Double Bass Common triplet arpeggio licks?

Tom Lane

Tom Lane

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Apr 28, 2011
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#1
I've been trying to incorporate more arpeggios into my playing, both lines and solos. But, just focusing on lines for the moment, going through my transcriptions I find RB likes to drop from TP to the nut with an arpeggio in the middle of the drop and I have a few others but I'm having trouble locating enough so I can just play triplet arpeggios until they become part of my vocabulary. I've got one line from John Clayton that starts on one and plays every triplet but it's a repeated chromatic theme, not an arpeggio, effective and interesting on it's own.

It seems like there ought to be some classics out there so I thought I'd ask the TB brain trust. Suggestions are much appreciated!
 
#3
OK. Here is one of my own design - destined to become a classic...
Note that the open G and D strings are "ghosted", while the Left Hand is moving toward Half-Position to grab the B and G.
This line works great (for example) on "Sugar" - m.4.
IMG_3731.JPG
 
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#4
Don Kasper said:
OK. Here is one of my own design - destined to become a classic...
Note that the open G and D strings are "ghosted", while the Left Hand is moving toward Half-Position to grab the B and G.
This line works great (for example) on "Sugar" - m.4.
View attachment 3139643
Click to expand...
Nice; but shouldn’t that B in the first triplet be an A# for it to be a G7#9? Also, if you change the first note of the first triplet from F to G played as a harmonic on the G string it creates a nice effect and facilitates playing the line at speed.
 
#9
statsc said:
Nice; but shouldn’t that B in the first triplet be an A# for it to be a G7#9? Also, if you change the first note of the first triplet from F to G played as a harmonic on the G string it creates a nice effect and facilitates playing the line at speed.
Click to expand...
1. Nope. I prefer the sound of the Bnatural - it helps convey the Dominant 7 sound of G7#9,+5 (some people call it "G7alt." Not me.)
2. Nope. I think the 7th (F) helps convey the Dominant 7 sound, and there is plenty of "G" being played in the measure. You can also pull-off on the F to the Eb, which makes for less RH work.
But that's me...
Thanks for your time and interest.
 
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#10
The head of Freddie Freeloader has some nice triplet work by Paul Chambers.

I took it off a long time ago when I was in school, but I have no idea where the transcription is now. (Maybe it's also in one of the Stinnett books.)

If I happen to run across it, I'll post it.
 
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#11
Tom Lane said:
What do you think of this one I made up:

View attachment 3140191

I notice that this lick seems to break the bop convention of putting the chord tones on the downbeat but it sounds right to my ear, and conversely, placing the root on the beat sounds wrong. Am I fooling myself?
Click to expand...
Q: What is/are the Chord(s) that you're supporting or obliterating here?
Or are you now a Free Jazz playa? (jk)
Also - did you mean the 3rd triplet to be "Bb,F#,D" to keep your Augmented triad shape consistent?
Thanks.
 
#12
Tom Lane said:
Why not "alt"?
Click to expand...
No "Alt" for me!
@John Goldsby already gave me some Long Distance Eyerolls over my loathing of the "Alt" nomenclature a few years ago in these very pages. (It's too painful for me to revisit!)
I like using "X7, #9, +5" as these 4 notes in a voicing will strongly imply and suggest the b9 and #11.
But that's ME!
Thanks.
 
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#14
Don Kasper said:
Q: What is/are the Chord(s) that you're supporting or obliterating here?
Or are you now a Free Jazz playa? (jk)
Also - did you mean the 3rd triplet to be "Bb,F#,D" to keep your Augmented triad shape consistent?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Yes, typo; should be Eaug, Ebaug, Daug, Dbaug, C, starting from the 5th to the root on the 3rd? 2nd? triplet, 5th on the beat. Easy to play in tune, harmonically interesting to my ear; I think it might work, but I've never heard any of my influences play it, so, overly thought out, academic, or just unmusical?
Not strictly speaking an arpeggio, but I've been playing around with 2 and 3 triplet arps and am encouraged. I find I have to make exercises and really over do it to make them part of my vocabulary; playing every chord as part of the exercise. Transcriptions are not enough for me. I feel like Chris Potter in kindergarten but I keep making progress, and that's enough.
 
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#16
Don Kasper said:
No "Alt" for me!
@John Goldsby already gave me some Long Distance Eyerolls over my loathing of the "Alt" nomenclature a few years ago in these very pages. (It's too painful for me to revisit!)
Click to expand...

Sorry, Don — I'm just an alt-fashioned guy.

That said, I prefer to know *exactly* what the alterations are—as I think you prefer also. But I'll accept C7alt if that's what I see. It's a lazy way of writing a dominant chord that could have optional alterations.

Please carry on with your "bucket-o'-dung" conversation . . .
 
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#17
@Tom Lane -
Hey - take your cool Augmented triad shape and separate it by a descending Whole-Step (instead of a Half-Step), and you get this cool sequence that is based upon the C Whole Tone scale.
Each Triplet can/should be played across 3 strings - start with 4th finger on the F# on the A string.
Sorry, I forgot to add "#11" to the chord name "C7,9,+5", but you and I both know that the #11 is a great sound on a Dominant 7 chord.
This sequence fits nicely on the C7+5 chord in the last bar of the Bridge of "All The Things You Are".
Thanks.
IMG_3733.JPG
 
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#18
I clearly remember my first lesson with Rick Kilburn around '78-'79. Off the top he asks me to walk on a 12 bar and come the second chorus really wanting to impress I start with the triplets. At that point he says in this even, straight to the point cut the crap I'm being as nice as you've got any right to expect from a New Yorker voice, "Don't do that. People will get mad at you."
 
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#19
Don Kasper said:
@Tom Lane -
Hey - take your cool Augmented triad shape and separate it by a descending Whole-Step (instead of a Half-Step), and you get this cool sequence that is based upon the C Whole Tone scale.
Each Triplet can/should be played across 3 strings - start with 4th finger on the F# on the A string.
Sorry, I forgot to add "#11" to the chord name "C7,9,+5", but you and I both know that the #11 is a great sound on a Dominant 7 chord.
This sequence fits nicely on the C7+5 chord in the last bar of the Bridge of "All The Things You Are".
Thanks.
View attachment 3141657
Click to expand...

There are several pages of these augmented patterns in both the "Ray Brown Bass Method" and in "The Evolving Bassist" (Rufus Reid) . . .
 
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#20
Don Kasper said:
@Tom Lane -
Hey - take your cool Augmented triad shape and separate it by a descending Whole-Step (instead of a Half-Step), and you get this cool sequence that is based upon the C Whole Tone scale.
Each Triplet can/should be played across 3 strings - start with 4th finger on the F# on the A string.
Sorry, I forgot to add "#11" to the chord name "C7,9,+5", but you and I both know that the #11 is a great sound on a Dominant 7 chord.
This sequence fits nicely on the C7+5 chord in the last bar of the Bridge of "All The Things You Are".
Thanks.
View attachment 3141657
Click to expand...

Thanks Don! I like this one, it flows very solidly into the F to my ear!
 
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