03/12/2024
My method of playing the bass is unique, and it is a method I have developed after many years of trial and error… I drew inspiration for this method from trombonist J. J. Johnson.
When I first moved to New York in 1959, I spent a lot of time visiting jazz clubs to get a feel for the local scene. One Monday night at Birdland Jazz Club, I happened upon a jam session that J.J. Johnson was in. I watched him play trombone and was amazed at his technique. Instead of using the entire slide, he was extending the slide only half way out while still managing to hit all the notes he needed.
Later on, I had the chance to see him again at the Half Note in a band with Tommy Flanagan and Nat Adderley. I watched closely how J.J. managed to play all those notes without using the full slide. I remember thinking that he must have figured out all the notes available in each position he played in, so that when he wanted to play a note he wouldn’t have to push the slide out as far as other trombonists who were putting so much effort into playing.
I realized I could do the same on thing the bass. I started learning how to play horizontally, finding the notes available in the same place on the neck without rabbiting—without having to hop way down the bass neck. Once I started getting the hang of playing my bass that way, it opened such a big door for me as a bassist. At the time, making it as a musician in New York meant you’re playing three sets a night, six days a week. I needed to find a way to make playing not be cumbersome, so that at the end of the evening I’d still have enough energy to get in a car and drive home.
These are things I figured out on my own, and it matters a great deal to me to pass down what I’ve learned to the next generation of musicians. I want each of you to benefit from the knowledge I’ve gained, and that is why I have spent so much time on creating teaching materials for the last few years. My self-published Ron Carter Library is the ever-growing collection of my knowledge, and to supplement, I’ve also partnered with Open Studio and tonebase Double Bass to create pre-recorded online masterclasses.
If you’re a bassist, or know a bassist, I hope you’ll take advantage of what I have to offer. You can find all of my books, as well as links to all of my masterclasses, via my website: Ron Carter Jazz Dot Com.
📸: Pete Coco
