Education - Practice Tips

#1. PRACTICE YOUR ii7 V7 I COMMON CHORD CHANGE/CYCLE, COMMON IN ALL STANDARDS:

Say your "Cycle" out-loud for awhile, so you automatically get it, it's easy to do!

On guitar, start on 10th Fret with Dm7 - G7 - Cmaj7 C6 chords, your common ii7 V7 I Cycle Chords....basis of most tunes = resolving on Cma7 C6 on 8th fret....then.... starting with Cm7 do it again (ii - V7 - I): Cm7 F7 (or F9, or F7b9 both good too) resolving to Bbmaj7 Bb6 fret 6....on and on Bbm7 (or Bbm9) to Eb7 (or Eb13) to Abmaj 7 Ab 6 (or Ab 6/9).....and again Abm7 to Db7b9 (same as Do) or Db+ (aug.) to Gbmaj 7 and G6 ....notice how each chord can be changed a little for more tighter resolutions....

Doing this exercise (practicing) in the Cycle like that, is closest to what you will play (and improvise on) your whole fretboard doing the most common chord changes in Standards (and Jazz) tunes.....

Get your ear used to it (most-common chord changes) and practicing this simple Cycle - most-common ii-V7-I chord changes in tunes - it will train your ears to SOUNDS....this is what you're also hearing when listening to real (and good) Jazz! It's EASY TO DO!

Remember, music is not a science to learn with your "brain", but its sounds your ear needs to learn......you, the pilot of the airplane, then can easily be dictated to by your ear which quickly learns these sounds! And the plane flies itself with you enjoying the ride! You see why those "scalies" later ignorance (who tried to invent a "new system" LOL) are barking up the wrong tree -- they'll never get off the ground!

EASY TRIAD PRACTICE to Learn Your Neck With (PRINT OUT):
Rock players (bass) need to know their necks more, and what better way to do it but to practice the CYCLE in triads = fingerings are the same everywhere, easy on the bass! Name the Triad out-loud so you know your chord names, knowing them comes in handy when you're working with chord-charts....saying aloud the names of chords (not names of notes!) works! Don't make practicing any harder - do it easy and you'll be surprised how fast you learn and retain - works for everyone.

The CYCLE: Most of the chords of your Standards and Jazz (Jazz comes from the Standards) move CYCLIC most of the time (75% probably), so knowing your Cycle is important - remember, you don't say individual NOTE NAMES but NAMES OF CHORDS - in this case it's Do Mi So (Root 3rd 5th) - the names of the Triads here are your Chord Names, say them out-loud - you learn them fast that way:

C F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb(F#) B E A D G C --

whether it's up a 4th or down a 5th, it's going to the next CYCLIC Chord. Never say "circle of 4ths or 5ths" musicians will know you can't play - that's a dumb school term (and web term - don't use it, it labels you), not used in real music playing - "Cycle" works fine and is used by real musicians.

Sometimes chords don't move in a Cycle, they break the Cycle and start 2-3 frets HIGHER, or 2-3 frets LOWER on the Cycle, also easy once you realize that. Occasionally yes, some odd chord will happen, but once you practice your vital chordal note arpeggios, your natural ear sharpens and you automatically know where to go (again DO NOT ANALYZE! Learn to use your natural EAR, it's there, develop it with triad practice! Music is the language of sounds, never words).

Best to do is play major chords Root 3rd 5th -- R35 -- thru your cycle, easy on bass: it's the same fingering no matter which chord -- fingering 214 across your neck and up (or down your neck, naming the triad (chord name) OUT-LOUD, that works. Don't do it silently for you'll play the notes and not know what chord you're playing....NAME THE CHORD NAME out-loud, your natural brain retains that and you'll read chord charts just fine then.

Minor chords are with 2 common fingerings: Root b3 5th Rb35 421 or 143 (OK to use 3rd finger when playing arpeggios and in soloing in Jazz or Standards, different than in rock-pop-soul styles). Alternate the fingerings so you learn them automatically. There is a 3rd fingering for minor chords but rarely used 214 Rb35. Sometimes, yes, it's best to alternate playing minor chord to major chord thru the Cycle for good practice, common ways of chord movements in songs = Cm to F to Bbm to Eb etc.

Better pop songs now even use chord changes like the Standards/Jazz. Remember, say chord name OUT-LOUD for many days as you practice your neck, the ONLY way to practice for awhile.
Once you know your neck, you can find the chords quicker then....but do come back for your triad practice during the 1st year of playing for more practice too. These are your home-based notes for both walking and soloing, learn them, and you'll be ahead of the crowd then. NO self-talk, don't analyze at all, do the grunt work (saying the chord name out-loud) is all, don't do what you used to do by "talking it out", words don't work music sounds do! You get a triad practice sheet with every jazz order.

Reading is recommended too, and it's easy to get that together too. For instance, triad notes (chordal notes) are either written space-space-space or line-line-line, easy to spot....so get your Triad Practice together, it's much more important than you know and soooo EASY and fun to do!
Your ear and natural innate talents will become apparent then, you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Relying on your ear like this kind of practice, trains you fast and easily to learn the real playing of real musicianship! LIBRARY: https://shop.carolkaye.com

#2. CHORD SYMBOLS THEORY

SYMBOLS
R indicates Root of the Chord (also is "1" in thought) Triad: R 3 5
+ indicates both an augmented chord (#5), and plus a sharped note: G7+ Augmented chord repeats every 4 frets, and you can use the 2 frets in-between too as passing notes.
- indicates a minor chord (with the b3) C- and also w/added notes like C-7, C-9
o indicates a diminished chord (R b3 b5 bb7) - notes repeat every 3 frets.
Chord notes are usually stacked numerically every other note of note-scale, especially Dominant Chords which has 3rd b7th (and including 9th, 13th).
sus is used to show an unresolved dissonance, 4th is usually used.
maj 7 is not a 7th chord (which has a b7) but has next note up on the Major chord: R 3 5 7
maj 9 is R 3 5 9 - another Major chord. Put in a b7th and you have a 9th chord (like G9) same with 13th (like G13) --------
7th chord (w/b7 in the chord), 9th, 11th, 13th chords are all called Dominant Chords, with 3rd and a b7 in them, 7th chord: R 3 5 b7, maj7: R 3 5 7
0 zero with slash through it indicates a m7b5 chord, a minor chord, but sometimes erroneously called a 1/2 diminished chord - it's not, it's a m7b5.
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MAJOR CHORDS - All Major chords have a capital "I" to indicate Major. Small i indicates minor.
I R 3 5 (Triad, basic 3 notes needed to form a chord with)
Imaj7 R 3 5 7
Imaj9 R 3 5 9
I6 R 3 5 6
I6/9 R 3 5 6 9
I7 R 3 5 b7
I9 R 3 5 b7 9
I11 R 3 5 b7 9 11th
I13 R 3 5 b7 9 11, 13th
I7b5 (or I7-5) R 3 b5 b7
I7b9 (or I7-9) R 3 5 b7 b9
I7b5b9 (or I7-5-9) R 3 b5 b7 b9
I9b5 (or I9-5) R 3 b5 b7 9
I13b9 (or I13-9) R 3 5 b7 b9
I sus4 R 4 5
I7 sus4 R 4 5 b7
I+ R 3 #5 - same chord notes every 4 frets, passing notes every 2 frets in-between = I+ and I+7 mean the same augmented chord.

On the 7th chords, you don't have to use all the chord notes to commonly use 7th chords, but you must have the 3rd, and the b7 (and usually the 5th or Root) also.
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MINOR CHORDS - All Minor chords are indicated with a small dotted i.
i R b3 5 basic Minor Triad
i7 R b3 5 b7
i9 R b3 5 b7 9
i7b5 (or i7-5, aka "1/2 diminished"- it functions as a minor chord with b5 .....it doesn't function as a diminished chord - usually resolving to the V7 chord (and maybe to I chord): R b3 b5 b7 remember, it's not a dim. chord, it's a minor chord! Diminished is R b3 b5 bb7.
i7b9 (or i7-9) R b3 5 b7 b9 rarely used.
i7b5b9 (or i7-5-9) R b3 b5 b7 b9 very rarely used.
imaj7 R b3 5 7 (sometimes sounds like an augmented chord)
i6 R b3 5 6
i6/9 R b3 5 6 9
i add maj7 R b3 5 7 (same as imaj7)
io or io7 - Diminished chord: R b3 b5 bb7 notes repeated every 3 frets for all diminished chords.
io9 R b3 b5 bb7 9th = i.e. Cdim. 9..... the 9th is added to a dim. chord usually used as passing chord.

#3. JAZZ CD’s TO LISTEN TO:

...this is Educational.I get so many questions asking what Jazz CDs to buy. There is a need to learn to cultivate your ear into more different styles of music for Jazz. It's a fun-thing to do, here's some of my suggestions for educational purposes:

Oscar Peterson's "We Get Requests" w/Ray Brown on bass, Standards that were recorded at their peak careers in 1990's....

Buy the Sonny Stitt recordings that have the following fine standards in them. He was a great sax man out about the same time as Bird but didn't get the recognition as a "buzz-word" yet like Bird, Miles, etc. have. Anything with Star Dust, Lover Man, Just Friends, The Gypsy, There Will Never Be Another You, Autumn In NY, etc. But also, this unique recording.... Charlie Parker is great with his Charlie Parker With Strings CD....you can learn a lot from it as the threads and patterns are very distinct tho' still very fast in tempo.

Hampton Hawes especially in the 1950s, greatest pianist on west coast, and Miles' favorite. Also buy his "Northern Windows" which has yours truly on it (recorded Fantasy in 1974). And......especially you'll find all the great pattern uses by Charlie Parker (Bird) in his exceptional "Charlie Parker With Strings".....very fine recording - I'd highly recommend this, you hear what you're studying on in my tutors in this excellent record.

The usual Miles Davis All Blues, Bird's fine older recordings, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Evans, Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery....my all-time fav for new listeners to real jazz tho' is Sonny Stitt....he's not quite as fast as Bird and plays more cohesive soloing you can actually grasp easily when you're sort of new to the real jazz - great to learn how to create "threads" of communication in your jazz soloing. All his years are great up through the 1970s, and up to his time of passing. Oscar Peterson's fine recordings as well as Hampton Hawes too are a good bet.

Once you cultivate your ears, getting used to listening to good jazz it's not only enjoyable to listen to, but does something to your brain, which I think increases stamina and brain power ....anyway, it sharpens your sensitivities to real music creating.

For now, stay away from Coltrane for a long time. That's playing solos on the stacked triads, and back-cycles as well as b5 subs....

if you don't know what those are, than save your money for later after you've discovered all the great music of the above...takes time to enjoy listening to far-out stuff to get in the "zone"....of those styles - for initial listening of jazz, that will turn you completely off.

Start with the 1950s jazz, aside from the "usual" mentioned above, I especially like the Hampton Hawes Trio Vol. I and II to begin with also. "The Sidewinder" Lee Morgan album with "Ceora" in it is a winner even tho' it's fairly simple 8/8, as is "Movin' Wes" w/Wes Montgomery, and for guitar players, anything with Barney Kessel, Joe Pass, Howard Roberts, especially are excellent! You don't learn real jazz by listening to rock records! Have it playing a lot in your home, your ear/innate learning processes learn faster esp. as you practice your 1 hr. a day. And YES, if you can play jazz, you get the better private gigs with fine prof. musicians!

Tip #4 PLAYING BEHIND PIANO PLAYERS:

Guitar Working With Piano Players..... Carol Kaye

That takes a special kind of great experienced and good-ear player on guitar to work with pianists. Knowing when to lay out, or how to mesh with a pianist's special way of comping takes a special ear, plus taste of what to play.

Even breaking out in a bongo-type of playing is OK sometimes (listen to Barney Kessel records on how to do that) - make sure your sense of time is PERFECT, practice with metronome on 2 and 4 like we all did in the Jazz years of late 1950s. You sure don't want the pianist to get angry at you, sometimes just a simple clipping on small-voiced chords on an of "2" and an of "4" (the less the better) is good. As I illustrate on my "Jazz Improv Soloing DVD Course" and new "Jazz Workshop DVD".

Aside from playing good soloing, there's a real art to knowing how to mesh well with the pianist which is crucial to such fine pianists like George Shearing.....the pianist essentially is "boss" in any group FYI....so I put a chapter of that in my JAZZ GUITAR WORKSHOP DVD especially addressing that need for guitarists who don't know how to play with pianists, and stay out of their way while playing some right stuff to mesh in good..

Note: A few pianists do rush some, but you have to learn to 'go with them', and smooth out the time best you can without being in the way.....it's your job to compliment the pianist no matter what. The pianist is the boss!

It also is important to get the right sounds, just the opposite of rock n roll and country.....learning to play softer more rich sounds while turning up your amp (keeping volume at only 2/3 at most on your instrument) to enable you to get the right full sounds (turning down o your instrument output) as well as buying the finest flatwound elec. strings -- I use the George Benson flats with 12's on the top, playing like having 10 on top E), along with great neck pickup (you don't use bridge pu in standards & Jazz), and learning how to pick with a good solid pick (not thin, not thick) - with love - at end of the neck for thicker nicer sounds like Tony Mattola does it, Joe Pass, Howard Roberts, George Benson, Barney Kessel, all the jazz guitarists of the 1950s, get that "organ" sound, and you can still be aggressive when you want to with your soloing with the right softer approach to sounds, an opposite technique to playing rock.

Chording? never more than 3-4 voice chords works the best, punctuating the beat, whether it's the chug-chug 1-2-3-4 Freddy Green style of comping (w/Count Basie - yes hold chords for a short time, then lift those LH fingers with each chord) or the interspersed real clipped comping backing the soloist...it's critical to know how to play with the right sounds, technique and how to play with the piano player as well as what when - it's an easy round sound you're looking for on guitar, not the rock sounds.

Working with the "Jazz Guitar Workshop DVD" proves invaluable for it shows how to solo, how to comp and what to do with pianists to get the best sounds for the whole group. See CATALOG on website, and it's on the DVDs & CDs Menu page, and it's good for soloists on all instruments for soloing too, everyone benefits from it. The case of guitarists working with pianists is a very special topic. Sometimes you have to play "bongos" on guitar strings to give comping a rest too - just make sure your sense of time is of the most-crucial perfection too, otherwise, don't attempt it until you practice your time-sense....

Listen to how Barney Kessel sometimes did that with pianists.

Once you listen to everything around you, and know your comping, you'll find it easy and a good challenge to play with an excellent pianist, knowing how to stay out of the way but adding some great comping and/or licks here and there to make everyone sound good while complimenting the piano player with good tasty comping....remember, you don't have to fill "every hole" - playing with taste is critical - sometimes just laying out is a good idea.
Also, be sure to be prepared, know your Jazz chords, and tune-up your ear by practicing some good Jazz patterns (Pro's Jazz Phrases etc.), and chordal movements, phrase and pattern tutors for real jazz are in my Catalog....you'll be glad you did!
Carol Kaye www.carolkaye.com/

GUITAR SOUNDS for STANDARDS/JAZZ:

One common thing I've noticed tho' and this is critical, is the real jazz sounds most need to get a handle on. Too many are using fusion sounds (a treble edge) thinking that's the "real jazz sound", it's not. Real jazz requires very bassy thick sounds almost like a deep organ sound for good improv on guitar.

What sounds almost like a deep organ sound is the sound you want for good improv on guitar. It helps to have the thick sounds, almost like an organ sound, for guitar. Most come for lessons and they don't have the strings (usually too light-weight gauge, fine for rock and blues, not good enough for jazz), as well as not-good-enough pickups. Doesn't matter the guitar, whether it's a slab-bodied elec. guitar or an acoustic-elec. guitar...you've got to have excellent strings, excellent pickups, and of course a rosewood fingerboard and decent amp.

Remember also to pick close to end of the neck (never near bridges) with a fairly hard pick (soft picks you have to work 2-3x as hard for great sounds), jazz sounds are an opposite to rock and fusion sounds. Using a hard pick gets deeper sounds also. Next about the amp:

I use my GK small-amps in teaching, so I get a very clear picture of their sounds. And it's a pleasure always to steer everyone the right way, and also with the correct right-hand technique non-whacking but soft-touch picking etc. (and proper LH fingerings too) so they get that warm yet powerful thick jazz sound and feel.

It was great to work with the best in the late 1950s in LA jazz....even some organ players. There was a lady organist I played with, for a whole week in a So. LA jazz club who was "famous" but I forget who it was....it could have been Shirley Scott, but somehow maybe not...she was from NYC I do know that. As well as some choice gigs on guitar with other Jazz groups, especially with Teddy Edwards, Red Mitchell, Jack Sheldon, others.

Worked a few nice gigs at places like the Santa Barbara Club (which was on Santa Barbara Blvd. now called Martin Luther King Blvd.) with Jimmy Smith late 50s, early 60s)...you really enjoy working with organists who play their own bass lines, with drums...it's an exciting fun gig. But of course I loved it best with bass players like (mainly) Red Mitchell, Curtis Counce, LeRoy Vinnegar, Cliff Hils, Joe Comfort, Chuck Hamilton, etc. Having the right sound is important.

People ask me what I have on top for the gauge, and I use a 12 (George Benson Elec. Flatwound Strings the only gtr strings I use and endorse) - see shop at: https://shop.carolkaye.com , but it's the same as an 11 or 10 in real gauges...you can bend a note a little but with the great Thomastik George Benson elec. flats I constantly use, they last a lot of years too, as well as get the powerful attack and full rich sounds I love, especially with the Seymour Duncan humbucker Alnico Pro II neck pickup, only pickup I use.... makes the inexpensive Ibanez RG321 sound better than any $5,000 acoustic-elec. Gibson.

The used Ibanez I fixed up was an older slab guitar I had modified. Fretboard tho' a little too flat, for standards/jazz you need a curve in that fretboard for best easier playing.

People agree with my choices as soon as they start using the pickup and strings, they can't believe the fat rich sounds they easily get. It's important to have the right thick sounds for jazz.

A fusion sound is terrible, it's not an authentic jazz sound. Listen to George Benson, Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, Barney Kessel, Howard Roberts, Bruce Forman, Mark Whitfield.......that sound is what you want.

When you have the right sounds, it makes you play better too. Remember, play lightly for good efficiency, sounds and speed, don't "whack" it....it affects the sound when you bear down too hard, let the amp do the work. Love your fretboard, never "beat it to death like in rock n roll".....and you'll be playing much better too!

ON THE GIG TIPS:

Hi Carol
I had a rehearsal in the hall where we will perform next Saturday and noticed that my little GK 150 amp had too much bass ("boom-sound"). It seems to me that the stage floor amplifies the lower frequencies. I used the low cut on the amp and the sound became clearer, less "boomy". Is this the right way?

I think you gave some advise her on the forum a long time ago about how to avoid "boom". Was it tilting back the amp or putting it on a chair? What should I do? Your help will be appreciated!

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CK: First of all, do you use a mute? Using a mute will absolutely cut down on that - try using a mute - doubled up felt on top of the strings if playing with a pick or medium grade foam underneath the strings if you play with fingers (barely touching, leave strings ringing) will do the job.

Put the amp on a piece of rug. Any amp will echo in an empty hall yes, but as soon as people are there, you won't have that problem but definitely a rug will help immensely.

Tilting the amp back is better yes, but doesn't prevent the echo, but it will allow you to hear yourself better. Just don't ever put your amp on a chair, it not only changes your amp sound, diluting the sound and making your bass sound terrible but will not solve any echo problems, and you could start to distort with it off the ground. Cabinets were made to be sitting on the floor.

From your description, I'd say tilt the amp back slightly but the best thing to do is play with a mute on your bass.

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Another post: Carol's right. Try tilting the amp first. Cutting back on the bass control is sometimes necessary too in those rooms that have a pronounced boosting effect on the low frequencies. And the louder you play, the less bass boost you can get away with. Watch that you don't crank up the "contour" control too much. It boosts the bass while scooping out the midrange. It sounds good to use some while playing at home at low volume but the higher the volume is, the less of it you can use.

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from CK: Yes, forgot about the bass volume, that does need to be cut down some, certainly! Thanks for the rest of your important message, great!

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Thanks Carol and Glenn! I will tilt it back. I use a mute (I play with fingers). But maybe I don't use the right kind of foam, actually I use a piece of synthetic sponge, the kind you use for washing dishes. I guess that's not the right thing to use...

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from CK: You need the kind of foam that goes into sofas. Here in the USA, you can find it in the sewing sections of Target or any Arts & Crafts store. Just go to any sewing section of your department store and get the "medium" grade foam. Dishing sponge is useless...you'll see the difference once you get the correct foam.

You should only let it just barely touch the strings, the strings will still ring, just maybe not quite as long. It's a foam not a spongy type thing, so you should notice the difference in sounds right away. With felt, that can last me around 2 years before I have to start over with felt. And yes, I do adjust it from time to time as it's a very portable object.

Once you get your foam in place, you may or may not have to tape it (using masking tape if you do, that won't harm your finish) in place as it's kind of tricky to get it just right under the strings. With wear and tear I'd say it should last as long as my Felt, then you start over. Cheap, relatively easy, and very very useful.

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Another joins in: Definitely use the foam! I got a piece of ot at a crafting store in Hyannis. It barely touches, but I cut it so that it doesn't stop the string from ringing out. I use fingers also, with pick here and there-I'm still working on that, but getting better!

Carol's right about putting your amp on a chair. I've tried it before, it doesn't work-all your bottom drops out, leaving a terribly treble sound.
Big, large halls can be very difficult to get a good sound in, by virtue of their design. All hard surfaces, and lots of open space. But with the foam, tilting your amp, and the right EQ ing from your amp, you can do it.

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And another joins in: Something that's always been a bit of a bummer for me is that as electric bassists, it comes with the territory that our sound doesn't really come into focus until it gets out at least 30 feet or so. When I am on a bandstand or other type of stage and standing close to my rig, I think I'm sounding pretty good in terms of overall EQ and volume. But how is my sound blending out in the room, theater, hall or whatever? For small gigs we never have a house mixer so I make my best guess, and for large venue events where there is somebody doing FOH mix, we are at the mixer's mercy so all I can do is make things sound good to me in the area of the stage I'm standing in. Sometimes on the stand a bit of bass boost fattens things up, but because I can't be 40 feet out front, I don't know for sure if that made my sound too "boomy". Then there is that bass-bass drum thing....sheesh....perhaps accordian would should have been my destiny....

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CK: You need the amp tilted up so you can hear your sounds, but also you need to use a mute for ultimate in greatest most-defined sound. If you don't use a mute, you are at the mercy of any (usually so-so or plain bad) sound mixer who concentrates more on the bass drum sounds than anything the bass player puts out.

At ANY soundcheck, I always advise ALL bass players to keep their volumes down about 1/2 way, not only for better amp sounds, but so you can raise it slightly when your friends out in the audience can signal you they can't hear the bass well. And turn away from the drummer and/or guitar player too, they'll drown you out fast.

Any bass player playing a huge place usually cannot be heard more than 20 feet away from the stage if they don't use a mute, and if they don't use flatwound definitive strings....your goose is cooked. As Glenn says, roll off some of your bottom end also. It's important to use those techniques and also to stay away from the drummer whose sounds can kill your sounds (and guitar players too). I'm sure you'll find these pointers will help you. Good luck.

GUITAR SOUNDS:

When I teach former rock-country-blues players Jazz on guitar, it's important also to show them how to get the real Jazz sounds on guitar. Most don't know how to do that on their own.

1. Get the better strings preferably the George Benson flatwounds 12's on top, as well as a neck that has a more-curved fingerboard (if possible), at least the strings will help. Flat fingerboards (good for bending only) make it too hard to learn the fast nice jazz chords and patterns on, curved is much better.

2. Find a comfortable spot for your wrist to lay on strings (never the bridge area) next to END of the neck where the sounds are, learn to pick from the wrist (not the arm), and don't turn your hand sideways but keep it fairly flat when picking (or plucking if by fingers). Next, find your treble and shut it almost off, boost mid and low-ranges on amp, and always use neck pickup (never back one) on guitar, keeping the guitar volume down some, use the amp for power.

3. Now picking, do NOT pound the string, nor pick on it like you do on rock. Put some love and tenderness in that picking if you want the good speed and sounds.....the lighter you play, the faster you'll get with the right sounds. And don't swing jazz like country music swing, it's more a cross between straight 8 and shuffle, in the middle (slight swing but more 16th note straight). LISTEN and you'll get it.

4. LISTEN to older musicians' Jazz guitar records - Joe Pass, Wes, Pat Martino even is OK for style of playing tho' he's one of the younger ones......those are the same sounds you use for Standards too. Learn to stack your triads and move your chords. Very few dim. and m7b5 chords are used in rock, so this is new, you need to learn your chords and chordal notes and how to move your chords around, knowing b5 chords are actually augmented pattern chords, moving every 2 frets, most use the dim. way of moving patterns around every 3 frets, learn the CYCLE, etc...see tutors for all that, and LISTEN to Jazz records. You are what you listen to and practice.

DISCUSSION - What to Get, Theory etc.

Question:....>>>>>>I've been playing for about 20 yrs but I can't read at all. While I consider myself to be a good player, I would like to take my playing to the next level. What should be my first step?<<<<<<
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CK: The most logical thing to do being a bass player, is to get the Music Reading DVD w/Manual set, it comes with extra reading sheets too for all levels, but starts very basically in reading notes (has neck diagram with notes on it). And most people have a lot of trouble with reading rhythms since bass music has a lot of rhythmic figures in it - this set specializes in conquering that right away, you'll love it. For guitar players, it's the new Guitar Sighreading Studies book and CD - also lots of help plus in the book, you get a great fingering exercise too (diagrammed) at first.

Both the DVD for bass, and guitar book self-help tutors have many great rhythmic idea lines so you can expand your knowledge in using and rhythmic lines too. It has a section of brush-up theory as well as (if you're interested, it's not necessary these days) a picking section - picking bass with a flat wrist etc. with right pick-strokes and r/h technique, some other things too in proper technique and musical ideas.

Elec. Bass Lines No. 3 is a good companion book to the Reading DVD set for further study of your neck and note-reading, while laying the foundation for interval studies you need for any Standards and Jazz playing and I do encourage you to get this too - it opens your knowledge of your neck for everything...most players on bass play (usually) the first few frets of your neck, not the whole neck. And this book helps you to play and be familiar with your whole neck, with indicated fingerings here and there to help you -- proper fingerings are critical for good reading abilities. For Guitar players, the Joe Pass/Herb Ellis, and also Jazz Guitar Guide (and CD) are recommended for extra reading practice, some fingering indications.

This is for Elec. Bass (see guitar stuff later on): It's best to maybe get the Jazz Bass CD & Guide if you're wanting to get your walking together, it's a primer for any standards playing. And the following are good for more expansion of those styles of music for the necessary qualifications of being able to play "all styles of music", a necessary requirement for good gigs these days:

Standards I and II for necessary chord chart interpretation and walking idea practice when reading charts
and when you're able to read more:
Pro's Jazz Phrases book and CD
Jazz Improv For Bass book and CD
Also, the Jazz Improv Soloing DVD Course is necessary for learning Soloing in Jazz (sort of the "Jazz Improv For Bass book on film" - tho' I play guitar on the course, I do a lot on the bass strings, great for bass players.
As is also the Jazz Guitar Workshop which shows how putting together the patterns for soloing with the chords - you never play "over a chord", you play the chord, it's good primer and inspiring tutor for all musicians.

For more pop, rock, soul, creative blues, gospel those sorts of commercial music styles, you need a huge vocabulary of idea lines and until you can read, it's probably best to get only the books with CDs for now:

How To Play The Elec. Bass book and CD (and get guitar background CD also)
Elec. Bass Lines No. 1 book and CD (and get guitar background CD also)
Elec. Bass Lines No 2 book and CD
Elec. Bass Lines No. 4 book and also buy Hit Bass Lines CD which has most of those lines on it.
Elec. Bass Lines No. 5 (toughest reading book)
Elec. Bass Lines No. 6. (great break-thru book for Solfeggio, some nice funk lines, early jazz patterns etc.)

This will all take care of you for quite awhile. Rock-Funk Bass CD & Gude and Bass DVD Course are the beginner tutors, Rock-Funk being very basic, and the Bass DVD Course covering your necessary theory and overall techniques with also some great idea lines in all styles too. Later on, all the Jazz tutors, Standards I and II etc.

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>>>>>Thank you for the advice. I'll be placing an order some time today. I've been playing all original material in rock based bands for many years but have recently become very aware of my limitations. I'm a long time fan of your playing and I feel your learning tools are probably exactly what I need.
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CK: You'll be very happy with the tutors, they're fun to work with and you'll learn a lot FAST too....don't practice any more than 1 hour day, that's all it takes to learn something new, the rest is just wasted time with the brain falling asleep after 1 hr. work on learning things.

The only time I think it's OK to practice more than 1 hour day (fooling around isn't "practice" imo) is when you're getting along with Jazz learning and learning how to function well in your soloing, then, and only then, is it good to practice for 2 hrs. or 3 hrs a day....

the brain tends to fall asleep when you're really learning something after more than 1 hour of practice. You're just moving the fingers and not really learning so later on more is better, not at first. Pick a spot in your home where you get the least amount of distractions when it's your time to practice and it'll be hard to stop at 1 hour, it gets to be so absorbing and fun, but limit it to 1 hr. each day, that does the job. Even 50 min. practice sessions does it.
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Person #2 >>>>>> Hitch hiking on the post -- I'm Country and finding bass clef for Country songs, written for the bass, is next to impossible. However, I have found books with bass clef on Country songs written for the piano -- but, as I use first position when playing from standard notation. lower than ledger note E becomes a problem for my 4 string - I've just read your tips and believe I saw something about playing positions, i.e. in the middle of the neck. Which would seem to eliminate this problem plus get me into a more comfortable spot.

Few words of wisdom, or which instructional book, CD, DVD would focus on this and get me beyond first position?

Thanks
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CK: Yes, you need to get away from those first few frets and get into the rest of the neck. There's a few good things you can do to expand into the rest of the neck so you can read properly and get used to where those notes are. The rest is just reading and practicing and Elec. Bass is an easy instrument on which to accomplish all that too.

I'd suggest the Music Reading DVD w/Manual

and the Elec. Bass Lines No. 3 (when you know a few notes in the bass clef).

When you first read, you need to know what a Triad is....Root 3rd 5th, that is the Root is the name of the chord, it's the "do", the 3rd and 5th are the 3rd and 5th notes of the scale - do-mi-so....fingering is 2-1-4 on the bass, simple enough. When you read, if you read 3 notes in a row that are space-space-space, or on the line-line-line, that's what those notes are: the triad, so you don't even need to know the names of those notes to read them...that's for starters.

Write an occasional name of note above the note on your music. You learn notes gradually (no tricks please, they don't work), a few notes at a time like you learn where the keys are on your computer keyboard when (if you do touch typing) you do asa asa asa asa ded ded kik kik enough repetition and you quickly have the notes down. And try NEVER to think in "positions" on bass, that's silly.....

I don't even tell my guitar students to "think in positions", they should play the "whole neck"....when you do it the right way, thinking in chordal patterns like everyone should be doing, that eliminates the crutch of using "positions" as any kind of usable word.

The bass is tuned in 4ths, no need to ever think "position" on bass either unless you play string bass where the rest of the neck is hardly used (except by top pros)....and they're forever jumping down to the open strings all the time.

String bass is an acoustic instrument, sounding better with open strings. Elec. Bass is just the opposite, it sounds and handles better with very few open strings played in regular playing. Closed notes sound better on elec. bass, with more clarity (and better physical handling of ringing and overtones/undertone sounds that ruin your definition too), the opposite that some string bass players do (because let's face it, you have to spend 1,000s sometimes 10s of 1,000s of dollars to get a fine string bass where notes sound really good closed.

When you play a pattern on bass, the fingering of that pattern is the same all over the neck. See Playing Tips pages in EDUCATION tab and you should work on the G Chordal Scale exercise for the whole neck saying the name of the chord out-loud so you learn it well -- this is also in the Bass DVD Course, which you should probably get, not much reading required with it and gives you the best start to learn your neck as well as providing you with the correct and proper techniques and theory.

As far as jumping below the clef sometimes, yes that occasionally happens with church music and with some music written ignorantly of the real range of the bass (like tuba music etc.)....you can play for instance, in the key of Eb very well in the middle of the neck. The chordal notes are the same as they are in "C" in the lower part of the neck, fingerings are the same...so you need a good study in chordal notes so you can quickly find them as you're reading...again, both the Bass DVD Course and the Music Reading DVD w/Manual should do it for you.

I'd also (later on) go with Elec. Bass Lines No. 3, for more notes all over the neck, as well as the other books for rhythmic lines with the CDs:

How To Play The Elec. Bass (not really a beginner book) bk & CDs
Elec. Bass Lines No. 1 bk & CDs
" " " No. 2 bk & CD

PS. Be sure to also get the Rock-Funk Bass CD & Guide. While you don't need to know how to sightread music to use it, it does have the written music and would be good practice for you.

Plus, you'll get a lot out of the easy creative soul-line theory that goes with it as well as good basic reading practice. It's very low-priced, we ship immediately with PayPal attached to Catalog but also take mailed in Money Orders and Checks too, shipping within 24 hours.
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From #1 person again: >>>>>>Got my order today. Looking forward to getting to work! I'm in the process of recording an album with my band and I'm excited to apply some new ideas to my lines. I listened to a good deal of the "Hit Bass Lines" cd that came with my order on my way to and from work. Very inspirational! Great to hear so many parts I've admired for years in another context.
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CK: All the lines in my books and on my CDs, and particularly on "Hit Bass Lines", and "Bass Performances" CDs, should give you some good ideas. Books all feature (except Elec. Bass Lines No. 3 which is an interval book) good commercial idea lines, short form mainly but many different style transcriptions too, which help you to formulate a total song idea.

Thanks for your post, glad you liked the lines, espec. Hit Bass Lines being alone and suggesting the tune that way too. You see the importance of creating good bass lines.....but when you get the chance to record, something you do can stir up some things while putting the framework around the song and the singer and rest of the band...the power is in the bass line, remember the upbeats!
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For Guitar players, the order of using the tutors are: Jazz Guitar CD & Guide, no reading necessary and it comes with vital 82 standards/jazz diagrammed chords, Standards I and II, Pro's Jazz Phrases bk & CD, Jazz Improv Soloing DVD Course, Jazz Workshop DVD and if not a good sightreader on guitar, the new Guitar Sightreading Studies book and CD.....finally the Joe Pass Guitar Style studies in back of book are fantastic for completing for great soloing also, book and CD. You always get a few extra sheets of music help with each order....for everyone.