Johann Sebastian Bach - Suite Nº2 - 6 Gigue

A gent on YouTube whose very appropriate name is "DoubleBassScore" has exactly that - images of scores and the accompanying audio played by some very heavy duty classical cats like Edgar Meyer and Gary Karr.

For all those electric players who chase tone, check these guys out. What they can do with a bow and a giant ol' double bass is amazing. That thing ain't small, ya know.

If you are looking for some challenging sight reading and classical parts to work up, check out some of his videos and then track down a copy of the scores for some finger twisting.

Fibonacci Scales

Okay, I am into patterns and sequences and stuff...but seriously, this is kinda ridiculous.

Cool, but ridiculous.

Fibonacci Scales

Soloing Using Chord Tones from LA Music Academy

Here is a video from LA Music Academy, one of probably a thousand music schools in LA I would imagine. I think that Alphonso Johnson is the dean of either the bass department or the entire school if I remember correctly, but I am too damn lazy to google that. But I am pretty sure.

This guy takes the first 8 bars of the "Take the A Train" progression and talks about how to work out the chord tones. Good stuff for bass lines or solos.

They have a bunch of other bass videos posted as well a couple about double thumbs and some other solo videos. Check 'em out.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCB4B182DEBFD4B4D&feature=plcp

New Garrison model Fodera announced

Matt Garrison has a new signature Fodera that has been released at NAMM, and while it is not exactly an affordable, (MSRP is $5800+) every-man instrument, it does have some cool features for people who can swing that kind of cash for an instrument. Meaning..not me.

In this video, Matt and the guys from Fodera talk about the bass and explain all the features.

You do need to register at Matt's site to view the videos, but it is free.

http://www.garrisonjazz.com/index.php?action=login&class=6814

Line6 StageScape M20d

I don't know...does my mixer REALLY need a touch screen and a visual interface?

So now I have to worry that my mixer has crashed, or needs an OS update?

I dunno about this. I guess listening to it would be the final verdict.

Marcus Miller Is In The Studio

Here he is listening back to a new track with some very maceo-like horn playing and Marcus being Marcus all underneath that groove. Nasty.

Sonny Rollins F Minor Lick from Strode Rode

I have posted a line Sonny played on this tune before, (off of Saxophone Colossus), it was a very juicy lick from the bridge of Strode Rode, and here is another equally juicy lick from the beginning of his solo.

The band drops out and it is just bass and Sonny playing over the chords, and it is basically just F minor, but not natural minor, (with an Eb) but melodic minor, with an E natural.

Here is the lick as Sonny plays it


And here it is written out, first at a slower tempo and then at a faster more Sonny-like tempo.

Slow Speed

bass lick tempo 100 4/4 |Fmin r8 e8 f ab g f e g |f e f c ab f b ab |bb ab g f e f g e |f2 r2

Insanely Fast

bass lick tempo 220 4/4 |Fmin r8 e8 f ab g f e g |f e f c ab f b ab |bb ab g f e f g e |f2 r2

There are a ton of things to learn from this lick:

1. What chord tones does he use? (hint - all of them)
   
2. How does he make those chord tones fall on strong beats?
   
3. Why does the lick sound so strong and resolve so well?
   
4. What non-chord tones does he use, and where do those get placed?
   

And this is just two measures of his solo, he goes on and on like this for two full choruses. Gonna post more licks as I decipher them.
Check out how awesome his entire solo is here via YouTube:

Another 30% Off Everything

Yet another sale for the Festivus season has been announced, so go air your grievances, and remember that books are way better than a big steel pole any day. Just use the code "WINTERSAVE305" and get 30% off, so any ebook is only $6.99 and any paperback is only $13.99.