LearnJazzPiano.com archives: Neil Olmstead Walking Base

elwapo -- 09/14/2006, 03:06:47 -- #29810

Hi all... thanks again for all your help. Maybe you could shed some light on this for me? I am drilling through the Walking base exercises from the "Solo Jazz Piano" book by Neil Olmstead and one of the exercises is introducing the idea of ascending and descending baseline paterns in the key of Bb. On the following Progression... G alt to C-7 (where he plays  7 #9 3 +5 on the G alt)he plays a descending baseline as follows G F Eb D leading to the C which is throwing me off as he is playing the natural 5th over a G alt whilst playing the +5 in the right hand which results in a dissonant 1/2 step interval. I realise that he may be just staying within the key of Bb for convenience but should he not be descending down the G alt using the Altered scale G F Eb Db which leads chromatically into the next root C?. I notice also that he predominantly uses the Aeolian mode whilst descending through minor 7 chords which to me sounds better than Dorian (I prefer the b6 sound). Also he states that you can use the following ascending motive for any chord quality (this example is in C) C D Eb E to the next root F (hence a double chromatic approach to the root a 4th away which he states was characteristic of Bebop. He plays this over a C alt chord which again seems a little srange as I would have played the C alt scale avoiding playing the natural 9th? Any thoughts on this would be appreciated...Thanks EW

7 -- 09/14/2006, 09:03:20 -- #29810

On the following Progression... G alt to C-7 (where he plays  7 #9 3 +5 on the G alt)he plays a descending baseline as follows G F Eb D leading to the C which is throwing me off as he is playing the natural 5th over a G alt whilst playing the +5 in the right hand which results in a dissonant 1/2 step interval. I realise that he may be just staying within the key of Bb for convenience but should he not be descending down the G alt using the Altered scale G F Eb Db which leads chromatically into the next root C?. In the hierarchy of the beat, the last beat of the bar is the very weakest. Over a weak beat, you can play literally ANYTHING. Also remember that one of music's basic principles is tension -> resolution. When you set up a tension and then resolve it, you create both interest (from the tension) and satisfation (from the resolution). As long as a tension is resolved, there is NO PROBLEM. As regards your proposed bassline G F Eb Db over this same progression, that is a perfectly viable option and also frequently used in similar situations. Also he states that you can use the following ascending motive for any chord quality (this example is in C) C D Eb E to the next root F (hence a double chromatic approach to the root a 4th away which he states was characteristic of Bebop. This remains true no matter what the quality of chord. And WHY? The answer once again lies in: 1. Play anything you want over weak beat 2. Resolution of tension

Jazz+ -- 09/14/2006, 11:46:30 -- #29810

A lot of bass players use the natural 5 or avoid it when it is an alt chord or even a diminished. It can sound weird playing a #5 or a b5 in a bass line. So things go bitonal, not realy a problem. I notice Bossa Nova bass players avoid b5 on diminshed chords and tend to play the root and octave.

SolArt -- 09/14/2006, 16:45:40 -- #29810

And walking up to the next root when it's a fifth higher: C E F F#

elwapo -- 09/15/2006, 00:53:52 -- #29810

Thankyou very much for al lthe great advice. I should really be thinking of this in terms of "forward motion" i.e weal beats and strong beats. It makes sense what you are saying 7, I just never really thought of base lines like that before. Thanks again......ew

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