your question:
09/12/2022
Hi Trevor, I was wondering how you feel about the reputation that jazz bassists tend to get regarding arco playing, and if you think it’s justified. The way I see it, arco has never been a big part of jazz bass, just a small detail here and there for color in certain parts, so I think it’s a matter of musicians not prioritizing that leads to a lack of experience/practice, and therefore not as good a sound as plucking. Jazz is a “people’s music” that favors personality, spirit, soul, over technicality. Now, I don’t need jazz bassists to have as good an intonation as a “classically trained” bassist when bowing, but even I’ll admit that sometimes my ears tighten up when I hear even some of the all-time great bassists pick up their bow. Would love to hear your thoughts! Thank you and be well.
P.S. You have great intonation when bowing!
my answer:
Most jazz bassists don’t spend a lot of time with the bow and as a result their tone and intonation suffer. The best way to work on intonation and, really everything, is by working with the bow. Check out Slam Stewart for masterful arco jazz playing. The better a bassist’s intonation is, whether bowing or plucking, will get ideas across clearer — in the case of jazz, you gotta be pretty spot on to make the harmony work. But of course, you’re not tuning to a bunch of other bassists or string players in general. It is what it is. Some bass players should probably not use the bow if it is resulting in cringe. Sometimes it’s used as a novelty. You could say in general that jazz is not as in tune as classical music. That’s just the nature of the genres, for many reasons.
My intonation is by no means perfect but it’s something I’ve struggled with and worked on my whole life. The bass is a cumbersome beast imprisoning song within it’s resonant soul!