<turbo-stream action="update" target="blog_feature_953418"><template>
    
<div class="blog-wrapper" id="blog_186934-wrapper">
  <div class="blog full clearfix" id="blog_186934-blog">
      <div class="tiled-sizer"></div>
      <div class="gutter-sizer"></div>

      <article class="post blog-article full-item post-full" data-controller="zoogle-video" data-action="message@window-&gt;zoogle-video#handleVimeoPostMessage">
    
<h2 class="heading-secondary heading-blog alt-font">
  <a href="/blog/blog/6877511/blog-post-1-introduction">Blog Post #1 - Introduction </a>&nbsp;
</h2>

<div class="post">
  <div class="message"><p>My Ph.D research has been underway for three years up until the time of writing. As I am studying part time for the Ph.D, I am approximately half way through the process. However, I see my research into Monk Montgomery and related topics as a part of my life and work which will continue well beyond the completion of the Ph.D thesis. </p>
<p>Up until this point, my research has been broad and multi faceted. I have chosen to start a public record of my research for several reasons. Firstly, I would like to share my findings with anyone who may be interested and who may benefit from my them. </p>
<p>One of the motivating factors in beginning this research was a belief that Monk Montgomery should be studied further due to his historical significance in the history of the bass guitar and jazz music as a whole. I would like to share this research as widely as possible in order to achieve this goal. </p>
<p>Before writing about current aspects of my research, I feel that it would be beneficial to give an overview of the research to date. This is for my own benefit as well as for the benefit of reader. </p>
<p>At the beginning of my research, I was unsure of the specific pathways which my Ph.D would follow. I knew that, in my opinion, the life and music of Monk Montgomery was under documented for reasons which I couldn’t explain. If Montgomery is believed to be the first musician to tour extensively with the bass guitar, and is the first to record with the instrument on an album, then these factors alone seem enough to warrant significant study. When combined with other aspects of his life and his unique playing techniques, it appeared to be a knowledge gap which I felt compelled to play a part in filling. </p>
<p>The initial stage of my study was spent researching Montgomery’s life and recordings on a wide scope. Many of Montgomery’s recordings have not been reissued so this involved finding and buying records which have been out of print for several decades. I have also collected books, magazines and articles relating to Montgomery, the history of the Fender Precision Bass and related subjects such as the Las Vegas Jazz Society. </p>
<p>One of the most important books which I discovered was Monk Montgomery’s bass guitar tuition book. This seemingly rare book documents Montgomery’s playing methods in his own words and documents his approach to practice, scales, harmony, feel, etc. As I clarified my research paths, this book’s importance has increased. </p>
<p>In early 2021, I settled on specific research topics which will make up my Ph.d thesis. One of these is a biographical chapter which will help to place the overall thesis in context. I hope to create clarity on a number of issues which seem to be unclear at present. These include how long Montgomery spent with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra and the age in which Montgomery began playing music. To do this, I have consulted liner notes, newspaper archives and magazine articles dating from the 1950’s. </p>
<p>Researching the early history of the Fender Precision Bass is also of great importance to my thesis. Montgomery is believed to be the first bass guitar player of significance in jazz music and I am researching how his playing techniques helped the instrument to be accepted in the genre. This brings up several questions such as, which other bass guitarists were playing the instrument in its initial years and how did their approach differ or coincide with Montgomery’s? This is an area of research which I have not spent much time on to date. </p>
<p>The performance based aspect of my research is concerned with how Montgomery used certain techniques and equipment in order to make the Fender Precision Bass sound close to that of the double bass. I will be doing this research by recording a test piece on the double bass and then recording several versions using different bass guitars, amplifiers and techniques. These recordings will be made in controlled conditions and analysed using software. This process has already begun and I will discuss this further in the next blog post. In order to do this, I have to be comfortable playing Monk Montgomery’s lines using various techniques. This requires a great deal of instrumental practice which will also be documented.</p></div>
</div>


<footer class="meta blog-footer clearfix">
    <p class="post-info"><span data-time="2022-01-23T19:34:12+00:00" title="January 23, 2022 19:34">01/23/2022</span></p>

  <ul class="blog-actions pdf__hide">
    <li class="comment-count"><a title="2 comments" class="comment-link button button-secondary" href="/blog/blog/blog-post-1-introduction#comments">2 comments</a></li>
      <li><div data-controller="share-dialog" data-share-dialog-url-value="https://monkmontgomery.com/blogs/research-blog/posts/6877511/blog-post-1-introduction" data-share-dialog-title-value="Blog Post #1 - Introduction " data-share-dialog-text-value="" data-share-dialog-fb-app-id-value="286076425227">
  <a class="button button-tertiary zoogle-share pdf__hide" title="Share Blog Post #1 - Introduction " data-action="click-&gt;share-dialog#open" href="javascript:void(0)">
    <i class="icon-share"></i>Share
</a>
  <dialog data-share-dialog-target="dialog" data-action="click->share-dialog#clickOutside" class="dialog dialog-share style-section-style-1">
    <button class="dialog-close" data-action="click-&gt;share-dialog#close" aria-label="close">
      <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 11 11" class="icon" width="12px" height="12px"><path d="M6.755 5.502l3.836 3.97-1.438 1.39-3.81-3.942-3.926 3.942L0 9.452 3.953 5.48 0 1.39 1.438 0l3.927 4.064L9.41 0l1.417 1.411-4.073 4.091z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></svg>
</button>    <div class="share_desc">
      <div>
        <span data-share-dialog-target="title">Blog Post #1 - Introduction </span>
        <br>
        <span class="byline" data-share-dialog-target="byline">
        </span>
      </div>
    </div>

    <ul class="share_icons">
      <li class="threads">
        <a href="#" data-share-dialog-target="threadsLink" data-controller="popup-window" data-action="click->popup-window#open" data-popup-window-width-value="550" data-popup-window-height-value="357" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
          <div class="share_icon">
            <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 36 36" class="icon">
<path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M36 18C36 8.05887 27.9411 0 18 0C8.05887 0 0 8.05887 0 18C0 27.9411 8.05887 36 18 36C27.9411 36 36 27.9411 36 18ZM23.7524 16.9806C23.8587 17.0263 23.9638 17.074 24.0671 17.1235C25.5284 17.8245 26.597 18.8859 27.1575 20.1926C27.9387 22.0149 28.0101 24.9832 25.6397 27.3514C23.828 29.1615 21.6287 29.9784 18.5087 30H18.4946C14.9852 29.9757 12.2865 28.7948 10.4735 26.4901C8.86024 24.4393 8.02805 21.5855 8.00009 18.0084L8 18L8.00009 17.9916C8.02805 14.4145 8.86024 11.5608 10.4735 9.50991C12.2865 7.20522 14.9852 6.02431 18.4946 6H18.5087C22.0252 6.02439 24.7545 7.20084 26.6206 9.49675C27.5414 10.6295 28.218 11.9953 28.648 13.5803L26.6296 14.1188C26.2749 12.8311 25.7368 11.7267 25.023 10.8485C23.5674 9.05767 21.3735 8.13891 18.5016 8.11756C15.6505 8.13875 13.4942 9.05311 12.0923 10.8353C10.7794 12.5042 10.101 14.9147 10.0757 18C10.101 21.0853 10.7794 23.4958 12.0923 25.1646C13.4942 26.9469 15.6505 27.8612 18.5017 27.8824C21.072 27.8635 22.7728 27.252 24.1876 25.8385C25.8025 24.225 25.7724 22.2459 25.2559 21.0415C24.9521 20.333 24.4021 19.7436 23.66 19.2957C23.4792 20.6429 23.0699 21.712 22.4226 22.537C21.5704 23.6234 20.3487 24.2175 18.7915 24.3029C17.6124 24.3673 16.4778 24.0829 15.5969 23.5014C14.555 22.8135 13.9452 21.7605 13.8799 20.5365C13.7514 18.1235 15.6656 16.3869 18.6431 16.2154C19.7001 16.1548 20.6889 16.2026 21.6031 16.358C21.4818 15.6156 21.2366 15.0274 20.8701 14.6018C20.3665 14.0171 19.5884 13.7173 18.5572 13.7107L18.5286 13.7106C17.7006 13.7106 16.5765 13.9423 15.8601 15.0291L14.1378 13.8476C15.0966 12.3926 16.6546 11.593 18.5278 11.593L18.5702 11.5931C21.702 11.6131 23.5671 13.5673 23.7524 16.9806ZM15.9524 20.4215C16.0193 21.6761 17.3751 22.2619 18.6801 22.1884C19.9578 22.1182 21.408 21.6169 21.6553 18.5291C20.9924 18.3842 20.2633 18.3085 19.4839 18.3085C19.247 18.3085 19.0059 18.3154 18.7602 18.3296C16.6145 18.4533 15.9029 19.4913 15.9524 20.4215Z"></path>
</svg>
          </div>
        </a>
      </li>

      <li class="facebook">
        <a href="#" data-share-dialog-target="facebookLink" data-controller="popup-window" data-action="click->popup-window#open" data-popup-window-width-value="550" data-popup-window-height-value="357" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
          <div class="share_icon">
            <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 18 18" class="icon"><path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M9 0a9 9 0 110 18A9 9 0 019 0zm2.606 4H10.24c-1.575 0-2.17.77-2.215 2.076l-.002.166v1.034H7V9h1.023V14h2.046V9h1.365l.181-1.724H10.07l.003-.862c0-.417.036-.655.553-.687l.128-.003h.853V4z"></path></svg>
          </div>
        </a>
      </li>

      <li class="twitter">
        <a href="#" data-share-dialog-target="twitterLink" data-controller="popup-window" data-action="click->popup-window#open" data-popup-window-width-value="685" data-popup-window-height-value="246" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
          <div class="share_icon">
            <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 36 36" class="icon">
<path fill-rule="evenodd" d="M36 18C36 8.05887 27.9411 0 18 0C8.05887 0 0 8.05887 0 18C0 27.9411 8.05887 36 18 36C27.9411 36 36 27.9411 36 18ZM26.4163 9L19.7142 16.6226L27.0001 27H21.6396L16.7316 20.0104L10.5876 27H9L16.0278 19.0075L9 9H14.3604L19.0068 15.6173L24.8287 9H26.4163ZM13.5996 10.1714H11.1606L22.3878 25.8861H24.8275L13.5996 10.1714Z"></path>
</svg>
          </div>
        </a>
      </li>

      <li class="email">
        <a href="#" data-share-dialog-target="emailLink" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
          <div class="share_icon">
            <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 18 18" class="icon">
<path fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd" d="M18 9C18 4.02944 13.9706 0 9 0C4.02944 0 0 4.02944 0 9C0 13.9706 4.02944 18 9 18C13.9706 18 18 13.9706 18 9ZM4.02511 5.73566C4.00872 5.77691 4.00004 5.82153 4.00004 5.86854L4 12.1317C4 12.1897 4.0135 12.2449 4.03762 12.2938C4.04581 12.2775 4.05691 12.2621 4.07041 12.2482L7.39793 8.87439L4.0772 5.81961C4.05116 5.79611 4.0338 5.76684 4.02511 5.73566ZM4.34327 12.4991L4.34195 12.499L7.67 9.12427L8.60412 9.98343C8.86598 10.2242 9.26962 10.2228 9.52956 9.98007L10.4564 9.11563L13.768 12.4736C13.7251 12.4904 13.6783 12.5 13.6296 12.5H4.3704C4.3612 12.5 4.35243 12.4996 4.34327 12.4991ZM13.9971 12.1795L10.727 8.86376L13.9913 5.81857C13.9932 5.81713 13.9947 5.81569 13.9961 5.81425C13.9986 5.832 14 5.85023 14 5.86846V12.1315C14 12.1478 13.999 12.1637 13.9971 12.1795ZM13.7686 5.52686C13.7257 5.50959 13.6789 5.5 13.6297 5.5L4.37041 5.50006C4.33617 5.50006 4.30338 5.50486 4.27155 5.5135C4.29229 5.52117 4.31158 5.53316 4.32846 5.549L8.85585 9.71283C8.97448 9.8222 9.15822 9.82172 9.27637 9.71139L13.7382 5.54989C13.7479 5.54077 13.758 5.5331 13.7686 5.52686Z"></path>
</svg>
          </div>
        </a>
      </li>

    </ul>
    <div class="permalink" data-controller="clipboard">
      <p>Share link</p>
      <div class="control -has-addons">
        <input type="text" value="https://monkmontgomery.com/blogs/research-blog/posts/6877511/blog-post-1-introduction" data-clipboard-target="source" data-share-dialog-target="urlInput" data-action="click->share-dialog#selectUrl" readonly="true">
        <span class="control__suffix">
          <a class="button -simple -compact -icon-only" data-clipboard-target="button" data-action="clipboard#copy">
            <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 16 16" class="icon" width="16px" height="18px"><path d="M4.166.597c-.184 0-.369.15-.369.342v1.365c0 .191.185.341.369.341h9.189v9.216c0 .191.15.342.341.342h1.365c.191 0 .342-.15.342-.342V.94a.338.338 0 00-.342-.342H4.166zm7.44 3.798H.34A.338.338 0 000 4.736v10.923c0 .19.15.341.341.341h10.923c.191 0 .341-.15.341-.341V4.395z" fill-rule="evenodd"></path></svg>
          </a>
        </span>
      </div>
    </div>
  </dialog>
</div></li>
  </ul>

  <p class="post-info"></p>
</footer>


</article>

</div></div>
    <nav class="pagination">
    <span class="first">
  <a href="/blog/blog_posts?p=1"><span class='pagination-decoration icon icon-first'></span>First</a>
</span>

    <span class="prev">
  <a rel="prev" href="/blog/blog_posts?p=1"><span class='pagination-decoration icon icon-previous'></span>Prev</a>
</span>
        <span class="page">
  <a rel="prev" href="/blog/blog_posts?p=1">1</a>
</span>

        <span class="page current">
  2
</span>

      <span class="next hidden">
  Next<span class='pagination-decoration icon icon-next'></span>
</span>
      <span class="last">
  Last<span class='pagination-decoration icon icon-last'></span>
</span>

  </nav>




</template></turbo-stream>