I'm just a beginner--not quite 1 yr of lessons. In a bass fb group I've seen a lot of advice to beginners to play a lot of scales. I've never seen the point of that, but wondered if I should do it anyway. My goal has always been to play Blues and use walking bass lines as much as possible. Great to see Carol Kaye validate my feelings about scales!
My advice is to learn chord tones (arpeggios), and also focus on the pentatonic and blues scales. The major scale is useful to know for the theory side of things.
I discovered Carol when researching how to play "I'm a Believer". I found her fascinating. What I am finding is that I get to understand something new but never a whole light bulb moment. It is something I need to keep dipping into and experimenting. Thank you Greg
Thank you Greg, this is interesting food for thought. I'd assumed scale tones was how I'd improve playing walking lines but I'm curious to try applying this instead, as it seems there may be a point to focusing on the chord tones as targets and then just let whatever passing tones get added as is aesthetically convenient.
That's a much better approach - as a general rule use chord tones on strong beats (1 & 3) and passing notes/chromatic notes on weaker beats (2 & 4). You'll get more interesting walking lines that way. Some scale patterns thrown in are also good though but definitely focus more on chord tones.
Great breakdown of her video. Those PDFs are like gold for me cuz I'm more of a visual learner, I don't just pick that up by ear. Both tabs and notation.👍👍
I never realized what a monster she was until I started learning bass. Its really some of the most interesting parts of music from the period of time when she was doing so much of the session work. I'm adding some of this to my practice sessions for sure.
She's coming at this from a jazz point of view, but the chord tone approach to bass is the default in many (most?) styles of popular music before rock diverged in the 1960s. Listen to blues, doo wop, old country, rockabilly, etc., and you'll find most of the bass lines are based on arpeggios. The core of playing a walking bass line is putting chord tones on the beats, then using other notes to make strong approaches to the chord tones.
Some really good points here. Also Reggae/Ska bass lines are heavily based on chord tones. I think what distinguishes Jazz walking bass lines is more approach notes on the weaker beats leading to more chromatic lines but it’s all really the same approach in regards to using chord tones.
Thanks. ‘Chordal notes’ means the same thing as ‘chord tones’ which are the notes that make up the chord. This is the same as the notes of an arpeggio. So for example, the chordal notes of C7 are: C, E, G Bb.
I feel like a lot of bass players focuses on playing like a guitar player and not a bass player. The main point is groove theory helps tho either way. We get caught up with technicality instead of being you.
I think I understand the context of your message if you mean all the internet bass shredders around nowadays! Personally I think studying all areas of music, including theory and learning how to lay down a solid groove is what will make you a great bass player.
@@HereComeMrCee-Jay very true, watch out for my Pet Sounds UA-cam video in two weeks time. I had a good look at the bass parts in the album and found out some interesting things! 😀
@@HereComeMrCee-Jay I like when she tells the story about Brian Wilson coming up with the bass line for Good Vibrations and said that it's something she never would have even thought of playing
Dwayne, I'm not sure if you are aware but Carol Kaye is also a professional Jazz guitarist and she was playing many many gigs each week in the 60's to earn a living. Lots of these gigs would have been without charts and she is a very good improviser. This was before she became one of the top session bassists in high demand. She was the cream of the industry at the time. It's better to put some research in before jumping to the wrong conclusions!
Click here for free PDF: www.gbshed.com/carol-kaye-interview
Watched her interview yesterday, then saw this video today.
Fantastic Greg.
Thank you sir
Glad you enjoyed it! Fantastic advice from an awesome session musician!
Yeah,she's old school, very cool, very interesting, super good grasp of the fundamentals, the basics, thats where the genius is, in the simplicity
Totally right on this. The old school approach that is lacking in a lot of learning nowadays!
She's phenomenal!
Couldn’t agree more!
My vote for coolest woman of her time.
Excellent point about practicing chordal note arpeggios vs scale note arpeggios. Worth the price of admission! Great lesson! Thanks for sharing.
Glad you liked it. Top advice from Carol Kaye.
Very cool to interpret her for us semi-noobs. She’s so damn accomplished that much of what she says & plays sails over my head. Good stuff!
Thanks, glad you liked it.
I'm just a beginner--not quite 1 yr of lessons. In a bass fb group I've seen a lot of advice to beginners to play a lot of scales. I've never seen the point of that, but wondered if I should do it anyway. My goal has always been to play Blues and use walking bass lines as much as possible. Great to see Carol Kaye validate my feelings about scales!
My advice is to learn chord tones (arpeggios), and also focus on the pentatonic and blues scales. The major scale is useful to know for the theory side of things.
I discovered Carol when researching how to play "I'm a Believer". I found her fascinating. What I am finding is that I get to understand something new but never a whole light bulb moment. It is something I need to keep dipping into and experimenting. Thank you Greg
She’s great isn’t she. More Carol Kaye coming over the next few weeks.
Thank you Greg, this is interesting food for thought. I'd assumed scale tones was how I'd improve playing walking lines but I'm curious to try applying this instead, as it seems there may be a point to focusing on the chord tones as targets and then just let whatever passing tones get added as is aesthetically convenient.
That's a much better approach - as a general rule use chord tones on strong beats (1 & 3) and passing notes/chromatic notes on weaker beats (2 & 4). You'll get more interesting walking lines that way. Some scale patterns thrown in are also good though but definitely focus more on chord tones.
That was fascinating. Thanks Greg. I’m a big fan of Carol Kaye and appreciate you spending the time to explain about jazz playing.
She’s great isn’t she. So much knowledge to share! Glad you liked it Ruth.
Great breakdown of her video. Those PDFs are like gold for me cuz I'm more of a visual learner, I don't just pick that up by ear. Both tabs and notation.👍👍
Glad it was helpful!
I never realized what a monster she was until I started learning bass. Its really some of the most interesting parts of music from the period of time when she was doing so much of the session work. I'm adding some of this to my practice sessions for sure.
Couldn't agree more! Watch out on the channel over the next few weeks as I'll be looking at Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys.
Love the pick play . . . just love her playing!! (Great Info, thank you!)
You’re going to like the next two videos as well then!
@@GregsBassShed Yay!!!!
Greg, that video is so vital to me. Thank you!
Glad you liked it Bev. So much good advice from Carol Kaye.
Great job Greg, thank you!
My pleasure! Glad you liked it.
When So What ? this was a great lesson, spent a couple hours on this last night!
Glad you liked it 👍
Carol Kaye is amazing! She has a website where you can purchase training manuals and CDs.
Yeah, really good website 👍
Great stuff. Thanks Greg!
Cheers Steven. Glad you liked it!
Well explained man. Great channel
Thanks 🙏
Amazing!
Thank you! Cheers!
Great Topic,Greg…
Thx🎶🎶
Cheers 👍
She's coming at this from a jazz point of view, but the chord tone approach to bass is the default in many (most?) styles of popular music before rock diverged in the 1960s. Listen to blues, doo wop, old country, rockabilly, etc., and you'll find most of the bass lines are based on arpeggios. The core of playing a walking bass line is putting chord tones on the beats, then using other notes to make strong approaches to the chord tones.
Some really good points here. Also Reggae/Ska bass lines are heavily based on chord tones. I think what distinguishes Jazz walking bass lines is more approach notes on the weaker beats leading to more chromatic lines but it’s all really the same approach in regards to using chord tones.
Thanks so much
No problem. Glad you liked it.
No problem. Glad you liked it.
Agree with loving that upright sound, esp with a pick. What bass is she playing???
I think that's an Ibanez SRX. Carol Kaye favoured a P-bass for a lot of her session career though.
Awesome thanks
The term "chordal notes" what does that mean
Thanks. ‘Chordal notes’ means the same thing as ‘chord tones’ which are the notes that make up the chord. This is the same as the notes of an arpeggio. So for example, the chordal notes of C7 are: C, E, G Bb.
I feel like a lot of bass players focuses on playing like a guitar player and not a bass player. The main point is groove theory helps tho either way. We get caught up with technicality instead of being you.
I think I understand the context of your message if you mean all the internet bass shredders around nowadays! Personally I think studying all areas of music, including theory and learning how to lay down a solid groove is what will make you a great bass player.
Lots of Finger Wigglers in the bass world these days 😂 🤪
It's also amazing how she has a tone that sounds like an upright, yet she's playing electric with a pick
Yes, she has an incredible tone. So many nuances with her pick playing.
Some of her stuff... for example some of the beach boys stuff... was actually doubled with an upright.
@@HereComeMrCee-Jay very true, watch out for my Pet Sounds UA-cam video in two weeks time. I had a good look at the bass parts in the album and found out some interesting things! 😀
@@HereComeMrCee-Jay I like when she tells the story about Brian Wilson coming up with the bass line for Good Vibrations and said that it's something she never would have even thought of playing
🙏💜🇿🇦
Thanks! 🙏
Full confession, I'm only here cuz I have a piano and a left hand. That's good since it frees up my right hand to hit the like button.
Glad you enjoyed it. Piano players are very welcome but make sure you are minimal with your left hand once a bass player joins you 😀
@@GregsBassShed Don't worry, I'll be learning rootless voicings soon.
Its Bev T replying.
👍
Did she ever play a live gig? Did she ever play without a chart? Let’s stop celebrating mediocre elevator music.
Dwayne, I'm not sure if you are aware but Carol Kaye is also a professional Jazz guitarist and she was playing many many gigs each week in the 60's to earn a living. Lots of these gigs would have been without charts and she is a very good improviser. This was before she became one of the top session bassists in high demand. She was the cream of the industry at the time.
It's better to put some research in before jumping to the wrong conclusions!
Here a list of some of her "elevator music"... you may have heard some of it
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_Kaye_discography
Wow! You must be really small in the pants to post such a vicious attack.
Did you ever write a bassline that was featured in a big time hit?