Danny Morris – R&B Bass
Original price was: $1,250.00.$250.00Current price is: $250.00.
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Good music always rests on a solid foundation. With R&B music in particular, the bass is THE key component to building that foundation.
R&B Bass
Good music always rests on a solid foundation. With R&B music in particular, the bass is THE key component to building that foundation. Bass has been crucial in the development of R&B, with session players from Motown, Stax, and Atlantic Records blazing the path for the genre with their sophisticated yet understated bass lines which focus heavily on groove, melody, and improvisation.
R&B Bass explores the evolution of bass playing techniques from the early “jump blues” period through the Motown era, and focuses on how you can incorporate these techniques into your own playing. The course begins by examining the rhythmic and harmonic characteristics of early R&B through the use of practice exercises involving steady syncopation, arpeggio patterns, and modulation. You’ll study the key ingredients of an effective R&B timbre, from the proper equipment to the right techniques, such as muting the strings to deliver a punchier sound. The course delves into individual artists and their “trademark” concepts—from Duck Dunn’s use of repetition and root and fifth lines, to Willie Weeks’ melodic lines and rhythmic variation, to Chuck Rainey’s motif development, to James Jamerson’s infectious syncopation and use of harmonic devices like chromatic approach notes to create forward motion. You’ll learn classic R&B bass lines from songs like Aretha Franklin’s “Respect,” Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” Donny Hathaway’s “Everything is Everything,” and many others, and how to internalize the concepts used in these songs and make them your own. The goal of the course is to give you the tools made famous through R&B music to expand your bass playing in the context of a professional, live music performance or recording session.
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
- Understand the evolution and key elements of R&B music
- Play quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes with rhythmic syncopation
- Use modulation, adapting songs to different keys on your instrument
- Play root and fifth bass lines, in addition to arpeggio and chromatic patterns
- Achieve an R&B timbre on your bass
- Embellish a motif or theme with rhythmic and tonality variation
- Play bass lines from R&B greats James Jamerson, Jerry Jemmott, Chuck Rainey, Willie Weeks, Duck Dunn, and others
- Apply concepts of repetition and contrast to our own playing, in order to create improvisational bass lines more effectively
Syllabus
Lesson 1 Defining R&B Music and Working with Time
Lesson 2 Creating Your Own Bass Lines with Timbre, Shapes, and Personality
Lesson 3 Learning from the Masters, One Concept at a Time: Duck Dunn
Lesson 4 Willie Weeks and Chuck Rainey: Rhythmic Variation, Theme Variation, and Repetition
Lesson 5 James Jamerson, Ray Brown, Ron Carter
Lesson 6 Midterm Project: Aretha Franklin’s “Respect”
Lesson 7 Rhythmic Syncopation: Getting Comfortable Playing on the Upbeats
Lesson 8 Famous R&B Bass Solos
Lesson 9 When to Play, When to Embellish
Lesson 10 Melodic Bass Lines
Lesson 11 Integrating Classic Bass Lines into Your Own Playing
Lesson 12 Review and Final Project
Requirements
Prerequisites and Course-Specific Requirements
Completion of Bass Performance 101 or equivalent knowledge and experience is required.
Required Textbook(s)
- None required
Software Requirements
- A basic audio recording tool that will allow you to record yourself and save the recording in MP3 format. You will have a tool to use for this purpose inside the learning environment. Alternatively, you can use software like Audacity (PC) or GarageBand (Mac) .
Hardware Requirements
- Electric bass, amp, and a 1/4 inch cable
- Audio interface recommended (i.e. Focusrite Scarlett 2i2)
- A printer is recommended, so that you can print out music examples used in the course
Instructors
Author & Instructor
Danny “Mo” Morris is a professor in the Bass department at Berklee College of Music, and has worked with students since 1988. Danny is known for his muted tone, warm personality, and ability to work with all levels of students. “My mission is really to teach students how to develop their individuality in terms of their rhythmic concept and their tonal concept, what notes to play and when,” he says. “There’s a consequence to every note you play. And even when you don’t play, such as when there’s a rest, there’s a consequence, because when the bass comes in, it’s going to be huge.”
Danny teaches courses on artistry and professional development at Berklee’s Boston campus. He is the faculty ambassador to the Berklee Valencia campus. In the 1980s, Danny was the bassist for the James Montgomery Blues Band and the Jon Pousette-Dart Band.
“I absolutely love teaching,” he says. “It’s intriguing to work with the language of music and the art of playing and developing songs for live performance. I’m proud to have taught so many students who are having successful music careers and families. That’s the most satisfying aspect of my job.”
What’s Next?
When taken for credit, R&B Bass can be applied towards these associated programs:
Associated Certificate Programs
- General Music Studies Professional Certificate
- General Music Studies Advanced Professional Certificate
- Bass Professional Certificate
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