Further developing the technical aspects of the students' musicianship in the broadest sense of the word, as well as stimulating their musical awareness and personal taste in music. 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 their ability to incorporate more complex structures with respect to harmony, melody, rhythm and musical form. For more detailed descriptions and examples, see Content.

The contents of the main subject class correspond to the contents of the chosen band and theory lessons such as analysis.

TECHNIQUE:
Learning to play all common (jazz) scales and tetrads over the entire neck, including thumb position, using a range of different positions and fingerings. Developing effective right-hand technique. Alternating fingers. Bowed playing (at student's request).
READING SKILLS:
Playing themes both in bass and treble clef. Playing self-transcribed solos.
TRANSCRIPTION:
Playing transcriptions of solos by Paul Chambers and Oscar Pettiford, as well as bassists of the student's own choice.
IMPROVISATION:
Minor blues, Parker blues, rhythm changes, deliberately applying various harmonic tonalities such as altered, octatonic, whole tone, mixolydian #11, lydian, motivic improvisation.
ACCOMPANIMENT:
Developing these skills in a variety of tempi and styles such as the ballad, slow blues, medium bright tempo, Latin and Latin jazz.
REPERTOIRE:
Jazz standards, bebop themes, relatively simple fusion pieces and/or original compositions by the student in various tempi and with more complex chord changes, e.g., Blues for Alice, Body and Soul.
TECHNICAL EXAM:
- Bottesini arpeggio’s.
- (‘Jazz’)Scales over 2 octaves: church modes (I – VII), altered, harmonic minor, melodic minor, whole tone and chromatic.
- 4 études.
- Play a walking bassline over different chord progressions: II – V – I – (VI) etc, Blues (different keys), Rhythmchanges (keys: Bes, C, F), Modal and Modulating progressions like Giant Steps (or other comparable piece).
- 2 standards by heart. From a list of 10 pieces. Together with piano or guitar.
- Theme of 2 (jazz)pieces (at least 1 bebop).
- A solo piece.

Individual lessons & occasional group lessons.

Real Books; Aebersold Series.
Hein van de Geyn: Comprehensive Bass Method for Jazz Players.
Todd Coolman: The Bass Tradition.
John Goldsby: The Jazz Bassbook. John Goldsby: Jazz Bowing Techniques for the Improvising Bassist.
Francesco Petracchi: Simplified Higher Technique.
Duncan McTier: Daily Exercises.

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

Examination and assessment

Assessment by the main subject instructor at the end of each semester.

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.

Module summary

This module is intended to widen students' knowledge and abilities, emphasizing the development of professional skills in the broadest sense of the word. In addition, the study and design of sounds and their relevant applications feature prominently as a topic of discussion. Furthermore, particular attention is paid to the development of the student's personal artistic vision. In addition, students work on their understanding and use of increasingly complex musical structures.

Main Subject Double Bass Jazz & Pop 2

Form / content / level

Examination and assessment

Module summary