Bass: Jazz for the Beginning Bassist
Date
June 9-August 1, 2025
Online
Course Code
8135B
Credits
3
Tuition
$1146
Course Description
Learn the building blocks of improvising on the double bass or bass guitar in a jazz style. Develop walking bass lines and improvised solos from chord charts and discover methods for instructing young bassists in a jazz ensemble setting. Students can choose either upright or electric bass to take this course. No previous jazz or improvisation experience necessary.
This course will include:
- Playing accompanimental bass lines in swing, straight-eighth notes and ballad styles.
- Fingerboard/fretboard layout and fingerings.
- Basic harmonic structures of relevant chord/scale relationships.
- Navigating common jazz chord progressions.
- Concepts in improvisation.
- Learning six standard jazz tunes.
- Concepts in jazz education.
* This course is offered at two course levels. Students enrolled in the MMEd program at VanderCook are eligible to enroll for the 500 course number. Students not enrolled in the MMEd program who wish to earn graduate credit as a MECA Continuing Education student should register for the four digit course number. The difference in credits earned and tuition cost is attributed to the difference in tuition rates for the MMEd and MECA Continuing Education programs. If you are unsure which section is best for you, please contact us directly at [email protected].
Instructor
Doug Bistrow received his degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, where he majored in String Bass Performance and Jazz & Contemporary Media. Giving over 150 concerts per year, he has performed with Yo Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, the Silk Road Ensemble, R. Kelly, Edgar Meyer, Howard Levy, Makaya McCraven, Dee Alexander, The Metropolitan Jazz Octet, BakerzMillion, Time For Three, Johnny Osborne, Ky-Mani Marley, Keith & Tex, Akasha, and many others. Bistrow is a member of the Chicago Philharmonic, the Rockford Symphony Orchestra, and the Metropolitan Jazz Octet. Bistrow is on the faculty at Vandercook College of Music, where he teaches applied double bass, and offers asynchronous online courses through the MECA program in beginning upright and electric bass, beginning jazz bass and orchestral bass. Bistrow owns and operates Audio Bistro Recording Studio in Chicago’s Logan Square.