Quick Tip for Playing Fast - Christian McBride | 2 Minute Jazz

Christian McBride talks about the real secret to playing fast bass lines.  

================================================================

(fast bass jazz music) 

(scats) 

Now, I'm not sure that's the kind of fast a lot of bass players ask me about. When they ask me about playing fast, they ask me about playing lines. 

(fast bass jazz music) 

Well, I mean, that's cool. 

But, you know, it's the idea that's more important that's, than being able to actually play fast. If you're actually hearing

an idea that is fast, that's more important, that's just simply being able to do this. 

A lot of bass players can do that, by the way. Just take your fingers and go like that, just: 

(fast bass jazz music) 

That's fast. 

But when you actually have some ideas, when you can go-- 

(fast bass jazz music) 

Comes from transcribing horn lines. Actually hearing horn

lines that interest you. Horn lines that say, "I gotta go and practice that." 

The technique is there, but you gotta get the idea first. So don't worry about the speed, worry about the idea. 

=======================================================

Check out his "Fundamentals of Jazz Bass and Beyond" only at Open Studio: https://www.openstudionetwork.com/project/fjb-overview/