[SimonJazzSax]

I often think about the ways I've practiced throughout my life to get where I am. How, why, what was worthwhile and what was not. Since I not only perform professionally, but teach privately and at a smaller college, I am always trying to articulate my process. To get where you want to go, as a player & musician, you'll really have to think about your practice routine and what's the purpose of each thing you are doing. While I'm going to focus on transcription in this post, I'll list the basic practice categories below that I personally keep track of and have over the years.

Tone - Overtones, Bending Notes, Long Tones --- Many different ways to do these exercises. I have exhausted them countless ways and will continue on and off as I see the need to revisit!

Articulation --- painful to think about. LoL.

Technique --- Mostly focusing on speed, precision & evenness of scales and scale patterns. Major, Minor, Bop, Diminished, Intervalic Patterns, and the list goes on.

Rhythm & Time --- I worked with a great teacher once that made me go through these rhythm and time books he wrote. WOW .. so helpful. I took his ideas, added to them, and created my own intensive rhythm & time workouts for myself and students.

Etudes --- Mostly classical, but I also use the Omnibook as an etude book. Always great to have an etude going.

Jazz Vocabulary --- Yup, that's right ... I actually catalogue concepts that make up licks and ideas. Analyze them and then practice them in all 12 keys. Yes, all 12. Life long process whether you are working on diminished ideas, bop ideas, whole tone ideas, intervalic ideas or just plain ole melodic playing!

Dedicated listening - ESSENTIAL and sadly left out by so many musicians. I take a lot of time to not just listen, but to study as I listen. Often the same track over and over. Wife loves it not.

Transcription - Another vital thing that many musicians either don't do, or don't take far enough (in my opinion) ... Since this is the main focus of the post, I'll pontificate (love that word, hopefully I'm using it correctly) on this more below.

Now, there are different transcribing processes and end results. Transcribing horn parts, or a solo directly to paper ... I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about transcribing to assimilate something into your core being that will become a part of you and naturally come out. That something is FEEL and NUANCE. You can't rush this if you want to do it right, so don't try. It will take you at least 2 weeks to a month per solo if not longer to get to the end of phase 1 generally.

Phase 1 - Playing along with the recording by memory near perfectly, over and over, consistently at speed. This is the ultimate step and takes the bulk of the work, but it's the most important. I can't emphasize this next part enough, every nuance to the tiniest detail you can get, should be able to be played and lined up with the solo. Tuning, Articulation, Timing, Feel, Bending, Swagger, whatever it is do it! Will it be perfect, no, but you can get it better than you think! Most players, including myself sometimes, move on when we really haven't locked it in perfectly with the player we are transcribing. No reacting to a line, just pure fluid playing and lining it up perfectly with the recording. The way to test yourself on this is to literally record yourself playing along with the solo and if you hear 2 players, ever, then it's not lined up. You should hear ONE sax player!

Honestly when you get to the end of this phase, you can choose to move on to another solo. Just getting to that point generally takes me a month or more on a challenging solo. I still often move to Phase 2 with most solos though.

Phase 2 - Take 1 to 3 lines, harmonic concepts, or rhythms in the solo and use them to create vocabulary exercises. Analyze them and take them through all 12 keys. This ties in your transcription practice with your vocabulary practice and can keep things cohesive in your studies. It isn't prudent to practice 4th based intervalic vocabulary while transcribing and studying Parker. I try to link these practice areas so I can grow faster and really absorb a style and player.

The next phase is what I do the least, because I hate it, but I wish I had done it on every solo ... I could have published a book of crazy solos. LOL.

Phase 3 - write the solo out to have forever Easier said than done with some solos! I have never gone back to a solo I've written out and done anything with it, so I kind of stopped doing it. I have used them as etudes with students though, some of the Dexter and Stitt Solos at least. So maybe I should keep doing this.

If you made it this far in the post, congrats and sorry it was so long, I hope it helped you think of your practice in a different way. I plan to post a follow up video or audio file to this with a recording of me playing along to my last Sonny Solo - Medley - from Rollins Plays for Bird, that I transcribed. I did the first tune (section of the Medley) in its entirety. I started working on it on April 10th and I'm almost ready to record it. I should be able to record it by early next week or possibly this weekend. I'm really striving to take my own advice on this recording and get all the nuances

*** Added on 5/3 *** 1st take! Here is my first quick recording (no video yet, I'm going to redo it with video) The end of the head, the solo and the trades. Follow the link to hear the wave file.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1X3j5dMfhRMuiUUzGqzEDQO3aOfLZKcl4

 

[Dr G]

Regarding “practicing through all twelve keys”: How do you move through the keys? Same way all the time (ex. Root motion of fourths) or other? Whole tone root movement, chromatic, minor thirds, fifths, random??? There are so many possibilities of HOW to move through 12 keys, but I feel we never talk about it at SotW. Could you please share your perspective?

If this is too much a derail, please let me know and I’ll start a new thread on it - and hope that you contribute there.

Thanks,

George

 

[Guto]

Simon, thanks for sharing your thoughts! Very helpful.

 

[J-Moen]

The transcription process is where I thought I could pick up, but I am actually finding my previous laziness as a player has hindered me greatly. This is a fantastic resource and leads me to believe I need to spend a lot more time in the scales, articulation and tone sections you wrote of.

So I'm also wondering the same as Dr. G, best ways to circle through all keys and all scales in each. Ultimately, my practice will focus more on memorizing, while professionals are more focused on different ways utilize their sounds I assume.

I think scales are going to be a definitive way for me to train my hands to make the horn play what's in my head, but my instructors only ever had me run scales up and down the range of the horn, which doesn't do too much. I just started using some triads, but would be interested to see what you do in your scale routines.

 

[SimonJazzSax]

Regarding "practicing through all twelve keys": How do you move through the keys? Same way all the time (ex. Root motion of fourths) or other? Whole tone root movement, chromatic, minor thirds, fifths, random??? There are so many possibilities of HOW to move through 12 keys, but I feel we never talk about it at SotW. Could you please share your perspective?

If this is too much a derail, please let me know and I'll start a new thread on it - and hope that you contribute there.

Thanks,

George

Hey George! I hope you are well my friend .

This is actually a great question. Not derailing at all. In fact, I had hoped this thread would inspire talks like this.

There are lots of ways to go through all 12 keys, and while I don't think there are any wrong ways to do it, I do think there are some ways that set you up for utilizing sequencing in your playing which can be useful.

While I do tend to take ideas through the root progression (every intervallic motion from minor 2nd through perfect 5ths), I don't go in order really.

The way I tend to go through it is as follows:

1) chromatically - to me, this is the most important motion when practicing ideas. Taking the idea or concept chromatically through all 12 keys, up and down! You'll encounter ii Vs moving chromatically all the time, and even if they aren't, it's a strong sound to substitute in at almost anytime.

2) minor thirds - this is the next motion that I believe is incredibly useful and practice quite a bit. It creates a great sound (one of my favs), especially when playing an idea over the minor ii . Example Amin7 to Cmin7. Dexter did this a lot. When practicing, I'll utilize the entire sequence and think of them in sets of four. A-7, C-7, Eb-7, Gb-7 then on to the next set. There are only 3 sets that correspond to diminished motions (stacked minor 3rds).

3) major seconds - really useful and tends to make for a more "modern" sound. Works well with tons of different ideas especially 4th based intervallic things, minor 9th ideas, and some cool sus4 stuff as well! There are 2 sets. C, D, E, F#, G#, A# and the other one

4) Circle of 4ths - obvious why it's important, as 4th based motion is everywhere in jazz !

5) tritones - a really fun way to move ideas around. I love exploring triadic ideas that move in tritone sequences.

I will take ideas around in other intervallic motions like major 3rds and 5ths, but I haven't found as many uses for those motions yet. Major third can be cool sometimes. But the 5 above are the ones I find most helpful.

Sent from my HD1925 using Tapatalk

 

[SimonJazzSax]

The transcription process is where I thought I could pick up, but I am actually finding my previous laziness as a player has hindered me greatly. This is a fantastic resource and leads me to believe I need to spend a lot more time in the scales, articulation and tone sections you wrote of.

So I'm also wondering the same as Dr. G, best ways to circle through all keys and all scales in each. Ultimately, my practice will focus more on memorizing, while professionals are more focused on different ways utilize their sounds I assume.

I think scales are going to be a definitive way for me to train my hands to make the horn play what's in my head, but my instructors only ever had me run scales up and down the range of the horn, which doesn't do too much. I just started using some triads, but would be interested to see what you do in your scale routines.

Great thoughts here. First of all, transcription can be intimidating and also easier to put off than other practice. I know I've felt this way many times before. I actually didn't really start transcribing thoroughly and well until about 5 or 7 years ago and I had been playing music professionally for a while. Before I answer questions about scales, I'll put a couple notes about possibly helping you get into transcribing.

- Just transcribe a head and not a solo to make it more simple. If you are going to do a solo, pick an easy solo! Something like Turtle Walk by Lou Donaldson is a great thing to transcribe. So groovin' and tons of blues language that's useful for every situation.

- Don't overwhelming yourself with high expectations. Just try to get 4 measures transcribed each session and down to memory. I find that once I get into transcribing I just keep going and my brain tells me when I'm done It gets tired.

- Transcribing can be very "meditative" ... playing the same thing over and over again along with a recording is very zen like and can help your focus as a musician. It's relaxing for me as well.

Now, if it still isn't the time for you and transcribing, it's cool! Just remember those notes for when you do start On to your scale questions.

I always used scale practice as a time to focus on pure "technique" ... I wanted to be able to move around the horn effortlessly. I worked on scales for years and years and still go back to some basic scale practice when I feel the need. Here's how I approached it.

- ALWAYS use a metronome when practicing scales. It will keep you honest. You are trying to get precision and evenness under your fingers. I like to practice scales in sixteenth note groupings most of the time, but I have used eighth notes to simplify and I have also used groupings of 3 (triplets) and 5 (quintuplets) to make it more interesting as well.

- I focus on one scale at a time. Sometimes for weeks or a month, similar to transcribing! I also tend to think of a scale as practicing a key center or key signature. I want to cover and understand patterns on every note in that key in as many ways possible.

- Master the full range scale, arpeggio, intervals, diatonic triads and 7th chords first. Using the C scale we can talk about each of these quick. Full range is from C up to High F (palm key), down to low B and back to low C. That covers every note in this key center on the horn. I go full range on EVERYTHING! Arpeggio full range is next and would be C, E, G going all the way up to high E (palm key) and back down to low C. Interval studies, I also think of these as dyads which is helpful in the long run, include practicing the scale in 3rds (C, E|D, F|G, B|A, C). Then 4ths (C, F|D, G|E, A). 5ths, 6ths, 7ths. All full range! Then diatonic triads which start to tie into jazz and harmony (C, E, G|D, F, A|E, G, B|F, A, C) ... Add the 7th to the diatonic triads to get diatonic 7ths (C, E, G, B|D, F, A, C|E, G, B, D). Once I get all of this down, I start to use different permutations of them and mix them up. For example, diatonic 7ths going up one chord and down the other (C, E, G, B|C, A, F, D|E, G, B, D|E, C, A, F). I take everything full range and really make sure that I know what I'm doing. I also associate all dyads, triads, and 7th chords with harmonic structures. In other words, I think of them as playing chord progressions and make sure I can say the chords in my brain as I play them.

- Once I feel good with the above, I add in scalar improvisation to my scale practice. For me, that involves taking a drone (either the root or root 5th) and just improvising diatonically in that key utilizing whatever I hear! Have fun with it. You'll start to put together melodic ideas, go in and out of different patterns, mix up linear motion with intervallic motion etc. You'll also start to find that you have deficiencies in certain areas on the horn that you can't play as fluidly as you'd like. This will help re-focus your practice above and work on the patterns again.

That about sums up my scale practice for the most part. Of course, modes and minor and other permutations happen, but all those are variations of major for me and are easy if you can do the above in all 12 keys.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[Sofiane]

Thank you for all of this!!
So much to do and this list could go on and on

 

[SimonJazzSax]

Thank you for all of this!!
So much to do and this list could go on and on

No problem. I enjoy talking about pedagogy and practice. I have documented most everything, in some form or other, of my processes and practice and growth over the years. I need to compile them all more comprehensively into some sort of compendium or book.

Sent from my HD1925 using Tapatalk

 

[J-Moen]

Great thoughts here. First of all, transcription can be intimidating and also easier to put off than other practice. I know I've felt this way many times before. I actually didn't really start transcribing thoroughly and well until about 5 or 7 years ago and I had been playing music professionally for a while. Before I answer questions about scales, I'll put a couple notes about possibly helping you get into transcribing.

- Just transcribe a head and not a solo to make it more simple. If you are going to do a solo, pick an easy solo! Something like Turtle Walk by Lou Donaldson is a great thing to transcribe. So groovin' and tons of blues language that's useful for every situation.

- Don't overwhelming yourself with high expectations. Just try to get 4 measures transcribed each session and down to memory. I find that once I get into transcribing I just keep going and my brain tells me when I'm done It gets tired.

- Transcribing can be very "meditative" ... playing the same thing over and over again along with a recording is very zen like and can help your focus as a musician. It's relaxing for me as well.

Now, if it still isn't the time for you and transcribing, it's cool! Just remember those notes for when you do start On to your scale questions.

I always used scale practice as a time to focus on pure "technique" ... I wanted to be able to move around the horn effortlessly. I worked on scales for years and years and still go back to some basic scale practice when I feel the need. Here's how I approached it.

- ALWAYS use a metronome when practicing scales. It will keep you honest. You are trying to get precision and evenness under your fingers. I like to practice scales in sixteenth note groupings most of the time, but I have used eighth notes to simplify and I have also used groupings of 3 (triplets) and 5 (quintuplets) to make it more interesting as well.

- I focus on one scale at a time. Sometimes for weeks or a month, similar to transcribing! I also tend to think of a scale as practicing a key center or key signature. I want to cover and understand patterns on every note in that key in as many ways possible.

- Master the full range scale, arpeggio, intervals, diatonic triads and 7th chords first. Using the C scale we can talk about each of these quick. Full range is from C up to High F (palm key), down to low B and back to low C. That covers every note in this key center on the horn. I go full range on EVERYTHING! Arpeggio full range is next and would be C, E, G going all the way up to high E (palm key) and back down to low C. Interval studies, I also think of these as dyads which is helpful in the long run, include practicing the scale in 3rds (C, E|D, F|G, B|A, C). Then 4ths (C, F|D, G|E, A). 5ths, 6ths, 7ths. All full range! Then diatonic triads which start to tie into jazz and harmony (C, E, G|D, F, A|E, G, B|F, A, C) ... Add the 7th to the diatonic triads to get diatonic 7ths (C, E, G, B|D, F, A, C|E, G, B, D). Once I get all of this down, I start to use different permutations of them and mix them up. For example, diatonic 7ths going up one chord and down the other (C, E, G, B|C, A, F, D|E, G, B, D|E, C, A, F). I take everything full range and really make sure that I know what I'm doing. I also associate all dyads, triads, and 7th chords with harmonic structures. In other words, I think of them as playing chord progressions and make sure I can say the chords in my brain as I play them.

- Once I feel good with the above, I add in scalar improvisation to my scale practice. For me, that involves taking a drone (either the root or root 5th) and just improvising diatonically in that key utilizing whatever I hear! Have fun with it. You'll start to put together melodic ideas, go in and out of different patterns, mix up linear motion with intervallic motion etc. You'll also start to find that you have deficiencies in certain areas on the horn that you can't play as fluidly as you'd like. This will help re-focus your practice above and work on the patterns again.

That about sums up my scale practice for the most part. Of course, modes and minor and other permutations happen, but all those are variations of major for me and are easy if you can do the above in all 12 keys.

GOOD LUCK!

This is awesome! Thanks so much, and definitely gives me some focus to reach my goal and knock this out.

I actually had some material tell me to work on the hardest two key signatures (F# and Db, but still one at a time) to memory, then work my way down to C, which should make everything come easier. I had actually just started something very similar from an online instruction. Here is some examples of at least a small portion of what you were saying (and what I was currently working on).

Triadic, F#:

Register Triadic, F#:

Scalar, F#:

There is obviously a lot more you mentioned that I'm going to also put into my practice regiment. I also need to focus on one specific thing you said, which is making my mind focus on all the notes of the dyads, triads, 4ths, diatonics, and so on and so forth, without reading any sheet music.

 

[lesacks]

Hey George! I hope you are well my friend .

This is actually a great question. Not derailing at all. In fact, I had hoped this thread would inspire talks like this.

There are lots of ways to go through all 12 keys, and while I don't think there are any wrong ways to do it, I do think there are some ways that set you up for utilizing sequencing in your playing which can be useful.

While I do tend to take ideas through the root progression (every intervallic motion from minor 2nd through perfect 5ths), I don't go in order really.

The way I tend to go through it is as follows:

1) chromatically - to me, this is the most important motion when practicing ideas. Taking the idea or concept chromatically through all 12 keys, up and down! You'll encounter ii Vs moving chromatically all the time, and even if they aren't, it's a strong sound to substitute in at almost anytime.

2) minor thirds - this is the next motion that I believe is incredibly useful and practice quite a bit. It creates a great sound (one of my favs), especially when playing an idea over the minor ii . Example Amin7 to Cmin7. Dexter did this a lot. When practicing, I'll utilize the entire sequence and think of them in sets of four. A-7, C-7, Eb-7, Gb-7 then on to the next set. There are only 3 sets that correspond to diminished motions (stacked minor 3rds).

3) major seconds - really useful and tends to make for a more "modern" sound. Works well with tons of different ideas especially 4th based intervallic things, minor 9th ideas, and some cool sus4 stuff as well! There are 2 sets. C, D, E, F#, G#, A# and the other one

4) Circle of 4ths - obvious why it's important, as 4th based motion is everywhere in jazz !

5) tritones - a really fun way to move ideas around. I love exploring triadic ideas that move in tritone sequences.

I will take ideas around in other intervallic motions like major 3rds and 5ths, but I haven't found as many uses for those motions yet. Major third can be cool sometimes. But the 5 above are the ones I find most helpful.

Sent from my HD1925 using Tapatalk

gosh! that's almost like a "wake up" slap in the face... I've taken for granted going round 4th or 5ths, even for scales & arpeggios... just that post has given me piles to think about.

 

[SimonJazzSax]

gosh! that's almost like a "wake up" slap in the face... I've taken for granted going round 4th or 5ths, even for scales & arpeggios... just that post has given me piles to think about.

Good! That's what it's all about. Thinking about the same stuff different ways

New associations and different ways of doing the same thing inspire creativity and make us comprehend more. This allows us the liberty to begin to manipulate things however we want.

Glad you checked it out. Feel free to add anything you do in your practice if you feel it's something we can use!

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[A Greene]

SimonJazzSax. I really like the your 3 phases. I find that without at least going to Phase 2, I’m not able to use any of the language from my transcriptions. Thanks for posting.

 

[SimonJazzSax]

Re: Transcription Process & Serious Practice Thoughts w/ Recording End Result

SimonJazzSax. I really like the your 3 phases. I find that without at least going to Phase 2, I'm not able to use any of the language from my transcriptions. Thanks for posting.

Ya. I agree. If I don't spend time on phase 2 then none of the harmonic content from that player really makes it to my playing.

I can say though, that often times people spend too much time on phase 2 or basically transcribe solely for the purpose of phase 2.

This leaves me wanting much more when I hear a player as they are missing most of the inflections, articulation, nuance, and feel of the jazz style. Almost like they just wanted to learn the licks to play them and forgot there was more to music.

* Side note - I've heard a transcription video you did once and you sound good!

Sent from my HD1925 using Tapatalk

 

[SimonJazzSax]

1st take! Here is my first quick recording (no video yet, I'm going to redo it with video) The end of the head, the solo and the trades. Follow the link to hear the wave file.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1X3j5dMfhRMuiUUzGqzEDQO3aOfLZKcl4

 

[dextor]

Great information Simon...someday my ears and fingers will work together in musical harmony, my best skill is serious listening , been doing that for 50 years. I am a pro at that.