[coolsax2k7]

Here's me doing Just Friends on youtube. Please let me know how it came out. Thanks.

 

[gary]

Well, I hate to be the first one to break it to you, but the idea is to play the same tempo and chord changes as the background.

 

[heath]

It came out fine.

I'm not a shrink or anything, but the look on your face seems like someone that is kind of hurting inside.

Get out of the house and talk to someone asap. This isn't an insult to you, but I've seen that look on peoples faces before and sometimes it ends tragically. Keep on playing if it makes you happy, but you need to get with a professional right away.

 

[Dr G]

Do you play the same licks in the same key at the same tempo to everything?

You do have some interesting ideas but they don't seem to have anything to do with the backing track.

 

[kavala]

Wow, you guys don't pull your punches.

But I guess if you are going to put it out there in the public domain,
you have to be prepared to take some criticism.

You seem to have a reasonable fluidity with your scales, so I guess
you have been practising for a while.

However, I suggest you do a lot more listening to the greats and less
time on those scales, to get a better idea of what constitutes a good
solo.

I couldn't hear the backing track very well as the alto volume was a
lot higher, so it made this difficult for me to actually hear 'Just Friends'.

 

[Dr G]

Wow, you guys don't pull your punches.

You seem to have a reasonable fluidity with your scales, so I guess
you have been practising for a while.

His issues are the same as many students that spend their time practicing diligently but are not yet able to listen while they are playing. It's a tough nut to crack but awareness is the first step.

If you pause every once in a while to LISTEN, you may have a better chance of knowing where you are in the chord structure and where the time is. TIME is key, TIME is crucial. It's great to be able to play behind or ahead of time but to do that, you must first know where it is.

Be aware OF time and you will find yourself much closer to playing IN time.

Best wishes for continuing success.

 

[coolsax2k7]

http://mysite.verizon.net/res1g9ny/justfriends2.mp3

is that better, oops thanks for the comments, I wasn't really paying attention. I hope you enjoy this version.

 

[Agent27]

Well, I hate to be the first one to break it to you, but the idea is to play the same tempo and chord changes as the background.

To add a little, when you were singing, you weren't really lining up with the changes either. If you were trying to sing it the way it's written, you were a measure behind.

I don't hear a lot of vocabulary, just noodling. Most of it is long strings of 8th notes. Try limiting yourself to 2 and 4 bar phrases and throw in some triplets or something rhythmically different. The rhythm was better when you started sustaining some notes.

I don't know if it would change anything, but maybe it would help if you had started soling at the top of the form.

 

[Dr G]

I'll ask the question that you should periodically ask yourself - "Where's one?"

Don't be offended. It's the same question that my students have paid me to ask them. It's yours for free.

 

[kavala]

Reading the other thread regarding being reincarnated as John Coltrane
explains some of this.

 

[gary]

I gave your second version a listen also and actually you've got some things going for you: decent intonation, sound and some good ideas. What you dont have, as I said above, is a sense of where you are. I'm sure you know that you can't just play what you want ignoring the background chords and form of a tune, so here are a few suggestions.

- First, learn the form. Look at the music and write down how many measures there are to each section and if the sections repeat themselves. Maybe draw long phrase marks over prrases.

- Notice where the goals are to the chord progressions. Where is the chord progression going.

- Take the tune apart and play each chord and scale out of time to get these elements under your fingers.

- Play through the tune, playing only the roots of the chords. This should give you a better sense of the harmonic direction and it will also force you to keep your place in the music.

- Play through the tune with very short phrases. Stop and listen to where you are. If you have to, force yourself to play only a few notes at the beginning of each measure to keep your place.

What I hear is talent and some good fundamentals. What I don't hear is discipline. Of course you should be having fun and it should be an outlet for you, but you also need to discipline yourself in the way you approach a song. In the long run you'll feel better about yourself and you'll get more musical satisfaction. Cheers!

 

[kavala]

It looks as though the other thread regarding Coltrane has disappeared ???


So now a discussion of mental illness is a no-no :? :?

 

[heath]

Mental Illness threads almost always get locked down eventually.

 

[SaxyAcoustician]

Are you reading off the right page of the Aebersold book? It sounds like you're in another key.

Having said that, jazz isn't about reading anyway. You have to use your ear, and it's clear your ear isn't telling you that you're playing in the wrong key.

Try an easier tune.

 

[Master.America]

You've got more technical facility and better tone than I have, but there's one thing you really need to do: let it rip! You sounded like you were holding back, like you didn't want to be rude or something. It sounded more like that in the first one than in the second. You've got some cool ideas, and they'd sound truly awesome if you really dug in on it. For instance, when you hit and sustain a high note at the top of a run, hit it with conviction; you want to sound like you meant to get there, like that was your goal.

 

[coolsax2k7]

Gary has given me good advice. I'm trusting his advice more than some other people's, which I think are a little bit off-key too. I know it needs a lot of work, practicing, etc. I won't hesitate to start tomorrow morning to work in a manner that Gary has described.

 

[coolsax2k7]

Are you reading off the right page of the Aebersold book? It sounds like you're in another key.

Having said that, jazz isn't about reading anyway. You have to use your ear, and it's clear your ear isn't telling you that you're playing in the wrong key.

Try an easier tune.

Well the thing is that's really unclear to me (relating to where I am) is my inability to understand clearly what is going on in the music. I just feel like I'm going to fall over all the time. I can't get a sense of direction, and I lose it and go all over the place. I want to have more experiences to help drift me out of this mess.

 

[Master.America]

I re-read Gary's advice. I think my suggestion will fall into place once you start to get the hang of the things Gary suggested.

Technically speaking, I'm in the same boat you are; I always have difficulty finding one. Most of my trouble, however, is that I stop following the changes; I'm fine with the form, I just have a habit of losing focus on the changes when my solo comes up.

 

[Tim Price]

Hope this helps....

Here's me doing Just Friends on youtube. Please let me know how it came out. Thanks.

Hey your trying and you took the first steps. Keep practicing and trying.
The _KEY_is to keep studying and learning.

I might suggest these areas to try to develope ASAP;
They are;

Develop Tonal Memory. LEARN THE WORDS TO THE SONG.
Find a vocalist singing " Just Friends" and learn the WORDS in tempo.

Next- Learn Root Progression.Look at the root progression of the chords. Play _ONLY_the root progression and get it in TEMPO without the play-along! This will take some work- but it pays off for guys at your level.

Always improvise on a Tune's Primary Materials.
Melody, Guide Tone Lines, Root Progressions & key rhythms to the tune.

Once you learn these essential skills it will be applicable to other tunes as well- within their form.

ALSO; try play a lot of blues too. Simple blues- turn out the light and blow.
Listen to the key your in, use the blues scale and......JUST PLAY. KEEP DOING IT....and relax and listen.

You might try to find a teacher in your area, or an advanced student to assist you. I bet it would help...one to one instruction ALWAYS is an asset.

Hope this helps- KEEP PLAYING. Keep doing it.
Results will appear with work and patience.

OH YEA- LAST BUT NOT LEAST- LISTEN TO CHARLIE PARKER AS MUCH AS YOU CAN!!
Check out- Just Friends - Charlie Parker With Strings and
Everything Happens To Me - Charlie Parker With Strings

Listening to BIRD can be fun and educational- ENJOY.

KEEP PLAYING.

 

[HOUSTON NONET]

more great stuff from tim