Resources for a beginning NOLA style band

[johntarr]

Hello,

I’d like to start some of my students with playing music from the NOLA brass band style and and wondering if anyone knows of some beginner materials to get started. I’d like to start them learning by ear and have a progression from simple to beginner levels. How do I teach the tuba player to generate bass lines, and the rest of players to play both melodies and harmonic figures?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

John

[BGuttman]

For the tuba player, having chords and playing root and 5th on alternating quarter notes will be a basic line.

I picked up a book on how to create a walking bass line, but I can't access it now for information.

There were Combo Orks packs that had sheet music for trumpet, trombone, clarinet, and tenor sax (with piano drums and bass). I don't think you can start a modern kid by ear on this kind of stuff.

Finally, there's listening. www.redhotjazz.com has LOTS of early jazz. The players have to get used to their roles in the ensemble:

Clarinet does an obbligato on top of the tune.
Cornet carries the melody.
Tenor Sax plays harmony.
Trombone plays counter-melody, much like the Baritone Horn in a marching band.

Tuba carries the rhythm section.
Piano and/or banjo cover chords
Drums places a cadence behind everybody.

[harrisonreed]

Are you talking traditional "Dixie" music, or the current incarnation of NOLA brass, alla NO-BS!, Youngblood, and other modern brass bands?

[johntarr]

Are you talking traditional "Dixie" music, or the current incarnation of NOLA brass, alla NO-BS!, Youngblood, and other modern brass bands?

The current incarnation, much simplified of course. My hope is to get them able to come up with their own arrangements of the tunes they want to play.

[harrisonreed]

A lot of the new stuff, lucky chops, No BS!, Etc, is available through those bands' sites, not expensive, and actually pretty easy to play, at least range wise. You learn like two or three ideas and that's the entire piece, plus some improv sections.

The pieces are a great way to learn interesting rhythms.

[baileyman]

Yup, rhythm is most of it. Accent the measures in eighths 3-3-4-2-4. You could put just about any song over that for authentic effect.

[JLivi]

For the tuba and harmonic lines, they need the chords and have to understand scales & arpeggios associated with those chords. Horn comping lines are just based on scales and arpeggios. For the tuba, as Bruce mentioned, a simple 1 to 5 is all they need to get started. Then when they're comfortable they can start to add 3rds and 7ths.

The song I always like to start students on when playing in this style is the tune "2nd Line." It's incredibly simple. The melody essentially is just triads, and it's a basic blues. The tuba plays on 1 and 3 (1 to 5) and that's pretty much it. Then the band and crowd party.

I think for this music, learning by ear is the way to go. Get the music out of the student's faces and have them feel the vibe. Play loose. Don't be afraid to make mistakes.

[johntarr]

A lot of the new stuff, lucky chops, No BS!, Etc, is available through those bands' sites, not expensive, and actually pretty easy to play, at least range wise. You learn like two or three ideas and that's the entire piece, plus some improv sections.

The pieces are a great way to learn interesting rhythms.

Thanks, I hadn’t thought about checking their websites, duh! Now to surf.

[johntarr]

For the tuba and harmonic lines, they need the chords and have to understand scales & arpeggios associated with those chords. Horn comping lines are just based on scales and arpeggios. For the tuba, as Bruce mentioned, a simple 1 to 5 is all they need to get started. Then when they're comfortable they can start to add 3rds and 7ths.

The song I always like to start students on when playing in this style is the tune "2nd Line." It's incredibly simple. The melody essentially is just triads, and it's a basic blues. The tuba plays on 1 and 3 (1 to 5) and that's pretty much it. Then the band and crowd party.

I think for this music, learning by ear is the way to go. Get the music out of the student's faces and have them feel the vibe. Play loose. Don't be afraid to make mistakes.

Thanks for the idea, I’d forgotten about that tune. Now I’ll start teaching bits of it in their lessons!