Courses
Latin Jazz Masters
Chronological study of bass performance and styles in Latin America.
Advanced Improvisation Techniques for Bass
Application of modern and traditional techniques of improvisation for bass.
Bass in the Free Improvisation Idiom
Development of a personal approach to improvisation through application of motivic development, harmolodic phrasing, and descriptive imagery through musical expression: dynamics, emotions, colors,
Jazz Masters of the Bass
Students will transcribe and perform solos and lines of major bass players in jazz. Projects chosen to reflect many different styles found throughout the history of jazz.
Electric Bass Performance Styles
A performance history of the electric bass from the 1950s to the present.
Concepts for Jazz Bass Lines
A systematic approach to forming well-defined bass lines.
Fundamentals of Improvisation for Bass
Application of scales, modes, arpeggios, and passing tones to improvisation on the bass. Study of repertoire and recordings is utilized to discuss and analyze major bass styles and performers.
Survey of Bass Styles
The study of the bass in the styles of Dixieland, swing, bebop, cool, experimental, fusion, and others.
The Music of Paul Chambers
The Music of Paul Chambers is a bass playing lab. This course is a study of the style of Paul Chambers's jazz bass performance.
Jaco Pastorius Bass Lab
ILBS-P201 is intended to provide intermediate and advanced bass students with the opportunity to closely study the style, technique, and writing of the legendary Jaco Pastorius.
Electric Bass for Non-Bass Principals
This course provides nonbassists with a working knowledge and ability to perform basic bass parts and bass lines.
Bach Cello Suites for Bowed Double Bass
A lab for bass principals that uses the cello suites of J.S. Bach to develop arco performance skills.
Bass Lab - Advanced Reading
Methods of approach to, and practice in, reading examples of high difficulty in various music styles including classical, jazz, and rock.
Bass Lab - Sight-Reading Latin Rhythms
Development of effective ability to sight-read typical bass parts in Latin styles.
Latin Bass Lines
A performance lab focusing on the development, interpretation, and performance of bass lines in the Latin jazz ensemble setting. Includes the study of characteristic melodies in this style.
Slap Techniques for Electric Bass 2
Students will learn how to incorporate advanced slapping techniques in order to construct effective lines and solos.
Five- and Six- String Electric Bass Chord Lab
A study of various approaches and voicings that are possible on the five- and six-string bass as well as inversions, octave displacements, playing changes through a tune, and playing melodies with
Bass Guitar MIDI Controller Lab
Study of the MIDI bass guitar controller as a doubling instrument.
Arco Bass in the Jazz Idiom
A lab offering various applications for the bowed bass in jazz, for bass principals who have acquired basic arco technique and possess some knowledge of improvisation.
John Coltrane Bass Lines
Study of the music of John Coltrane from the perspective of developing bass lines. Particularities of harmony and rhythm in interpretation of both original and standard tunes.