Watch What Happens - Conti Ticket To Improv

[losaltosjoe]

Watch What Happens-Robert Conti-TTI V2 Project 4

The Robert Conti study group working through his Ticket To Improv series is continuing on to the fourth project in Volume 2!

Our next solo is based on the changes to "Watch What Happens." We who have worked through the previous solos will be pressing on, but we also invite any who wish to join in this journey to feel welcome!

We've evolved a few basic guidelines that have helped us. These are based on the fact that most of us are either beginners in jazz improvisation or old hands who still feel like we haven't gotten a good grip on soloing yet. So, here's what we do:

• We move at the pace of 8 measures per week, learning the exercise solo composed by Conti and transcribed in the digital transcription booklet on the DVD. Some get behind, some run a bit ahead, but generally 8 measures per week is the norm.
• We post a video clip each week, typically on Tuesday, of ourselves playing the scheduled chunk.
• We use any background track we like. Conti has one on the DVD, but many other sources exist, and we use whatever we want!
• We don't do much critique, but sometimes do openly ask for advice. Mainly, we cheer, support, encourage, and empower each other. We don't offer criticism unless it's asked for, but positive advice is helpful.
• We try to learn the solo as written and also to make it our own in phrasing and timing.
• Some like to post a clip playing an arrangement of the "head" of the tune. That's fine, we enjoy it, but nobody is obligated or expected to do that.
• We avoid detailed wrangling over theory, but seek to grow in the actual practice of playing.
• We don't branch off much into other approaches to the tunes, other solos, other styles. We have succeeded so far because we stay focused!
• We don't regard any of these guidelines as inflexible and we don't get in arguments about it!

Here is a proposed schedule for posting:

Feb 6: Measures 1-8
Feb 13: Measures 1-16
Feb 20: Measures 1-24
Feb 27: Measures 1-32
Mar 6: Measures 1-36 (full solo)

If you are planning to do this, please post a simple "I'm In!" or something like it reply.

[lawson-stone]

I'm in. Thanks for taking this on!

[MarkRhodes]

Yay! Glad the group is back in action (and glad I'm back in the group.)

[losaltosjoe]

Here is my take on bars 1-8.

Notes:
- Beats Per Minute: 118
- In measure 3, I changed the rhythm slightly by starting on the & of beat 1 and moved the triplet to beat 2.
- There is a slight glitch/freeze in the video in bar 3 but the sound is unaffected.
- I also included an alternate take using Bars 1-6 from the Take The:A-Train solo (transposed from C to Eb)

Cheers.

[MarkRhodes]

Here is my take on bars 1-8..

Nice! Getting us off to a good start.

[lawson-stone]

Here is my take on bars 1-8.

Notes:
- Beats Per Minute: 118
- In measure 3, I changed the rhythm slightly by starting on the & of beat 1 and moved the triplet to beat 2.
- There is a slight glitch/freeze in the video in bar 3 but the sound is unaffected.
- I also included an alternate take using Bars 1-6 from the Take The:A-Train solo (transposed from C to Eb)


Cheers.

LOVE your adaptation of the A-Train solo! Perfect!

[MarkRhodes]

This was a short experiment in placing my iPhone (attached to a small tripod) atop my music stand. Like the camera angle but when doing this, the music stand cannot be read from....

I want a way to record myself in the same place / position as when I practice. (Nothing sacred about that position but I'm used to it; recording makes me nervous enough without being in a position I'm not used to at the same time.)

[MarkRhodes]

Send a request to either Dirk or Matt (m78w) and they'll stick it.
When making the request, include a link to the thread.
They'll do the rest.

[losaltosjoe]

Send a request to either Dirk or Matt (m78w) and they'll stick it.
When making the request, include a link to the thread.
They'll do the rest.

I sent a request to Dirk and Matt this morning. Thx.

[lawson-stone]

HEre's my first take on this tune. I worked on ahead to m. 16 mainly because m. 9 is driving me crazy. Every one of Conti's solos has a phrase somewhere that I find almost impossible to "feel" rhythmically. It just zeroes in on my "Un-Hip-Bone." So starting the phrase at M. 9 on beat 2 is killing me, as you'll hear on this.

So I have an idea. I am actually going to start that line on beat 1, but play FOUR g-notes. Essentially, put 2 g-notes on the rest at beat 1 until i have the feel, then I'll drop them out.

We'll see...

[losaltosjoe]

HEre's my first take on this tune. I worked on ahead to m. 16 mainly because m. 9 is driving me crazy. Every one of Conti's solos has a phrase somewhere that I find almost impossible to "feel" rhythmically. It just zeroes in on my "Un-Hip-Bone." So starting the phrase at M. 9 on beat 2 is killing me, as you'll hear on this.

So I have an idea. I am actually going to start that line on beat 1, but play FOUR g-notes. Essentially, put 2 g-notes on the rest at beat 1 until i have the feel, then I'll drop them out.

We'll see...

Firstly, I enjoyed your take on the solo. Well played Lawson.

Secondly, regarding measure 9, check out the original line (M 17 & 18 TWNBAY). It starts on beat 1!



Lastly, I couldn't make it past measure 3 without changing the rhythm slightly. Onward!

[lawson-stone]

Firstly, I enjoyed your take on the solo. Well played Lawson.

Secondly, regarding measure 9, check out the original line (M 17 & 18 TWNBAY). It starts on beat 1!



Lastly, I couldn't make it past measure 3 without changing the rhythm slightly. Onward!

That's strange. Because the notes and beats add up in each. Do you think it's just a typo?

[losaltosjoe]

That's strange. Because the notes and beats add up in each. Do you think it's just a typo?

I don't think it is typo because the rhythms are different in two measures, WWH M9/TWNBAY M17 and WWH M10/TWNBAY M18. I think it is just a case where Conti played it slightly different and the transcriber captured the difference.

I've watched many Conti videos where he says (and I'm paraphrasing) "Don't call me to tell me I missed a note. This is jazz." Early on, it drove me crazy. It is a natural tension when an OCD software developer (me) meets a jazz musician.

[lawson-stone]

Guys
I made a totally spontaneous and delightful discovery working on this tune today. I got to measure 16 and of course iRealPro was going to keep playing, so i kept playing, and what came out was a total surprise. I went back and worked on it a tad, but something really fun "happened" and so I invite you to "watch what happens!"

[lawson-stone]

Hey guys-I'm having fun with this 1954 Gibson L50 and the DeArmond FHC pickup, so did a take with that set-up using my DV Mark Little Jazz. The pickup still has some electrical gaps/shorts and i keep hitting it with the pick since there isn't much room under the strings for the pickup. You'll hear that here (sorry!). But playing this 63 year old guitar on a 60 year old pickup, and me being 63 years old myself, it's fun.

[losaltosjoe]

Hey guys-I'm having fun with this 1954 Gibson L50 and the DeArmond FHC pickup, so did a take with that set-up using my DV Mark Little Jazz. The pickup still has some electrical gaps/shorts and i keep hitting it with the pick since there isn't much room under the strings for the pickup. You'll hear that here (sorry!). But playing this 63 year old guitar on a 60 year old pickup, and me being 63 years old myself, it's fun.

Hi Lawson -- Your enthusiasm is contagious and your playing is inspiring. I can't wait to start working on bars 9-16 this weekend. BTW, sweet guitar and great tone.

[lawson-stone]

So the head to WWH is pretty easy, so I made this clip with the head + Conti's first 16 measures + 16 measures of, well, my lame licks, and the out-head.

This should make you all realize you're way better players than you ever thought.

But hey... L5ces...

[MarkRhodes]

Used iRealPro for a backing track but that's scarcely audible on this recording. Played all 32 bars but this is only submitted to demonstrate I showed up with 16 bars done. I'll be back next week.

[losaltosjoe]

Here's my take on bars 1-16. Cheers.

[Doublea A]

Guys
I made a totally spontaneous and delightful discovery working on this tune today. I got to measure 16 and of course iRealPro was going to keep playing, so i kept playing, and what came out was a total surprise. I went back and worked on it a tad, but something really fun "happened" and so I invite you to "watch what happens!"

Brilliant


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Doublea A]

Hi guys, I thought that this had fallen off the map. I am glad I found you. I am planning on working on this solo tomorrow.


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[losaltosjoe]

Here's my take on bars 1-24. The double-stops in bars 17-18 are killing me...

[lawson-stone]

Here's my shot at the head+mm. 1-24.

[losaltosjoe]

Here's my shot at the head+mm. 1-24.

Loved it! Really smooth. Congrats. I'm hoping to have the head down in time for the big finish in 2 weeks.

[losaltosjoe]

Hi All,

Here's my take on the full solo. I've taken some liberties along the way but for the most part I think I played it pretty much as written. For next week, I plan on submitting the head plus the full solo. Cheers, Joe