“Why are you doing what you are doing, and what are you trying to accomplish?” asks the ever-pensive Gerald Veasley. The soft-spoken 6-string slinger from Philly is like a curious kid who is always asking questions, pondering answers, and searching for meaning. Veasley’s quest has led him around the globe playing with jazz heavies like Grover Washington Jr. and the late Joe Zawinul, whose bass chair he held for seven years (his predecessors included Jaco Pastorius and Victor Bailey). On his eighth solo CD, Your Move, Veasley’s playing is like the man himself—smooth and thoughtful. He entrusted popular contemporary jazz guitarist Chuck Loeb to produce the record and help him connect with the populace. Veasley is also a dedicated educator (his annual Bass Bootcamp is renowned) who is eager to share insights from his experience.

From a physical standpoint, what’s the most valuable lesson you have learned about great bass playing?
It’s all about touch. The way I think of hitting a string is like a boxer throwing a jab. Everything is loose when you’re unfurling your arm until it reaches its fullest extent, and then—boom! You want as much intensity and power as possible on impact, and then you snap your arm back. The principle is all about tension and release.

How do you apply that principle to the fretting hand?
That’s a little more problematic. I can hold, say, C while hitting the D so that there’s an overlapping tension. But I try to play the C until the last possible moment, and then release it before hitting the D without an audible break. Unfortunately, you’ve got to have tension to make the notes connect, but you want to monitor how much. A lot of it is in the feel. Your hands and arms will tell you how you’re doing. It’s important to understand the principle. 

At your Bass Bootcamp, how do you drive home a principle such as that to someone having difficulty grasping the concept?
I practice visualization, and that’s what I tell my students to do. For example, if I’m having a hard time helping someone play with a lighter touch, I might say, “Suppose your strings are very hot. What would your touch feel like then?” If you try that the next time you touch your instrument, it’s going to change the way you think about it. The impact of touch was a big revelation for me—not just on the mechanics of how I was playing, but on what I was playing, how it sounded, and how I felt about it. It’s empowering when you stop fighting your instrument. 

What’s the key to that realization?
The most important thing is to at least be aware of what you’re doing. I might notice that a student twitches in the right shoulder each and every time he or she hits a certain note. When I point it out, the student is often surprised. I’m not saying it’s wrong, I’m just saying that you should be conscious of it, and ask yourself why it happens. Do you feel you need to do lean into it to reach a certain note? Is it because of a certain feeling you get when you play that note? Being a lifelong learner, I’ve realized the only real rule is to be aware.

CAN BE HEARD ON

Your Move [Heads Up, 2008]; Solo Bass
Technique [REH Video, 1992]

CURRENTLY SPINNING

Joe Zawinul, Brown Street [ECS/Birdland, 2006]

GEAR

Basses Ibanez SR3006 6-string, Ibanez ATK300 4-string, Ibanez EWB205WNENT 5-string acoustic bass guitar

Rig Aguilar DB 750, Aguilar GS 410 cabinet or GS 212 cabinet; Avalon VT-737SP preamp (studio)

Effects Boss ME-50B & GT-6B multi-effects