WCunha Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 If you read my rant on getting thrown out of my band. Something good came along. I got hooked up with some guys who were looking for bass player. They play music that I'm not really into (Clapton, Allman Bros., SRV, and Santana) not that it is bad just not what I would go out and buy. I went in with an open mind and with the idea I could learn something from these guys. Seeing how they are about 10 to 15 years older than me they might know a thing or two that I don't. As it turns out I ended up being right. I think it is going to turn out to be a good learning experience. I went over some tunes with me and the lead guitarist the other day. Very nice guy and knowledgeable. Can anyone recommend any good books on 12 bar blues. Never played 12 bar blues before so I need some practice and work on my blues chops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarkus Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 Listen to what you are playing. Get a list of songs you want to learn and take it slow. Its no big stretch, its not like they asked you to play King Crimson, but in the same sense Berry Oakley's dynamics is a lot to be considered. Play along with the cds and enjoy. You can learn all the blues you want in a book, but you really got to listen to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edendude Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 Forget the books on this one...the blues is a feeling, man! Listen and play! You'll get the hang of it. My Last Band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicklab Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 I can't really recommend any books to you. In college and shortly thereafter, a lot of the gigs I wound up with were blues gigs. A lot of my learning came from listening to various blues CD's, but just as much came from jamming and learning on the spot. The reason being that there are so many different ways to approach the form. So what to do? Have someplace to start. There are a number of different changes that you're going to be called upon to play. I actually wrote out some of those here . The best starting point for playing through these is to use arpeggios as the basis of what you're doing. Just playing I, III, V will get you a long way in blues. Then, try adding in the 6th, dom 7 or octave for the 4th beat in the measure. These are more commonly used because the major 7 just sounds too sweet for the form. But if you're really interested in learning the form, start listening. Tommy Shannon with Stevie Ray Vaughn is a great example of someone who's rock-solid in the form and it able to do a lot with very little. Check out some Clapton as well. There's a double live album from the '70's that's good, and so is From The Cradle. You can also check out some decent blues bass playing on the first three Led Zeppelin albums. Each one has at least one pretty straightforward blues tune. So start listening! Obligatory Social Media Link "My concern is, and I have to, uh, check with my accountant, that this might bump me into a higher, uh, tax..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edendude Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 And while you're at it... Get yourself a copy of the 'John Mayall & The Blues Breaker 70th Birthday Concert' DVD, and watch and listen to Hank Van Sickle play bass under Mick Taylor and Eric Clapton! And I second Nick's mention of Clapton's 'From The Cradle' CD. And it's so much fun to play along and pretend Jim Keltner is your regular drumming partner! And of Course SRV's 'Live at The El Mocambo' DVD is another great one to watch and listen to Tommy Shannon at work. My Last Band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruuve Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 Hey man: I didn't see your rant, but sorry to hear about the boot treatment...happens to all of us at least once, so don't feel too bad. Glad you got hooked up with something new. Life always throws you situations...whether it's a good or bad thing depends on what you do with it. Personally, I've always found that most of the changes I've made (whether I made the change myself or someone else helped me make the change ) have been good. You can take a negative thing (like getting booted) and turn it into a positive thing (finding a new gig). And sounds like you are already have. Good deal. Here's a fun story. I got booted once when I was drumming rather than bassing...I went over to the rehearsal place to hook up a new kick drum pedal I had just bought, and found the group there practicing with another drummer. And, doing so on my kit! Whoa, hoss. "If you want to audition another drummer, fine with me...but tell the slackard to bring his own f'ing drums rather than using mine." Man, was I pissed. Even moreso because I had asked the lead singer/rhythm guitarist if I could rent his crappy little PA from him once and he said "Well...I'd rather not...I'm particular about my gear." And there he was letting someone use my gear without even asking me. That was the part that ticked me off. Anyway, the singer called me later to say "we're going to go with a different drummer". (Now, this was after I had played with them for several months...I didn't realize it was a 4 month audition!) So, I went to get my stuff, and they were refusing to let me take a mike stand that belonged to me. They thought it was their's, but I recalled having bought it very recently. So, I got my drum gear and told them I needed a mike stand, I didn't care which one, and it wasn't negotiable. They said "we'll get back to you". I waited about a week and heard nothing from them. I was the only one with business sense in the group. I had booked about 10-15 shows with them...after I left I think they did 1 or 2 shows, then gave up because they couldn't get gigs. Anywayw, when I departed, I had about 6 shows booked, and I asked if they would pay me commission on the shows that I had booked. They said "Absolutely not". So, I canceled those shows (especially since I was also out a mic stand). They were pissed then, but they had an opportunity to do something in a fair manner and chose not to. I put a lot of work in booking those gigs (and paid good money for a mic stand), and wasn't even taking any kind of commission for it as a member...just felt like I was good at it and could really help move the band forward. They finally called and "said, look we'll give you a frickin' mic stand...just don't cancel any more shows that you booked!". So, I got a replacement mic stand and let them keep the last gig or two. It was pretty ugly as a whole though. I was young then. I'd probably just smirk and walk away now. But it was sure fun being evil when in a case were it was truly deserved... ...bwa ha ha ha ha... Enjoy your new gig! Dave Old bass players never die, they just buy lighter rigs. - Tom Capasso, 11/9/2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender69 Posted December 17, 2004 Share Posted December 17, 2004 Wcunha Congrats on landing on your feet, allways feels good when things work out Dave, Isn't that funny, almost the same situation. I was drumming for this band and I wasn't really happy but there wasn't anything else going on. next thing I know I just stop down at the bassist's house and there they are jamming with some guy on my drums. Said he was an old friend, so I just blew it off and let them go at it and left. I get a call two days later that they're going with this guy instead of me, which really didn't bother me much, maybe a little. About 3 weeks later it seems the guy left them high and dry two days before a Fri/Sat double header at a local club, and they wanted me back desperatly. Felt good to say NO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCunha Posted December 18, 2004 Author Share Posted December 18, 2004 Thanks for the suggestions Nick and Edendude. Nick thanks for that link to that thread as well. Dave that is one of the crappiest things that I have heard of a band doing. My old band would let other players use my rig when I wasn't there and they some people over for jam session that I couldn't make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tatudbassman Posted December 20, 2004 Share Posted December 20, 2004 I have a few (more than enough) books/cd's/sheet music etc... on the blues, history and the music. The history is pretty cool. These (2) books I recommend(cheap & have cd's): Ed Friedland's "Building Walking Bass Lines" Roscoe Beck's "Blues Bass Basics" Like what was already said, it's a feeling/attitude. Until you're there it will just be musak. Vince "Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." ~ Pablo Picasso Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCunha Posted December 20, 2004 Author Share Posted December 20, 2004 Originally posted by tatudbassman: I have a few (more than enough) books/cd's/sheet music etc... on the blues, history and the music. The history is pretty cool. These (2) books I recommend(cheap & have cd's): Ed Friedland's "Building Walking Bass Lines" Roscoe Beck's "Blues Bass Basics" Like what was already said, it's a feeling/attitude. Until you're there it will just be musak.Thanks for the book recommendations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Capasso Posted December 21, 2004 Share Posted December 21, 2004 I'm playing the same type of material. The suggestions above are solid, but also study the songs that you are learning for the band. If you listen to the Allmans (for example), you'll see what their bass players (there have been more than one) are doing with a song, what they are not doing with a song, and where the variations are. Like EdenDude says, the blues is about feel once you get the basics down - and they are pretty basic... Tom www.stoneflyrocks.com Acoustic Color Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars and keep your feet on the ground. - Theodore Roosevelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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