The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
  1. #1

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    Just wondering if anyone finds it difficult finding a "good" performance of a performer to transcribe and learn? I've been thinking about once again learning a standard bebop rhythm changes solo, but I've been reluctant to learn a Charlie Parker solo, Barry Harris or a modern performer playing in a modern style. I find CP and BH, Bud Powell etc great but Im reluctant to learn it because perhaps for me, they're too well known in jazz circles, and there are already good transcriptions of them online.

    Even as I'm writing this, I think about pianists like Elmo Hope. I really dig his style, but can't be bothered skipping through tune after tune just to find a rhythm changes that he performed on. I assume there's a list somewhere of Rhythm Changes tunes or perfomances.

    When I look for performances, I tend to find someone who isn't a guitarist, often times a pianist or a horn player.

    In the past I had decided on a solo, that I initially enjoyed, (it was a Sonny Rollins rhythm changes solo), had learnt it, and realized that I didn't enjoy (I love SR generally) the solo that much and thought I wasted a few hours on learning a solo that I didn't actually enjoy playing. I think the particular SR solo I was learning and writing down, had too many movements that strayed away from the vanilla chord progression.

    These days, over the years, I've done less learning an entire solo, and have only learnt fragments or only just a chorus.

    Finding a good rhythm solo thats completely vanilla, straight to the point, swings hard, is tasteful, but not overly complex I find can be really difficult. I spend a lot of time listening to bebop but I never seem to find something that grabs me, especially a rhythm changes. I don't know if this is just a mental thing, or maybe even laziness to dig through hours of tunes to find a killer performance that sparks my interest.

    Just wondering if anyone struggles with this, or if this is just a personal thing.

    I realise that "good" means something different for everyone, or that personal taste can be different depending on the individual. I feel a little bonkers writing this, but thought I'd reach out anyway and express my current ennui lol. Thanks.

    Edit: In retrospect, in writing this, I've realised that I'm looking for a performance that I really enjoy and can then spend time learning it and retaining it for a long time, hopefully for the rest of my life, for more of a routine thing. I also just realised there are a bunch of threads like this already with links to rhythm changes.

    Just found this.
    Maybe not as simple as I would have liked ha!
    Last edited by WinTheWind; 10-10-2021 at 09:59 AM. Reason: changed title

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  3. #2

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    I hate playing rhythm changes. I basically don't play them lol. No Mo is my favorite one to listen to with nice, medium bop-ish solos. I transcribed the 1st head bridge vibes solo to have it to play as written on the head.


  4. #3

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    Dexter Gordon on Second Balcony Jump? Not too fast with plenty of nice, isolated phrases (and a bunch of popular song quotes!):


  5. #4

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    I transcribed 'The Eternal Triangle' after reading an interview with Mike Stern who said it influenced him greatly.

    In another interview, Pat Metheny said he found transcribing Sonny Rollins 'very instructive.'


  6. #5

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    This thread from five months ago has a lot of suggestions for Rhythm changes:

    Recommendations for Rhythm Changes to Transcribe?

  7. #6

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    The solos by bird and bud are well known for a reason. Because they're great solos and these are the musicians that defined the music. There isn't anything wrong with transcribing a popular solo by bird, just because it's been transcribed hundreds of times it doesn't diminish the genius and the innovation from these musicians.

    Check out steeplechase by bird.

    Wail by bud is great because he plays a couple of choruses and Sonny rollins and Fats Navarro each play a chorus. There's 3 months of work right there if you want to get deep with it.

  8. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by WinTheWind
    Just wondering if anyone finds it difficult finding a "good" performance of a performer to transcribe and learn? I've been thinking about once again learning a standard bebop rhythm changes solo, but I've been reluctant to learn a Charlie Parker solo, Barry Harris or a modern performer playing in a modern style. I find CP and BH, Bud Powell etc great but Im reluctant to learn it because perhaps for me, they're too well known in jazz circles, and there are already good transcriptions of them online.

    Even as I'm writing this, I think about pianists like Elmo Hope. I really dig his style, but can't be bothered skipping through tune after tune just to find a rhythm changes that he performed on. I assume there's a list somewhere of Rhythm Changes tunes or perfomances.

    When I look for performances, I tend to find someone who isn't a guitarist, often times a pianist or a horn player.

    In the past I had decided on a solo, that I initially enjoyed, (it was a Sonny Rollins rhythm changes solo), had learnt it, and realized that I didn't enjoy (I love SR generally) the solo that much and thought I wasted a few hours on learning a solo that I didn't actually enjoy playing. I think the particular SR solo I was learning and writing down, had too many movements that strayed away from the vanilla chord progression.

    These days, over the years, I've done less learning an entire solo, and have only learnt fragments or only just a chorus.

    Finding a good rhythm solo thats completely vanilla, straight to the point, swings hard, is tasteful, but not overly complex I find can be really difficult. I spend a lot of time listening to bebop but I never seem to find something that grabs me, especially a rhythm changes. I don't know if this is just a mental thing, or maybe even laziness to dig through hours of tunes to find a killer performance that sparks my interest.

    Just wondering if anyone struggles with this, or if this is just a personal thing.

    I realise that "good" means something different for everyone, or that personal taste can be different depending on the individual. I feel a little bonkers writing this, but thought I'd reach out anyway and express my current ennui lol. Thanks.

    Edit: In retrospect, in writing this, I've realised that I'm looking for a performance that I really enjoy and can then spend time learning it and retaining it for a long time, hopefully for the rest of my life, for more of a routine thing. I also just realised there are a bunch of threads like this already with links to rhythm changes.

    Just found this.
    Maybe not as simple as I would have liked ha!