Misty advice

[2bornot2bop]

Originally Posted by Reg

Yea... cool, started to sound like Wave... I like tons of changes, but too many lines start to lose the effect... make a sample of how you would use them. Thanks Reg

It doesn't sound like Wave at the piano. Perhaps you're not hearing the natural voice leading because you're not playing the proper inversions? Closer examination will observe a natural harmonic chromaticism. Perhaps this gets lost on guitar?

Oh well, as Joe Pass said, 88 keys gives one certain advantages.

I'm new to guitar, and not quite ready to transfer those changes to guitar. But I assumed an average player would be able to adapt those substitutions to guitar without much difficulty through inversions. Those substitutions aren't that ambitious are they?

[2bornot2bop]

Originally Posted by Reg

Yea... cool, started to sound like Wave... I like tons of changes, but too many lines start to lose the effect... make a sample of how you would use them. Thanks Reg

The harmonic substitutions below (from bar 7) are a standard cyclical turn around placed beneath a stagnant melody note. They're a natural harmonic and chromatic lead back to the head.

Surely this isn't what you're referring to as "losing effect." I'm at a loss as to what you mean.

Bar 7

G13 G+7 C9 C7b9 l F9 F+7 Bbsus9 Bb13b9 l

[Reg]

Hey 2bornot2bop... no the changes are very simple... very standard, and yes that's the section of the changes I hear from wave, I was referring to...I don't mean to sound critical, sorry if I came off that way. I'm just not a fan of long voice leading passages... They sound very auto pilot to me, very vanilla.. I have trouble taking that series of changes in latin tunes and when I see/hear them in a blues/ jazz tune... sorry to me the tune starts to lose those characteristics... but that's the problem with writing out simple changes... you would probable play much more... than what's spelled out. That's why I suggested recording something... I'll post a video of how I might interpret your changes and how I might play through... more from a blues/jazz feel... I have early gig tonight, I'll try and post late tonight... Again please don't take anything I say personal... it's never meant to be... I'm a fairly proficient guitarist and can easily here changes on paper... and maybe have weird ears.... Best Reg

[2bornot2bop]

Originally Posted by Reg

Hey 2bornot2bop... no the changes are very simple... very standard, and yes that's the section of the changes I hear from wave, I was referring to...I don't mean to sound critical, sorry if I came off that way. I'm just not a fan of long voice leading passages... They sound very auto pilot to me, very vanilla.. I have trouble taking that series of changes in latin tunes and when I see/hear them in a blues/ jazz tune... sorry to me the tune starts to lose those characteristics... but that's the problem with writing out simple changes... you would probable play much more... than what's spelled out. That's why I suggested recording something... I'll post a video of how I might interpret your changes and how I might play through... more from a blues/jazz feel... I have early gig tonight, I'll try and post late tonight... Again please don't take anything I say personal... it's never meant to be... I'm a fairly proficient guitarist and can easily here changes on paper... and maybe have weird ears.... Best Reg

Hey Reg,

Thanks for the clarification. I thought those substitutions were fairly generic, other than the min-maj subs through the bridge, for it's a common III-VI-II-V-I progression. Let me try to be more specific about the leading tones of the progression as it's played at the keyboard.

From bar 7 beneath the stagnant G melody note:

G13 place the E on top

chromatically down a half step to:

G+7 place Eb on top

down a halfstep to:

C9 place D on top

down a 1/2 to:

C7b9 with Db on top

to bar 8

F13 w/ D on top

to

F+7 w/ Db on top

to

Bbsus9 w/ C on top

to

Bb13b9 w/ Cb on top

leading to Bar 9

D/Eb w/ the D of course on top.

Now voicing this progression at the piano every lower supportive harmony beneath the top note progresses downward a chromatic 1/2 step as do the top notes listed above. It would be interesting to hear what if any challenges this presents for a guitarist. My apologies for not being more specific in my earlier post.

Now, does it still sound like Wave?

[steev]

Kevin, thankyou for taking the time to make the video and sharing, that was amazing! "Its a little sloppy" you say, I would be very very happy with it. I've had a few attempts at Misty, which were failures, you have given me a little bit of inspiration to have another go. I particularly liked the chord fills over notes/chords that carry for a full measure it gave the feeling of constant motion. Alot great ideas, thankyou.

[Reg]

Hey 2Bornot2bop... That's... yea standard voice leading for that progression, just like Wave bars 7 and 8, and no apologies needed man. As you said it's pretty generic, not to say bad... very nice, and no challenges on guitar, actually I think it sounds great on guitar... the rhythm thing... Thanks for info though and looking forward to more posts.
best Reg

[2bornot2bop]

Originally Posted by Reg

Hey 2Bornot2bop... That's... yea standard voice leading for that progression, just like Wave bars 7 and 8, and no apologies needed man. As you said it's pretty generic, not to say bad... very nice, and no challenges on guitar, actually I think it sounds great on guitar... the rhythm thing... Thanks for info though and looking forward to more posts.
best Reg

Hey Reg, I see what you're sayin'...that identical progression from Wave never even occurred to me. But since Misty preceded Wave by over a decade perhaps it could easily be said that Wave sounds like Misty?

Okay, your suggestion got my juices flowin' last night to come up with something completely different for Misty....let's refer to this as the 'dewaverized' version...is that a word? Well, let's just call it jazzguitar.be speak..here goes.

This won't be a ballad, but rather a bit more up tempo...think Joey DeFrancesco...let's say a time meter of 108-112 feels about right...although you won't find this version anywhere for I'm only just polishing it up.

Okay here's the intro. We'll begin with an 8 bar vamp:

Vamp meas 1-4

EbMa9 DbMa9 BMa9 l BMa9 l

EbMa9 DbMa9 BMa9 l BMa9 l

Time values for the chords are dotted quarter notes and the BMa9 gets held over for the entire measure following.

Vamp meas 5-8

EbMa9 DbMa9 BMa9 l BMa9 EMa9#4 l EMa9#4 l EMa9#4 1/8 rest and rest beats 2-4 l

The EMa9#4 at measure 7 above is held over from measure 6 and the final Ema9#4 above is a staccato eighth on the first beat of measure...rest to the head. The entire intro should have a syncopated feel.

Okay here's where we set the table for a twist on Misty.

We'll disguise the I chord by using the 5th (Bb) as a Pedal tone for much of the tune, delaying a direct resolution to the I chord.

At the piano I'm using a staccato Bb beneath an EbMa9 voicing in the right hand (3rd 7th 9th) giving the harmony a rhythmic drive with the Bb pedal. The same syncopation we used in the vamp applies to the chords I'm using, i.e., dotted quarter on the first EbMa9, and the second EbMa9 immediately follows and is held through the end of the measure.

So with Bb as our pedal tone the progression goes:

EbMa9/Bb l Ebsus13/Bb Eb13/Bb l AbMa9 l Ab-9 Db13 l

G-9 C7+5b9 l F-7/Bb Bb13b9 l G13b9 C7+9+5 l Bbsus13 Bb13b9 l

meas 9

EbMa9/Bb l Bb-9 A7+9+5 l AbMa9 l Dbsus13 Db13 l G-9 C7+5b9 l F-11 E7+9+5 l EbMa9 Db13+11 l C-9 C-9 B-9 l

bridge

We'll forward the bridge section later today. It should be emphasized that key to this is integrating the pedal tone in a rhythmical sense that drives the tune forward.

[Reg]

Hey... that cool's ...starting to have great feel... not so much like a pop tune.... sorry your other version was cool... just was hard to feel as misty..... I dig pedals, I pedal different tunes through the tune I'm playing sometimes... looking forward to bridge ... I'm not sure ... but your re-harm of misty might not be that old, not sure I've heard those subs on Misty before... anyway you sound like you have great ears... Thanks, I'll post something... I play most nights and get lazy... coffee will help... best Reg

[Reg]

So I don't really work things out...I was playing through misty and heard a few things... I'll post the basic ideas and after gig tonite I'll try and write concept out, I like the harmonic feel... not my typical junk....

YouTube Video

Reg

[2bornot2bop]

Originally Posted by Reg

So I don't really work things out...I was playing through misty and heard a few things... I'll post the basic ideas and after gig tonite I'll try and write concept out, I like the harmonic feel... not my typical junk....

Beautiful guitar, playing, and tone Reg. I look forward to hearing more of that.

[billkath]

Fabulous, Reg. Man, I love your playing-it's inspirational, the effortlessness of it.

[Sailor]

Fantastic!!

Sailor