Re: Going with your Gut
David Kaczorowski ( kaczordk@UMDNJ.EDU )
Thu, 26 Dec 1996 14:56:29 -0500 (EST)
>
> When do you start to depart from the method your teacher is teaching?
>
> I have a great teacher with 40 years of jazz bass playing experience on
> the bandstand. I appreciate the fact that I may NEVER develop to his
> level of ability, and the fact that what he does obviously has stood the
> test of working in the real world (he has played with many major jazz
> professionals over the years). But should I depart from his teachings
> and find my own way?
>
> Do not misunderstand me, I still want to contionue studying with him, but
> my "gut" wants to follow a slightly different path. He is a chord tone
> kind of guy with great time and tone. I am a chromatic kind of guy,
> still working on my time and tone. I believe in GENERALLY trying to hit
> a chord tone on the 1 and 3 (typically the root or third), but love the
> sound of chromatic passages that connect these chord tones. Perhaps it
> is just a matter of my walking (no pun intended) before I run. If you
> can't play basic chord tones over changes you probably have no business
> departing from that path until you can. I am able to do this, and really
> want to go beyond it's limitations. I also realize that certain settings
> (big bands for example) require a more spartan approach than other
> settings (duos and trios). Any suggestions from the older and wiser
> members of the list would be welcome. I also focus alot on bowed
> melodies and solos which my teacher kind of discourages. I just think it
> is a feature of jazz bass that is not used nearly as much as it could be.
> Granted it is difficult to do well, that is why I am starting on that
> skill early in my training.
>
>
>
>
> Michael D. Temple
> mdtemple@ix.netcom.com
> Birmingham, Alabama USA
>
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Why does your teacher discourage playing with the bow? The ability to
bow just makes you that much more of a complete bassist. Hasn't he ever
heard of Charles Mingus, just to name one. I'm really curious about his
reasoning.
peace,
David Kaczorowski
kaczordk@umdnj.edu