Blue Bossa (Odd Meter Bass Line Superimposition)

Acoustic Bassist Thomson Kneeland demonstrates superimposing various odd meter basslines over 4/4 time using Joe Henderson's "Blue Bossa". Keeping things simple with the "clave" only, for clarity.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• bass
• meter
• superimposition
• jazz
• solo
• improv
• improvisation
• bassline
• oddmeter
• odd
• acoustic
• upright
• doublebass
• contrabass
• contrebasse

[atomicpork1]

What about placing the metronome on the and of 1 or only on the 4 or the and of 2 or 3?



[bachfugue12]

@atomicpork1 Sure, that definitely is an advanced way to approach this exercise! But if you can't do it with the metronome on one, you definitely can't do it on and of 2 or 3.  You can put the metronome on any subdivision you like !

[BacEgChsBis]

Just curious, why put the metronome on 1 & 3 instead of 2 & 4?

[bachfugue12]

I actually have a lot of students/people ask me this question. So before I give you a complete answer, let me ask you, why would you put it on 2 + 4? 1. The metronome is guiding our phrasing and acting as an independent time observer to guide our accuracy, not groove (we provide the groove, not the metronome). For the beginner trying to superimpose 7/8 in 4/4 time, hearing where beat ONE is, is the most helpful thing to gauge accuracy But i will ask you, why put the metronome on 2+4?

[BacEgChsBis]

I practice with the metronome on 2 and 4 to keep the pulse for me as a a drummer would, and I think it really helps to improve your swinging.

But that's not to say it's wrong any other way, sometimes I practice with it on 1 and 3 or even just on 4. And I can definitely understand wanting to hear the downbeat with time superimposition.

[bachfugue12]

Cool. I recommend players practicing with metronome on 1+3, 2+4, and then simply a click on any beat of the measure. Each helps in different ways. keeping the click on 1+3 really helps solidify your phrasing and accurately check all polyrhythms, especially superimpositions like 5:4 that dont line up on 2+4 at all. Some people practice with 2+4 to emulate the hihat, only issue is that drummers place their time differently...Tony Williams hihat is at a different spot of the beat than Elvin, etc

[bachfugue12]

Point being, if you internalize the 2+4 of the metronome as a hihat, that's only playing with one type of drummer. and not a drummer that puts it on top or behind the beat. So the groove always needs to come from the player, not the metronome, no matter where you place the metronome. The danger is that it gets used as a crutch on 2+4

[bobdaryl1]

hey man, I really enjoy your channel!! I love the sound of the bass and you!

[pedrobaixista]

Very nice study man!

[sweetoldetc]

Also, if it's possible, could you make a video of you doing this with a soloist.. I'd like to hear how soloist responds to how you are doing.. I am guessing at the level you guys are playing, a soloist will hear that and maybe follow the rhythmic superimposition or vice vesa..??

Also do you do stuff with subdividing different tuplets and meters? like plaing 3/4 or5/4 over 4/4 and accenting every 4 notes in the 3/4 or 5/4, which sounds like you are playing faster/slower then the actual tempo?

[sweetoldetc]

Hi, I really enjoyed the video. I was wondering, how do work around the changes during the solo when you are superimposing? I am having difficulty figuring out phrasing because the chord changes happens in different parts of the beat of the rhythm you are superimposing. I.E in 7/8 over 4/4 of your 3rd mm of 7 happens on beat 3 of 2nd mm. If soloing on Bluebossa will you be anticipating the Fmin7 at that point?

[zyk12321]

you're so great. how do you know where's the 1 of the 4/4 when you are playing 5/8, 7/8 and 9/8. and which beat you change the chord???

[ZacGotheButt]

Yeah man!!! Odd time signatures are the future of jazz. Great video, great bass playing...sincerely... thank you. I will be watching the rest of your uploads.

-From some bass player in California

[BOSSMANBUDDYLEE]

Holy Crap that is AWESOME!!!

[Brooodel]

don´t know anything about playing contra bass but i like what you do and how you do. great=) greets from germany