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Jazz Improvisation with Andrea Fascetti – Bass Transcriptions
I HOPE YOU LIKED MY PAT METHENY SOLO TRANSCRIPTIONS FROM THE LAST ISSUE OF BASS MUSICIAN MAGAZINE. YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THIS IS A LONG COURSE ON JAZZ IMPROVISATION AND EVERY NOW AND THEN YOU WILL FIND THAT I ADD IN SOME SOLO TRANSCRIPTIONS OF JAZZ MASTERS. I THINK THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE GREAT SOLO SKILLS THIS WAY AND MOVING FORWARD, I SUGGEST THAT YOU TRANSCRIBE THE SOLOS OF GREAT JAZZ MASTERS LIKE JOHN COLTRANE OR CHARLIE PARKER, FOR EXAMPLE.
IN FACT, PEOPLE LIKE JOHN PATITUCCI OR JEFF BERLIN (THIS IS ONLY AN EXAMPLE, OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE SO MANY JAZZ BASS PLAYERS THAT I CAN’T APPOINT THEM ALL!) HAVE A TRUE GREAT JAZZ ARTICULATION ON THE BASS.
I THINK THAT THEY TRANSCRIBED LOTS OF SOLOS!
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PRIVATE EMAILS THAT I RECEIVED ABOUT THIS ARGUMENT. YOUR QUESTIONS WERE VERY INTERESTING AND SO I DECIDED TO EXPLAIN MY POINT OF VIEW ABOUT TRANSCRIPTIONS… YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS MY OPINION AND YOU ARE FREE TO AGREE WITH ME OR NOT 🙂
IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT MY LESSONS ABOUT TRANSCRIPTIONS YOU WILL NOTICE THAT I INSIST ON ARTICULATION… FOR ME THIS IS PRIMARY!
IF YOU COPY THE NOTES, THE FEEL, SOUND AND THE ARTICULATION OF THE SOLO, YOU’RE REALLY “INTO THE MUSIC” AND YOU CATCH THE EMOTIONAL CONTENT OF THE SOLO.
ACCORDING TO GREAT PIANIST AND TEACHER MARK LEVINE, BASICALLY THERE ARE TWO OPPOSING SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT ABOUT TRANSCRIBING SOLOS:
1) WRITE OUT THE SOLO
2) DON’T WRITE OUT THE SOLO, BUT INSTEAD LEARN IT BY PLAYING ALONG WITH THE RECORDING.
I AGREE WITH MARK, FOR ME THE SECOND METHOD IS THE BEST.
ALSO, I THINK THAT WHEN YOU HAVE THE SOLO “UNDER YOUR FINGERS” YOU CAN WRITE IT AND ANALYZE IT… BUT I REPEAT, WRITE IT AFTER LEARNING IT ON YOUR INSTRUMENT!
AND NOW IT’S TIME FOR USUAL HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT:
PICK A SHORT MUSICAL PHRASE FROM A SOLO YOU LIKE AND TRANSCRIBE IT. LEARN THE PHRASE, THEN PLAY IT ALONG WITH THE RECORD AND WATCH WHAT HAPPENS! AND LASTLY, WRITE IT OUT.
NEXT TIME WE’LL START USING BEBOP!
CIAO
ANDREA