Jazz Transcriptions

[Mick-7]

Well, dam, I could've earned a degree by transcribing recordings?! I would've had a PhD in musicology!

[enalnitram]

Well, dam, I could've earned a degree by transcribing recordings?! I would've had a PhD in musicology!

Haha, no, you earn an arts degree by doing work you would've done anyway, AND paying as much as a new car for it.

[Mick-7]

Another dissertation I stumbled across is attached.

Dissertation; Twelve Jazz Standard Improvisations Transcribed:

“Autumn Leaves,” Somethin’ Else (1958)
“Blue Train,” Blue Train (1957)
“How High the Moon,” Ella in Berlin (1960)
“Lester Leaps In,” Jazz at the Philharmonic (1949)
“Lover Man,” The Magnificent Charlie Parker (1951)
“Moritat,” Saxophone Colossus (1956)
“Naima,” Giant Steps (1959)
“On Green Dolphin Street,” Kind of Blue (1959)
“Polka Dots and Moonbeams,” Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery (1960)
“Satin Doll,” The Trombone Master (1957)
“Stella by Starlight,” Stan Getz Plays (1952)
“Straight, No Chaser,” Genius of Modern Music 2 (1951)

[Mick-7]

I did these about 30 years ago (the dropbox link). The accuracy is not all that great in places. I was using a cassette boombox without the ability to slow anything down. A few years ago, interestingly enough, a dissertation appeared with transcriptions of solos from the same albums. Probably a coincidence. Seemed like a nice enough fellow. Probably more accurate, too.

Dropbox - fristranscr.pdf - Simplify your life

A study of Bill Frisell through Paul Motian's On Broadway recordings
|
IDEALS

I started a separate thread for this document, didn't realize at the time that it is the same one you had shared.

[starjasmine]

Francois Leduc has created a ton of transcriptions. Free on YouTube or join his Patreon channel to download PDFs.

Francois Leduc | Creating Jazz Guitar Transcriptions | Patreon

Francois Leduc - YouTube

[AllanAllen]

Francois Leduc has created a ton of transcriptions. Free on YouTube or join his Patreon channel to download PDFs.

Francois Leduc | Creating Jazz Guitar Transcriptions | Patreon

Francois Leduc - YouTube

This guy is very productive.

[James W]

So, not only has this guy transcribed this tune (which I have done*) BUT he's also learned to play it, and he's playing it fingerstyle! Crazy.

*Although I haven't yet figured out all the chords, though of course it's based around a C minor blues...

[James W]

[garybaldy]

[ewall]

My question is how you use the transcriptions? Do you really memorize them or just study them? Having done a very few, I was convinced that the person who did the transcription derived the greatest benefit in understanding what was going on.

[James W]

My question is how you use the transcriptions? Do you really memorize them or just study them? Having done a very few, I was convinced that the person who did the transcription derived the greatest benefit in understanding what was going on.

I've done transcriptions that I've memorised and learnt to play and a fair few that I've just been curious about figuring out with no intention of learning to play. In the latter category I am currently transcribing John Coltrane's 'Mars'. But I'm also transcribing a Grant Green tune that I am hoping to learn to play at some point when my technique is up to the task.

[GuyBoden]

My question is how you use the transcriptions? Do you really memorize them or just study them? Having done a very few, I was convinced that the person who did the transcription derived the greatest benefit in understanding what was going on.

I steal easy licks from the great Jazz recordings, repeatedly play the licks on my guitar until they hopefully magically appear in my improv. This takes months of repeatedly trying to play the licks on the Jazz Standards I know.

But, I'm an amateur/hobby player.

[jameslovestal]

My question is how you use the transcriptions? Do you really memorize them or just study them? Having done a very few, I was convinced that the person who did the transcription derived the greatest benefit in understanding what was going on.

For the chords, I'll mark up a lead-sheet when I find "cool" chords I like better than the vanilla chords.

For the solo section, I just learn the transcription by studying it and when playing try to incorporate the overall "direction" used in various bars\passages. I don't memorize the transcription so I can play it note-for-note. One of my friends did memorize a Wes transcription and I was very impressed. But he was never able to use anything from that effort when playing other songs.

[pamosmusic]

For the chords, I'll mark up a lead-sheet when I find "cool" chords I like better than the vanilla chords.

For the solo section, I just learn the transcription by studying it and when playing try to incorporate the overall "direction" used in various bars\passages. I don't memorize the transcription so I can play it note-for-note. One of my friends did memorize a Wes transcription and I was very impressed. But he was never able to use anything from that effort when playing other songs.

I practice them to memorize them I think. Not because I particularly care to have them memorized, but mostly because that’s a useful benchmark for it being “learned.”

I guess I don’t really expect that I’m going to use anything from a transcription verbatim. More that I’ve worked up the facility to play the stuff and stuff like it and that the vibe is in my ear or something. I think I treat them much more like technical etudes than anything else.

[rpjazzguitar]

I'm always surprised how simple the truly great players were. I don't think you could do better over these 8 bars.

Sounds like a hint of paraphrasing Stardust. Time choices are incredible.

[rpjazzguitar]

Thanks for posting this.

In bars 27 and 33 I noticed a device.

In 27 it's a descending Fmajor (every other note), but he plays each upper neighbor first. He actually takes it a note further in bar 28 and plays the D natural, making it a Dm7 arp. That D natural conflicts with the chord in 28, but it's quick. Chart says it's against F7b5#9, which is interesting because the solo line doesn't have a B or an Ab.

If you look at every other note in 33, it spells a descending Db triad F Ab Db from low to high. Then he plays upper neighbors for each. It's against an F7.

Sounds great, but, conceptually, it's not that difficult to understand the notes.

[James W]

Thanks for posting this.

In bars 27 and 33 I noticed a device.

In 27 it's a descending Fmajor (every other note), but he plays each upper neighbor first. He actually takes it a note further in bar 28 and plays the D natural, making it a Dm7 arp. That D natural conflicts with the chord in 28, but it's quick. Chart says it's against F7b5#9, which is interesting because the solo line doesn't have a B or an Ab.

If you look at every other note in 33, it spells a descending Db triad F Ab Db from low to high. Then he plays upper neighbors for each. It's against an F7.

Sounds great, but, conceptually, it's not that difficult to understand the notes.

You're welcome and thanks for the analysis.

I love Mike Moreno's tone, it's very distinctive and expressive, and his playing overall is wonderful.

[James W]

[jazzloverfat]

Do you know of a source where I could find Grant Green tunes? The only book I found was a pretty poor scan...
Thanks you!

[Alex W]

There's this lot for starters. I can't attest to the quality, and in some cases it's only one or two choruses - but I guarantee you'll find pearls.

Search: grant green | Soundslice

[jazzloverfat]

There's this lot for starters. I can't attest to the quality, and in some cases it's only one or two choruses - but I guarantee you'll find pearls.

Search: grant green | Soundslice

Thanks Alex. I did find a couple of lessons and licks on YT with PDFs that use a couple of his songs to teach his style, but I was hoping to find the music sheet for his "Best of" or thereabouts. There is surprisingly little material available of his work. There are only 2 books available, one is Essential Licks in the style of Grant Green - and this one could be the ticket for a seasoned musician, but alas I am not; the other book is Best of Grant Green by Wolf Marshall. This one looks pretty cool (I have 1 or 2 scans of songs analyzed by Mr. Marshall and I like the way he breaks down his explanation of the different sections) but if I order it, with shipping and import taxes, I could almost buy 5 copies so yeah...

[pamosmusic]

I’ve got the first four choruses and melody No 1 Green St transcribed with analysis for a class I taught a while back.

25 02 05 green street, fourth chorus.pdf - Google Drive

[James W]

I’ve got the first four choruses and melody No 1 Green St transcribed with analysis for a class I taught a while back.

25 02 05 green street, fourth chorus.pdf - Google Drive

Nice. I'm almost there - I have transcribed the first three and a half choruses.

[jazzloverfat]

I’ve got the first four choruses and melody No 1 Green St transcribed with analysis for a class I taught a while back.

25 02 05 green street, fourth chorus.pdf - Google Drive

Thank you!

[pamosmusic]

It’s not a “best of” … but like … it kind of is though

That solo rules