J. R. PEDERSENS FORLAG – SCANDINAVIAN DOUBLE BASS TECHNIQUE – LEFT HAND III
JIMMI ROGER PEDERSEN
SCANDINAVIAN DOUBLE BASS TECHNIQUE LEFT HAND III 2. EDITION
SCANDINAVIAN DOUBLE BASS TECHNIQUE
Proof reading: David Beecroft and Søren Guldbrandsen Original Title: Skandinavisk Kontrabasteknik 2. edition Copyright (c) J. R. Pedersens Forlag Author: Jimmi Roger Pedersen Cover photo: Vagn Guldbrandsen Print: Scandinavian Digital Printing A/S ISBN 978-87-91618-13-0
PUBLICATIONS
Right Hand I (DE, DK and EN) Left Hand I (DE, DK and EN) Left Hand II (DE, DK and EN) Left Hand III (DE, DK and EN)
J. R. PEDERSENS FORLAG
Kærvej 1 Holløse
DK-4700 Næstved Tel.: +45 55 45 01 53 Mob.: +45 41 41 55 45 E-mail:
[email protected] E-site: www.jrpedersen.dk
PREFACE
There is no music without technique - and no technique without music! These booklets will give you a thorough technical training in the Scandinavian double bass technique, both for the left and the right hand. The exercises develop systematically - beginning simply and developing rapidly in their complexity. As such the booklets are beneficial for both beginning and advanced bassists who want to change their technique or just wish to widen their horizons. My own technique as a bass player (and also the content of these booklets) is built upon methods I have developed, and experiences I have had. In saying that, it should be pointed out that a large part of my technical foundation was acquired at the new Rytmisk Musikkonservatorium in Copenhagen/Frederiksberg while I was under the tutelage of the world famous Danish bassist, Niels Henning Ørsted Pedersen. The booklets are not meant to be the “be all, end all” bass method. Their purpose is to be a supplement to other excellent schools of bass playing. You can be sure that the technique you will learn here will not be suitable to all musical situations. I believe that it is important to know many different methods of playing in order to honour the various musical styles that one may encounter. Sometimes, when I see and hear bassists, it seems that they do not have the technical ability to express their musical ideas. For this there can be two important explanations: Either the technical level of the bassist is simply not high enough, or the musical ideas are too complex to be executed on their instrument with the technique available to them. No matter what playing level you find yourself at, there will be musical ideas that are difficult to play due either to the limitations of the instrument or to a lack of appropriate technique. It will be quite a lot of work for you to find the balance between your musical ideas and your technique. Learn to appreciate the difference between a “personal approach” to technical difficulties with the instrument (or the music) and the application of useless or bad habits. Here you will have to be open, honest and vigilant with yourself. Many of the exercises in the booklets can be used as warm up exercises. The exercises should not be played any faster than your body or your musical imagination can follow. It is understood that playing the exercises should never cause physical pain. It is a good idea to go back and reread the introductory text at the beginning of the chapter you are working on. Your understanding of what you are working on will deepen as you master the exercise. What you thought the text meant will change as you get the exercise under your fingers. Only after gaining a degree of masters over a specific technique, you will be able to judge whether it is useful to you. However, it is fundamentally important to focus upon the music above your technique. Immediately it can be much easier to work on your technique than the music. To work artistically on music tends to be a painful experience for the soul but nevertheless it always brings up a few good moments. No techniques are wrong - they just sound different!
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction....................................................................................5 A major...........................................................................................6 Exercises 1-9, movement in seconds........................................................................................6 Exercises 10-18, movement in fifths........................................................................................9
Bb major.......................................................................................11 Exercises 1-9, movement in seconds......................................................................................11 Exercises 10-18, movement in fifths......................................................................................13
B major.........................................................................................15 Exercises 1-9, movement in seconds......................................................................................15 Exercises 10-18, movement in fifths......................................................................................17
C major.........................................................................................19 Exercises 1-9, movement in seconds......................................................................................19 Exercises 10-18, movement in fifths......................................................................................21
Db major.......................................................................................23 Exercises 1-9, movement in seconds......................................................................................23 Exercises 10-18, movement in fifths......................................................................................25
D major.........................................................................................27 Exercises 1-9, movement in seconds......................................................................................27 Exercises 10-18, movement in fifths......................................................................................29
Eb major.......................................................................................31 Exercises 1-9, movement in seconds......................................................................................31 Exercises 10-18, movement in fifths......................................................................................33
E major.........................................................................................35 Exercises 1-9, movement in seconds......................................................................................35 Exercises 10-18, movement in fifths......................................................................................37
F major..........................................................................................39 Exercises 1-9, movement in seconds......................................................................................39 Exercises 10-18, movement in fifths......................................................................................41
Gb major.......................................................................................43 Exercises 1-9, movement in seconds......................................................................................43 Exercises 10-18, movement in fifths......................................................................................45
G major.........................................................................................47 Exercises 1-9, movement in seconds......................................................................................47 Exercises 10-18, movement in fifths......................................................................................49
Ab major.......................................................................................51 Exercises 1-9, movement in seconds......................................................................................51 Exercises 10-18, movement in fifths......................................................................................53
SC A N D I N A V I A N DO U B L E B A S S T E C H N I Q U E – L E F T H A N D I I I
INTRODUCTION
After a long period of systematic going through thousands of exercises compiled out of various parameters and variables, the exercises for this booklet were primarily selected on the following background:
SCALE
It is my experience, that we here in the West, we are able to work with diatonic scales for a longer time without getting tired. These scales are the basis for most of the music we hear and/or play every day - therefore the exercises will soon show their value in the your daily work. It is also possible to replace a diatonic scale with another scale but my choice of exercises would then have been different. A major is selected as origin because of the possibility of easily being able to compare the intonation with the open A-string.
G-STRING
The G-string is chosen since this booklet mainly is focussing on the solo playing rather than the fundamental role for the bas but there is not anything preventing you from moving all exercises to the string D, A or E.
FINGERING
The exercises have either the 1. finger (in main position) or the T. finger (in thumb position) on the first or last tone of each progression. Of course, there are many other possibilities but this makes a good basic for the immediately most appropriate use of the strength in the left hand. On the way upward, the thumb will go very late on the front side of the fingerboard and in reverse downward. The changeover may be carried out other places depending upon dimensions of bass and hand.
RHYTHM
All exercises may as well start displaced so that the accentuation changes or all eight notes may also be divided into three with or without a pickup. The effect in the end should make you able to put together any tones in any ways in all progressions after musical requirements.
PROGRESSION
A progression or a figure (in this booklet) is defined by a tone having one or more attached tones in one Range. There are only secondary shifts in a progression. The booklet shows basic examples on a beginning tone attached to partly one tone (in intervals from a second to a quart) and partly to two tones (respectively a second and a third) all in upward and downward directions.
PROGRESSION MOVEMENT
Selection of two parameters: 1) Progressions moving upward or downward in seconds without any rests. Here one can vary – for example with two steps forward and one back or something similar. 2) Progressions moving in fifths with a small rest in between. It gives you the possibility of hitting precisely the first time - besides it is easy to hear.
AMBITUS
In order to limit the length of the exercise, the range of the notes for each exercise is about one octave. You can go further up the fingerboard as long as possible.
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SC A N D I N A V I A N DO U B L E B A S S T E C H N I Q U E – L E F T H A N D I I I
A MAJOR EXERCISES 1-9, MOVEMENT IN SECONDS
The exercises consist of small progressions in A major scale on the G and D-string moving in seconds upwards or downwards. After some time, when the exercises are working out more fluidly, it is gradually possible to jump progressions up and down as you like and in addition, it is possible to move up the fingerboard further than it is notated. The first exercise with solitary tones forms the foundation of the following exercises. 1
Exercise 1: The basis for the following exercises. Shift from main position to thumb position around the tone B or C# - possibly, with the thumb on the side of the fingerboard like an inter station. Try out also the exercise with 2., 3., 4. or T. Finger. 2
Exercise 2: One forth down is added after each step to the fundamental exercise 1. Do also try out the exercise with a pickup or/and divided in three. On the second bar beat one it is hard to use a barre with 1. finger. A barre with the 3. finger is also possible.
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SC A N D I N A V I A N DO U B L E B A S S T E C H N I Q U E – L E F T H A N D I I I
3
Exercise 3: One quarter up is added after each step to the fundamental exercise 1. 4
Exercise 4: One third down is added after each step to the fundamental exercise 1. 5
Exercise 5: One third up is added after each step to the fundamental exercise 1. 6
Exercise 6: One second down is added after each step to the fundamental exercise 1. Page 7 of 56
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Bass Beyond (2007) Elegance, poise, and sincerity - these are the words that best describe Jimmi Roger Pedersen’s latest release, "Bass Beyond". Demonstrating his exhaustive mastery of the bass, Pedersen creates exquisite bass compositions on this CD, oftentimes involving a textured bass line and lead melody line. "Who’s Fresh and Who’s Funky" is one of the most outstanding tracks on this CD, displaying a exceptionally heart-felt, groovy, and free-flowing performance. The slow-paced "Tid er Skæbne" stands out for its mesmerizing and highly emotional atmosphere. All in all, "Bass Beyond" will have listeners amazed at how much grace and artistry can be expressed through a single musical instrument. -Xavier P. and RadioIndy.com
Bass Only (2004) Using only the bass (hence the title, "Bass Only"), Jimmi Roger Pedersen has created quite an artistic soundtrack. Few would know how much could be done with just one instrument, and Jimmi shows listeners that his bass skills deliver endless possibilities. "New Room" stands out, particularly for its clever use of harmony overdubs and its ever-changing, slow-to-fast-paced structure. "Fem Flade" is another extremely memorable track. It nicely layers lead melodies over repetitive space-filling bass backdrops. From start to end, Jimmi proves beyond any doubt that he has a firm mastery of this amazing instrument. -Xavier P. and RadioIndy.com
ISBN 978-87-91618-13-0
