Everything's great! I have a lot to work on and I'm having a great time. I'm almost done with first chorus of the Dexter solo (sax has been harder to transcribe for me). Do you want me to write it out or just play it with band in a box? Also on Saturday I'll be able to get a good quality video of the Friedman piece up (hopefully for the vibe book).
I do have a few questions though now that I've been continuing to work on Blue Bossa as far as transposing it in different keys. I feel a lot better about transposing the changes than I have in the past but the melody still trips me up. Do you have any tips? I'd love to one day be able to play anything in all of the keys automatically.
Thanks for all of your help! This is such a great resource.
Maybe I can help you out with the melody transposing.
I guess when you are able to transpose the changes easily, you are thinking about the scale degrees and the chord that goes with it. I thought that was more easy too. the melody is a different thing.
The thing to really get the most out of this is to try to do this by ear. So take the melody very slow. Just figure out what the first note should be in the new key, for blue bossa that would be the fifth(of the key), and then try to play the melody by ear. Just take it very slow and if you don't get it right away just listen and correct. Work this way through twelve keys, only playing melody, and you will start to notice that your ear will take over!
I even did this with the Milt Jackson solo on Don't Get Around Much Anymore and that is much more difficult that the melody of Blue Bossa.
The key here is to KNOW the melody and you should be able to sing it. I'm a terrible singer, but it's about hearing the melody inside you.(the singing can be a little off...). With solos I just listen over and over to it and that way you really start to know the melodies. Know what i mean?
tj is a helper here on the site. he's from holland and has studied with me for several years now. so he knows the routine! and he's a good player also.
here's the thing, that melody is pretty simple if you think of it like this:
the first half are all the notes in C aeolian. the second half are all the notes in the key of Db. also the melody always picks up from where it stops.
that makes your note 'choices' a little easier i think. and after a few keys it will get easier. if you're playing in the key of Fmin, and you're playing the melody then all your notes for the first part in the F aeolian. so don't play a D natural, right?
second half is in F#.
then finally, you'll just work hard at this and it will get easier and easier.
does that make sense? that should get you started. does it make things easier?
cool about the video. just play it well and i'll post it in the book! cool.
you know any bass players that you can jam with.
i have a friend who i think is in cleveland. Chris Berg, bassist. he might have a student around your level. but find someone!
Comments
Everything's great! I have
Jon Letsky Wed, 09/10/2008 - 19:27
Everything's great! I have a lot to work on and I'm having a great time. I'm almost done with first chorus of the Dexter solo (sax has been harder to transcribe for me). Do you want me to write it out or just play it with band in a box? Also on Saturday I'll be able to get a good quality video of the Friedman piece up (hopefully for the vibe book).
I do have a few questions though now that I've been continuing to work on Blue Bossa as far as transposing it in different keys. I feel a lot better about transposing the changes than I have in the past but the melody still trips me up. Do you have any tips? I'd love to one day be able to play anything in all of the keys automatically.
Thanks for all of your help! This is such a great resource.
transposing melody
tjaco Wed, 09/10/2008 - 21:57
In reply to Everything's great! I have by Jon Letsky
Hi Jon,
Maybe I can help you out with the melody transposing.
I guess when you are able to transpose the changes easily, you are thinking about the scale degrees and the chord that goes with it. I thought that was more easy too. the melody is a different thing.
The thing to really get the most out of this is to try to do this by ear. So take the melody very slow. Just figure out what the first note should be in the new key, for blue bossa that would be the fifth(of the key), and then try to play the melody by ear. Just take it very slow and if you don't get it right away just listen and correct. Work this way through twelve keys, only playing melody, and you will start to notice that your ear will take over!
I even did this with the Milt Jackson solo on Don't Get Around Much Anymore and that is much more difficult that the melody of Blue Bossa.
The key here is to KNOW the melody and you should be able to sing it. I'm a terrible singer, but it's about hearing the melody inside you.(the singing can be a little off...). With solos I just listen over and over to it and that way you really start to know the melodies. Know what i mean?
I hope this helps?
Keep it up!
Tjaco
meet tjaco!
tonymiceli Wed, 09/10/2008 - 22:07
In reply to Everything's great! I have by Jon Letsky
jl,
tj is a helper here on the site. he's from holland and has studied with me for several years now. so he knows the routine! and he's a good player also.
here's the thing, that melody is pretty simple if you think of it like this:
the first half are all the notes in C aeolian. the second half are all the notes in the key of Db. also the melody always picks up from where it stops.
that makes your note 'choices' a little easier i think. and after a few keys it will get easier. if you're playing in the key of Fmin, and you're playing the melody then all your notes for the first part in the F aeolian. so don't play a D natural, right?
second half is in F#.
then finally, you'll just work hard at this and it will get easier and easier.
does that make sense? that should get you started. does it make things easier?
cool about the video. just play it well and i'll post it in the book! cool.
you know any bass players that you can jam with.
i have a friend who i think is in cleveland. Chris Berg, bassist. he might have a student around your level. but find someone!