-
I recently posted this video in the "Songs" section, but it more properly belongs here.
This video was in response to Mark Kleinhaut's comment, regarding my up-tempo Giant Steps video, that I should consider adding some more chords to the solo.
This is sort of an Homage to Mark and the unique way that he plays.
Completely improvised, no arrangement.
Last edited by Question; 05-09-2025 at 04:32 AM.
-
02-12-2025 06:06 AM
-
Nice!
I only have one question:
Should every guitarist or other jazz instrumentalist be able to play Giant Steps?
The more time I exercise GS -I have mixed feelings.
I don't know when the time will come that I would play GS as if it was "blues in F".
Best
Kris
-
Hi Kris,
it is a legitimate question that only you can answer yourself.
Learning difficult (and fast!) tunes like Giant Steps and Moments notice has definitely helped me to navigate other less complex tunes more easily.
I have spent quite a bit of time working on building melodic lines, and more importantly finding strong resolutions of these lines. This line/resolution idea will also help to keep you from playing licks, since you are more focused on the resolution and freer to modify your "licks" or melodic ideas to fit the musical context.
In tunes like GS ans MN these resolutions are more difficult due to the constantly modulating harmony.
You sort of have to be "hearing ahead" to land and resolve on a strong note in the harmony, which is constantly changing. Sort of like shooting at a moving target.
I understand your frustration!
I can't play GS as easily as "Blues in F," but I can say that I don't really "think" of the changes as they are flying by, I do hear them in my head, which is probably due to two things.
The first is playing GS in other keys; you don't have to do all 12 but maybe a few would help.
The other thing is that I am also a Bass player (not a bass owner, I actually play it on the same level) so playing walking bass through the changes forces you to land on the strong notes in the chords without stopping.
You can do this on the guitar if you don't have a bass, but this will improve your ability to connect chords smoothly.
Hope that helps!
-
Thanks for great answer.
For me there is a problem that I do not have the courage to play GS live before the public/I do not mean youtube/.
Jazz music involves the cooperation of musicians...To build solo and develop them properly, it is a challenge for me.
I remember that I played GS at Jam Session a long time ago.It was unnecessary for me-I think so.
I am only comforting with the fact that Miles Davis did not play Giant Steps.
John Scofield also talked about playing GS.I remember that he was saying something like playing solo in GS is to mechanical...and he recommended to practise "Stella".
Yes, and I have a friend who only exercised GS in all keys and does not know the standards at all ... Is it possible?
Best
Kris
-
Dave Creamer is the only musician I ever knew who could improvise freely over Giant Steps (or any other tune for that matter), but I think he practiced at least 6 hours a day for many years to get to that level.
Giant Steps Study - Dave Creamer
-
For me, GS and Motifs go together like milk and cookies (pizza and beer?). I know that it becomes a bit mechanical and sounds like an etude when I do that, but it is what my ear wants to hear over those changes, so for me, that is what I do. Joe Pass once opined that if you do not hear it, do not play it and I try to follow that advice. As guitar players, it is easy for us to "let our fingers do the walking".
In addition, at Coltrane tempo, making all the changes is a bit tough. Larry Coryell once told me that in a tune with a lot of changes, one sometimes just chooses which changes you want to address (and you ignore the rest). On GS at a fast temp, I am often only hitting one change per measure. Even then, I always feel like I am barely hanging on. Tough tune.
-
Howard Roberts had an article in Guitar Player magazine about soloing on Giant Steps, I'll find and post it.
-
Joe Pass said in an interview he wouldn't play Giant Steps at gigs because it's boring for the listener, even if they ask for it. He felt his audience was just asking for a jazz tune they knew the name of, so he'd decline or play it as a Bossa or Ballad.
I assume he meant playing it at speed as a solo guitar piece made it uninteresting. I personally like the melody, and a few different versions... but it's not on my list of 100+ songs I want to learn next.
As for it being mechanical or an exercise, all tunes are different combinations of cliches, so... I don't agree with that. I mean, Satin Doll is just a few ii V's going to the IV for the bridge. How cliche and unoriginal can you get. (Read with heavy sarcasm)
-
Here's Patrick Bartley absolutely demolishing Giant Steps. He posted a clip of his solo on Instagram with this caption:
"Giant Steps might be my favorite standard to play. If you think this song is simply an exercise, you might want to open your imagination! [rainbow emoji]"
-
Mick-7 What a strange comment.
-
you'll get used to it
Originally Posted by Question
-
-
You mean this one? - "Dave Creamer is the only musician I ever knew who could improvise freely over Giant Steps." Originally Posted by Question
By "freely" I meant he could improvise over it at a very high tempo (faster than you play it in your clip in your post referenced below) as easily as soloing over a blues tune, do you not think that is an uncommon ability?
(P.S. - Check this with a metronome, tempo is about 230 bpm or so) - Giant Steps (again) 2025 with video
-
But … like … the only person? Really? Originally Posted by Mick-7
I remember watching Shai Maestro play Giant Steps with one hand in the space of a fifth.
Patrick Bartley sounds pretty free in the thing I posted up there and he’s cooking. People play it really well all the time.
-
Well, it's not like I've heard everyone who has ever performed it. I was not impressed by Patrick Bartley's soloing, rhythm section is taking a free form approach to the chord changes, like Pharoah Sanders would interpret it, it became a different tune - which is fine, just no longer Giant Steps. Originally Posted by pamosmusic
-
Well yes, Mick. Exactly. Originally Posted by Mick-7
I really don’t know what to tell you on this one. They’re playing Giant Steps for sure — it’s like saying Miles isn’t playing Green Dolphin Street because Herbie is too loose with the changes. Isn’t that the freedom we’re talking about?I was not impressed by Patrick Bartley's soloing, rhythm section is taking a free form approach to the chord changes, like Pharoah Sanders would interpret it, it became a different tune - which is fine, just no longer Giant Steps.
(And if Patrick doesn’t impress you, I’m not really sure what you’re looking for.)
-
Mike Stern is awesome on this, like he is on so many other tunes -
-
The only guitar performance I've heard of Giant Steps, that I like, is this one of Jimmy Bruno's. It amazes me. Especially the chord soloing at the end. But, you know, IMO it's not that great a tune in itself and has become this just hard thing to play and not much else. Which is cool for cutting contests I suppose.
However you sound nice on your video, nice tone and touch. Thanks for sharing that.
-
I agree with what Joe Pass said. I can do GS (possibly not the way nature intended) but after a few choruses it becomes repetitious. And, to me, that's death.
-
Scott Henderson's version .
-
FWIW
While I enjoy the above links to favorite players' rendition, I do find it a touch uncouth to post such unrelated (other than the name of the tune) links on a fellow members excellent CHORD MELODY post, to say the least.
S
-
Originally Posted by Mick-7
I did say, "Dave Creamer is the only musician I ever knew who could improvise freely over Giant Steps." - not the only musician I've ever heard of. Never the less, I can live with the label of "he who makes strange comments." Originally Posted by pamosmusic
Attached is the Howard Roberts article I mentioned, not the best copy and more elementary than I remembered but hopefully useful to some.
-
Please give me a break,what is uncouth about it?Unfortunately that is the state of our society today where everyone has to be outraged by the littlest thing. Originally Posted by SOLR
-
For what it’s worth, when a post with your video devolves into an irrelevant back and forth it does keep your playing on the front page and gets you way more views. Uncouth though it may be.
-
Why I even bother..... Originally Posted by nyc chaz
Now where's that ignore thingy...ah yes here it is....
S
Reply With Quote
Recommandations for Hollowbodies for $600 and under?
Today, 05:20 AM in Guitar, Amps & Gizmos