'm not going to say I ever became a skilled jazz bassist, but the principles he taught me have informed my playing for the last 30 years. I mostly play rock music. But that doesn't mean the ability to connect chords together using scales and walking lines isn't useful. In fact, it's this ability to visualize bass lines on the fly that has gotten me many gigs. I'm not the most technically advanced player. But if you put me in a room with 3-4 other musicians and they play for me a song I've never heard before I can quickly come up with something that both sounds good and is interesting. And I can do that because of my solid foundation in jazz theory. It trains your ear to quickly recognize patterns and it trains your mind to build within those patterns.
Great insight lads and stories. Its so important to encourage in the right way and believe in your students. Not to embarrass or put them down, but to see them develop into the players and people they were destined to be. I've always found your videos to be informative and communicated in a way where the natural curiosity of learning is not threatened. Marcus Miller tells of his commitment to learning Jazz by having to travel to one side of New York to get the knowledge from fantastic Teachers. Its what you do. I still remember the disgruntled face of my Music Teacher at school who really had nothing but discouragement. What I did was to never give up and continue to learn. I am still learning at 62 and have met a great deal of my bass heroes who continue to inspire me. Just like you guys - Thankyou dudes, love the banter and funny anecdotes. Take care.
This is one of the ABSOLUTE best shows you guys have ever done. I've been playing almost 50 years with many, many credits to my name and you guys literally made me cry 😢 😭 🤧, like a little girl. The pain I re-lived as you told your stories came back and I began to doubt myself all over again. As much as I love you guys, I hate you two for the feeling I now have. Thanks a lot Scott and Ian, happy freaking new year to you too...
P.S., Ian, you two are now D!(KS too!😅😅😅
You guys are making the best, most impactful, useful, and important bass content I have ever seen on any platform on a regular basis. Thank you!
"Just wanderin' around the bass..." been there
Another brilliant video. Appreciate Scott and Ian for the vulnerability. All of the newer SBL discussions and interviews have been stellar.
I feel it almost inevitable the longer your tenure in playing instruments.
You will go through those phases playing punk power-chords, then you hear chunky 1-finger drop-D/C riffs and that becomes your thing for a while.
Then it's maybe shred... and then those 7-strings start laughing at your feeble 6.
And then you get a bass... and the music your parents listened to, all the Motown, R&B and soul starts to become awesome.
Like, at some point in peoples musical journey they'll eventually just come around to "MUSIC is cool" rather than just "GENRE is cool", and start experimenting outwards. This is usually when the jazz and prog comes in and appreciation for all music styles.
You guys are so infectiously positive and I always appreciate it! I hope (and honestly suspect) that your great attitudes will have an overall positive effect on the vibe of jazz over time, at least from the bass chair’s perspective. Thank you both for making jazz so approachable.
I love the idea of falling down forward. The “reluctant jazz guy” really resonated with me also. ✌️❤🎶
🙏🏻
I think Ian has said this before, but you've got to find something you LOVE about music to play it and learn it. I really really love Jazz music, and bass in particular, and it was still the hardest thing to learn (still is!) But because I LOVED the music it made the whole process much easier and more fun for me. I was also lucky to have encouraging and nice mentors who were patient with me learning the craft, without tossing my bass into the street haha!
Appreciate the vulnerability; love you guys!!
🧡🧡🧡
This is one of your best conversations. I'm trying to be a real bass player too. A long road and I'm trying to learn jazz a much as I can, but get distracted.
Hey, am a rock bass player on a pick for a 20 years now and I always felt tempted to join Scott's program but there's so much going on, I never took the time to learn the depth of bass. I do NOT want to be a jazz musician but I do understand the value of knowledge "behind the scenes". Great podcast, a bit long but great nevertheless! I also love the storytelling bits which makes the whole podcast very personal, warm and human-like. Well done guys, I wish I could join some day and would be great to meet in person as well (I live in London UK). All the best, cheers!
I’m a lifetime member at SBL and I’ve bought all the accelerator courses. I’ve been a member for a LONG time and I’m split on the recent offerings. On one hand I’m stoked to see the programs grow in format and interaction. It’s really, really awesome. I honestly think that the way these programs are evolving sets them apart from anything else available on the internet. SBL is the online platform I compare all other platforms to.
On the other hand, the last 3 offerings (the blueprint, the live practice sessions, and now the Jazz intensive) have priced me out and, frankly, I’m jealous that I can’t take part. I think they are priced well for what is being offered, I just really want to be a part of them and just can’t afford it.
That's where I'm at. I'm not saying it's not worth it, but $2000 is SO much money! It sucks to be priced out of all the new offerings, but at least there's still a huge amount of stuff in the regular academy membership to work through.
Good talk. Apart from conducting, jazz bass (not just walking bass, but rather the entire discipline of performing jazz on the bass) is the most challenging, demanding, stimulating, rewarding musical pursuit of my 60- years as a musician.
Can listen to you guys chat for ever 🤘🏻
Thanks guys, great podcast, it really is hanging out with friends ! - The videos are great & I intuit that the platform is amazing.
I have noticed over the years when there's been a certain 'jock' mentality towards music, thankfully not here. Although admittedly I did cackle when Scott said 'Oh Jazz, brrr bu brrr bmm bu bmm - & then with Ian's testimony, replete with a great big caricature smiley face !
Please never stop the pods
Awesome vid, insightful, thanks.
If you're having this problem 5:34 Please, do take a 220 or 320 sandpaper and put the paper between your fretting hand and back of the neck and just wipe up and down (do not squeeze too hard, just hold it gently against the lacquer) two or three times. Check, and wipe a few more times if it is not perfect/didn't cover the whole neck. It will thin the lacquer only theoretically but your hands will not stick anymore. Neck stays smooth for ages
you guys are ON FORM!! Fab episode.
I started bass in 1990 at junior high school, in what turns out was a very special and not common way. I was lucky to have a very good music teacher that in that three years took us through basically everything from Swing to Jazz to Blues to Soundtracks to Rock. He was super encouraging and we were doing live concerts within a few months for holiday concerts.
After those 3 years, high school was a more grumpy but just as talented teacher.
It was only a few year period on both sides of my experience that the same combo of teachers existed, but those of us that went through it got a crazy education that even years later, I'm still finding ways that my path was much different.
Kind of embarrassed I guess that I never really played much after 2000 let alone had an option to turn it into a career, I definitely had a very good setup for it.
Another great episode! I must say, from walking bass lines, to the modes of the major scale, to the circle of fifths, and so much more, I have learned so much from SBL over the last few years! Love you guys! Now get Tal Wilkenfeld on your show!! =D
I was in my high school’s “jazz band,” which was a vocal jazz/show choir. When I graduated, I had no idea how much jazz I didn’t know and got embarrassed trying to play with tons of jazz groups.
The thing that stopped me from learning jazz: I was gigging in a country band making $200-500 a gig, then I’d show up to my college jazz band on Monday and got sneered at by jazz guys who’d never played a gig outside of school.
People will say that the institutionalization of jazz in colleges ruined it, but I think a more crucial component of that mythos is how jazz guys completely chased people off from an already-dying genre. This happened to me in the 2010s, and it doesn’t really seem much different from what was happening in earlier eras.
Not taking anything away from any genre of music, but jazz has quietly made everything that came after better. I don't care for heavy metal music, but I love the drummers with those double bass pedals going, man its awesome. I think as musicians we should be able to make music that we don't care for sound better. We shouldn't shy away from things that are challenging. Man what if Jaco thought like that? He embraced all music.
Not a lot of people know the origin of the term Jazz. An upper-class, socialite (very connected) New York couple had gone to New Orleans, I'm gonna say around the turn of the century (20th), and attended a concert by Buddy Bolden. They were thrilled by the musical experience and went up to Bolden afterwards and asked him, "What kind of music is that you were playing?" And Bolden shrugged and replied, with his raspy N'awlins voice: "It's juz music!" (it's just music). The couple went back to NY, and raved about this "juz music" they'd heard in N'awlins, and eventually the "juz music" became transliterated and printed as Jazz music, and later, to just: Jazz.
And this is what many beginner, or pop-rock-country musicians tend to forget: Jazz is just music. It's the same 12 notes, sames modes, same symmetrical or asymmetrical scales, same rhythmic vocabulary (swing feel notwithstanding), same chords... as ALL other music. It just encapsulates all of music: it doesn't stop at triad chord voicings like Pop and Country; it doesn't stop at straight 8ths or 16ths or 32nds (etc) feel like Classical; it doesn't stop at at backbeat, or basic melodies tailored for bratty tweens who can't sing but want to feel like they're connected to each other while singing 'anthems;' it doesn't stop at pretty. It goes beyond.
I'm not saying Jazz is "better" music - enjoy your thrash or trash metal, twangy and nasal country, or "Queen" (Adele, Beyonce, Rihanna, take your pick) anthems, or t/rap crap all you want. But, as Miles Davis said when he quit Julliard: "I can play everything you play, but you can't play what I can." And that is why listening to, learning, and playing Jazz is important, paramount even, to becoming a well rounded contemporary music musician.
Now, the dirty little secret of Jazz, is that it requires hefty and speedy processing power. All the great Jazz musicians, from Art Tatum to Art Blakey, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Bird, Dizzy, Monk, Miles, Herbie, Bill Evans, Sonny (Stitt and Rollins), Mingus, Brubeck, Getz, Keith Jarrett, Gary Burton, Metheny, Scofield, Stern, Berg, the Brecker Bros, and of course Louis Armstrong, were and are all incredibly intelligent and cultured people. This may sound elitist, but everyone can play Jazz, it's just music - you approach like you do all music: slowly. And Jazz, like all music, develops new neural pathways in your brain - called "orchestration" in neuroscience - it literally develops your brain, and makes your smarter, even if you grew up with an average (or unstimulated) cerebral cortex.
That's the power of Jazz; that's the power of music.
for those who can read (not myself) - Ray Brown had an excellent bass book - also listen to Pablo's first Basie Jam ( RUclips) w. Brown, Bellson, Lockjaw Davis, Zoot Sims, Irving Ashby, and Basie on B3 - a desert island album imo.
Why jazz sucks: you have to be around jazz musicians
HEYO
😬…….not wrong……🤷🏼♂️
That's fair.
NAILED it.... unless they are pros. Then they are extremely cool.
👌
Absolutely incredible storytelling. ❤
Glad you enjoyed it!
I always hated Antigua…but I absolutely love seeing Ian play his! There's just something so cool about seeing somebody that talented keep coming back to the same instrument. I hope Scott can find his Excalibur too 😂
I love 70’s jazz basses and was digging in this era. They are increadible specially for slap. This one in sunburst looks like a late 70’s. I would guess it is a 78. And you hate it but some people out there including myself love it. And it makes sense when you put it as give away 😁
2 Great Teachers & Bassists. Thanks Guys 💯🎸🎶🏆
Cheers!!
Jazz is great when the mood strikes.
70's JAZZ FUSION is always welcome
The 70s bass is 1978ish because of the strat knobs. I had one with a rosewood neck. My 1975 reissue has a ton of gloss. Currently doing a Monk course in London with a homemade 70s jazz bass and loving it.
I totally miss the podcast! I miss them so much I'm rewatching old videos.
These podcasts and vids available by yall on youtube has taught me more usable music info than my five years at MSU Moorhead im Minnesota. They have/had a bunch of professors that thought they were the jazz elite and that was perpetuated by a lot of the students.
When you started playing the Longview bassline I died laughing… my first jazz tryout that I had to improv was in D major when I didn’t know theory… I just knew Longview was on a d so I started playing with that and it sounded good for the first couple of bars and then just started playing what sounded good with those notes. Improv ended up being my highest score in that tryout😂 37:53
When I was a freshman in high school I couldn't imagine anyone treating someone that way. Everyone knew that everyone was a beginner at that point and was treated nicely and was taught the way to do things.
Wow thanks for sharing guys.. one of the most nicest podcast ive heard in a while about bas
Glad you enjoyed it!
Jazz is way more fun on the Bass than Guitar. I've been a guitar player for nearly 40 years and except for Joe Pass I was never turned on by Jazz Guitar. I've always loved the Bass in Jazz (I played Trumpet in High School Marching and Concert Band, I played Bass in Jazz Band), so now that I'm finally really getting into Jazz I'm back on the bass.
Good video. I liked that story about Scott's bass gig with that one guy
ok i love your channel watching a long time and one ting that you have not covered is dub, reggae, ska 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's 90's etc as i feel them are the best bass players of that music. please can you do an episode on them bass players thanks
Had a previous teacher suggest jazz to level up my playing (from level 0 lol) but haven't found a way to learn it. Signed up for Scott's Jazz Lab and have high hopes for it.
growing up in the 70s/80s "you're doing it wrong" story of my life! sometimes it's nice to hear it wasn't just me
As someone with similar stories of musical harshness from older players/teachers growing up: those people are losers. There's nothing cool, informative, or helpful when someone more experienced humiliates a student, especially when that student is a child. It's seriously despicable and it took/is taking me many years to break out of that humiliation and embrace jazz as the fun medium it actually is. Patience and understanding go much farther than the yard stick ever does.
💯💯💯
I cannot echo this video more, I think that it is necessary to learn these jazz lines, not just to build your theory knowledge but fluency and the character of your bass playing too. For me, my bass studies actually started with jaco, I bought the modern electric bass cd and tab book. Well that's what I thought, I didn't realise that it was actually notation. I cannot express how long I sat there studying from this book, it really helped me in my journey
Hey, love the RUclips content. There seems to be almost nothing anywhere on In Ear Monitors (IEM) - maybe you could do an hour on that for idiots like me?
Thanks for the suggestion!!
I'm studying jazz right now because of salsa and bossa nova. Really good podcast, thank you Profesors.
In high school i was in a class called guitar workshop and it was my second year. Its basically a blow off class and you really didn't learn anything. One day i decided to bring in my sisters Yamaha RBX 170, a pretty decent bass for the price. The music teacher knew i was pretty good at guitar and told me that i was going to be in the jazz band next year since the bass player was going to graduate. I just though "oh cool, bass cant be that bad". The next year i showed up to class and i had no idea what i was doing, i knew how to play chords on guitar but i didn't understand anything about what notes made up the chords, i had no real experience playing jazz outside of being a low chair trumpet player. We played a ton of standards but one of the song the band played a lot was What is Hip, which was particularly brutal. I used to just fake my way through sight reading, then i would go home and figure out which notes were in the chords and put it into Guitar Pro then play along to it to try and learn, and i would then print that out to use in rehearsal. The teacher was pretty frustrated with me since i didn't know what i was doing. The guy is an incredible trumpet player but a particularly bad teacher. I was so stressed all the time about messing up which made me play worse. After the school year I didn't even touch the bass during summer break, i just played guitar. When the next school year started we had a new teacher, since the old one went to a new school that got built. The new teacher would actually try and help the students to learn. We started doing some sight reading and after a year of faking my way though it i guess i learned some stuff. The piano player looked over at me after the first song and he said "did you practice a lot over the summer?" I guess i just stopped worrying about being bad and started to feel the music. I would still take home the chart and tab it out but eventually it got to the point where i would just listen to the rest of the band and try to complement them, playing different walking lines within the chord. The new teacher was really into competition and for the first time in decades the school competed in marching, jazz, and choir competitions. The Monday after a competition we would listen to the tapes of what the judges would say. It was so vindicating when they would mention they liked what i was doing. I went on to play not only in the jazz band, but i was in the pit for marching band where we played a bunch of Queen songs, played in the pit for Percussion competitions. Now years later i still consider myself to be a guitarist, but i play bass more than any of my other instruments and I just enjoy it so much more. On no other instrument can i feel the music and just intuitively write something like i can on bass. I didn't have a bass for years but i finally got one about 5 years ago, it was on clearance at guitar center for less than half of what it was listed for, i bought it and it just felt like the perfect bass for me. I ended up looking up the model number LTD RB-1004 and to my amusement it was a Rocco Prestia signature. The same guy who wrote the bass line i struggled with so much years before.
You should have learned those rhythms from reruns of Love Boat. That lounge band was sick!
Great episode, guys. I had to step down from SBL academy for this month, but I'll come back. For anyone reading this comment: these guys lessons are amazing, do give them (and you) a chance
The thing is, to play jazz, you need to know your chords and scales and music theory to a much bigger degree than pop or rock. So once you've learned it, you will know music and your instrument better, even if you decide not play jazz as your main thing.
Great video guys!!! I think Scott's mic level is little bit quiet compared to Ian's, maybe raise the gain just a bit next time!
Something I found out recently is the Jamerson would write his lines around power chords. Playing a lot of first, fifths, and octaves. At first I thought there is no way this is true. But sure enough after looking over his lines, yep it's true.
Jazz is like learning a new language. In classical music, everything is bassically (sorry about the pun) played as written but jazz is more of branching out of that. Most modern music pulls from jazz and blues progressions and tunes. I totally get that Jazz can be challenging but if you understand the language, you can pretty much speak fluently.
Ok, Scott and Ian. I take some beer and chips ... cooool. Love it
Oh my lord, I just found Scott's old Donna Lee bass lesson from 11 years ago
Scott’s Jazzbass is a ‘79/early ‘80. In those two years they used both that particular knobs and the metal part of the pickguard. And it still had the thumbrest.
Later they used a one piece plastic pickguard and lost the thumbrest.
🖖
I had a similar experience sitting in a jazz band at school. There were four saxophones. If one of them skipped a note it would have been hard to spot, except for the director. If I made a mistake everybody in the house would look at me like "ah, you made a mistake". I realized that there was nobody else on bass and nobody else on the root of the chords. This put a lot of pressure.
Fine gauge wire wool rubbed up and down the back of a high gloss neck for a few minutes will make all the difference. No need to worry about scratches or remove any strings, this creates more of a satin finish or the equivalent of a few years of playing.
When I started learning jazz I realized that's where James Jamerson got it from.
He's playing syncopated walking bass lines.
My love of bass playing is rooted in my love of groove. And there's no discernible groove in 99% of the jazz I've heard. It's just a neverending storm of bloopity blip bops that never find their way to any semblance of a groove. "You just don't get it bro" You're right, I don't. And I'm all the way okay with that.
P.S. If you mix jazz with something else, I can dig it. Fusion is spectacular.
Great PodCast guys! Weird question for Ian. Where did you get your flannel shirt? I saw a guy in a mall at least 6 months ago with the same shirt and I have been trying to find it since then.
I’m so glad you guys talked about this. I love jazz and I love to play it, but the culture of jazz ensembles and jam sessions is really toxic and full of people who watched Whiplash and thought the music teacher was the good guy 😅
👍👍👍
I love playing jazz! Just a chord chart and shots. In essence you're playing a solo all night all the time. Never the same way twice, and it gives you so much room to play off the other players.
I feel this... WOW...
Yeah, learning Jazz on bass can be really rough. I played in jazz band in high school, reading only the notes. Then, finally learned how to construct walking lines (along with finally learning upright) in college. Unfortunately, I hadn't really bothered memorizing or analyzing chord progressions, until about 14-15 years after that. It's slow going, but that's why they call it work!
My first bass teacher was a rock guitarist, soo I feel that pain. 😅
For using a pick with Jazz, I think if would be totally acceptable to use a rubber pick, a felt pick, or even a thicker pick with more rounded or curved edges (and maybe roll off a bit more tone or treble).
Make a t shirt with that quote…. Staring into the … hate my self. lol! I’d wear it all the time
Ever watch the movie Whiplash? I was getting those kind of vibes from your boat story, lol. My high school band director was very similar, but in turn, I feel my dedication towards my music journey is much stronger because of this.
There were definite whiplash vibes there, a lot of the older cruise ship MDs come from that school of bandleading.
IMHO, you guys forgot to talk about one of the MOST SATISFYING parts of playing jazz... To play jazz with a bunch of friends is literally to keep a conversation using instruments.
It's just amazing to go over 10, 20, 30 minutes in a SINGLE SONG just "talking" to each other.
For me... This is what makes it amazing! =)))
🧡🧡🧡
I love Paul Geary. That dude's my Blueprint coach and he is freaking awesome. 🖤
Besides that it’s only four strings and most basic baselines seem easy to play…. There a lot about playing bass as a newb where you just don’t know what you don’t know. Heck I’ve been playing 50 years and I’m still learning!
After playing bass for a decade, I bought a guitar. But never tried to work on my guitar technique and theory. A couple of years ago I dived into playing guitar like a beginner. I paid attention to leave no gaps in my theory or technique as I advance. Chords, fingerpicking, arpeggios... It requires some patience if you consider yourself an intermediate/advanced musician, but music is huge and deep, and one can never reach its frontiers; there is always an area to grow into. To cut it short, nothing improved my bass playing like guitar. Only you have to keep balance and practice both daily. The size and feel difference of both instruments might test you as you switch them but after some time you adapt. Now as an intermediate guitar player I perceive bass playing and theory in a new light. Wish I had started earlier. Also, I recommend learning basic piano/keyboard to put music theory and knowledge in a perspective. Being a bass player is not a license for being ignorant.
HI Scott and Ian. I used to hate jazz, not because of the music, Nina Simona and Ella Fitzgerald, plus a brief email dialogue with Carol Kaye gave me a appreciation for the skills needed.. Not sure if you will count this, but one of the first bass lines ive learnt is fever by Peggy Lee. Bit it was the snobbery and pretentiousness of the jazz players - remember the fast show? Its like Jazz was superior and alll other forms less than as Ian Mentioned those who've gone to music school and can reel off intervals for the overly complicated jazz chords. . .. I agree that so much can be learnt but it can be overwhelming as a newbie. I'm so appreciative that you've shared your story as a beginner and the mistakes you've made, the first bass teacher I went to in my local area was the only one and unfortunately a Major douchebag with an ego the size of texas. I came home and vowed I would find another way by books and your channel. when i'm not working away at sea - so its two steps forward one step back sort of thing. thanks for taking the time to read,
at 49:30, please tell us, how do you use the melodic minor? do you have a video for it?
Here's an older video we did on melodic minor! ruclips.net/video/0vv_bsNB5oc/видео.html&pp=ygURU0JMIE1lbG9kaWMgbWlub3I%3D
@@devinebass i super appreciate the reply. may the lords of karma guard your path
Love the channel! Story's pretty phenomenal. The 21 year old you would be really proud to see you now.
..... My dude, you gotta get that bracelet away from your Panerai! It's killin' me! Lol
Yes!
I've heard it's better to learn one song inside & out than glancing several songs. I'd rather jump in the deep end of the pool and touch the bottom instead of sticking a foot in the shallow end and moving on. All 12 keys, etc. That said, what's the first standard I should dig into?
Autumn Leaves
@@IanMartinAllison I was wondering if you were going to say that! It's commonly the one you're "supposed" to learn first. I assume it's not a just cliche, but for the pragmatic reason of ingraining the circle of fifths. Thanks, Ian!
As I started, the nearest Bass Teacher lived 30km away!
Immposible as a Teen to get there-
So I try my best by my own. Later in my twentys I had the chance to get some lessons from Paul Harryman (Bassplayer from John Farnham) and this boost my way of practicing and voicing.
Fun Fact:
In the first lesson he ask me anout the Music I like most- At this Time "Purple Schulz", a Band from Germany, was my favorite and my own Band also played "Neue deutsche Welle" Music and I gave him a Tape of them,
6 Month later Paul joined this Band.
Maybe 15 years ago, I saw Steve Swallow with Gary Burton Quartet (also w/ Pat Metheny and Antonio Sanchez). Good stuff.
That must have been an incredible gig! 🔥🔥🔥
It's an entirely different language. Inflection, verb and noun placement. Like others have said, it's probably 'best' learned around other jazz musicians. Immersion learning for the best results.
I dabble in 60's and 70's R&B, mostly rock and hard rock. Jazz is overwhelming to me. I played violin as a child, 10 y/o, but there's a huge gap between when that happened, and when I started playing bass at 15.
Olinto Jazz Bass : 60s - Fender Antigua Jazz Bass : 70s - WONT SOUND THE SAME. I don't care the wood, the construction, the pickup wire::: the bridge pickup placement changes EVERYTHING. Period.
You're of course totally right. They made this for me not to sound the same - but to see if they could beat the Antigua. It's a better instrument in every metric . . . but I still love love my 78 to the moon and back.
@@IanMartinAllison your 78 is my dream tone for Jazz Bass, there's something in the old 71-83 pickups... I tried the Pure Vintage 74 and 75 but they don't sound the same at all! Aging probably :) have a nice day Ian
Yes! Mike Dirnt! More punk rock bass lines, please!
In an introduction and tutorial for performance of jazz/popular music, (once more popular), I would encourage listening to standards sung by "straight" singers
There is much to be learned from a few years of hearing those songs, rhythm sections and short solos/ oblongatos
PS
We have all had terrible bandstand/ classroom/ audition/ humiliation
My saddest times were getting replaced with no discussion or warning
Most embarrassing -- orchestra Liszt Les Preludes I could not play the rhythm in a soli with trumpet
Conductor made some mean comments; a few of orchestra chuckled
I so wished I had not been there
Thank you guys - for your honesty! I have a Master's degree in Jazz Studies from one of the best schools in the world. I got my degree in 1996 and walked away from music. You're right, in general, jazz players are dicks. The industry is full of sheisters and back-slapping good ol' boys. Some of the very best players are incredibly inspiring. Most players aren't "great." It shows by their jealousy of others' talent and derision of those who aren't as good as they are. I can't tell you how many jam sessions that I went to where the rhythm section would alter chords to confuse people sitting in - or just to make them sound badly. As I got better, I realized this. I had an amazing career in music and the degree just showed me that I didn't want to be with this kind of culture. I play bass now (for about 3 months). I never EVER played a stringed instrument in my life (woodwind player). I LOVE it, it's fun, and it's going to remain a hobby. I might gig, but I will never allow that kind of behavior towards someone who wants to "try" playing music of any kind in my rhythm section.
When i think about jazz sucking it comes down to a few things, soloing wind instruments, that includes Charle Parker, Miles, Wayne Shorter etc, long extended solos of any kind, that the music is far outdated and suffers cultural & aesthetic problem, its close relation to Klezmer. I can tolerate some of it when there are no wind instruments, ideally just drums, bass and electronic keyboards with no extended solos.
Just started listening and got to the "real players play jazz" section, and I feel it. I went even further and told myself "real bass players play jazz on upright" and subjected myself to years of self loathing brought on by trying to learn jazz on what is essentially a new instrument (compared to bass guitar).
Forged in the fire. That’s how all the best things in life happen.
I BELIEVE that jazz is the launching point for everything else, but online courses are very difficult...I wish I could find someone for in person. I'm in ATL, any recommendations?
Do you guys do like beginner courses like very beginning to learning different modes and scales and chords
We do indeed over in the academy!!
This guy sounded like the equivalent of Gordon Ramsay,but for musicians
Ive been thinking about sanding down my insanely polyurethaned neck for that slippiness. Any tips for that process?
You just gotta go for it, just make sure you have some real nice high grit stuff for the end. And get some tung oil or something like that to put on when you’re done
Steel wool did the job perfectly here!
Thanks all, excited to get scrubbing. I can sand a tiny portion of how much Scott must have sanded back in the day at Overton lol
Scott, I noticed that no one talks about or mentions Alfonso Johnson (who I learned alot of my technique from). Is he not on the level of the players you most often mention or has he been blackballed from the jazz bass players league? Please give me a heads-up on his statue cuz I loved his work.
Not at all, he's fantastic! His work with Weather Report tends to (unfortunately) get overshadowed by the Jaco Era, but it absolutely stands up to the test of time!!
I nodded my head when you said Paul Geary showed up to a gig and there was another bass player there. That happened to me on a church gig. I was asked to play with the church band and rehearsed with them for about a month for a special service. At the last rehearsal, the MD said "Is that the way you are going to play?" The next day at the service another bass player sets up, so there was me, with my full rig, volume on 1, and him playing through a PA speaker. Church gigs are tough, smh.
That's really not cool, no MD should ever do that to a musician they are working with!
Learning to admit I don't know a thing was a big shift. I don't know if it was competition or hanging out with a bunch of know-it-all hipsters or what, but I always pretended I knew, or knew about "but couldn't remember, refresh me" when some obscure band or technique was brought up by someone else. Eventually I learned to find it really COOL to learn new stuff, to let someone else geek out on me. What I do NOT accept is when they try to big time me by acting surprised that I don't know a thing. There are reaction videos on YT of musicians reacting to Metallica. Metallica. And they've never heard them. That means I can have missed out on Skrankling Menfolk of Drusselstein. I can learn about them and that's cool. I also try to never pull that on someone else. "You've never heard of [x]?!" Instead of judgement, excitement that I get to share something new.
I want to learn jazz because I know my potential but i wish i could afford the program.