The Bass Brain Melters · 12 Video Lessons · 11 Downloads · Yours To Keep

A Transcription Collection · 12 Lessons

Jaco's Teen Town on upright, at the speed of the record. Two things make it possible, and neither one is practicing harder.

Collage of a melting psychedelic record over an electric bass neck

The Bass Brain Melters · By Cole Davis

Twelve of the hardest lines in the library: Coltrane's Giant Steps solo, Bird's Ko-Ko, the complete Poinciana, rhythm changes in all 12 keys at 400 BPM, and a 47-minute session of Cole transcribing Jaco's Havona in real time. All twelve for $37.

From Cole Davis: New York bassist, Juilliard, learned under Ron Carter.

$120$37

One payment · Yours to keep

Get all 12 for $37

12 video lessons · 2 hr 25 min of video · 11 downloads

Jaco Pastorius John Coltrane Charlie Parker Israel Crosby Jimmie Blanton Rhythm changes at 400 BPM
12
video lessons from Cole
145
minutes of video
11
downloads
$37
for all 12

The name's earned.

Jaco walks and grooves at the same time on Night Passage. It sounds impossible. Most of it sits right under your hand in one spot on the neck.

Some of these lessons are about the fingering that makes a line playable. Jack the Bear gets every fingering and string written in. Clifford Brown's Joy Spring solo is made a little more playable for bass.

Some are a mountain to climb. Rhythm changes in all 12 keys at 400 beats per minute, five choruses each, with a written-out bass line in every key.

And in one, it's me, transcribing Jaco's solo on Havona from scratch, in real time, on upright.

The whole process, mistakes and all. Plus Stevie Wonder's Lately. The upright bass on it isn't an upright bass. It's a synth. Here's how to play that line on a real one.

What's Inside

Twelve lessons.

Every one's a video lesson from Cole. 2 hr 25 min of video in all, and 11 downloads.

  1. 1Jaco Pastorius: Night PassageElectric · 6-minute video · 1 downloadJaco walks and grooves at the same time on Night Passage. It sounds impossible. Most of it sits right under your hand in one spot on the neck.See this lesson
  2. 2Clifford Brown: Joy Spring SoloUpright · 4-minute video · 1 downloadClifford Brown's solo on Joy Spring, made a little more playable for bass, with fingerings. The bass line's in there too.See this lesson
  3. 3John Coltrane: Giant Steps Solo (with Tab)Electric · 1-minute video · 1 downloadColtrane's Giant Steps solo, written out for bass with tab. Watch it played on electric with the notation scrolling, then take the PDF to the woodshed.See this lesson
  4. 4Rhythm Changes in All 12 Keys at 400 BPMUpright · 24-minute video · 1 downloadRhythm changes in all 12 keys at 400 beats per minute, five choruses each. Plus a written-out bass line in every key, one page per key.See this lesson
  5. 5Sonny Rollins: Strode Rode on BassUpright · 1-minute video · 1 downloadSonny Rollins' Strode Rode, written out for bass. Watch it played on upright with the music scrolling, then take the score to the woodshed.See this lesson
  6. 6Israel Crosby: PoincianaUpright · 20-minute video · 1 downloadIsrael Crosby on Ahmad Jamal's Poinciana, 1958. The complete transcription, and how he changes the line every chorus without losing the groove.See this lesson
  7. 7Charlie Parker: Ko-Ko on BassUpright · 1-minute video · 1 downloadBird's Ko-Ko, written out for bass. Watch it played on upright at tempo, then take the score to the woodshed.See this lesson
  8. 8Cole Davis: Across the Footbridge, Chords on BassUpright · 16-minute video · video onlyMy own solo bass piece and the chord shapes behind it. Think like a guitar player and the bass makes sounds you didn't know it had.See this lesson
  9. 9Jaco Pastorius: Havona, Transcribed in Real TimeUpright · 47-minute video · 1 downloadWatch me transcribe Jaco's solo on Havona from scratch, in real time, on upright. The whole process, mistakes and all, plus the finished transcription.See this lesson
  10. 10Jaco Pastorius: Teen Town on UprightUpright · 5-minute video · 1 downloadJaco's Teen Town on upright, at the speed of the record. Two things make it possible, and neither one is practicing harder.See this lesson
  11. 11Jimmie Blanton: Jack the BearUpright · 9-minute video · 1 downloadEllington wrote Jack the Bear for Jimmie Blanton. Here's how to play his part in tune and swinging, with every fingering and string written in.See this lesson
  12. 12Stevie Wonder: LatelyUpright · 12-minute video · 1 downloadThe upright bass on Lately isn't an upright bass. It's a synth. Here's how to play that line on a real one.See this lesson
Who It's For

Built for the bassist who wants something that fights back.

✓This is for you if…

  • You can already play through a tune and you want something that fights back.
  • You want the fingerings that turn impossible lines into practice.
  • You play upright (ten of these are on upright, two on electric).

×It's not for you if…

  • You're still getting a walking line together. Start with Walking Like a Legend or The Walking Line Vault.
The Price

All 12 for $37. You keep $83.

One payment. Yours to keep. It opens in your Better Bass Lessons member portal the moment you check out.

12 video lessons2 hr 25 min
Downloads11
One at a time (12 × $10)$120
All 12$37

You keep $83

Get all 12 for $37

One payment · Yours to keep · Opens in your member portal

The Jazz Transcription Club

Want the next one on Tuesday?

The Jazz Transcription Club brings you a new legendary bass line every Tuesday, note for note, with a full breakdown, a slowed-down breakdown, a backing track and the chart. You don't have to pick the next one or dig it off the record. It shows up. $27 a month. Cancel anytime.

Get a new line every Tuesday

The name's earned.

FAQ

Questions before you buy.

Twelve of the hardest lines.
The fingerings that make them playable.

Coltrane's Giant Steps solo, Bird's Ko-Ko, the complete Poinciana, rhythm changes in all 12 keys at 400 BPM, and Cole transcribing Jaco's Havona in real time.

$120 one at a time · $37 for all 12
2 hr 25 min of video · 11 downloads · Yours to keep

Get all 12 for $37
The Offer

Here's everything you get.

The Bass Brain Melters: All 12 Lessons
12 video lessons from Cole, 2 hr 25 min in all
11 downloads
Opens in your Better Bass Lessons member portal the moment you check out
One at a time$120
Today$37

One payment · Yours to keep · You keep $83

Get all 12 for $37