Tunes - original stuff from my own band, plus a few T-Lev tunes for showing off at the bass shop.

Techniques - continuous (albeit slow) improvement of two-handed bass parts and (simple) bass/melody interdependant parts, plus some interesting things for song intros and solos. Typically using e-bow, Bi-Comp "slow attack" effect, delays, etc. And because the guitarist in my band is a big "Tool" fan, he often throws in references to songs like 46 & 2, so it's handy for me to practice complex time-signature patterns that fit into our regular songs, just to be ready.

Cheers,

EG

Hi Stephane,

One thing to keep in mind in playing Parker's music is that you don't have to tap every note. Using pulloffs and halfstep slides is a great way to deal with challenging fingerings.

Also, if you're going to try to play a walking bass line at the same time, it'll be very hard.
First, try to work out the melody over block chords in the left hand. Just play the chord first at every change, and then you can work out a rhythm for it. you can always make it more complex in the left hand but it's easier do get it all going if the melody is down cold first.

If you can't play the whole cord, then just play the bass notes under the melody. Maybe that will make it easier to do.

Continuing to work on some originals with my World/Jazz fusion group "Comfort Food". Playing with some musicians from Mali, and learning kalimba and Mbira patterns on the Stick...

>>>As for me I realized that Charlie Parker's phrasing is a bit hard to adapt to any instrument other than saxophone, even hard to adapt on piano. Maybe Lee Vatip will dislike reading this .<<<<

Lee Vatip says:
Charlie Parker's music, AKA Bebop, is about particular harmonies and melodic phrasing that make up its vocabulary. Like all kinds of music it's also a feel. To study any music, a player should look into why the sound is such and how to capture it. It's not about the instrument or fingering. Dizzy played bop on trumpet, Bud Powell on piano and Tal Farlow on guitar likewise. The tunes and solos are easy to find on paper. The feel is another story.
Hint: If you want to absorb and play any style of music, start by listening to that style constantly till it's in your blood. Listen to Bird, Tal, Dizzy etc. and investigate why they have a similar sound. Then call me for lessons.

Anne E. Stile

I'm getting ready to start my new job as street musician...starting with the pieces I've been playing (mostly) for years. These are:

--10 pieces from the Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook

--Bach:
Little Prelude
Bourree
Crab Canon (from The Musical Offering)
WTC Prelude #1
WTC Prelude #2
2-part Invention #1

--Mozart:
Sonata K545 (2 excerpts)

--Haydn:
Sonata #10 (Allegro)

--Scarlatti:
Sonata K531

--Satie:
3 Gnossiennes

plus
Mad Monk:
Scarlatti Pastiche #1

There are as many more that I'll be adding when I feel more confident, including the complete Mozart K545.


Mad Monk.

Yes I completely forgot you can use pulloffs too ... That's a great help.

I tried Billie's bounce with the challenge of finding a taping fingering for the whole melody and every note: thus it's terribly difficult. I achieved it (more or less!) but final feeling was I would never be able to play it conveniently, at a moderate speed even with simplified bass chord changes.

There's a complementary and necessary job to do when deciphering any kind of score with this instrument: simplifying and adapting to the technics of the instrument. Looks obvious but I lack experience of Stick technics. What may go and what might not go with this instrument to play ANY melody of ANY kind...

For instance if you wanna play girl from Ipanema most Stickists simplify melody, eliminating some identical notes to avoid staccato which might slow down global interpretation.
Melody does not look more ugly for that omission, or more "beautiful" even. It sounds like girl from Ipanema adapted on Stick. And the nice sound of Stick (very helpful to play bossa) make listener forget your personal adaptation or simplification of melody.

This might look obvious for experienced musicians like you but I have been practicing Stick for only one year, and without any lessons unfortunately except yours in France last September Greg.

Take care

Thanks to my bookstore gig last night, I am now working on playing a song whilst carrying on a conversation about "what is that thing you are playing?"

A post full of stereotypical rhetoric about " feeling the bop", and "understanding the soul of bird and dizzy", and "having bebop in your blood", all to camoflauge the true reason for this post. To shill for more students. Can't say I'm surprised. You running out of sheep Steve?

If you guys are determined to seek instruction your better off building the skype community and bouncing ideas off each other rather than kneeling down for the so called "stick masters" in this community. Cause behind all the so called " good will" and help they profess to spread around, every single thing they do here is self serving.

Tritone

Ah, I've been waiting for a pattern to emerge. This person has slammed Steve fairly often. This might be the issue that is a common debate among musicians about art and making a living. There are some silly musicians who begrudge any success others have as "selling out". This might be the problem with our subject. I used to work out with Ben Sidran's son and had some chats with Ben. He is a nice human being who is very good musician and a very smart man. And, he is hated by lots of local struggling musicians.

You see, he knows how to promote himself. He knows what must be done if all you can do is play really well and aren't rock star pretty. So he takes opportunities to pitch his music and his products when there is someone willing to listen. I don't begrudge him his success, he has worked harder at music than I ever could. He has also worked very hard at making a living in a field that doesn't reward many.

This could be the problem. However, I think that our miscreant fallen member knows Steve in some way and is unhappy with him. I don't know Steve but I'll be spending a couple of days with him in a few weeks. I'm really looking forward to it and I will probably buy the book/DVD/CD or whatever he brings along. I like supporting artists, especially when I've had the chance to learn from them.

I don't get baited into commenting by this annoyance very often. I prefer to ignore him and not read his posts. But, I have decided to say all this because Steve, Greg, Emmett, Paul, Rob, Sean, Don, Walter, Lee, Jeff, and all the other really fine musicians that I can't think of because I'm mad, don't have to be here. There are probably many other more profitable ways to spend their time. I like it that they are here. I learn from them. I've had conversations with several of them. For a total hobbyist like me, who might never get good enough to play in front of anyone, to be able to interact with all of you (except one) is a great positive force in my life.

Tritone, some of us are here because we are sick and don't know what tomorrow will bring. Having a little bit of community and art is nice.

Please go away.

-Eric