Carol Kaye Video

[flipper_gv]

Is it just me or the tone on this video is very "meh..."?

But more on topic, she didn't sound arrogant at all. People say she's arrogant because a lot think that she tried to take credit for lots of Jackson 5's bass tracks.

 

[lilpbass]

I believe Carol's playing diminished arpeggios. The lick is a 7th. She did it both M & m. The reason she preaches "chordal" is it actually is more musical than scales. And yes, her tone is meh. She plays flatwound TI, with a pick, and mutes the strings with foam (sort of like old Fender bridges).

 

[drews]

And she plays Ibanez's. I don't like Ibanez's.

 

[paperbag1213]

Its a maj7 chord moved up a minor 3rd to a min7 chord

 

[BassPlyr Randy]

Well first ... Carol Kaye is the first lady or Grand Dame os Bass.

And I think many of you are missing what she is trying to say. Saying she is talking about arpeggios and just using some different name for it is wrong in my opinion. True at one point she even says you can run a diminished scale, so clearly she knows what shes talking about (if all her years of teaching and instructional books werent enough), but thats not the point shes trying to make here. IMO .. shes talking about walking around the fretboard and is saying that in jazz you don't want to follow a scale persay, rather you need to follow the individual notes that make up the chord. So, as she said, 1 3 5 7, that does not mean play 1 then the 3 then the 5 .. that is scales that is what shes saying not to do. Start at 1 and start walking a few notes, then the 3 for a few notes to the 5. As she also said, in jazz you play more chromatically which means you're going to be playing notes that don't technically belong in scale for a particular chord, but since you are following the "Chordal Notes" (the 3 or 4 notes that make up that chord) then it will still work. Not quite the same, but for example (a weak example) .. in a song in a major scale when we walk up we tend to play the major 7th, however, even though we are still in the major scale, when we walk back down we use the flated or minor 7th instead. Why? it sounds better. That is an example of playing chromatically and if we stuck strictly to the scale it would not allow for that note. As I Said, weak example, but I think that does in essence capture what she was trying to say. If you play by the scale, then you box yourself in and limit what notes you can and cant play. Dont look at a chord as a scale to be followed, but rather follow that individual notes that make up that chord and from there you are free to play whatever notes you need to get to the next step (within reason, it does have to sound right)

Sorry ... I know Im not doing a good job explaining it. I understand what she is saying, I just cant seem to find the right words to explain it ... But hell, either could she.

Oh and as a side note ... when I first picked up the electric bass and started taking lessons I had a choice of two different books to learn from Mel Bay or Carol Kaye.

 

[Charmand G]

No matter what, respect the elders!

 

[Gastrok]

No matter what, respect the elders!

+1

 

[Grgzilla]

I love Carol,she's bloody great value.Her musical resume is possibly the most prolific there will ever be.
She reminds me alot of that elderly lady from Futurama.The one that said,"of course it's got a TV,ya young whatcha ma call it,idiot"!


*edit.
I say this with the highest respect.