M-JP-CBS1

Practical Classes

13

1

30

One 50-minute lesson per week

25 hours

339 hours

Admitted to the ArtEZ Jazz & Pop Double Bass main subject year 1.

See Competencies Matrix.

Acquiring the technical basics required for the student's musical development. Students will be able to play the pieces described under Content or similar material (self-chosen pieces, other genres) with a band and to improvise over the pieces, demonstrating they have laid a sufficiently solid foundation with respect to musicality, technical ability and musical interaction to play the pieces and apply the acquired theoretical concepts to their playing. For more details with respect to tonal coloring, range and improvisation skills, see Contents.

The level of instrument proficiency corresponds to the contents of the band and theory modules.

TECHNIQUE:
Learning to play all common scales and tetrads over a single octave and over two octaves, both vertically and horizontally. Playing arpeggiated tetrads up to thumb position. Introduction to Jazz scales. Developing effective right-hand technique.
READING SKILLS:
Blues lines from Ray Brown's Bass Method. Latin rhythms.
TRANSCRIPTION:
Bass lines by Ray Brown and Oscar Pettiford, as well as bassists of the student's own choice.
IMPROVISATION:
Constructing bass lines over common and predictable chord progressions, e.g.,Tune Up. Playing solos based on harmonic principles. Elementary thematic and motivic improvisation. Bass lines and solos over blues progressions. Playing along to various recordings in order to absorb musical ideas and energy.
ACCOMPANIMENT:
Functional playing in ensemble settings. Developing a steady sense of pulse, with a focus on playing with solid time and a deliberate feel.
REPERTOIRE:
Playing themes and the appropriate accompaniment by heart. Various styles and tempi.
TECHNICAL EXAM:
- (‘Jazz’)Scales over 2 octaves (till 7th position): church modes (ionic, dorian, lydian, mixolydian, aeolian), harmonic minor, melodic minor, whole tone and - chromatic (1 octave only).
- Play a walking bassline over a chord progression: II – V – I – (VI), I – IV – V, Blues (most common keys: F, Bes, C, Es) and Rhythm changes.
- 2 études
- A solo piece

Individual lessons & occasional group lessons.

Rufus Reid: the Evolving Bassist.
Adelhart Roidinger: Der Kontrabass im Jazz.
Franz Simandl: Bass Method (Stuart Sankey edition).
Francesco Petracchi: Simplified Higher Technique.
George Vance: Vade Mecum for the Double Bass.

Organizing a short performance (band, repertoire, rehearsals) as part of the annual Jazz & Pop strings student concert; independently organizing a performance (five pieces) as part of the first year audition.

Assessment by the main subject instructor at the end of each semester. A technical exam (an audition for a panel consisting of three examiners) is part of the assessment procedure.

The student should have mastered the elements described under Aims. Specific criteria are: creativity, expression, improvisation, technique, sound, intonation, timing, reading skills, repertoire knowledge, progress, self-reflection, session participation, attitude and lesson preparation. Technical exam: the student should have sufficiently mastered the elements noted under Contents.

The student has completed this module if being awarded a minimum grade of 5.5 at the end of the second semester.

At the end of both semesters the instructor fills out an assessment form designed specifically for this module. Assessment is comprised of a verbal evaluation and a concluding grade. The instructor reviews this assessment with the student during the first subsequent lesson. Assessment at the end of the autumn semester is formative and expressed in terms of satisfactory/unsatisfactory. It indicates a student's progress in this module. No ECs are awarded and there is no resit. Modules can only be absolved, and ECs awarded, after the end of the spring semester.

See the Education and Assessment Plan.