Advice - transcribing please

[Mr Yohe]

I am currently trying to transcribe solos from the Asscoiated board of Music Jazz Grade 1+2 cd's.

I am using transcibe software to slow down the solos and am playing along to try to replicate the solos and making notes as I figure out each small section. Then later trying to replicate each solo at full speed and good tone.

Although this has been quite productive and enjoyable, I am wondering if there is a better, more efficient method I should be using. Am I missing out on something?

All suggestions gratefully received.

[groovesax]

Whenever I transcribe something, I usually start by just playing along with it to get the basic shape, tonality and maybe a few of the easier licks. Then I'll go back and go through it with a fine tooth comb, slowing down, looping, whatever it takes as necessary. To me, it's not always necessary nor productive to write every single note down. There's a lot of stuff that I have committed to memory that I'd really have to struggle with to figure out how to write it out. That's not to say it's not a worthwhile exercise. In fact, that's really the only way to memorialize the effort. It's just that sometimes it can end up taking at 2 or 3 times to write it all out.

[SaxyAcoustician]

Although this has been quite productive and enjoyable, I am wondering if there is a better, more efficient method I should be using. Am I missing out on something?
Unfortunately, there is no easy way. The worthwhile things tend to take time. But one thing to look forward to is that it does get EASIER. The number of phrases you'll need to slow down to get in your head and under your fingers will go down quite a bit. :) You just have to give yourself (lots of) time to develop your ears.

[altosaxguy1]

pay some1 to do it for u?

[JL]

pay some1 to do it for u?

That won't work, because you won't internalize it. The actual process of listening and playing back is what helps you to learn the music. If someone else does it and you just read the notes, you still won't really know it.

Mr. Yohe, I think you are doing it exactly right. I've done this for some time (I rarely write it out, just learn and memorize from the recording), but haven't yet used the slow down software. It think that is probably a real benefit and some day soon I'll check it out.

[BlueNote]

I've only had to slow it down (using WMP) what I was transcribing only once. But then again, I rarely transcribe fast solos. The tune I had to slow it down on was actually on the melody (which I was transcribing) -- near the end of the form, the rhythm + the notes were really tricky. It took me a while to get that, in fact.

What I do, is play the recording over and over, then start playing along with it. Let it play for a couple measures, then do a trial-and-error by playing it back and seeing how close you are. You may have to repeat/loop any given few measures several times, writing down the notes as you do it.

I'd start with melodies and simple solos first, then gradually work your way up.

[Mr Yohe]

Many thanks to all

[Markus-wt]

A good thing to try is to start without even using the horn, but instead learn to sing the solo first. Try to know the solo so well that if someone would suddenly switch off the volume for a couple of seconds you would still be in the right place. Once you are able to sing the whole solo, including the harder licks, you already know it well. You just have to play it on your horn.