Review in Bass World Magazine, the publication of The International Society of Bassists. [This review appeared in the August issue, Vol 35, #1, pp 54-55] The Untold Secret to Melodic Bass - Jon Burr jbQ Media $14.99 32 pages Jon Burr is a noted first call bassist in the New York area, having … [Read more...] about Review of “The Untold Secret to Melodic Bass” in Bass World Magazine
Anchor and Pivot
What’s the best way to practice an instrument?
In order to gain an understanding of how to practice an instrument effectively and efficiently, it is useful to have some understanding of the structure of the brain, mind and nervous system. It is possible to “practice” and not get better – or, even, to get worse, and to inculcate bad habits that will … [Read more...] about What’s the best way to practice an instrument?
Internal Dynamics in Rhythm
This is an area that seems to be largely ignored in the teaching of Jazz, while at the same time one of the most essential components of “swing.” There is a pedagogy called Eurythmics pioneered by Émile Jaques-Dalcroze, which was taken up by the composer Carl Orff, and is now sporadically present in … [Read more...] about Internal Dynamics in Rhythm
Opposition and the Beginnings of Melody
Oppostion and the beginnings of melody One of the hallmarks of swing, or rhythmic music in general, is an attribute (to paraphrase Steven Colbert) that we can call “back-and-forth-iness.” “This, then that,” “Yin, then yang,” “See, then saw…” you get the idea. Swing. Rocking back and forth. The sense of … [Read more...] about Opposition and the Beginnings of Melody
Anchors, Pivots and Lead-Ins
Anchors The bass is primarily responsible to provide anchor notes at certain points in the music. To put that in a nutshell, we are generally responsible to play a root in a low register when a harmony first occurs; doing that underscores to the band “this is the chord!” If we cover the basic areas of … [Read more...] about Anchors, Pivots and Lead-Ins