This week, we again focused on playing Doxy.
Further, we also went into the weeds regarding the chord changes of the tune. We have decided to play it with the following set of changes:
Concert)
|Bb7 A7| Ab7 G7| C7 F7| Bb7 |
|Bb7 A7| Ab7 G7| C7 | F7 |
|Bb7 | Bb7 | Eb7 |Edim7 |
|Bb7 A7| Ab7 G7| C7 F7| Bb7 |
We took a pattern and decided to play it on all the chords and went over how it is a good way to get the changes in your ears and fingers.
The most complex topic we tackled was discussing how on a dominant b9 chord, you end up with a diminished chord and that when you add the b9 to a dominant chord, it becomes related to every other dominant chord that is a minor third or tritone away from it.
ex:
Ab7b9: The notes are: Ab, C, Eb, Gb, and A (technicallly is Bbb)
Now take F7b9: F, A, C, Eb, Gb
These two chords share A, C, Eb, and Gb. The only thing that changed was the root. Thus, you can play the same diminished language over these two chords, as well as B7b9 and D7b9, and it will sound good!
Though, this is advanced and will take weeks, months, and most likely years to really master.
Liam Salas
We read yardbird for the first time since learning it by ear, we had everyone blow over the tune. We then worked out the ending from the charlie Parker recording, and got all the separate harmonies figured out.
We then worked on creative limitations over yardbird suite. Such as making a solo out of a phrase from the melody, taking a small phrase or a whole phrase from the melody and come back to that within your solo.
Then in we limited it to mainly playing the melody, but adding a few notes, emphasis on knowing the melody while you are soloing. We arpeggiated the chord changes as well.
We played through Filosophical Flying Fish, trying to get into the tradition of the second line groove, think more triadically and less bebop, Louis Armstrong!
~Max Bartron
We then worked on creative limitations over yardbird suite. Such as making a solo out of a phrase from the melody, taking a small phrase or a whole phrase from the melody and come back to that within your solo.
Then in we limited it to mainly playing the melody, but adding a few notes, emphasis on knowing the melody while you are soloing. We arpeggiated the chord changes as well.
We played through Filosophical Flying Fish, trying to get into the tradition of the second line groove, think more triadically and less bebop, Louis Armstrong!
~Max Bartron
7/30
-Everyone led some call and response over an Eb blues, using 1357 as the basic cord with extensions 9, 11, 13. We tried a few variations and learned that the 3 and 7 are what make it sound like the chord, they're the most important notes to hit when soloing.
-We played Wave a few times and messed around with articulation, rhythm, and dynamics. We listened to a few different recordings and tried to recreate our favorite parts.
-For soloing on Wave, Brandt taught us a lesson on lead lines for 251s. The 3rd of the first chord in the 251 can be brought a half step lower to create the 7th of the second chord, and a half step lower than the 3rd of the 3rd chord. This works the same (opposite) if you start on the 7th of the 2 chord and go a half step lower, then a half step lower again for the 3rd chord. These 3rds and 7ths are what make the changes sound "right."
-Next week, Brandt will have a new version of Wave with our edits. For homework, practice soloing to wave using the 1357+extensions. - Alex Weber
We are starting to get the gist what it means to play notes with intention and opinion. We played simple scale degree patterns over the changes of On Green Dolphin Street.
Reminders:
-Learn the whole melody to Green Dolphin and listen the recording by Miles. We will “perform” in a week or two, so no better time to shed than NOW!
-Triads are basic, but they’re everything in music.
-Listen each note you play and where it wants to go. “Tension and release” - Don TRAN
July 30th Summary:
Our group was short a few people again, but with a full rhythm section we forged ahead. We began by running through the two tunes we had worked on the most: Rifftide, and Avalon. We all took turns soloing. We discussed keeping the focus and energy during a bass solo, and reran some solo sections trying to be more conscientious of the other players.
After running those tunes we moved on to learning a new one: Recado Basso Nova. We discussed how to drum over a bossa, and learned the melody by ear, before moving on to soloing over the changes.
Some points we hit while working on Recado:
Some points we hit while working on Recado:
- Listen to the vibe of the soloist while comping. Follow their intensity. If they're loud, you can play more energetically. Try to support them. No need to drop out entirely during a bass solo. The bass supports everyone all the time, don't leave 'em hanging when they take a turn!
- Solos should target 3rds and 7ths, but also colorful extensions like flat nines and sharp 11's when they're present. The flat nine leads nicely to the 5th of the next chord.
- The chords to Bossa Nova tunes tend to look complicated: break them down into digestible ii-V-I's
- What out for extensions, but especially for chord quality: minor or major 3rds make all the difference
At the end we were distracted by another group playing outside, so we took up the same blues in Eb (I can't remember exactly what tune it was now). Again, we took turns soloing, and the two tenors improvised some backgrounds. It was a fun and relaxed session!
Some recordings:
Hank Mobley playing Recado Bossa Nova
Minor 2-5-1 in all keys
Bud Powell playing Rifftide
Next steps:
- Outline major 2-5-1's in all 12 keys
- Outline all diminished 7 chords (there's really only 3!)
- Outline dominant 7 b9 chords in all 12 keys: notice that these contain a diminished 7th
- Learn another easy like in all 12 keys: pick something that is only 3-4 notes.
- Andrew Fox
