tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92118920281890209822024-03-28T20:27:46.722-07:00Playing BassNotes on playing bass with a band: things to learn, things to practice, band talk, musicians, music and videos.Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.comBlogger158125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-42512426451286710542023-08-01T19:48:00.012-07:002023-08-03T11:51:13.797-07:00More About Ringo's Hat in "Help" <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05QmS8ByGU49Hs_R8Ebpd46wwuB9Oh-uyYvwx5i-NxZ2dnUQvwhDR4VWsK2IWtblF21g9StB8GiHOpFXQSqqQYcuUgTxcXGd2ZdE0p-FmcIe5bXoPzGqBbf5qJuU7LCbK2oq2QuYiTJXrrWOkMO-TgtTkFIpUIhGGDqWxIWpYaOH5u4-idwSZaZouEGY/s717/Ringo%20in%20Tam%20O%20Shanter.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="478" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05QmS8ByGU49Hs_R8Ebpd46wwuB9Oh-uyYvwx5i-NxZ2dnUQvwhDR4VWsK2IWtblF21g9StB8GiHOpFXQSqqQYcuUgTxcXGd2ZdE0p-FmcIe5bXoPzGqBbf5qJuU7LCbK2oq2QuYiTJXrrWOkMO-TgtTkFIpUIhGGDqWxIWpYaOH5u4-idwSZaZouEGY/w269-h404/Ringo%20in%20Tam%20O%20Shanter.jpg" width="269" /></a></div> <span style="font-size: medium;">Back in 2013 I wrote about Ringo's hat as seen in the film "Help!" I was always curious about the hat, and I admired the look of it. So I researched the hat and learned that Ringo borrowed it from a U.K. Scottish soldier for the filming one day. I also learned the meaning of the hat's big "X" badge and the underlying tartan patch, and I set about gathering the materials to replicate the hat (actually called a Tam O'Shanter).</span><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://stogiebass.blogspot.com/2013/07/ringo-starrs-very-cool-hat-in-help.html">Read all about it here.</a></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Since then a Beatles Tribute band, "<u>1</u><a href="http://1964web.com/">964 The Tribute</a>" contacted me and asked to borrow my replica tam for a film clip they were making. So I overnighted it to the drummer, Robert Potter, in Florida. He wore it in the film and sent it back; the band thanked me in the film's credits. This was an honor for sure, as <i>1964 the Tribute </i>has been called the very best Beatles Tribute band by Rolling Stone magazine, and they have played in Carnegie Hall eight times, which is not exactly the venue for amateur musicians.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">See the <b>New Covid 19 64 Stay at Home Video </b><a href="http://1964web.com/">linked at their website </a>that shows Bob Potter ("Ringo") wearing my tam and playing drums. The band looks so much like the real Beatles and sound so much like the real Beatles that it is positively uncanny. I saw the real Beatles in concert twice, in 1964 and 1965, at the Cow Palace near San Francisco (I'm old but at least I got to see the Beatles). So I know of what I speak. <i>1964 the Tribute'</i>s performance possesses all the excitement and magic of the original. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">If you read my 2013 article, linked above, check out the comments. An anonymous reader wrote this:</span></p><dt id="c2529759631558100073" style="background-color: white; color: #202020; cursor: pointer; font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.25em; text-wrap: nowrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> <span dir="ltr">Anonymous</span> said...</span></dt><dd style="background-color: white; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); color: #202020; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18.2px; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;">The hat worn by Ringo in the making of the film help belonged to Corporal Greenhill of B Company the 1st Battalion the Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment). The hat is a Tam O Shanter (TOS) of the 1960-70 pattern. The badge is that of the Lowland Brigade as worn by Lowland Scottish Regiments of that time. The tartan patch is Hunting Stewart as worn by the Royal Scots. It is worn with the badge over the left ear.<br /><br />The Filming of this part of the film took place on Salisbury Plain Training area and was supported by Regiments that were stationed nearby.<br /><br />The hat was signed by the Beatles before handing back to Cpl Greenhill who continued to wear it as normal; subsequent washing got rid of the signatures.<br /></span></i></p><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><p class="comment-timestamp" style="display: inline-block; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;">September 25, 2014 at 11:11 AM</p> </span></i></dd><dd style="background-color: white; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); color: #202020; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18.2px; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px;"></dd><dt id="c1257498065746612826" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.25em; text-wrap: nowrap;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span dir="ltr">Jennifer Greenhill is the granddaughter of the British soldier who owned the tam that Ringo</span><span dir="ltr"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-large;">wore in "Help!" </span></dt><dt id="c1257498065746612826" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.25em; text-wrap: nowrap;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span dir="ltr"> </span></span><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">She wrote this:</span></i></dt><dd style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); line-height: 18.2px; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">What a lovely piece of film and music history. I’m David Greenhill’s granddaughter and the hat is still kept safe by his sister - a huge Beatles fan herself! It was signed by each of the Fab Four after filming for the day.<br /><br />It’s always a fun bit of trivia whenever the film plays on the tv.</span></i></p></dd><dd style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); line-height: 18.2px; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"><i><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">December 22, 2022 at 10:14 AM</span></i></p></dd><dd style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); line-height: 18.2px; margin: 0px 0px 0.75em; padding: 0px;"><p style="margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"><i><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: medium;">One final word about Bobby Potter who portrays Ringo in the band's performances: in a fairly recent concert, Ringo was in the audience and posed for a picture with Bobby, both with their arms around each other's shoulder and looking at each other with huge grins. I will post that picture when I can find it again. It' s been a year or two.</span></p></dd></div>Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-74462122200758213762020-12-18T17:25:00.002-08:002020-12-18T17:32:08.803-08:00 A Tribute to Peanuts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUXfs9V9DO8_nNBM-OUICyD__6AYRpU-0jkoZsgkgAEpOiEWMRXi4dQ33yR1X-IYBm7KN_7ZUE9m6u84_5Sggj7wbLuu1bwecpeXF0qvXbmPzAU3Kd39LijQyzYJ5IX6PgsdiIoRoYHU/s1300/Snowing+on+Charley.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1300" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeUXfs9V9DO8_nNBM-OUICyD__6AYRpU-0jkoZsgkgAEpOiEWMRXi4dQ33yR1X-IYBm7KN_7ZUE9m6u84_5Sggj7wbLuu1bwecpeXF0qvXbmPzAU3Kd39LijQyzYJ5IX6PgsdiIoRoYHU/w456-h456/Snowing+on+Charley.gif" width="456" /></a></div><br /><p>I drew this graphic in Adobe Illustrator as a practice project to learn Illustrator. The best way to learn a new software program is to use it in a project. </p><p>After I completed the drawing, I wanted to relearn animating snow in Photoshop. I spent the last three days learning that again. </p><p>Fair Use is claimed for use of the Charles Schultz graphics, as they were used as a learning project and had no commercial purpose.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-78652060204617019702020-12-18T14:43:00.008-08:002023-07-28T22:03:40.167-07:00A Christmas Graphic<p style="text-align: left;">I made this animated snow graphic about 8 years ago, using Photoshop. Then I forgot how to do it. See next post above for my relearning project. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIAFRVi2G2f9ileYn-MXJyda8y8T5e45lHFQOZ4rtSjb65T_Wl6FiQnjP8NDfSDKucdGYpvwBWj92yxI9IXzmndHyKf80HaFGfT3-WbuPGTbwvfqcapY986iZRgKZenLIB2eakHp-2WbA/s640/Christmas-Tree-in-Snowy-Woods.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIAFRVi2G2f9ileYn-MXJyda8y8T5e45lHFQOZ4rtSjb65T_Wl6FiQnjP8NDfSDKucdGYpvwBWj92yxI9IXzmndHyKf80HaFGfT3-WbuPGTbwvfqcapY986iZRgKZenLIB2eakHp-2WbA/w465-h262/Christmas-Tree-in-Snowy-Woods.gif" width="465" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><br />Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-54548008765481597272019-10-14T15:25:00.000-07:002020-07-07T10:34:10.936-07:00I Inherit a Tenor BanjoMy brother Ted, an accomplished guitarist, passed away on April 5, 2019. I greatly miss him, but I did inherit a tenor banjo and his favorite Stratocastor guitar to remember him by.<br />
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I immediately ordered some instructional books on tenor banjo, and have been studying it As a rhythm player it is good to finally study a lead instrument. I am proceeding through the book well and learning the chords in each key. Some of these chords seem almost impossible to play, as you have to really stretch those fingers out to get all the right notes. Since there is only four strings, it's mo doubt easier than playing a six string guitar. Playing the chords gets easier each time I pick up the banjo. You are building muscle memory and it comes easier than you might think.<br />
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I am learning in the jazz duning of CGDA, from top to bottom of the neck. There are several tunings that you might choose, but this is the one I want, and it seems most instructional books teach playing in this key.<br />
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More about the banjo later.<br />
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<br />Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-44691418394101538982018-08-20T17:52:00.002-07:002018-08-20T17:52:35.282-07:00Becoming a Competent Musician: Playing Instrumentals Helps <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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To become a jazz musician, or any genre of musician, you must practice consistently over time, both with other musicians and alone. Progress will be incremental over time. You will not wake up one day and voila: you are a competent musician. You will get better little by little and you will reach plateaus of achievement. <br />
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It is very helpful to record yourself, especially when playing with other musicians or a band. Do this for both practices and actual gigs. The feedback is invaluable. You can learn what you are doing right and what needs improvement.<br />
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I record all the practices with my band. Over a year and a half, while listening to the recordings, I notice that I wince less than before! I hear fewer missed beats, fewer wrong chords, better rhythms. I can tell I am progressing and it is encouraging.<br />
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Yesterday, Sunday, August 19th, we had our usual Sunday practice. Our singer couldn't make it, so we used the opportunity to polish our instrumentals. It's a different trip to play just instrumentals, because the lead instruments (guitar and piano, in our case) have to carry the lead by themselves. <br />
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Have a listen to the practice here: www.soundcloud.com/gwaltrip.<br />
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<br />Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-50084682904883718232018-07-31T10:11:00.000-07:002018-07-31T10:15:29.482-07:00A Practice Routine That Seems to Work In the past month I have finally hit on a practice routine that works for me. (I play bass and my chosen genre is jazz and jazz standards.)<br />
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I study each song in our set list by reference to the chords on the sheet music. I go through the chords, experimenting on the best way to play major 7ths, minor 7ths, dominant 7ths, and minor 7ths flat 5s. At band practice on Sunday I figured out how to play a 6 chord, like C6. It has a unique and pleasant sound. <br />
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Each chord in a song doesn't stand alone and can't be taken separately -- the chord that follows is also very important. You want to move from one chord to the next in a smooth, melodic transition -- this is called the bass line. A walking bass line is a smooth transition from one chord (or arpeggio) to the next. <br />
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Before this approach can be effective, you need to know a bit of music theory. You need to know scale tones, chord tones and intervals. You need to know your finger board thoroughly. But how do you get this knowledge?<br />
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Most bass courses emphasize practicing scales and arpeggios, and this practice is important; but a little of it goes a long way. Too much of it is boring and may even be discouraging. I find that learning the elements of music is best achieved when the elements are being applied in a practical way: you want to play a certain jazz standard. So you play that standard over and over, trying different ways to play the arpeggios, different places on the neck where you can access the notes in the chord. In the process of learning the song, you are also learning your instrument and training your ear. <br />
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How do you become a jazz musician? One professional jazz man said you do it <i>by learning tunes</i>.Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-66052573812356297492018-07-30T15:56:00.000-07:002018-07-30T15:59:02.720-07:00We Play InstrumentalsLast Friday our singer was ill, so couldn't make practice, so we worked on instrumentals. I liked this, because instrumentals are a different experience and add variety to our repertoire. <br />
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I can hear my bass much better and that helps me better judge how I am doing and learning.<br />
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Give a listen to our practice songs at <a href="http://www.soundcloud.com/gwaltrip,">www.soundcloud.com/gwaltrip,</a> under the date of July 29, 2018. The songs arfe marked with this graphic:<br />
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I am playing a Fender fretless Jazz Bass.<br />
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<br />Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-54799874814774915482018-07-18T10:08:00.002-07:002018-07-30T15:55:02.036-07:00Devising Bass Lines for Jazz StandardsLast week my jazz group had a gig at the Slapface Coffee & Tea Cafe in Fremont, CA. To prepare for the gig, I practiced the songs on my own (as well as with the band). I record every practice and gig with my H5 Handy Recorder, then upload them to www.Soundcloud/gwaltrip for the band members to review. Some of the songs are tight and others are not, particularly when we are playing new songs for the first time.<br />
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We have another gig this Sunday (July 22, 2018) at the Big Basin Cafe, on Big Basin Way in Saratoga. There will be a car show on the street and we are expecting a good crowd. [Update: gig was postponed due to a scheduling mixup.]<br />
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I am continuing my own approach to arpeggios and learning the songs: I go through the sheet music and experiment with the chords, how best to play a minor 7th flat 5 while transitioning to the next chord, for example. What sounds best? What's the best way to play a major 7th chord? This experimentation has yielded knowledge and new sounds from my fretboard. It helps me remember how to handle various chord arrangements during performance.<br />
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Various jazz musicians have said that memorizing the songs is the best approach. You must know each song thoroughly, to play it through smoothly without mistakes, without getting lost. Memorization is the way to do that.Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-33543135522251009542018-06-09T11:49:00.001-07:002018-07-18T10:15:33.656-07:00Know Your Arpeggios! The Stuff of Which Great Bass Lines Are Made.I have been using Crescendo music notation software for the past few days, to write out bass lines, to experiment with arranging the notes in the chords (arpeggios to us bassists), to gain understanding of what works and what doesn't. To do this, I need to know what notes are in a particular chord, such as A-7, BbMaj7, B-7(b5), etc. I have these notes partially memorized, but I am not completely there yet. So I refer to arpeggio charts (that I made myself in Excel), to see what notes are available.<br />
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For example, here are the first two lines of Autumn Leaves, written out in Crescendo music notation software (which is very easy to use). (Click in the image to see full size):<br />
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A free version of Crescendo Music Notation software is available for download, and the licensed version for home use is a bargain at $35 ($50 for business use). <a href="https://www.nch.com.au/notation/index.html">See this link.</a><br />
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To facilitate building the bass line, I put the chord notes just below each bar. For example, the notes in A-7 (A minor 7) are A, C, E & G. Then I put quarter notes in each bar that correspond to the chord notes, but arranged in an ascending or descending order, and using passing notes where needed. (Note: the notes below each bar show the notes in order, but the notes in the bar above are arranged differently). For example, the first bar is A-7 and the notes in A-7 are A, C, E & G. However, the notes written in the bar are A, B, C and E. (The B is a passing note, not a chord note). In the next bar we have D7 (D dominant 7) and the notes are D, F#, A and C, but the notes I used in the bar are D, E, F# and A. The E is a passing note.<br />
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You may need a reference of arpeggios in order to create your own bass lines. Here is a graphic I made of major 7 chords, dom 7 chords, minor 7 chords, and minor 7 flat 5 chords. This chart may help you learn your arpeggios, as well as choose notes for each bar in your compositions.<br />
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Please report any errors you may see.Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-21905572850611416882018-06-06T12:12:00.000-07:002018-06-06T12:12:47.450-07:00Building Great Bass LinesIf you want to be a great bass player, you need to understand chord structures and bass lines. A great bass line is a string of notes that move smoothly from one chord to the next. Generally the notes go up and then come down, a nice swing from low to high to low again.<div>
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I am really into studying bass and the composition of bass
lines to jazz standards.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am using my musical notation software to write walking
bass lines to jazz standards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is
giving me insights into jazz and chord structures.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My musical notation software allows me to write out a sheet
of music, using the notes that I choose myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then it lets me play the music back on my computer, so I can hear how the composition sounds. If I don’t like the sound, I can change the
notes to make it better.</div>
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I am studying something called “voice leading,” which means
that when you play one chord (say Cm7 followed by F7), you move from the last note
in C7 to the nearest note in F7, not necessarily to the root note, but to whatever note is closest. It could be the 1<sup>st</sup>, 3<sup>rd</sup>,
5<sup>th</sup> or 7<sup>th</sup> of F7 in this example, but it can also be a
passing note, a note in the respective scale that is not a note in the chord.</div>
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You could play Cm7 followed by F7 using chord notes in order:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>C Eb G Bb<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>--<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>F A C Eb and it would work but
sound dorky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using voice leading you
could smooth out the bass line by playing the chords in this order:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>C D Eb G, F G A C.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of course, D is not a note in Cm7 and G is
not a note in F7, these are passing notes that smooth out the bass line and it
sounds good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The best use of passing
notes are on the 2<sup>nd</sup> and 4<sup>th</sup> notes in the chord.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I am writing out a bass line to Autumn Leaves in G minor (Bb
major) just to solidify my understanding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I won’t do this for every song in my repertoire, but I will study each
song separately to get the gist.<o:p></o:p></div>
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More about this later.</div>
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Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-29529591632205094222018-05-26T08:23:00.001-07:002018-05-26T08:23:26.214-07:00Networking With Other Musicians; When to Walk AwayI read an ad on Craigslist for a jazz bassist and jazz drummer for a gig in Santa Cruz, California. So I alerted my favorite drummer Stan and we proceeded to the practice. The man who was organizing the gig is a very nice guy but clearly not ready for a serious gig, so we politely demurred and proceeded to the nearest Santa Cruz coffee shop, Coffeetopia. I recommend it. The coffee was, for me anyway, better than Starbucks. <br />
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To be a working musician, you need to create as large a circle of musical associates as you can. However, before doing that, you must be ready to gig. Working on your own talent with practice and ongoing study is essential, plus practicing with a band, however early in its development.<br />
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However, the coffee was good and Stan and I had a pleasant chat.Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-72952399108284576922018-02-18T12:29:00.000-08:002018-07-18T10:42:48.959-07:00Names for Western BandsI am always seeking names for bands among the daily barrage of broadcasts, news and media. Yesterday I was listening to the Blues Brothers sing "Soul Man." The opening line starts off "I'm comin' atcha on a dusty road...good lovin' I've got a truck load."<br />
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See the band name hiding there? It's "Dusty Road." I think that would be a good name for a country and western band.<br />
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A good band name, I think, is two words that create a mental image that ties in with the band's genre. The two words are a noun and an adjective. You can also use one word, usually a noun.<br />
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It's a fun exercise. Some examples off the top of my head:<br />
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Spurs<br />
Side Saddle - a real name of a western girl band<br />
Rawhide<br />
Hellbent for Leather<br />
Ghost Riders (name of a famous song)<br />
Cinco Amigos -- A Mexican music quintet<br />
Starlit Night<br />
Campfire Cousins<br />
Bullwhip<br />
ChawStogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-37851170604812745472018-01-15T12:11:00.001-08:002018-01-22T11:41:11.843-08:00Minor 7th ArpeggiosTo change a major 7th into a minor 7th arpeggio, you flat the third and the seventh notes. See chart below.<br />
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<br />Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-3196206227157539612018-01-11T12:18:00.001-08:002018-01-22T11:49:33.592-08:00Major 7th ArpeggiosI just enrolled in Geoff Chalmers course, "Double Bass Arpeggios: the Play Along Collection," at <a href="http://www.discoverdoublebass.com/">www.discoverdoublebass.com</a>. The first arpeggios to learn are the major 7th chords, and here is a chart of the major 7th chords that I previously created in Excel. Bass players are advised to know the notes in each key, and know them cold. Here are those notes:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-aFm9u88PZBB-STo7ye_lFWgB5VIzqFINuA0y5swmY-FveIWvS_-XESzQEhoc3bURx0pYWDjlecWMMQ-O3vHaXrD9Izv_wy3yqjIJ56b5yF8CbtIO_QXKKGHSKPbc7RIcyfZHgmffNQ/s1600/Major+7+Arpeggios.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="251" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI-aFm9u88PZBB-STo7ye_lFWgB5VIzqFINuA0y5swmY-FveIWvS_-XESzQEhoc3bURx0pYWDjlecWMMQ-O3vHaXrD9Izv_wy3yqjIJ56b5yF8CbtIO_QXKKGHSKPbc7RIcyfZHgmffNQ/s400/Major+7+Arpeggios.PNG" width="266" /></a></div>
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Geoff's course provides recordings of each arpeggio, played on a piano, to familiarize students with the sound of each. He also provides staffs of notes for each as well, with notation on which string and finger to use. This is very helpful. You can't learn the proper way to play these arpeggios just by looking at the chart above -- you need to use the proper fingers and the proper strings. Check out <a href="http://www.discoverdoublebass.com/">www.discoverdoublebass.com</a> for courses and prices.</div>
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I am not proficient in using a bow, but I have a French bow and plan to learn. If you are not playing in an orchestra, you may not have much use for a bow. However, using the bow for practice is highly advisable, as it emphasizes the sound of each note and arpeggio. I ordered some Pop's Double Bass Rosin from Amazon, and should have it tomorrow. Geoff's website also has a course in the use of the French bow, and I plan to take that course in a few more weeks.Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-13460632788088322202018-01-08T17:41:00.000-08:002018-01-09T11:15:07.307-08:00Taking Another Crack at Double Bass<div style="text-align: left;">
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<b>The Double Bass</b></h3>
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I have two underused double basses. When I got them, I imagined that it would be fairly easy to move from bass guitar to double bass. I was wrong. Double bass (aka acoustic bass, stand-up bass) is a very different instrument. A double bass requires more precision in setting it up, and more technique to master. Your left hand fingers have to be just right, creating a "handshake" on the strings. You need to learn to use a bow, not for playing necessarily, but to practice arpeggios and exercises, because you can hear the sound better that way.<br />
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Further, getting a pickup attached so you can increase volume is important, and they are expensive, and you need one that helps stop feedback.<br />
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There is no easy or fast way to learn double bass. I have learned the hard way, that you cannot just ignore the experts and use whatever fingering and plucking you like. If you don't do it right, your hands will get very tired and you won't make it through a gig.<br />
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This week I realized that I do indeed want to be proficient on double bass, and that I need to stop fooling myself and learn all the proper techniques. You must be patient and take it one practice at a time. You need to pay careful attention to your intonation -- when playing anything, do it over again until you get the rich bass tones you need. You need to replace the "thunk thunk thunk" sound with a nice "boom boom boom."<br />
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Want to learn double bass? Do it right, and do it slow until you get it.Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-44856200234395960352017-12-25T19:27:00.001-08:002017-12-25T19:31:28.554-08:00A Christmas GigI was offered a charity gig in Salinas for elderly and disabled citizens. My regular bandmates either couldn't or wouldn't make it due to work and family obligations. So I invited a piano player and teacher who lives here in Hollister, one Wendy Starke. Wendy accepted, and so she and I played as a duet for the Christmas party of December 22nd. It went well, and we were happy and gratified to have made around 100 seniors happy and merry.<br />
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We played mostly Christmas songs, but threw in two or three non-Christmas tunes as well. I recorded the whole performance and posted it at SoundCloud. It is here if you are interested in listening: <a href="http://www.soundcloud.com/gwaltrip.">www.soundcloud.com/gwaltrip.</a><br />
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If you don't want to listen to the whole performance, you can just listen to "The Christmas Song 12222017" to get the flavor of the gig.<br />
<br />Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-47298242427932694712017-11-26T11:00:00.000-08:002017-11-26T11:00:57.736-08:00Moment's Notice Practice of 11-25-2017Our band had a practice yesterday, in preparation for a gig on December 3rd. We are using Jay of "Ship of Fools" as our keys man, since our regular keys man, Raf, is out of town.<div>
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If you wish, have a listen at this link: <a href="http://soundcloud.com/gwaltrip"> www.soundcloud.com/gwaltrip.</a></div>
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Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-27876480247139782952017-11-16T18:22:00.004-08:002017-11-16T18:22:57.826-08:00Musical Progress! Things Are Coming Together! A Musician's Growing Success.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYv1r5nmFxRKoV4fjQLH1K3Yk5OkY0eCiPAtbzjzffKNKWLmxX8Mm2oDbNrYy8jT-DJ4wAs-r2dOPg4ouIPvDK1HIRAVvx9cvHY4arjlYYVNHREYoe9DbeVFWiA-19ljV7DKu0X8JRH38/s1600/Moments+Notice+Logo+01.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="300" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYv1r5nmFxRKoV4fjQLH1K3Yk5OkY0eCiPAtbzjzffKNKWLmxX8Mm2oDbNrYy8jT-DJ4wAs-r2dOPg4ouIPvDK1HIRAVvx9cvHY4arjlYYVNHREYoe9DbeVFWiA-19ljV7DKu0X8JRH38/s200/Moments+Notice+Logo+01.png" width="200" /></a></div>
I have noticed a growing success in my musical endeavors. I am making new contacts and acquaintances who are musicians. I recently quit the big band I was in -- the Cats' Jazz Band of Los Gatos, California. I had been with them three years and did not feel they could provide me with more personal progress. I needed the time practicing with my newer group, the <i>Moment's Notice Jazz Band</i> of San Jose, California. I recently created a FaceBook page for MN Jazz <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MomentsNoticeSanJose/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel">at this link</a>:<br />
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Meanwhile I made the acquaintance of Jay, lead singer and keys man for the band <i>Ship of Fools</i>. I met him through the guitar player, Gil DeLaRosa, who plays with Moment's Notice. Jay has been wanting to do more jazz and invited Gil and Gil's bass player (me) to gig at a coffee shop in Big Basin, California,in an upscale business district near Saratoga, California. We gigged with Jay on October 28, and Jay was happy with the result. We will undoubtedly gig more with Jay in the future. Jay is an important contact, and contacts are what a musician needs to find opportunities to gig.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2UCzCKVh-JQWf3cySEOBJLURHdFkRhb-XVW3LEZpIU8uoQjKFV1ic47S-WgYJhYU7ErjeTkNwTk-Cgn5kc_sHYnXp3SDgCxo2cjJGCYeHRlpjrfB06KXKI-DMqsVdJY_7q1saDcZDnQ/s1600/Pirate+Ship.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="800" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx2UCzCKVh-JQWf3cySEOBJLURHdFkRhb-XVW3LEZpIU8uoQjKFV1ic47S-WgYJhYU7ErjeTkNwTk-Cgn5kc_sHYnXp3SDgCxo2cjJGCYeHRlpjrfB06KXKI-DMqsVdJY_7q1saDcZDnQ/s200/Pirate+Ship.png" width="200" /></a><br />
I recorded the Big Basin gig (most of it anyway) and posted it at <a href="https://soundcloud.com/gwaltrip">my SoundCloud page,</a> If you click on this link, the first song links you will see have a ship logo -- all of those are the gig with Jay (listen with headphones). Scroll down and all the rest of the songs are of Moment's Notice practices. Our singer Kelly Aynes does a nice job on vocals. Most of these songs were played for the very first time in practice, yet still sound good. Experienced musicians can do that.<br />
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Another contact I made recently is that of Wendy Starke, a piano teacher and pianist (who plays electronic keys) and who loves jazz. I practiced with her once and will do so again soon. We are doing a charity gig for disabled vets on December 22 in Salinas. We need a guitar player to join us for better results, and I will look for one.<br />
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Sucess as a musician involves (1) learning songs and expanding your repertoire, (2) jamming and gigging with other musicians, and (3) getting known in local music circles.<br />
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<br />Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-87059434667023927062017-11-04T21:06:00.001-07:002017-11-04T21:09:52.153-07:00Great Names for Bands! Maybe. Ideas. Market Yourself!In my prior post I discussed bad names for bands. Avoid names with negative connotations or bad visual images. Now its time to discuss GOOD names for bands.<br />
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A good name shouldn't be overused, trite or hackneyed. Ideally, it will create positive visual images that reinforce the types of gigs your band seeks, e.g., weddings, balls, corporate event or drunken orgies. Well, if you are seeking the last of these, you are on your own.<br />
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It's a lot harder to come up with positive, good band names that have not already been done to death. However, here is a small few. I may add to the list as I discover other possibilities. Suggestions are encouraged. Consider:<br />
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<br />Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-38579879934649160232017-11-04T20:22:00.000-07:002018-01-22T11:48:54.129-08:00BAD NAMES FOR BANDS! (Avoid at All Costs!)My jazz band recently selected "Moment's Notice" for the band name. I hate it. It is overused by many bands, isn't unique and conveys nothing positive. However, I decided to live with it because it is a minor issue at this point in time.<br />
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While researching great names for bands, however, I came across worse names for bands. Based on marketing research and psychological principles, there are some band names that you should NEVER use. Here are some of them:<br />
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Bulbous Buttocks<br />
Rusty Hinge<br />
Ugly Woman<br />
Halitosis<br />
Toenail Fungus<br />
Ingrown Toenail<br />
Worms and Slugs<br />
Bad Body Odor<br />
Fingernails on a Blackboard<br />
Full Spittoon<br />
Rock In My Shoe<br />
Festering Wound<br />
Moldy Bread<br />
Abscessed Tooth<br />
Nosebleed<br />
Compound Fracture<br />
The Drunk Tank<br />
On Parole<br />
Highly Infectious<br />
Ripe Cadaver<br />
Dead Fish<br />
Sour Notes<br />
Purple Bruise<br />
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You have been warned: these band names will not provide the public with a good impression of your band or your music.Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-56690902874581231272017-08-21T21:13:00.001-07:002017-08-21T21:22:11.221-07:00Tips of the Week: Dealing With the Jitters; Real Book Choices<b>Dealing With Nervousness:</b> Yesterday my band played at the GVA Cafe in Morgan Hill, California. Just before we broke into glorious song, I had a very small case of butterflies (nervousness). There were two accomplished bass players in the audience. Would they think I'm a jerk? A rube? A fool with a bass?<br />
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It was just a fear of being judged. We all fear not measuring up to others' expectations. But I had a quick talk with myself: just play like there's no one in the audience. If they like it or don't like it, it's all good. So nervousness was not a factor in my playing that night.<br />
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<b>Real Books: </b>Real Books are books of sheet music for musicians. They are licensed for use, and not a violation of copyright, as were their predecessors, called Fake Books. Most of them are for C instruments like piano, guitar and bass, but you can get them also for Bb and Eb instruments, that is, saxophones and trumpets. The most popular Real Book on Amazon is Real Book 1, 6th Edition. It has the notes and chord symbols, but not the lyrics. This has been a problem for me, as I still get lost on occasion, and need the lyrics to keep me on track. <br />
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I found out this week that, instead of Real Book 1 6th Edition, you may want to consider Real Voice Book 1 for High Voice. It has the same music, in the same keys, but with the lyrics. The price is about the same, very affordable. Real Voice Book II is different from Real Book II, but its songs also include the lyrics. I have both of them. <br />
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Other great Real Books that have the lyrics are the New Real Book series, 4 books as I recall. There is some duplication of songs, but enough differences to make it worth your while to buy.Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-56332894798808313942017-08-21T20:47:00.000-07:002017-08-21T20:47:18.230-07:00First Gig of Our Jazz Quintet: "Moment's Notice" -- Lessons Learned<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7YpfxYrksRUf0WNQHbNP2Kex5MtYAu3L9SNljP1oky9K5SbhEO2XqtYLBqJzJNisEPJ6ERxIzaJt1S_PzifcB2ShSGAmgUq0AVe9ouAEd17zy7hbFjDcZCDAhP4aA86czWstJEaMZ9yM/s1600/GVACafe1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="496" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7YpfxYrksRUf0WNQHbNP2Kex5MtYAu3L9SNljP1oky9K5SbhEO2XqtYLBqJzJNisEPJ6ERxIzaJt1S_PzifcB2ShSGAmgUq0AVe9ouAEd17zy7hbFjDcZCDAhP4aA86czWstJEaMZ9yM/s400/GVACafe1.png" width="400" /></b></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Fusion Blue at the GVA Cafe</b></td></tr>
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Yesterday our jazz quintet, "Moment's Notice" played its first gig at the GVA Cafe in Morgan Hill, California. We only played five tunes, in conjunction with a jazz fusion group of friends. Basically, we opened for their band "Fusion Blue (see pic)."<br />
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It went well. Not perfect, but you must adapt to unexpected twists and turns. I forgot my sheet music to "It Had to be You," and was forced to adlib the song. When we started to play "Fly Me to the Moon," our singer started off on the wrong note, forcing me to switch to the key he was singing in, instead of the key on the sheet music. Still, it came out all right. Lesson learned: always start a song with an instrumental piece to set the key for the singer. We need to practice our beginnings a lot more.<br />
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I recorded the gig with my Handy H5 Zoom recorder, but had the volume up too high and there is distortion in the recordings. My bad. So I won't post them here. Another lesson learned. I should have anticipated this because of the small stage and volume, and turned the recorder power down a bit.<br />
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Our guitar player came up with the name for the band, "Moment's Notice." It's the title of a jazz tune by John Coltrane, and we don't even play the song, yet. It wouldn't be my first choice, but it's better than nothing. At least now I can start a FaceBook page for the band and start promoting it.<br />
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The big band that I play with, the Cats Jazz Band of Los Gatos, has a few weeks off, and will resume practice on September 7. That's great, it gives me a chance to polish up our repertoire with the extra practice time.Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-90506295676572400782017-07-30T10:52:00.001-07:002017-08-21T20:36:52.255-07:00"Blues In The Night" Big Band Recording #jazz #bigbandsOur big band, the Cats Jazz Band of Los Gatos, meets every Thursday for practice. This past Thursday was our last meeting of the semester and we said goodbye to our bandleader. Russell Zimmer, who has taken a more full time job as music director for a school. <br />
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I think the best song we played on Thursday was "Blues in the Night." It was darn-near perfect. Have a listen.<br />
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<a href="http://yourlisten.com/Stogiebass/blues-in-the-night-07272017">http://yourlisten.com/Stogiebass/blues-in-the-night-07272017</a><br />
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<br />Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-4795358000786698062017-07-27T15:09:00.002-07:002017-07-29T10:08:42.168-07:00Planning My Next Bass Attack!Tonight is the last semester session for the Cats Jazz Band of Los Gatos, California. We will have a break for a couple of weeks, and resume in August. I am not sure I am coming back, however. I'm a bit bored and not terribly inspired. Maybe it's time to give my rival a chance to play bass with the band. I've been at it for three years now, and maybe it's time to move on.<br />
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I think my major goals right now are these:<br />
<ul>
<li>Learn as many jazz tunes as I can, with a goal of 100 tunes. This should prepare me for any jazz jam or gig.</li>
<li>Improve my knowledge of acoustic bass. I need instruction on technique and how to avoid fatigue. I have found a potential teacher.</li>
<li>Play in as many jazz jams as I can. I will look for ones nearby this summer.</li>
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My Handy Zoom Recorder has been an excellent asset for practices: it records the music very well and gives great feedback on how you actually sound.<br />
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Update: I've decided to stay with the Cats Jazz Band for the time being. I need the practice at reading notes. Reading notes well takes time, and the Cats has improved my note reading considerably. However, I'm not good enough yet, so I will stay.</div>
Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9211892028189020982.post-19130326897082454102017-06-18T12:27:00.004-07:002017-06-18T12:27:42.742-07:00My Jazz Band Is Coming Along!<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">My jazz band is coming along. We still need a name. The band didn't like my suggestions of "Five Drunks on Methadone" or "Stogie the Bass Player and His Supporting Cast." Oh well. Links to songs in our last practice are below if anyone is interested in listening. I play a bass solo in the first song, "Watermelon Man."</span><div>
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Here are the recordings. All in all, not bad. Not yet ready for prime time but getting there.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Watermelon Man: <a href="http://yourlisten.com/Stogiebass/watermelon-man-06172017">http://yourlisten.com/Stogiebass/watermelon-man-06172017</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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It Had to be You: <a href="http://yourlisten.com/Stogiebass/it-had-to-be-you-take-2-06172017">http://yourlisten.com/Stogiebass/it-had-to-be-you-take-2-06172017</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Cantaloupe Island: <a href="http://yourlisten.com/Stogiebass/cantaloupe-island-06172017">http://yourlisten.com/Stogiebass/cantaloupe-island-06172017</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Fly Me to the Moon: <a href="http://yourlisten.com/Stogiebass/fly-me-to-the-moon-06172017">http://yourlisten.com/Stogiebass/fly-me-to-the-moon-06172017</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Ain’t Misbehavin’: <a href="http://yourlisten.com/Stogiebass/aint-misbehavin-06172017">http://yourlisten.com/Stogiebass/aint-misbehavin-06172017</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Route 66: <a href="http://yourlisten.com/Stogiebass/route-66-06172017">http://yourlisten.com/Stogiebass/route-66-06172017</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Desafinado: <a href="http://yourlisten.com/Stogiebass/desafinado-06172017">http://yourlisten.com/Stogiebass/desafinado-06172017</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Stogiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05852841950131130696noreply@blogger.com0