Autumn in New York (with strings) Comments Welcome.
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Thank you Saxguy09! I know there's a lot of things I can do differently. Less notes for starters! I do tend to use vibrato sparingly. I will take a few more stabs at it. I appreciate your listening and comments.
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very nice lyrical alto tone and intonation. sounds real pretty. but I agree it can use some vibrato (tastesful of course and some tonal nuances for long tones in the head) as it fits the style yoy playing in and the tune and arrangement itself. Enjoyed listening to it!
That was most enjoyable Mr. B! I feel like "who am I to critique"? However, it's obvious that you are a solid player with good ideas. When you hold a note for 4, 8 beats (or however long) your breath support is there until the end. It doesn't let go and that makes for a really good sound. Besides, I'm a sucker for this tune! Good job!
Regards,
George
Regards,
George
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11,464 Posts
I was impressed by the lack of vibrato. Your intonation and breath support is outstanding. I think the previous statements about needing a little vibrato are more appropriately directed at the song rather than the artist. In other words Steve, your sound doesn't suffer from lack of vibrato, Autumn in New York needs some as it is more in keeping with that particular genre of tunes. Excellent recording!
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Very nice take Steven, very well played 
. Your sound is beautiful (the best I've heard from you sofar!), fully agree with the comments of Dex above. Impro started of with a lot of notes, but you told a nice story over this beautiful backing. Did you cut two takes together at 2:48?
. Your sound is beautiful (the best I've heard from you sofar!), fully agree with the comments of Dex above. Impro started of with a lot of notes, but you told a nice story over this beautiful backing. Did you cut two takes together at 2:48?
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Thanks again for the comments! jrvinson45 I do try to play with almost no vibrato and then judiciously add some in, but its always a quest to see what works and what doesn't. Thanks for your observation. Dexdex, I tip my hat to you. Very kind. Mrpeebee, I agree about my verboseness. I keep playing too many notes! I did this in one take. I never feel right about the idea of splicing takes together in this critique context here on SOTW. I'm sure its all good and sometimes necessary to salvage an otherwise good performance when making a final recording. Thank you for your comments!
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Absolutely beautiful! Not to be redundant, I agree with everything positive that's been written above. So that leaves me with a few constructive-critique comments, LOL.
Regarding the vibrato, I think it's amazing that you can use the lack of it the way you do. I still think that just a little bit here or there would really sweeten things up without taking anything away from your approach. But the way you play without it is awesome.
There are really only two things that I would really suggest that you give some thought to and that is the use of more space in your soloing and the use of more tonal colour in your note choice.
I think your improvisational ideas would benefit if they were given a bit more breathing room; some more space for the listener to reflect on. You are a visual artist, so I don't really need to say much. Just think of your photos. Do you want to give your listeners the same listening experience as you give your photo's viewers the same visual experience in some of your more denser photos, or would you rather they have a more varied listening experience, as in your photos with more light and darkness and more varied hues and space? And, as you know, space is what calls attention to the other objects that are taking up that space.
Regarding your note choices in the improvisation, melodically, it's really beautiful. But after about 3/4 of the way through I'm getting a sameness to the tonal environment. In other words, I think you are playing too diatonically. Yes, you are using non-diatonic tones, but they are being used mainly as passing tones or as approach notes, all of those ways of using chromatics to land on diatonic tones. And when we are landing on diatonic tones, after a while it just takes on a sameness in the tonal pallet. So my recommendation would be to start finding ways of making the tonal atmosphere more varied.
Just so no one misunderstands, I'm not meaning to just start playing outside, but consider looking for ways to add more colour. You might even want to wait to do it until you are further into a solo to create a larger architecture to the form. For example, you could look for the "pretty notes". Maybe for you, the first category of them would be 9ths, and instead of passing through them, stay on them until they have some weight of their own. Find other pretty notes and hang on them. Weave a chord's extensions into its lower structure and then move on. Look for a substitute chord here and there (but use sparingly - this is not Scrapple from the Apple). There are ways of getting away from a basic diatonic tonality to make things more interesting without throwing the baby out with the wash. It wouldn't have to be much. Remember, in the words of a wise young lady - minimalism is good. :mrgreen:
Regarding the vibrato, I think it's amazing that you can use the lack of it the way you do. I still think that just a little bit here or there would really sweeten things up without taking anything away from your approach. But the way you play without it is awesome.
There are really only two things that I would really suggest that you give some thought to and that is the use of more space in your soloing and the use of more tonal colour in your note choice.
I think your improvisational ideas would benefit if they were given a bit more breathing room; some more space for the listener to reflect on. You are a visual artist, so I don't really need to say much. Just think of your photos. Do you want to give your listeners the same listening experience as you give your photo's viewers the same visual experience in some of your more denser photos, or would you rather they have a more varied listening experience, as in your photos with more light and darkness and more varied hues and space? And, as you know, space is what calls attention to the other objects that are taking up that space.
Regarding your note choices in the improvisation, melodically, it's really beautiful. But after about 3/4 of the way through I'm getting a sameness to the tonal environment. In other words, I think you are playing too diatonically. Yes, you are using non-diatonic tones, but they are being used mainly as passing tones or as approach notes, all of those ways of using chromatics to land on diatonic tones. And when we are landing on diatonic tones, after a while it just takes on a sameness in the tonal pallet. So my recommendation would be to start finding ways of making the tonal atmosphere more varied.
Just so no one misunderstands, I'm not meaning to just start playing outside, but consider looking for ways to add more colour. You might even want to wait to do it until you are further into a solo to create a larger architecture to the form. For example, you could look for the "pretty notes". Maybe for you, the first category of them would be 9ths, and instead of passing through them, stay on them until they have some weight of their own. Find other pretty notes and hang on them. Weave a chord's extensions into its lower structure and then move on. Look for a substitute chord here and there (but use sparingly - this is not Scrapple from the Apple). There are ways of getting away from a basic diatonic tonality to make things more interesting without throwing the baby out with the wash. It wouldn't have to be much. Remember, in the words of a wise young lady - minimalism is good. :mrgreen:
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Lordy, you guys are being awfully nice to me. I had to check to see if it was my birthday. Thank you for your listening and comments!
Rhysonsax, I'm using a NY Meyer 5m (opened up a bit. Got it from Unbalancedaction. I absolutely love it.), MKVI. Rigotti Gold reeds and winslow lig. Backing track was Jamey Aebersold Vol 97.
Gary! Are you a teacher? Really awesome, useful critique. Thank you for taking the time to write all of your comments. I agree with just about everything folks have said here.
Rhysonsax, I'm using a NY Meyer 5m (opened up a bit. Got it from Unbalancedaction. I absolutely love it.), MKVI. Rigotti Gold reeds and winslow lig. Backing track was Jamey Aebersold Vol 97.
Gary! Are you a teacher? Really awesome, useful critique. Thank you for taking the time to write all of your comments. I agree with just about everything folks have said here.
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Oh yeah - that reminds me; a pet peeve - scooped notes. For some reason, amateurs think that scooped notes = jazz, and it drives me wild. Well, it's worse when they try to play R&B and don't know what they're doing, but I don't know how many times I've been screaming inside when I've started to listen to (notice I used the word "start"ed) or gone to a linked web site and "start"ed to listen to something and I hear these nauseous scooped notes that are in the wrong place, over-used and played technically wrong, so I've got a real problem with these. That's the background to the following - beautiful job on the scooped notes, man. Really, really nice!
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2,371 Posts
Hi Steven, haven't heard your playing for quite a while I guess. I'm absolutely amazed by how much you've progressed. Fantastic tone and it's obvious that you're not just playing mechanically but know and squeeze each note for what it can give emotionally (without over doing it).
Not sure that vibrato is necessary when you've got such good control over your tone with such sweetness.
Am now listening to some of your other tracks. You've got a good solid foundation to your playing (something I lack) that will see you through. A few timing problems occasionally (All of me take 2), but nothing too serious.
Got to say your first takes on Autumn in New York and All of Me were (in my opinion) better than the second takes. Both were more fluid and had a better feeling of the music being "sung". The second takes seemed more self conscious, but strangely more assertive?
Great advice from Gary.
Can't wait to hear what's next.
Not sure that vibrato is necessary when you've got such good control over your tone with such sweetness.
Am now listening to some of your other tracks. You've got a good solid foundation to your playing (something I lack) that will see you through. A few timing problems occasionally (All of me take 2), but nothing too serious.
Got to say your first takes on Autumn in New York and All of Me were (in my opinion) better than the second takes. Both were more fluid and had a better feeling of the music being "sung". The second takes seemed more self conscious, but strangely more assertive?
Great advice from Gary.
Can't wait to hear what's next.
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Thanks Wade! I always appreciate your comments. I agree about the first takes over the second being more fluid, less self conscious. I'm striving towards the middle ground where I'm able to play over the changes freely from the start without wearing out the spontaneous nature of improvising by over-rehearsing.
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Seems to me that you've got enough technical knowhow to leave the thinking (technically) behind and sing through your horn. This is what I'm hearing you do anyway. Gary gave some good advice about thinking and playing a bit more outside, but this is where you practice until it's more part of your thinking. If you're trying to think your way through it loses the lyrical quality needed for a ballad. All of us have limitations (especially me). Playing music isn't necessarily about being the best technical player, it's communicating the most through your playing using whatever you've got in your bag at the time.
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I know what you mean. I don't think I have the aptitude for a highly polished technical threshold. Though I wish I did. I'm trying to let more of the musical stuff come through and be more spontaneous. This tune has some spots that I like.
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Man, that's one tough mother you've taken on. Heaps of very fine moments. Your tone and approach very much in the Desmond style. If being very picky about technical playing (which I stink at) it's that the trick is to always play inside your abilities. When you push beyond them you make it sound more difficult and less comfortable. Great as an exercise but when you listen to any pro they always make it sound easy. The amateurs make everything sound difficult. This isn't a criticism of this cut, as it's being shared "among friends", but just something to keep in mind when playing with others or for an audience.
Once again I'm amazed at your progress.
Have noticed your address now Emeryville Ca. You moved from Berkeley?
Once again I'm amazed at your progress.
Have noticed your address now Emeryville Ca. You moved from Berkeley?
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