Vision Music

[woland99]

I thought that might be a useful thread - basically a set of jazz tunes
that would be worthy of transcribing - have lots of reusable phrases
and that would be not be too hard - well recorded with good instrument
separation, with solos that are not too difficult rhythmically.

Here is one list that was suggested to me - perhaps we can compile
a larger list separated into beginner and advanced level tunes.

Miles solo from 'So What' off of Kind of Blue
Miles 'All Blues' solos from Kind Of Blue
Miles 'Freddie the Freeloader' (Kinda Blue),
Miles 'No Blues' (At Carnegie Hall or other album?)
Miles 'Pfrancing' (Someday My Prince will come)

Grant's solos on "Grantstand"
Grant's solo in 'The Best Things in Life are Free',
on Hank Mobley's CD 'Workout'
Grant Green, anything he did on blue note

Pat Martino or maybe Mark Elf
Clifford Brown's solo on "Sandu".
McCoy Tyner's solo on "Have You Met Miss Jones".
Kenny Burrell's "God Bless the Child" (or any ballad)
Chet Baker - anything

So what are you suggestions?

JT

[Larry_DC]

Those are some great suggestions. I notice that like many of us, you focus on horn and keyboard players. Here are a few that I have transcribed to great benefit:

Miles - Bemsha Swing from the Jazz Giants CD

Miles' solo on Four from Blue Haze. It's so lyrical it could be a song by itself.

Chet Baker - Let's Get Lost - same comment as above

Bird - Bloomdido, Bongo Bop

Bird and Diz - Groovin' High

Barney Kessel - Yardbird Suite from Hampton Hawes' Blues the Most CD.

Stan Getz - Ipanema, So Danco Samba

I also try to transcribe the piano and bass to get an understanding of what those players were doing.

[Mark]

[nylenny]

In my transcribing, I am trying to pick material that sounds like what I want to ultimately sound like. For example, if I want to incorporate more double stops into my blues playing, I try to find solos that use double stops.

It seems logical to me that you eventually will sound like the music you transcribe (at least if your learning is primarily transcribing based). So someone who transcribes a lot of Grant Green is going to sound different than someone who transcribes Clapton. This would be even more pronounced if the transcriber consciously attempted to sound like his mentor. In music, you probably are what you eat.

[nylenny]

I also think it's a good idea to transcribe some material to build basic musicianship. I find transcribing James Jamerson's (Motown bass player's) lines to be great for ear training. Jamerson mixes arpeggios, scales (including chromatic approaches) and taste to create some of the most memorable bass lines in history. Just check out "Heard it Through the Grapevine," "Shotgun," or "My Girl."

I've found that transcribing Jamerson has given me the "skeleton" for remembering how things sound. For example, I will never forget the sound of a major pentatonic scale after figuring out "My Girl." Or the sound of a major triad after transcribing "Bernadette" (Four Tops).

Also, Paul McCartney's lines are great transcription fodder. Just transcribe "Day Tripper," and I guarantee you will always recognize the sound of a flat third resolving upwards.

Transcribing bass -- at least for me -- has been the easiest way to get down the rudiments: the sound of scales, approach tones, and arpeggios. As an added bonus, you really learn how to subdivide the beat (transcribe Jamerson's 16th note subdivisions -- you'll never have trouble figuring out a 16th note rhythm again) and hear root motion (which helps to keep you from getting lost in a solo).

[nylenny]

Mark, Above you mentioned:

[thaydon]

Presently I am transcribing Mike Stern lines and approximating the notes based on a suggestion of David Baker (i.e., if the lines are double timed get the note on each quarter note and fill in the rest). Transcribing guitarists has been enjoyable for me because I can somewhat make sense of what they are doing because the lines seem to fall easier on the fretboard.
_________________
sincerely yours,

Todd

[Mark]