Double time, ballad feel
Lesson time: (2min 21sec)
Bruce shows you how to "double up" time, when you're playing a slower tune for example. Allows you to lock in to a faster pulse to avoid being too loose and floating away from the time.
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course Contemporary Bass Guitar Grooves
Watch a preview of the full course below.
Lesson transcript:
Understanding Tempo Changes in Music
Earlier, I mentioned adjusting the tempo, specifically, cutting the time in half if it feels too fast or doubling it up if it's too slow.
Doubling Up the Tempo
Let's start with doubling it up when it's too slow.
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Here is 120 beats per minute.
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If I'm playing a ballad, I've got:
1 and 2 and 3 and 4.
As you can see, I'm playing a slow blues in a ballad form.
The Importance of Locking Into the Pulse
By incorporating the double time feel:
- 1, 2, 1, and.
Sorry, let's correct that to:
- 1, 2, 3, 4.
When I play fills, it's crucial that I lock them into this pulse.
If I don't lock it into that pulse:
- It would be too loose,
- and I might float away from the time.
About the instructor
Bruce Gertz is an award-winning bassist (acoustic and electric), composer, educator, and author. He is a professor of bass at Berklee College of Music, where he has taught since 1976. Bruce is the recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Performance Award Grant, the Massachusetts Cultural Council Musical Composition Award, and numerous outstanding bassist awards from the Boston Music Awards, A.S.C.A.P. Plus Popular Awards, and multiple recognition awards from the International Association of Jazz Educators and the Jazz Education Network. Bruce also serves on the board of directors of the International Society of Bassists. He has performed and recorded with such artists as Gary Burton, Jerry Bergonzi, John Abercrombie, Joey Calderazzo, Kenny Werner, Mick Goodrick, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Billy Hart, George Garzone, Mike Stern, Larry Coryell, Joe Lovano, Cab Calloway, and Count Basie, among many others. In Contemporary Bass Guitar Grooves, Bruce puts all of that experience to work for you. You'll learn to build solid, swinging bass lines and lock into authentic grooves across funk, jazz, and fusion, so you can hold down the bottom end and walk into any band situation with confidence. His extensive discography and additional information can be found at www.brucegertz.com. read more