The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #51

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    I'd say it is easier for us to do a tune in any key, to accomodate those screwy singers.

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  3. #52

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    Quote Originally Posted by Woody Sound
    I'd say it is easier for us to do a tune in any key, to accomodate those screwy singers.
    Meh, personally I think this is overstated. I transpose the chord in my head based on functional harmony, not on the instrument you know what I mean? The "go up or down x frets" isn't always cool since one has to take register into account, and to me it feels like, I dunno, "cheating" or not really getting the music or...something. But I am assuming that for reasonably competent pianists playing GbMaj7 is not really 'harder' than playing GMaj7...though I could be wrong.

  4. #53

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    Quote Originally Posted by coolvinny
    Meh, personally I think this is overstated. I transpose the chord in my head based on functional harmony, not on the instrument you know what I mean? The "go up or down x frets" isn't always cool since one has to take register into account, and to me it feels like, I dunno, "cheating" or not really getting the music or...something. But I am assuming that for reasonably competent pianists playing GbMaj7 is not really 'harder' than playing GMaj7...though I could be wrong.
    Likewise. There's a big difference between playing in F and Eb say in terms of the shapes I'd use, for me.

  5. #54

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    Quote Originally Posted by coolvinny
    Meh, personally I think this is overstated. I transpose the chord in my head based on functional harmony, not on the instrument
    I agree. non-guitar players think "ah you just move your hand up or down to transpose" and this couldn't be any more different from how I actually transpose.

  6. #55

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    Quote Originally Posted by christianm77
    Yes - George Van Eps. Didn't his wife say 'they've invented the piano, you know' or is that an urban myth?

    And of course, do we have any idea of just how many years of striving it took George to be able to do what he did. And do you know who listens to him?

    Guitarists.

    Everyone else likes a guitarist who sounds like a guitar player. They don't care how many years you sweated on your voicings, how long it takes to do what pianists can do in their sleep.

    They'll listen to Grant Green...

    I think Peter Bernstein has it pegged. Guitaristic jazz.

    (Bill Frisell too, of course. And Sco. And Metheny. And the Swing cats, and the Bossa guys... They USE the guitar.)
    What do you mean his wife said they've invented piano? Like a piano sound on the guitar because they definitely didn't invent the instrument.

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  7. #56

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    Quote Originally Posted by christianm77
    Yes - George Van Eps. Didn't his wife say 'they've invented the piano, you know' or is that an urban myth?

    And of course, do we have any idea of just how many years of striving it took George to be able to do what he did. And do you know who listens to him?

    Guitarists.

    Everyone else likes a guitarist who sounds like a guitar player. They don't care how many years you sweated on your voicings, how long it takes to do what pianists can do in their sleep.

    They'll listen to Grant Green...

    I think Peter Bernstein has it pegged. Guitaristic jazz.

    (Bill Frisell too, of course. And Sco. And Metheny. And the Swing cats, and the Bossa guys... They USE the guitar.)
    Have you seen the new bill frisell documentary? It's good he's such a diverse player!

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  8. #57

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    No, need to get around to that.

  9. #58

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    Quote Originally Posted by rpjazzguitar
    Old thread, but good topic.

    Here's what I don't like about some pianists:

    1. They insist on playing a grand piano if there is one. Takes up half the stage. Keeps the musicians from being able to see each other easily. Sacrifices control over the volume. Gives one sound whereas an electronic kb has options. And, of course, it might not be in tune.

    2. Most pianists have spent a good deal of time playing tunes, solo. Some do exactly the same thing even if there's a group. They fill a lot of space, play too busy, play dense chords in the frequencies that should be left for bass or soloists.

    3. Many pianists, no matter how well meaning, do not leave much space for guitar. The pianist who does leave space is generally emphasizing transitions and decoration, not pounding out the beat in the middle of the bars. The pianist who does busy, random stick-and-jab comping makes it very difficult for the guitarist (well, at least me) to find a part that will enhance the band.

    4. With some, I may spend extended periods laying out. That is rarely reciprocated.

    5. If the pianist brings an electronic kb and amplification, many play overly loud.

    Now, to talk out of the other side of my mouth, I do know some players where the guitar and piano work together effortlessly. In those cases they leave a lot of space, let the bass and drums carry the "chop" to a greater extent and don't pound out a busy rhythmic figure.

    Of course, guitarists may be even worse. But I'll leave that for a different post.

    If I was a singer/leader hiring a trio, I'd lean toward piano, simply because they can solo and comp at the same time. That's much more difficult on guitar.

    But, I've done plenty of gigs with guitar as the only comping instrument. It works fine. The trick, to me, is to get away from the idea of playing block chords all the time. So, the "comp" ends up being a stew of chords, single notes, double stops, passing tones while holding a note on a different string, silence while the bassist does it all, in different octaves etc. I got the basic idea by listening to Ralph Sharon, Tony Bennett's long term pianist. I noticed that every time a tune reached the bridge, he didn't simply pound out the chords. Instead, he'd start playing a little melody a bar or two early that led gracefully to the bridge. I thought it was brilliant (even though it may be commonplace for pianists to do this) and tried to emulate it on guitar.
    If you were a piano player you'd insist on using the grand too. It's got the most range and the better sound. Kind of a no brainer. I mean kind of a extreme example but given the choice of a benedetto hollowbody and a fender squire which would you choose lol. But I get it and totally agree with you about the space factor!

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  10. #59

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    Quote Originally Posted by paulkogut
    When I was in Chicago in the '90's, the old bebop horn players really disliked electric keyboards They would put up with a terrible out of tune piano if the venue had one, but would hire guitarist over a keyboardist if there was no house piano (Hammond B3 were a different story...) I was just starting out on the scene and grateful to be hired in those situations as often as I was....

    PK
    How come the old jazz cats hated electric keyboards and some even the electric guitar but were all about the hammond b3 which is kinda the same thing as far as being an electronic instrument?

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  11. #60

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    Quote Originally Posted by FZ2017
    What do you mean his wife said they've invented piano? Like a piano sound on the guitar because they definitely didn't invent the instrument.

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    Yes - as in ‘why don’t you just play the piano you silly man?’

  12. #61

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    A lot of the older sax players didn't like the way that the horn blended with the DX7 style electric pianos of the day. There was a clear preference for real piano, guitar, or B3.

    PK

  13. #62

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    Can you still get a hammond b3 today? If so is it worth it like as far as getting gigs wise? I wonder how much it'd be? I remember a friend I use to work with at embassy suites had one that got left behind in the house he bought. But neither he nor his roommate played.

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  14. #63

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    There are clubs with a house B3, and if you search around, can often find a Hammond organ rental/delivery service for festival and concert gigs. I still remember folks dragging a B3 with all unnecessary wood cut out of the frame in and out of clubs, and when I worked with Charles Earland in the '90's, he had a Hammond XB3 and giant PA speakers. Nowadays, the Nord seems to be the default for gigging B3 players

    PK

  15. #64

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    Anybody on here own the jaco pastorius modern electric bass book? There's just the dvd version for 26 and the book is 20 but it says it includes the DVD also. But I'm sceptical about it being the full version because it's cheaper and newer than just the dvd by itself.

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