Here's another sort of technique. I just call this Bill Evans Style. I'm sure all pianists do it but I noticed it listening to him.
Bebop heads can really help with your technique. Play them very very slow and speed them up.
In the final blues dampening etude, we explore the minor blues form. Please note that there are some common substitutions in this one that are used often in minor blues.
This is another version of the etude that goes through the same chord changes as Blues for Alice. There's a few different approach notes in this version. Remember that when playing this etude with the additional ii-V-I's, figure out all the other tunes you can use these lines on and try it in different keys!
This etude goes through the same chord changes as Blues for Alice. One thing to keep in mind is that when playing this etude with the additional ii-V-I's, figure out all the other tunes you can use these lines on. Also, try it in different keys!
Here's another dampening etude. We change keys here, Bb, another very common blues key. Some of these lines actually work great not just as bass lines, but solo lines! You can hear players like Hank Mobley occasionally playing these bass type lines.
In this etude, the quarter note remains consistent like an actual walking bass line. The challenge in this exercise is to keep the pedal down and the dampening smooth, making sure no notes ring together. Work on getting a really nice legato sound!
(This is Tony) I'm posting this for John Piper -
I learned so much from watching this. This will benefit so many of you guys I think! Let me know what you think. You want more of these?
Check out the attached PDF!
In this exercise, the line is a little closer to a walking bass line with quarter notes. Keep the notes legato, and shoot for keeping the pedal down as much as possible with clean dampening in between the notes. Check out the attached PDF!