Opinions on writing down new arrangements

[Patriots2006]

With limited playing time available and my somewhat mediocre playing ability I am wondering if it would be beneficial to me to take the time to notate my arrangements as I create them. I wonder if this would further my development with solo playing or just take time away from having my hands on the instrument. There is a lesson on here showing how to develop a walking bass line from scratch for example. Would this approach help me develop ideas quicker or would I be better off taking sections of a tune and just work them out until I can play them. The issue is limited time and what would be the best approach given my situation. Opinons anyone?

[fep]

It depends on how good your memory is and how you like to work.

I suppose you should try it and see how it goes.

I notate my arrangements, my chord melodies and my orginal compositions. One reason is I don't have that good of a 'musical memory'. However, I realize it's possible that this is hindering my ability to increase my memory. I do try to not use sheet music when playing tunes and only refer to them when I lose my way.

I believe for me notating music saves me time in that once a measure is written down it's 'completed' and I move on to the next measure. In other words, when notating I don't do nearly as much repitition of each little part on my instrument when working something out.

[derek]

For me, it is another way to internalize a tune. By writing out an arrangement, which is usually on a copy of a lead sheet from a Real Book, it helps me memorize the tune better. My steps for chord melody are as follows:

1. learn the melody in at least 2 places on the neck
2. come up with several options for each chord change in both those areas I learned the melody
3. create a skeleton arrangement based on the above
4. using single lines, solo thru the changes of the tune
5. play a chord, play a line over the next chord, etc.
6. thin out the arrangement, more melody, fewer chords
7. thicken up the arrangement by playing more chords for each melody note

The reason for the melody in 2 places on the neck, and options for chords, is to try not to play the same way each time thru. By the time I do most of this stuff for a tune, it is ready for me to play out. When first doing this, it would take a couple of months for me to get a tune up and running. Now, about a week, maybe 2. Hope this helps.

[Patriots2006]

Memory for me is an issue when I don't play the tune for a while. Performing without mistakes is always an issue. Hence the mediocre comment mentioned in my original post. This is where I feel taking the time to write things down may not be beneficial. I never seem to play through a tune without mistakes no matter how many times I play it.

Derek,
Steps 4 and 5. Are you playing the solos with the melody in mind or are you just (free soloing) so to speak? This is another frustrating area for me. I become disillusioned very quickly. The various ideas and techniques I read about here are always going through my head but when the changes are flying by, (CRASH AND BURN). I suppose by practicing the various techniques I should be obsorbing new sounds that are supposed to come out when I am playing through a tune. I shouldn't be actually thinking chromatics here, chord sub here, upper structure triad here etc. Kind of like learning modes. Same scale but different tonalities. I usually almost never think of the scales but I mostly concentrate on the arrpegios with chromatics as the tune is being played.

[bako]

"but when the changes are flying by, (CRASH AND BURN)"

1. Slow down
if still impossible
2. Slow way down
if still difficult
3. Work on fragments (4 bars,2 bars,1 bar,1 chord)
Create manageable steps to get from where you are to where you want to be.

[derek]

Originally Posted by Patriots2006

Memory for me is an issue when I don't play the tune for a while. Performing without mistakes is always an issue. Hence the mediocre comment mentioned in my original post. This is where I feel taking the time to write things down may not be beneficial. I never seem to play through a tune without mistakes no matter how many times I play it.

Derek,
Steps 4 and 5. Are you playing the solos with the melody in mind or are you just (free soloing) so to speak? This is another frustrating area for me. I become disillusioned very quickly. The various ideas and techniques I read about here are always going through my head but when the changes are flying by, (CRASH AND BURN). I suppose by practicing the various techniques I should be obsorbing new sounds that are supposed to come out when I am playing through a tune. I shouldn't be actually thinking chromatics here, chord sub here, upper structure triad here etc. Kind of like learning modes. Same scale but different tonalities. I usually almost never think of the scales but I mostly concentrate on the arrpegios with chromatics as the tune is being played.

Yeah, memory is an issue for me too. If I don't keep a tune on my active set list, and go say, a month without playing it, I will have to relearn some of it over. This has happened more times than I prefer.

With regard to points 4&5 of my list, since you ARE the band, there is no one behind you to establish the changes, so with my intermediate skills, I cannot wander too far off, or I can lose my place. If I lose my place, I know I have lost anyone who might (restaurant gigs, so who knows if anyone is listening ) be listening. I tend to solo using arpeggios to outline the changes and or play off the melody.

With a bass or keys behind me in an ensemble, I am free to wander as far off the path as I want, as they are keeping the form going. Now, more advanced players like Bruno and Pass can do this without losing you. Bako is right. Take sections at a time, expand time, and just work out ideas over one or two bars at a time. After doing this some, then you can string them together.

As far as absorbing new sounds, whether it be by subs, scales or whatever, figure out what you like and then plug that into everything for a while, until it becomes more natural. So if you start to dig tritone subs for dominant chords, take the tunes you know, and turn every dominant chord into a tritone. Then when that chord comes up as you are soloing, play off the tritone with your lines. That is the only way I know to get things in my ear and under my fingers. No short cuts.

[artcore]

Man. that is some excellent advise..I struggle with the memory problem also, but there is nothing easy about cord melody playing..At least to really put something nice together..so some of us have better musical memorys, that really helps..I figure if you keep at this it has to help your
ability to retain information..