Damian Erskine on Chord Scales for Bass Player's United - Part II

[ConCarneBlues]

Hey damien. Thanks for everything! what bass is that? :)

[damianerskine]

@ConCarneBlues It's my Skjold 4 string!

[matalmike]

No matter how I play or practice, I still here the major scale. I still want/here the resolution to the one.

[visog]

Wake up Gandalf! (Sorry your amazing playing makes me inadequate and hostile.)

[Jaysap6]

Really appreciate this!! This is going to help a lot!!

[speratic1984]

If you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay for that bass? I live in Ohio and was wanting to get one custom made but can't decide how I want it put together, and I love the tone coming out of this one..

[damianerskine]

@speratic1984 Well, it's a my signature model so I have a different deal with Pete Skjold but I can say that his basses are extremely reasonable (WAY cheaper than his better known but equal quality counterparts). I think his basses usually retail for between $3-6,000 depending on options. Most are probably closer to the lower end of that estimate unless you go nuts with tops, backs, electronics and custom features

[damianerskine]

@michaelrushmusic I must say that I do need to get to know this stuff a little better! For example, why would you say the parent scale is Bblyd instead of just Dmin for the tune? I really did poorly with this in school but have figured most of it out my own way while gigging

[MichaelRushMusic]

@damianerskine Actually, you're right about that. Dmin is a better call than Bblyd. The tune could be looked at as a series of ii-V's actually. I must insist on Gm13 as the first chord though :) I'm going by Bill Evans' and Miles Davis' recordings. Anyways, Gm13-A7 is the ii-V of Dm (inverted); Dm-Db7 goes to C; Cm7-F7 to Bb; Bb(lyd)-A7 is bvi-V of D; etc...

[MichaelRushMusic]

B natural is an odd dissonance on the A7b13 in this context IMO. Likewise with Cm7. It makes sense (to me at least) to play C dorian rather than the aeolian you chose since there's an A in the parent scale (Bb lyd/Gm dorian). Also, Db7 should be lydian dominant (Db Eb F G Ab [or A?] Bb Cb) as theres' a G in the melody there, no?

Anyhow, these aren't critical comments. I'm just trying to present another way to view the problem of playing over these tough changes. All the best!

[damianerskine]

@MichaelRushMusic Never felt like b9's sounded very good on the bass (when playing chordally) unless voiced very specifically, so I guess I've gotten out of the habit of using them soloistically. I certainly don't use them very often in the context of a bass line (unless it's very quickly passing).

Yep, I didn't do well in Theory class. I nail it on the gig, tho!! ;)

[MichaelRushMusic]

@damianerskine Yeah you do! Maybe we can trade a theory lesson for a bass lesson! (like I have anything to teach you LOL :) I'm down in PDX in July and Aug. Hope to meet you sometime.

[damianerskine]

@MichaelRushMusic Let's connect when you get down to Portland! Im down... you tighten me up on my theory and we'll do some playing! :)

[MichaelRushMusic]

Thanks for the video. With all due respect (you're a better electric player than I - that's for sure!), I would analyze the tune a little differently than you have. The first chord is Gm7(13) by the way. Personally, I think a better way to come up with chord scales is to use as many notes from the parent key as possible (in this case Bb lyd). So for an A7b13 e.g., I would play A Bb C# D E F G; only altering the notes that need to be altered to produce the chord. (cont...)

[damianerskine]

@MichaelRushMusic Actually, quite a few people play a Bb∆7#11 for the first chord (it's on a lot of recordings of the tune as well. some books say G-y, some say Bb∆7#11). I like the Bb∆7#1 way better anyway so I always play that. I don't like having to think about parent scales when doing this stuff on the fly, in real time over tunes I don't know. Unless it's obvious, or clashes with a melody note.....

[damianerskine]

@MichaelRushMusic Honestly, too... I'm not deep enough into the harmony thing to even have known that BbLyd WAS the parent scale!

[n4s250]

man im lost

[toofpick151]

Thanks Damian! You always have helpful info!

[bassweld]

I dig. I can't talk while i play either haha. Alot of good advice here, Thank you

[stewmc5222]

Great stuff, Damian!

Thanks for posting this, man!

[HM2028]

first like haha.....thanks for the lesson man.