Bass Lines for Piano
This is an excellent exercise to help musicians develop bass lines for piano. It uses the Cycle of Fourths with comping and soloing. It’s not easy, but try it out!…
Category Archives: Bass Lines
Time is not a click.
Music is not about perfection. It is about feeling. Jazz, in particular is about groove. It is groove which gives jazz it’s identity, it’s purpose, it’s joy. You know groove when you hear it. You know what it feels like. The main issue is . . . how to develop a great groove in your […]…
Pachelbel Canon with Groove
Martan explains how to develop four-part harmony and open voicings by playing the Pachelbel Canon with a Groove. This utilizes Band-in-a-box. It’s fun. Try it. Related files: Section 8: Pachelbel Canon Project Pachelbel Exercise Melody and Single Bass Note 8-1 Pachelbel Exercise Continuous Melody and Single Bass Note 8-2 Pachelbel Exercise Random Melody 8-3 Pachelbel […]…
Swing Groove Chord Inversions and Bass Lines 16-7-4
Swing Groove Chord Inversions and Bass Lines 16-7-4 Developing Bass Lines while playing Chord Inversions: Practice playing bass lines slowly through the tune while comping with the chord inversions (bouncing). Play bass lines faster with the metronome on 2 & 4 and comp with the chord inversions. (This will take awhile to master). …
Swing Groove Bass Lines and Melody 16-7-2
Swing Groove Bass Lines and Melody 16-7-2 Developing Melody over Bass Lines: Practice on melodic rhythmic lick at a time. Clap out one rhythm. Play from chord to chord (over and over). Ask yourself: “How many ways can I play melodic notes over this rhythmic lick”? Play that rhythmic lick slowly around the Cycle of […]…
Swing Groove Cycle of Fourths Bass Lines 16-7-1
Swing Groove Cycle of Fourths Bass Lines 16-7-1 Cycle of Fourths with Bass Lines: It’s very helpful to learn how to play bass lines through tunes. Study how a bass player thinks. Play the Cycle of Fourths with a single note in the left hand and the 3 & b7 in the right hand. Ask […]…
Stride Groove Bass w/Melody 17-8-4
Stride Groove Bass w/Melody 17-8-4 Developing playing and phrasing the melody of “Ain’t Misbehavin'”: Don’t play the melody the way it is written on a lead sheet. Speak and sing the lyrics. Notice how many ways you can say the lyrics and the way that effects the way you play the melody. Left hand plays […]…
Stride Groove Bass and Chords 17-8-2
Stride Groove Bass and Chords 17-8-2 Learning to play the chords with the Stride Groove: Play with the left hand playing the bass and the right hand playing the chords and inversions. You can use CMa7, C6+9, C6 and inversions. Practice by playing the Turnaround in all keys using the left hand playing bass notes […]…
Stride Groove w/Bass Lines 17-8-1
Stride Groove w/Bass Lines 17-8-1 Learning to play “Ain’t Misbehavin”: We often think of the Stride Groove as being an older jazz style . . . but, it can also be played in a more modern jazz style. There are lots of tunes in the Stride Jazz Style. Start with playing through “Ain’t Misbehavin'” using […]…
Jazz Waltz Groove w/Bass Lines 15-6-3
Jazz Waltz Groove w/Bass Lines 15-6-3 Develop Bass Lines for the Jazz Waltz Tune: Most important . . . listen to bass players. Bass players flow through chords. They set up the groove. Practice the Jazz Waltz Tune as a bass player, playing from chord to chord. How many ways can you move from any […]…
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