Members Funkee1 Posted November 25, 2007 Members Share Posted November 25, 2007 I tried to find examples for those who don't do jazz gigs, but I was wondering, for those of you who do play straight ahead Jazz gigs, do you prefer a two- beat bassline( basically playing half notes outlining the chord structure), or a true walking bass line on a tune like "Pennies from heaven" for example? I like to two- beat during the verse, but walk the hell out of the solos, and the shout chorus. What say you?? I'd especially like to hear from you upright players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members One Bad Monkey Posted November 25, 2007 Members Share Posted November 25, 2007 Traditionally, I'd do it that way. If you're playing an uptempo jazz standard, I would walk the entire thing. If you're playing a nice mid-tempo song, I would do the two beat for the head, and then walk for the solos. However, let the soloist dictate when you switch; I would normally start their solos with a two beat, and then switch over to walking the bassline as the soloist is building. Then, when the soloist switches, go right back to the two beat. It's a subtle tension and release. Remember though, let the band leader dictate that more. You could take a tune like Autumn Leaves, and really burn through it, at which point you'd want to walk the whole thing. Then if you played it slower, you could even sit out the first phrase, and come in on the second with a two feel, and build it to walking on the B section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Perfessor Posted November 25, 2007 Members Share Posted November 25, 2007 Some songs sound real smooth by starting out with half notes and switching to a walk after the first run-through of the song. Some songs sound better with a walk all the way through. Any specific songs you had in mind? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Brother Mango Posted November 25, 2007 Members Share Posted November 25, 2007 Outside of Latin and Bossa grooves, jazz hasn't been much fun for me to play. I do it because I know it's good for me. Mostly, I walk. Slower tunes get a 2-feel. This Thursday, I'm gonna whip the BOALG option on their asses and see how they react. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HumptyThumpty Posted November 25, 2007 Members Share Posted November 25, 2007 Some songs sound real smooth by starting out with half notes and switching to a walk after the first run-through of the song. Some songs sound better with a walk all the way through. Any specific songs you had in mind? +1 but mostly I walk. I'm not a upright player but, Night and Day is and example of one we do where I play a two beat during the A section and walk during the B section which is also where we put the solos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bnyswonger Posted November 25, 2007 Members Share Posted November 25, 2007 That's like asking if you prefer water or air... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Funkee1 Posted November 25, 2007 Author Members Share Posted November 25, 2007 Some songs sound real smooth by starting out with half notes and switching to a walk after the first run-through of the song. Some songs sound better with a walk all the way through. Any specific songs you had in mind? Not really. I have a gig coming up where we are going to have to play a lot of standards, and it just got me thinking how much I like the two beat feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Perfessor Posted November 25, 2007 Members Share Posted November 25, 2007 Not really. I have a gig coming up where we are going to have to play a lot of standards, and it just got me thinking how much I like the two beat feel. Like One Bad Monkey said, "Autumn Leaves" is a good song to do a two beat to. I usually went through the entire song the first run through with half notes then went to a walk the rest of the song. This way you can add some feel without having to practice together unceasingly. "All Blues" has the bass part written out in the jazz Real Book so that one is easy to play without having to wing it all that much. The ballads like "Sophisticated Lady" are a snap with mostly two beat and some quicker turnarounds thrown in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sunburstbasser Posted November 25, 2007 Members Share Posted November 25, 2007 With a few exceptions, I pretty much walk everything. I sometimes use a 2-beat or false 2-beat by playing each note twice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.