the bass (upright) player that i usually play with is the kind who plays the strings mostly with his fingers and lays back in terms of volume and intensity.  but recently, i just played with a different bass player, who is the complete opposite: plays every note with his whole arm, and makes sure he's heard.

now that i've seen the light, i really prefer a more aggresive bass player.  but i'd like to hear your opinions on which you prefer.
There are no comments, leave a comment.
it seems to me that the person who can play with less intensity, would have room for a more dynamic range.   i like the ones  who listen to me, and play with me in a callaborative role much better than the ones who just sort of bull doze their way through the tunes with a constant intensity...in the case of the latter, i become more of an accompanist than a soloist...not that one is better than the other, i just like space...
depends on the music, really.  if you're doing a nice hard oscar peterson or monty alexander style swing set, then i want a thumping ray brown kind of bassist who moves it along and keeps a very good pulse.

but if i'm going to play more esoteric, more "bill evansesque", i'll hire a bassist who is more, uh, dainty in his playing and doesn't do the thumping.

in a perfect world, though, find a bass player who can do it all.  most of the time i hire those kinds of players because i like to explore all different styles of music when i'm playing a gig.
If I'm not back in 24 hours, call the president.

Scot is available for skype jazz piano lessons (and google hangouts, phone call, etc...)
Use the contact link at the top of the page.
the real problem is finding a bass player and then keeping them or getting them to turn up to practice! they seem to be very rare.
what we have done is found a great guitarist who is willing to play bass. the guitar and piano seem to clash too  much. i play synth bass for some guitar only numbers. he's really keen now and has bought a bass. so now we can "educate" him and get him to fit in well. so we can get loud and soft. note that the bassist drives the band and has a lot  of power, this comes out especially in the more loose modal jam sessions.
ah, the thing to do is hire bass players who don't need to rehearse.

one of my things is to hire guys that are so good that i'm always the weak link in the band.
If I'm not back in 24 hours, call the president.

Scot is available for skype jazz piano lessons (and google hangouts, phone call, etc...)
Use the contact link at the top of the page.
Please sign in to post.

Are you in the Pacific Northwest looking for a jazz jam? Check out our weekly Bellingham Jazz Jam!


Jazz Piano Notebook Series
Scot Ranney's Jazz Piano Notebook, Volume 1 - jazz piano tricks of the trade

Volume 1 of this educational jazz piano book contains 15 jazz piano exercises, tricks, and other interesting jazz piano techniques, voicings, grooves, and ideas Scot Ranney has picked up over decades of playing on stage.

Being a pro jazz pianist requires good ears, experience, and a bag of tricks that create the kinds of sounds people expect to hear from a jazz pianist. The entries in this book will give you some of those tricks.

buy pdf version - buy coil binding version - videos

Scot Ranney's Jazz Piano Notebook, Volume 2 - jazz piano tricks of the trade you can use today
"Latinesque"

Volume 2 has 14 jazz piano exercises and tricks of the trade, and quite a bit of it is Calypso jazz piano related material, including some Monty Alexander and Michel Camilo style grooves. Jazz piano education is through the ears, and books like this help connect what you're hearing to what you want to play.

buy pdf version - buy coil binding version

Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Notebook - jazz piano tricks of the trade

Volume 3 contains 12 jazz piano exercises and explorations by the acclaimed jazz piano educator, pianist, author, and recording artist Tim Richards.

Tim wrote the well known "Exploring Jazz Piano" and "Improvising Blues Piano" books and has several others to his name.

Tim has a new book out Beginning Jazz Piano (Pts 1 and 2)

Many of Tim's books now come with free access to interactive sheet music ONLINE, which permits slowing down of the backing and performance tracks, as well as the option to loop passages for practice purposes.

Tim now also has online VIDEO courses for his books, including Beginning Jazz Piano, Improvising Blues Piano and Exploring Jazz Piano Vol 1:

buy pdf version Tim Richards' Jazz Piano Notebook Volume 3 -

Jeff Brent's Jazz Piano Notebook - jazz piano tricks of the trade

Volume 4 is by Jeff Brent, a jazz pianist, composer, teacher, and author of "Modalogy" and other acclaimed jazz theory and education books. In this book Jeff shares detailed analysis of transcriptions of live performances. He covers everything from the shape of the songs to the tricks and licks he uses in improvised lines to the ideas behind his lush chord voicings.

buy pdf version - buy coil binding version

Most Recent Discussions
Great Resource for Jazz Pianists
Scale in Calderazzo solo
analyzing Someone To Watch Over Me
Site updates
Korg SV-1 vs Nord Electro
Brad Brad Mehldau's independant left hand
more...
Articles

Piano for Adoption Scam
Aprender Jazz en Piano
BEWARE: FREE BABY GRAND PIANO SCAM
Oh Tannenbaum for Jazz Piano
Volume 5 of the "Jazz Piano Notebook Series" is Available!
LearnJazzPiano.com File Downloads News
more...

Top Sheetmusic Picks

Jazzy Christmas Arrangements
Cocktail Piano
Best Songs Ever, 6th Edition
Christmas Medley
Moana Songbook
Late Night Jazz Piano

Jazz piano education is cool.

be the main character in your own story

Rock on. Follow your passion.

Sign In

privacy policy • terms of service • about • 50,655 messages 63,069 accounts 57,329 logins
LearnJazzPiano.com Copyright © 1995-2026 by Scot Ranney • website software and design by scot's scripts
LearnJazzPiano.com is For Sale - Serious Inquiries Only
▲