Essential Bass Lines: Tackling "Giant Steps" on the Upright Bass

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The "Essential Bass Lines" series is a collection of videos discussing iconic bass parts in the jazz repertoire that we all should know!
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00:00 Giant Steps bass line excerpt
01:34 Intro and welcome
03:15 Focusing on the essential line
07:25 Whole tone scale and augmented triads
08:23 Observations on Giant Steps harmony related to augmented
09:45 Observations on the circle of fourths and key centers
11:35 John Coltrane and the "delta" triangle symbol
12:30 Associating with the divine
13:18 Creating bass lines: observations on Paul Chambers' lines
14:35 Some bass line construction thoughts
17:00 Closing thoughts

[@andy-jupytermoon]

What an analysis! You are a phenomenal teacher. Your passion for music and historical constructions are awesome. Thank you for sharing such a great video.

[@LearnJazzBasswithMattRybicki]

Thank you so much!!

[@DollyBroccoli]

I'm studying Jazz and I have to play Giant Steps, this video is a god sent! incredible work, easy to understand and got me very excited to learn the tune! Very Helpful!

[@LearnJazzBasswithMattRybicki]

Glad it helped!

[@KaltOhm]

Wow man, I love your videos. They are always such a lot of fun. I’m light years away from being able to play Giant Steps, but I really enjoy the way you present the information and make it accesible. Thanks!

[@LearnJazzBasswithMattRybicki]

Thanks a million!

[@ingegnerevolante]

Thank you. I'm just at the beginning of my travel into the fascinationg world of jazz, my understanding is still limited, but I really appreciate your explanation.

[@LearnJazzBasswithMattRybicki]

Welcome! And thanks for your kind words

[@MrDanilop45]

That’s fantastic, I am thinking a lot about the Coltrane’s circle, and I am trying to figure out how to use it to make cool bass lines. This lesson is about JC used it, and it seems to me the best starting point for sure. Thanks a lot for this

[@LearnJazzBasswithMattRybicki]

Thank you sir!

[@davedave8608]

whole tone scale.. so dreamy

[@LearnJazzBasswithMattRybicki]

indeed!

[@lorim5293]

Matt - You are awesome!

[@LearnJazzBasswithMattRybicki]

Thank you! I’m so touched!

[@b1lahb1ah]

Amazing reading and playing - instantly subscribed!

[@LearnJazzBasswithMattRybicki]

How kind! Thanks so much!

[@JCloyd-ys1fm]

Instead of the Da Vinci code… you got the Coltrane Code!

[@LearnJazzBasswithMattRybicki]

“It’s like….ALL CONNECTED MAN…” (said with a wild-eyed, slightly stoned look)

[@laurentbesse2442]

extra! merci ! you play on Genssler RW J ? sound good, i love this strings

[@LearnJazzBasswithMattRybicki]

Merci! Oui, ces chaînes sont "RWJ". je les aime aussi

[@pierrot5406]

Nice as always...Its maybe possible to do for the first 3 bars B,A# (the M7 of B), A Ab(passing tone), G F#, F Fb, Eb...a chromatic line

[@LearnJazzBasswithMattRybicki]

Yes! Exactly!

[@chrisguerra6171]

My head just exploded

[@LearnJazzBasswithMattRybicki]

Haha mine too!

[@djmileski]

Great video. Any thoughts as such on Sonny Rollins having unique associations with what he played/composed/etc?

[@LearnJazzBasswithMattRybicki]

Hmmmm well there’s the (true) mythology of him taking a long sabbatical during his rise in stature to redefine his sound by practicing on the Brooklyn Bridge. The album after that sabbatical, The Bridge, is considered a masterpiece. He’s so rightfully known for being a nonstop creativity machine - full of ideas and like never repeating himself…I wonder if there’s some connection to his life in this. In short, I don’t have an exact parallel but you’ve got me thinking!

[@djmileski]

@@LearnJazzBasswithMattRybicki nice. I meant any musical approach as you drew parallels between Coltrane and triangles.

[@LearnJazzBasswithMattRybicki]

@djmileski right, I figured. None that. Can think of atm but I’m going to think more!

[@djmileski]

@@LearnJazzBasswithMattRybicki cool thx.

[@ericmusique8351]

Wonderful......But there is something that worriies me ...".Giant steps "was originally a composition by a French composer called Erik satie.The composition is named "A pas de géant"(1899) witch is the translation to" Giant steps".It was played at a slower tempo ,but the melody and the harmony are the same..............

[@LearnJazzBasswithMattRybicki]

OK so here's one of the many great things about having a channel like this - learning new stuff and being corrected. I listened to it and you're right. I'm really disappointed in one sense. BUT (and this is a crucial "but") the chords aren't the same. The melody, yes. Not the same chords. So, to me, there's a little saving grace there because the progression is usually considered the thing to pay attention to. However, you've really "messed me up" ha!

[@LearnJazzBasswithMattRybicki]

Actually, now I'm having trouble finding anything except one KZbin video about this - can you point me in the direction of finding out more?

[@MatthewRybicki]

@@hanspeterlillese2225I assumed so but no didn’t watch to the end. Why would I? I did research as best I could with information that was new to me - which is more than most would do

[@MatthewRybicki]

@@hanspeterlillese2225 gotcha 😃