theory Archives
Jazz ScaleHelper: A Look at the Scale Analysis and Study App for iOS and Android
Jazz ScaleHelper is, at it’s essence, a discerning ear. The app listens to you play your scales and arpeggios and gives you feedback on what you just played, as well as a grade. It judges your note stability, intonation, time and shows you how many notes per minute you played. The app’s analysis screen presents... »
Improvising: Scale Substitutions for Bass
In this new lesson, we’ll cover some tips on soloing over changes. In the video below, you’ll see that I’m playing chords through a looper, to create the pattern to play against. We start with a D Major scale, over an E minor chord, which is the Dorian mode. The scale: D E F# G... »
Intergalactic Bass: Scales Arpeggios Fingerings Theory & Much More
Hal Leonard has added Carlo Mombelli’s Intergalactic Bass method as their latest book in their Bass Instruction series. The comprehensive, 240-page book is based on the premise that in order to play music, one must have a solid handle on scales and arpeggios. A bassist, composer and educator, Mombelli said he searched for a book... »
Building Bass Lines: Navigating More Changes
Q: I have recently begun playing with a pop artist who writes what I would call “chord heavy” songs. These are not your typical I-IV-V tunes, and they definitely aren’t “riffy”; they are tunes with intricate verse and chorus progressions and extended bridges. I have been going off the lead sheets for now, but my... »
MusicalEar: A Look at the Music Theory and Ear Training App for Desktop Computers
I’m doing something a little different this time by reviewing an app I came across for your desktop computer. While not an iOS app, I thought that I’d be remiss if I didn’t let you all in on this. MusicalEar is an ear training and theory app, going way beyond any on the market. The... »
Enclosure Tone Exercises for Bassists
One way to give more interest to your improvisations is to add enclosure tones to otherwise simple note choices. Enclosure tones are two tones which “enclose” (i.e. one higher, one lower) another note. Generally, but not always, the note which gets “enclosed” is a chord tone. For example, if we begin with the root of... »
Learning Theory: Recommendations for Resources and Steps to Making it Happen
Q: What would you recommend as great resources for learning theory? I’m not someone who lacks in imagination or creative drive or even feel. I’m more of a groove player, and I’ve never stopped to get any formal grounding with modes, harmonizations, relationships of scales and arpeggios and putting that together for a given tonality.... »
On Modes and Getting Away from the Root
Q: I have question about how to practice and apply modes that is killin’ me. We are constantly being being bombarded with the concept of getting away from root in our playing and practice. For instance, scale finger pattern 4 starting on the 3rd fret of the E string is like G A B C... »
Jazz Box: A Look at the Chord and Scale Reference App for iOS
Jazz Box, in my humble opinion, has just helped to fulfill a need for a thorough, high quality harmonic study app. While not perfect and not 100% inclusive of every harmonic consideration, it goes way beyond any of the other apps I have seen in explaining scale considerations in the jazz idiom, spelling out various... »
Bass Line Construction: Legato Minor Pentatonic Scale Bass Run
Last time, we kicked off a bass line construction series of lessons with a study in improvising on some funk in the key of C. This time around, we’re focusing on some new phrasing ideas for the trusty old minor pentatonic scale. In this case, we’re using the A minor pentatonic scale: A, C, D,... »
The Bass Solo: A Guide to Soloing More Freely 
Nikki Sixx Selling Stage-Played Basses from Motley Crue Concerts 
Fabienne Gilbert: Come On Come Over 
Performing Live: Memorization vs. Reading vs. Improvisation 
Eric Avery Quits Nine Inch Nails 
NHØP: Autumn Leaves 
Capturing Your Ideas: Transform Your Musical Inspiration into Reality 
Ibanez Introduces Mike D'Antonio MDB3 Signature Bass 
Andrea Lombardini: By This River 
Funk Bros: Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart 
