[A Greene]

Unfortunately, I didn't get my Parker Omni book until I was 20 years old. I was always in the HS Jazz Ensemble and fancied myself a 'jazzer.' I had this Brecker vibe and altissimo even in back High School. When I was in my 40's, I spent one summer playing every OmniBook solo at tempo with Charlie Parker recordings. I even had a 1942 Conn 6M for authenticity. Good Times.

The problem has been that the vocabulary just didn't stick because I was reading the solos and NOT doing the mental work required to really play Be-Bop. Honestly, I'm not sure I have the mental horsepower but I'll save that part for my therapist.

Not yet ready to give up. Here's what I've been doing the last few weeks.

1) The Problem
Be-Bop Progressions are cycles of 2-5's. Major and/or Minor. I always practiced 2-5's in isolation through all the keys like a good student but never linked them together. There's really no time to think and the resolution happens at the end of the cycle - it just has to be ready.

2) My Work
I've started practicing simply 1 measure 2-5's followed by the same 2-5 down a step without pause. Really basic 1,2,3,5 stuff in both Major and Minor - trying to develop a flow. This is very humbling, slow work that's more mental than saxophone related. (If that makes sense). Yes this is common knowledge and it's in Jerry Cokers' book BUT the work still HAS to be done.

As I grow older, I really appreciate the genius of Charlie Parker and Sonny Stitt - The brainpower behind these men is beyond words. As a kid, it really didn't connect - I liked screamin' tenor players.

 

[Govinda]

A big part of the mental stuff that is often over looked in favor of patterns is voice leading, enclosures and the intersection of those two ideas.

I have been in the be bop shed for the duration of the quarantine and the the most enlightening and fruitful endeavors has been the exploration of that intersection

A lot of the twist and turns we love within the bebop language from use of enclosures and I feel the key to truly improvising within that idiom is to have a mastery over enclosures

 

[A Greene]

A big part of the mental stuff that is often over looked in favor of patterns is voice leading, enclosures and the intersection of those two ideas.

I have been in the be bop shed for the duration of the quarantine and the the most enlightening and fruitful endeavors has been the exploration of that intersection

A lot of the twist and turns we love within the bebop language from use of enclosures and I feel the key to truly improvising within that idiom is to have a mastery over enclosures

100% Agree - The enclosure concept is completely left out of the Scale/Chord approach many of us learned.

Charlie Parker will slam into a B Natural on Beat 1 of a Bb7. That's not a note my brain would pick; however, it's part of a larger enclosure plan.

 

[JL]

Charlie Parker will slam into a B Natural on Beat 1 of a Bb7. That's not a note my brain would pick; however, it's part of a larger enclosure plan.

It's also the b9 of the Bb dominant chord. The dom7b9 chord is very common in the bebop vocabulary.

But yeah, enclosures, leading tones, passing tones, and using chromatics to connect chord tones are all features of bebop. And rhythmic concepts like the use of triplets, swing feel, syncopation, etc.

Don't forget the bebop scale, using the chromatic passing tone. Look up Barry Harris's 'rules' for using the bebop scale.

I've been practicing this stuff on ii-V, ii-V-I, and iii-VI-ii-V patterns for a long time. It's finally starting to take hold. As you say, it has to become totally internalized to the point you aren't thinking about it. Really fun to practice though, because it sounds so good!

 

[1saxman]

'I liked screamin' tenor players.'

Me too, and I still do.

 

[111518]

The problem has been that the vocabulary just didn't stick because I was reading the solos and NOT doing the mental work required to really play Be-Bop. Honestly, I'm not sure I have the mental horsepower but I'll save that part for my therapist.

Not yet ready to give up. Here's what I've been doing the last few weeks.

1) The Problem
Be-Bop Progressions are cycles of 2-5's. Major and/or Minor. I always practiced 2-5's in isolation through all the keys like a good student but never linked them together. There's really no time to think and the resolution happens at the end of the cycle - it just has to be ready.

2) My Work
I've started practicing simply 1 measure 2-5's followed by the same 2-5 down a step without pause. Really basic 1,2,3,5 stuff in both Major and Minor - trying to develop a flow. This is very humbling, slow work that's more mental than saxophone related. (If that makes sense). Yes this is common knowledge and it's in Jerry Cokers' book BUT the work still HAS to be done.

As I grow older, I really appreciate the genius of Charlie Parker and Sonny Stitt - The brainpower behind these men is beyond words. As a kid, it really didn't connect - I liked screamin' tenor players.

This post hits home ...although you guys are way ahead of me in understanding, and on a different planet in terms of saxophone playing. (I'll never read the Omni Book at tempo on any instrument.) Lead guitar in a blues rock setting, which is where I've spent most of my musical life, is exactly about screaming --about bringing energy to tunes, not really about the connection between harmony and melody. Nothing wrong with energy.

But, I've also been fascinated with bebop for a very long time, and I've recently found two books which have really helped. Both combine lots of transcriptions of ii-V's from the masters, along with clear analysis that makes it possible to identify and incorporate the key elements of those lines in one's own playing.

The first is Bert Ligon's "Connecting Chords with Linear Harmony." Ligon begins with the idea that there are three basic outlines "underneath" many of the classic ii-V's in jazz. Key for me is that the outlines, and his explanation, are simple to hear and yet explained thoroughly enough that I've actually, after many years of frustration, been able to begin to hear the basic movement of the lines as I improvise through the changes. Since I know where the line is going, enclosures, chromaticism, the altered scale, all that cool stuff, begins to connect with the basic relationship of melody and harmony. I'm beginning to be able to incorporate that stuff without "losing my place." Vincent's book, "Line Games", is written for guitar, but it is all notation, so, works for horns as well. (Sher music has "translated his "Cellular Improvisation" from guitar to all instruments, maybe they'll do the same for "Line Games"). He doesn't use the language of outlines, but I find he presents information in a similar way: here are a couple of pages of great ii-V's by great players, here is a way to understand the logic of those lines, here are exercises to get the sound of the line in your ear and under your fingers, then here are elaborations, rhythmic, chromatic, starting with an enclosure, etc.

Of course, I sometimes think books are GREAT!!! less because of the book than that you are finally at a general musical level to make sense of the book. I often, with my guitar students, preface my first explanation of chord scale relationships by saying: ok, your eyes are going to glaze, and this will have little meaning to you. BUT, you have to hear it, or read it, or discover it as you play, hundreds of times before it will actually be part of your musical voice, so, this is the first of many runs. Maybe you hate me now and really wish I'd teach you a SRV lick, but one day ...

These books have really helped me both build a vocabulary of bebop licks, but also "hear" the direction of the lines towards resolution. And, yeah, its not fair, or maybe just magic, that some people seem to have the musical intuition to produce lines at this level of sophistication by, as Parker said, "playing clean and hitting the pretty notes." (Although Parker also put in an enormous amount of work, so, I should have written "informed and well-practiced intuition.")

 

[JL]

'I liked screamin' tenor players.'

Me too, and I still do.

Me three! But 'bebop' language is based on sound musical principles (voice-leading, chromatic passing tones to smooth out the line, and all the other concepts discussed above). These principles aren't confined to bebop. I think it's possible to incorporate some of those concepts and still play 'screamin' tenor.' And of course bebop doesn't preclude a bit of screamin' on the horn.

 

[Jazzoetry]

Jazz / Bebop / Blues, back then was the social party music of the time. It was "In the air". They were singing and dancing it. You have to hear it and feel it like the language of party people. Many musicians were taken from the "Jazz Clubs" to the recording studios. For example an artist playing live on stage might say "This next tune will be on our next album". They were partying and getting paid for having fun with musical friends and making a living. Too much over analysis makes things kinda overwhelming. If a player was quick thinking enough to correct an unintended note or notes with a fast resolution a listener may spend time trying to figure out why certain notes were played. In many cases "Muscle Memory" set in for that moment or moments. Think about it, if your at home practicing and your fingers go to a unintended note or notes you'll probably start over and correct that issue. But what if your playing live or recording in a professional studio? Good players resolve quickly. Once the music starts to become more lyrical like actual language the theory has been set in muscle memory and freedom of expression is achieved and fun to play. In theory we're led to believe that certain things should be played at certain times, but then we see where some players played some things in other not thought of areas. Why we might think? The answer may be "Muscle Memory". Yeah the fingers just kinda went there. But the subconscious mind after many hours of playing heard it at that moment as upper extensions, substitutions etc., that's why it worked. I like to program a simple drum beat and have fun using enclosures connecting licks, lines, and progressions in anyway I can think of or just feel freely. That way I can deliberately place targeted things in muscle memory cleanly. After melodically-harmonizing progressions at a fun rhythmic tempo using a drum pattern I myself created my muscle memory is stored with some good options. Try using a drum pattern that you create yourself and see how more of the things you play come from within. The notes easily fall where they should, because you set the main vibe of the rhythm and are basically following your own natural flow. Don't lay down any other instrument tracks, stay free to randomly go to any key you feel using various modulations. Then when you read actual progressions in songs twist and turns will be less of an issue. Practice your own random twist and turns. You're playing at your own tempo so you can repeat and work out the new random key you were led into. Take the necessary time to get specifics into muscle memory. After using this approach to freedom of expression playalongs with accompaniment are fun and easier to follow. Hopefully this approach can help some players.

 

[jamiejazz]

Sounds like you're doing great work! Just by practising good lines, from whatever source, your ears and fingers will start to meet each other.

One thing that can help is to practice II-V lines (don't resolve to I) moving down in tones. Lots of tunes are constructed that way. (if you think about the movements E-A-D-G, you are actually practicing the circle of 5ths).

Also, when outlining E-7, A7, D-7, G7 then occasionally try flattening the 5th of the of the II chords-This will give you a half diminished chord. Maybe try swapping some of the notes in phrase around.

Phil Woods once wrote this to me when I asked him about practicing..

"Remember - a lick is a finger pattern and usually occurs in certain keys, whether sax or piano! (piano does not however contain the same finger problems that the horn does). So ingest your common licks - play them in every key - Bird used some common phrases - the art was his harmonic and rhythmic displacement of same. Analyse your lick bag - and vary it in subtle ways at first, different keys, then inversion, mirror, up, down, sideways until it is no longer the lick you always play on the second 8 bars of I Got Rhythm but a musical idea that is part of your tool bag. If you only know it in B flat it is a lick - if you can play it in every key anywhere it is your musical phrase. And if the rhythm section starts to sing along with your chorus it is time for a new bag. Steal! Listen! If you can hear it you can have it. If you feel a lick coming on don't do anything - just stand there!"

 

[Rackety Sax]

Sounds like you're doing great work! Just by practising good lines, from whatever source, your ears and fingers will start to meet each other.

One thing that can help is to practice II-V lines (don't resolve to I) moving down in tones. Lots of tunes are constructed that way. (if you think about the movements E-A-D-G, you are actually practicing the circle of 5ths).

Also, when outlining E-7, A7, D-7, G7 then occasionally try flattening the 5th of the of the II chords-This will give you a half diminished chord. Maybe try swapping some of the notes in phrase around.

Phil Woods once wrote this to me when I asked him about practicing..

"Remember - a lick is a finger pattern and usually occurs in certain keys, whether sax or piano! (piano does not however contain the same finger problems that the horn does). So ingest your common licks - play them in every key - Bird used some common phrases - the art was his harmonic and rhythmic displacement of same. Analyse your lick bag - and vary it in subtle ways at first, different keys, then inversion, mirror, up, down, sideways until it is no longer the lick you always play on the second 8 bars of I Got Rhythm but a musical idea that is part of your tool bag. If you only know it in B flat it is a lick - if you can play it in every key anywhere it is your musical phrase. And if the rhythm section starts to sing along with your chorus it is time for a new bag. Steal! Listen! If you can hear it you can have it. If you feel a lick coming on don't do anything - just stand there!"

Oh man, that quote is just fabulous!

 

[JazzBuss]

It is more important to hear it than to "think" it. I like to practice bebop lines by in every key, alternating between playing and singing the line (while moving my fingers as if I were playing). A big practice goal for me is ear training that strengthens the connection between our inner hearing and our instrument. When I'm playing I want to be hearing the next note already in my head. Same thing as speaking - ideally we are thinking/hearing ahead of the word that is currently coming out of our mouth. (Not everyone does this - gotta love them).

Also, bebop wouldn't be-anything without rhythm. All the chromatic stuff and enclosures really changes how (and when) the line resolves. The magic of these lines is in the little accents, delayed resolutions, harmonic anticipations.

A fun way to practice bebop rhythm is to take a Parker melody, say Confirmation, and come up with a new melody using those rhythms. The rhythm really is what makes it be bop

 

[Reet McVouty]

Another way to approach this is to transcribe Bird's solos by ear. Then go back to the book and look up the changes to analyze what licks/patterns are played over them.

 

[Saxguy_Ed]

Also, when outlining E-7, A7, D-7, G7 then occasionally try flattening the 5th of the of the II chords-This will give you a half diminished chord. Maybe try swapping some of the notes in phrase around.

Does that mean we could technically use harmonic minor over major ii-Vs to add tension? (I don't mean mindlessly running the scale) I know the major 7 works well over the V7 as a chromatic passing tone.

 

[paulwl]

1) The Problem
Be-Bop Progressions are cycles of 2-5's. Major and/or Minor. I always practiced 2-5's in isolation through all the keys like a good student but never linked them together. There's really no time to think and the resolution happens at the end of the cycle - it just has to be ready.

2) My Work
I've started practicing simply 1 measure 2-5's followed by the same 2-5 down a step without pause. Really basic 1,2,3,5 stuff in both Major and Minor - trying to develop a flow. This is very humbling, slow work that's more mental than saxophone related. (If that makes sense). Yes this is common knowledge and it's in Jerry Cokers' book BUT the work still HAS to be done.

What you've done here is found your own "way in." Traditionally there are no exercises that give you a starting point. You do all the fundamentals, in isolation, because that's how we do music in general - mechanically, as notation and drill. We let the mental side take care of itself.

The ear is never the primary target of training after the basic level. Its not supposed to need help when we're learning a style, because traditionally, its role in helping us learn is very limited. That is the job of 90% drilling and 10% listening.

Traditionally the ear is only really useful once a style has mostly already been learned. The one exception was the blues and early jazz eras...and in this respect at least, modern jazz returned to a traditionally European mode of learning.

I should clarify that I cannot actually play bop. It is hard for me to think theoretically when I hear music, let alone when I play it. This closes a heavy door on learning bop.

I have at times achieved a bop feeling in my playing, but simple immersion doesn't do it*, and picking the theory up piece by piece doesn't work until you understand at least the basics of what makes bop. I think that's what allows you to craft your own strategies.

*Zoot Sims, who was theoretically illiterate, might have been the exception that proves the rule.

 

[JL]

Does that mean we could technically use harmonic minor over major ii-Vs to add tension? (I don't mean mindlessly running the scale) I know the major 7 works well over the V7 as a chromatic passing tone.

I would say absolutely yes that on the ii chord in a ii-V progression you can use the maj7 and b13 (essentially the 'harmonic minor') or the maj7 and nat13 which would be the melodic minor. You can also skip the ii chord altogether and just play a V7 line through the "ii-V" progression.

 

[Saxguy_Ed]

I would say absolutely yes that on the ii chord in a ii-V progression you can use the maj7 and b13 (essentially the 'harmonic minor') or the maj7 and nat13 which would be the melodic minor. You can also skip the ii chord altogether and just play a V7 line through the "ii-V" progression.

Smart...I've heard about the melodic minor on the V7, never even thought about using the harmonic. Thanks.

 

[JL]

There are a lot of ways to approach it, but on that ii chord, I don't usually 'think' in terms of the harmonic minor scale; rather I'm working with the chord tones. So for example, listen to the turnaround in bars 9 & 10 of "Tenor Madness" and you can hear the maj7 on the ii chord. Getting that sound in your ear and where & when to use it is the real key, imo.

 

[paulwl]

Getting that sound in your ear and where & when to use it is the real key, imo.

But how much of a role the ear can play - that's the question. This music was created to leave "ear players" at a disadvantage.

 

[Saxguy_Ed]

There are a lot of ways to approach it, but on that ii chord, I don't usually 'think' in terms of the harmonic minor scale; rather I'm working with the chord tones. So for example, listen to the turnaround in bars 9 & 10 of "Tenor Madness" and you can hear the maj7 on the ii chord. Getting that sound in your ear and where & when to use it is the real key, imo.

That's a great point, I always loved the sound of that part. Thanks for the advice.

 

[MM]

Let me share some of the stuff I've been practicing lately. Basically it is shedding a whole bunch of different ii-V-I patterns. They may come from books, from transcribed solos, something I come up with myself, or modifications of ones I already learned (melding the ii of one with the V of another, for example.) Just about daily, I will go thru all 12 major keys and sometimes add all 12 minors. (Obviously more tunes are in major keys than minor, but many spend some time in a minor tonality.) I transpose by ear to the different keys, which is a must. I try to "think" or feel the linking of chord tones rather than simply memorize a lick. Linking of the chord tones can be done in several ways: scale fragments, chromatic lines, arpeggio fragments, enclosures leaps etc. I don't practice these little subunits of the ii- V pedantically but they are becoming part of my vocabulary. One may start with hearing chord tones as 1-3-5-7, then add more over time such as 9, b9 in the dom 7 (not too difficult for me), #9 in the dom 7 (harder for me), etc. An arpeggio fragment over the dom 7 can be diminished if it includes the b9.

This has helped me internalize moving through different key centers and playing through tunes has become much easier. My brain can deal with higher level aspects of soloing rather than what note to play next.

I guiltily admit that I usually practice ii-V-I's (or simply ii-V's) around the cycle of fourths, and plan to do more work chromatically up and down, whole steps up and down and random root motion. Some suggest minor and major thirds up and down also. There is only so much time available however...so probably won't dwell on the thirds motions too often. Another whole direction is other progressions, for example bVII7 - I or ii-bII7-I (which could be considered tritone sub for the V7.) Again, the question is how much time to put into this stuff.

This stuff can sound very daunting but, like anything, gets easier one you start!