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New to Django music - Bass Help

Steve DossSteve Doss SacramentoNew
edited November 2006 in Bass Posts: 3
Hello All,
I have just started working on learning some Pearl Django songs to play with a guitar player. I have been playing guitar for 30 years and recently have switched over to playing bass guitar (3 years into it). I have always played by ear and do not read music or know how to play bass with chord charts. I play in a couple of groups right now, Santana Tribute band and a country rock band. I grew up listening to my father play upright with his friends when they would get together playing Country Swing. It's in my blood and I need to explore the walking bass. At this point I feel I won't be able to learn songs by ear anymore and will have to understand the rules or methods for the changing chords. I can hear them and I can duplicate them but I don't think I will be able to remember quite as many songs as I have done by ear with the rock and latin songs I am doing. I want to be able to play bass for a trio or quartet and if the first 4-10 songs work with the guitarist I will most likely rent or borrow an upright to fit the acoustic image.
I guess I'll get to my point. I need help with advice on books to put me in the right direction. I am looking for something that has practice lessons to develope the walking bass for Swing Music. Any help, Ideas or comments would be appreciated.

Comments

  • Josh GibsonJosh Gibson FLNew
    Posts: 29
    Hi Steve - Look for "Building Walking Basslines" by Ed...umm...somebody.

    The first thing you'll probably need to do is get a handle on some basic harmony. Learning to build and analyze Major Scales will be very helpful, if not, essential. From there, you can develop knowledge of how to construct chords, which is where walking basslines come from.

    If you can comfortably build triads and seventh chords, you'll be well on your way. It may seem overwhelming at first if you don't have any prior theory training, but it is well worth the effort. Good luck!
  • Steve DossSteve Doss SacramentoNew
    Posts: 3
    Josh, Thanks for the advice. I will look into the Building Walking Basslines book and see if I can order one. I new I should have stuck with Theory when I started playing guitar, but got lazy and just played rhythm chords and didn't think I could apply it to anything I was going to be doing.

    Steve
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