Chop-Monster, Book 2: Bass Book

Chop-Monster Book 2 takes bass players through the ii-V-I progression in three keys, the most essential harmonic movement in jazz language. The call-and-response methodology does something conventional chord symbol charts cannot: it trains the ear and fingers simultaneously, so students absorb and own the vocabulary rather than simply reading it.

Structured, focused, and deeply musical. Each example sounds like a conversation between an experienced jazz voice and an emerging one, with space and scaffolding that builds your confidence as you move from listening to imitating to creating.

Jazz ensemble bass players who have completed Book 1 and are ready to tackle the most fundamental progression in jazz harmony. This method works equally well for students preparing for jazz combos, small group improvisation, or anyone building a functional vocabulary for real-time jazz playing.

• Listen to the recorded models multiple times before attempting to improvise. Your goal is internalization, not immediate performance. Once the sound is lodged in your ear, your hands will follow.
• Transpose the patterns mentally as you move from B-flat to E-flat to F. This builds flexibility and deepens your understanding of the progression's shape across the fingerboard.
• Lock into the rhythmic groove of each example. The ii-V-I is as much about time feel and pocket as it is about harmony.
• When you respond to the call, commit to your ideas with confidence. This is where imitation becomes internalization and then ownership.

Use Book 2 as the core method for jazz ensemble bass players during the fall and winter, cycling through each key over several weeks to ensure deep absorption. The progressions also serve as material for small group coaching and one-on-one lessons with students preparing for jazz solo competitions or recitals.

• Playing ii-V-I progressions fluently in B-flat, E-flat, and F concert keys
• Internalizing jazz vocabulary through listening and imitation
• Navigating common harmonic movement with accurate intonation and rhythmic precision
• Building confidence in real-time improvisation over essential chord changes
• Developing ear-to-finger coordination in a jazz context