The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
  1. #1

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    I was transcribing Lyresto by Kenny Burrell. Transcribing the melody wasn't too bad especially with the half speed feature on YT.

    However, I also want to transcribe the changes, which is much harder for me.

    I'm looking for some suggestions how to do it. I have a hard time hearing piano voices and then figuring out what the changes are. I know I should also be listening to the bass notes but they don't come through much on my laptop speakers.

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    You may think this is too much trouble, but here's an idea.

    Download Reaper, a DAW. It's free to evaluate, for as long as that takes.

    You'll need to know how to loop a section, slow things down and EQ a track.

    So, you load the file. Add EQ and emphasize the bass. Slow down the playback. Highlight a section and loop it.

    See if you can figure out the highest and lowest notes you're hearing. It is nice if the lowest note is the root, but, that's not always the case. If it is, then you can try a 3 and a b3. That shouldn't be too difficult. Same thing with b5, 5 and #5. Then b7 or natural 7. After that, onto the ninth, with another three possibilities. Backtrack and see if there's a 6. You put it on auto loop and try every note. You're listening for when the note you're playing seems to disappear. This is based on the notion that an incorrect note stands out more.

    If the bass note isn't the root, you have to try to figure out what's going on in context. Sometimes it's hard to hear.

    Transcribe! and The Amazing Slowdowner can accomplish the same thing, plus or minus a feature set.

  4. #3

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    I work on transcribing chords as a semi-regular ear-training exercise. Chords are easier to hear on backing tracks and comping exercises than on records, so they are a good starting point.
    The highest note is usually the easiest one to hear. I loop a chord and try to sing the bass and middle voices before I play them on the guitar. I try to hear each voice as a separate pitch. Although I don't think being able to single out each pitch is the ultimate goal of transcribing chords but it helps to increase your ears resolution in identifying subtleties that's happening in the chord.

    Also it's good to identify certain qualities of the chord's sound and it's placement before identifying the pitches:

    - Can you identify the chord quality? Does it sound minor, major, dominant or diminished?
    - Is there clear sense of tension, resolution or progression?
    - Does it sound like it could be a none tertian chord? Quartal or secundal?
    - Is it an open voicing or are there congested crunchy notes in the middle?
    - Is it a partial chord/shell voicing , triad or a big chord?
    - Does it sound like it's got higher extensions or alterations?
    - Is the chord predictable given the progression or the melody or it's place in the form?
    - Can you hear a familiar chord pattern when you consider the surrounding chords, like ii V I or iii-vi-ii-V etc.
    Last edited by Tal_175; 11-19-2020 at 02:28 PM.

  5. #4

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    Addressing only the practical not the musical side but I bought this and now use it all the time.

    Transcribing Chords and Changes-vidami-jpg
    Vidami | The first YouTube looper pedal

  6. #5

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    Headphones are a must!

  7. #6

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    I've always toyed with the thought of doing some transcribin while in toilet.

  8. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by charlieparker
    I was transcribing Lyresto by Kenny Burrell. Transcribing the melody wasn't too bad especially with the half speed feature on YT.

    However, I also want to transcribe the changes, which is much harder for me.

    I'm looking for some suggestions how to do it. I have a hard time hearing piano voices and then figuring out what the changes are. I know I should also be listening to the bass notes but they don't come through much on my laptop speakers.
    Definitely get some headphones or speakers, just keep doing it everyday and listen to jazz constantly if you know the major scale and 7th chords you have enough just keep at it it will get easier. Not only for the sake of transcribing get a stereo for the love of listening to music!