Riff and Walking Bass Notes: By the Grace of Charles Mingus

Cover of Charles Mingus

"Charles Mingus was a great jazz bass player and composer. His playing and composition reflected a deep understanding of the possibilities of jazz. Well-versed in all styles of music, his imaginative experimentation made a lasting impression on composers and performers. His impressive bass technique featured all the tricks of the trade, and he certainly used riffs and grace notes in exciting and interesting ways."
 (from Teach Yourself To Play Jazz)

 1. Grace Note

The Grace Note is indicated by a small note played quickly before the beat. It is a favorite figure among Jazz players, especially bass players. A grace note before starting a walking bass part adds drive and bounce to a tune.

2. Caesura (//)

A caesura is a small break or pause in the tempo.

3. Practice Walking Bass Notes Slowly

G, C, E, F, G (Walk Up)
Start with the left hand, a quick G (grace note), then play down to C and walk up,
playing E, F, G and return  to the C note.


C, C, Bb, A, G (Walk Down)

F, A, Bb, C (Walk Up)
Start with F (grace note), then drop to lower F octave below,
F, F, A, Bb, C


C,C, B, A, C (Walk Down)


D, G, B, C, D (Walk Up)
Start with the left hand, a quick D (grace note), then play down to G, walk up
G, B, C, D


F,  F,  A,  Bb,  C (Walk Up)


C, B, A, G (Walk Down)


C, Eb, Gb, A (Walk Up)


4. Practice Right Hand Riffs

Play Eb, E, G, C (2 x)
Then E, G, F, Eb, E, C, D, C

Now play Ab, A, C, F, Ab, A, C, F
Then E, G, Gb, F, Eb, E


Play Bb, B, D, G ... then, Ab, A, C, F

G, C, G, Gb, F, Eb, C... then
C, Eb, C, A, Gb, A, C, A, Gb, Eb


5. Ending


Both hands play Gb, F, Eb, C... then CBb/ACE

6. Midis of Charles Mingus Songs


Ecclusiastics

Goodby Porkpie Hat 


7.  YouTube: Charles Mingus

Charles Mingus - Goodbye Pork Pie Hat

For more information, visit:
Cagedream: Charles Mingus


Jazz Bros.: Charles Mingus

"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

One of My Favorite Hymns

Portrait of Mary Lou Williams, New York, N.Y., 1946

 

 

 Yours truly playing Amazing Grace on a Yamaha keyboard.


 

Over the years, I have listened to many artists play one of my favorite hymns, Amazing Grace.

1. B.J. Thomas on YouTube singing Amazing Grace


  Amazing Grace (chords w/ modulation)

F        Bb/F         F
How sweet  the sound
                                        C
That saved a wretch like me

   
    F             F7/A
I once was lost


       Bb          F
But now I'm found
 
        Dm
Was blind
 
       F/C  C7  F
But now  I     see
 
           F                               Bb/F      F
T'was grace that taught my heart to  fear
 
                                     C
And Grace my fears relieved
 
         F            F7/A          Bb     F
How precious did     that grace appear
 
       Dm      F/C   C7   F   D7  C/E
The hour I first   believed
 
 D/F#      G       G7         C              G
Through many dangers, toils, and snares
 
                        D7
I have already come
 
D/F#  G                G7/B         C            G
Tis'   grace hath brought me safe thus far
 
        Em             G/D  D7  G     C/D
And grace will lead    me  home
 
 D/F#   G              G7         C     G
When we've been there 10,000 years
 
                                   D7  C/E
Bright shining as the sun
 
 D/F#  G         G7/B    C                G
We've no less days to sing God's praise
 
          Em          G/D  D7  G  E7 D/F#
Than when we first   begun
 
 E7/G#  A
A .........mazing Grace
 
 A7    D             A
How sweet the sound
That saved
 
                                              E7  D/F#
Yes that saved a wretch like me
 
 E7/G#  A            A7/C#
I           once was lost
 
        D           A
But now I'm found
 
 E/G#  F#m
Was    blind
 
       A/E  E  F#m  D
But now  I  see
 
A/C#  B7          D/E  E7  D/A
Was   blind but now  I     see

2. Yoke Wong (Suspended Chord Tutorial)
Free Sheet Music: Amazing Grace

3. Chris Tomlin (Amazing Grace My Chains are Gone)
Learn To Play

Verse 1:
G                 C         G
Amazing grace how sweet the sound
     G                   D
That saved a wretch like me
  G                  C       G
I once was lost, but now I'm found
    G         D     G
Was blind but now I see

Chorus:
              C                  G
My chains are gone, I've been set free.
          C                   G
My God, My Savior has ransomed me.
          C               Em
And like a flood his mercy reigns.
         D              G
Un-ending love, amazing grace

Practice Tips: 

Listen to the Amazing Grace melody for ear training. Keep 

in mind that the melody will be derived from the C Major 

Scale. Try to play the melody on the piano,keeping in mind 

that there are only 8 notes used for this melody.

Remember how neighboring and passing tones work. Many 

melodies will utilize neighboring tones. Listen to whether 

the neighboring tone is higher or lower in pitch than the 

previous tone.

Determine the time signature. There are three beats per 

measure.

Here are the right hand melody notes: 

G C E C   E    D   C     A    G
Amazing grace how sweet the sound
G     C     E C E    D   G
That saved a wretch like me
E  G   E C E      D   C    A   G
I once was lost, but now I'm found
G    C     E C  E D C

Was blind but now I see
 

If you are looking for a more bluesy-gospel sound, you will 

want to order Hear and Play's

300 page Course Book and understand the theory to the  

Altered Version of Amazing Grace

Best,

-- LadyD

"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

How To Play A Suspended Chord

Image via Wikipedia

The suspended chord (sometimes called a suspended 4th chord) is constructed from the major scale using the first (1), fourth (4), and fifth (5) notes of the scale. The symbol for this is the letters sus (or sus4), placed after the letter name of the chord. There are two inversions for each suspended chord that you should practice and become familiar with, using both left and right hands. This is a major chord with the fourth substituted for the third.

In root position:

Symbol Notes in Chord

Dsus D G A
Asus A D E
Gsus G C D
Fsus F Bb C

Unlike the V7th chord, which leads back (resolves) to the I chord (In the key of C, G7 resolves back to C), the suspended chord resolves to the same major chord it is derived from. Gsus resolves to G, Dsus resolves to D, regardless of the key of the chord progression. Sus chords are useful for making accompaniment more interesting when there are long passages of a song using one chord. Instead of playing a C chord for eight bars, you could add a few Csus chords.

So, here are more sus4 chords in root, first and second inversion.

Dsus4 = D G A
Dsus4 = G A D (first inversion)
Dsus4 = A D G (second inversion)

Then, we have:

Dbsus4 = Db Gb Ab
Dbsus4 = Gb Ab Db (first inversion)
Dbsus4 = Ab Db Gb (second inversion)
D9sus4 = D G A C E

Now, we have:

Esus4 = E A B
Esus4 = A B E (first inversion)
Esus4 = B E A (second inversion)

You can listen to suspended notes in use in songs like Free Falling by Tom Petty. They are useful when you have a song that makes use of one chord for a long time. You can also listen to suspended tones in worship songs like Jesus Mighty God.

Suspended second chords are merely inversions of suspended fourth chords. These chords are often found in folk music & popular music. A jazz sus chord is a dominant seventh chord with an added fourth (Gsus, for example), & may be written as a slash chord (F/G, or even Dm7/G) so as to show its function in II-V-I progressions.

Give it a try. The suspended triad will provide a cool tension and spice to your playing.
Ezine Article-Suspended Chords 

Tom Petty: Free Fallin' Chord Chart:

INTRO
D/Dsus   Dsus/D/Asus (x2)
(simply put, this is the chord pattern for the ENTIRE song)

        D    Dsus  Dsus  D   Asus
she's a good girl, loves her mama
      D  Dsus    Dsus D  Asus
loves Je-sus and America too
        D    Dsus  Dsus  D   Asus
she's a good girl, crazy 'bout Elvis 
      D   Dsus        Dsus  D      Asus
loves hors-es and her boy - friend too

(intro again 1x)

       D    Dsus  Dsus   D    Asus
it's a long day   livin' in Reseda
          D    Dsus  Dsus  D           Asus
there's a free-way runnin' through the yard
          D   Dsus        Dsus   D    Asus
and i'm a bad boy, cause i don't even miss her
      D   Dsus    Dsus     D   Asus
i'm a bad boy for breakin' her heart


CHORUS 
        D-Dsus Dsus-D-Asus
now i'm free                  
     D-Dsus Dsus-D-Asus
free fall-in'
       D-Dsus Dsus-D-Asus
ya i'm free                  
     D-Dsus Dsus-D-Asus
free fall-in'
http://www.azchords.com/p/pettytom-tabs-5458/freefallin-tabs-112674.html

Jesus Mighty God

Gsus  G
Jesus

Gsus  G 
Mighty God
 
Gsus  G             Our Rock Our Fortress Our  
 
C
Defense

Gsus            G Your conquering arm 
Gsus         G
will be our strength

Gsus    G                

O God of power and 

 C

righteousness

Am             C  

Every foe will tremble at Your
 

G

           

name             

Am             C

Every foe will tremble at Your 

G

name

Related posts: 

 mixolydian-mode-and-sus-chord

 http://ladydpiano.blogspot.com/2008_09_01_archive.html

I play lots of suspended chords in worship songs. 
It really gives the musician something to do besides just laying on a chord. 
Vamping on a major chord and then back to a suspended chord is used a lot in an introduction to a song. 
It sets things up and then you're ready to break into your song. 
It's pretty easy to incorporate the suspended chord into your piano playing.

All the best,

-- LadyD          

"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." B.B.King

Related articles

• The Minor Ninth Chord in Db (pianodiana.blogspot.com)