Giant Steps Coltrane Solo Transcription

[bluewaterpig]

Yes, I already tried to find one but I really couldn't find an accurate one that wasn't in Bb.

Does anybody have a PDF of Coltrane's solo in concert pitch?

[Gertrude Moser]

Try this:

[Clamps]

Is this your personal transcription? Unfortunately there are a number of mistakes, mostly rhythmic.

Anybody else have a good transcription?

Hey, why not buy a book? My brother has the giant steps book, and it covers 5 takes from coltrane's session, while playing giant steps.

Otherwise, I think it wouldn't be too hard to correct the 'mostly rhythmic' mistakes that you identified in the PDF version you're looking at...

[bluewaterpig]

Gertrude, I need a transcription in concert pitch.

To everyone else, the point of this is that I need to provide an online link/thread/etc to the transcription for a class in my Master's program. That's why I can't just correct the mistakes in the transcription that Jake provided.

If anybody else has a transcription (in concert pitch) please let me know. Thanks.

[JakeAcci]

I'm a little confused.

1. Why do you need to find somebody else's transcription for an assignment for your master's program?

2. Why not just edit the mistakes? Print it out, use some white out, scan it. Or just do it digitally.

3. What's wrong with the Bert Ligon one? If you don't like the layout, just splice it up in any number of picture editing programs...

[bluewaterpig]

Jake,

Lol, I'm also a little confused, as I'm not sure why you need to understand my assignment criteria. But if you must:


1. The assignment is for a jazz pedagogy class where we're discussing how the internet is changing the way young musicians can practice and how there's much more access to information that may have been very hard, if not impossible, to find 50 years ago. One portion of my group's presentation is showing how quickly somebody can open the internet, find Coltrane's Giant Steps solo transcription, and print out a hard copy. The requirements are specific in stating that it has to be part of a real website (or message board thread) that anybody can access.

2. This transcription is not for my personal use. It needs to be part of a website that anybody can access, and will be printed and handed out right there on the spot. That's why I don't want to use a transcription with mistakes. Plus I just personally prefer a transcription that was done with notation software.

3. The Bert Ligon transcription has a bunch of mistakes. Every whole note in the head is anticipated by an 8th note, which Bert somehow missed. He has incorrect changes at some spots, like the second half of measure 22 (should be a Bb7). And finally, he has a number of incorrect notes, i.e. the very last note in measure 20 (should be an F, not an Eb). I'm not trying to sound like a jerk, but you did ask me what was wrong with it.

[bluewaterpig]

you're going to find that searching booble for Jazz transcriptions that not very many of them are going to be accurate. It's the double edge sword of what your Pedagogy class is getting into... yes you could find a relatively easy to access transcription of most classic jazz solos... mostly wrong.

Sort of like googling Giant Steps on youtube. You'll find lots of takes of Coltrane's solo, and then you'll find 15yr olds trying to play the solo in their bedroom with an aebersold. Open media has both sides to the story.

I very much agree. Even worse, it's pretty much impossible for a student, especially a younger one, to be able to filter the incorrect ones. Transcriptions are just a small part of the available online resources though.

[cosmic gumbo]

I think there is waaaaaaay too much whack jazz advice/lessons/exercises on the internet. 90% from theory geeks who can't really play, and don't know what the fudge they're talkin' about....but don't try to tell them that they don't know sheet, it's like a whole 'nother kind of jazz police state.

Those poor beginners see all that stuff and figure they might be able to play jazz about the same time their kids grow up and move out. Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, Jackie McLean were bebop experts by 19.

[JakeAcci]

Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, Jackie McLean were bebop experts by 19.

Not to get too off topic, but, at the time, that music was actually part of their culture. Much more difficult now. Jazz fans might as well be Larpers.

[mr. beaumont]

Jazz fans might as well be Larpers.

Larpers might actually be cooler than us...they've at least been poked fun at more by pop culture. We're not even cool enough to pick on

[JakeAcci]

Jake,

Lol, I'm also a little confused, as I'm not sure why you need to understand my assignment criteria. But if you must:


1. The assignment is for a jazz pedagogy class where we're discussing how the internet is changing the way young musicians can practice and how there's much more access to information that may have been very hard, if not impossible, to find 50 years ago. One portion of my group's presentation is showing how quickly somebody can open the internet, find Coltrane's Giant Steps solo transcription, and print out a hard copy. The requirements are specific in stating that it has to be part of a real website (or message board thread) that anybody can access.

2. This transcription is not for my personal use. It needs to be part of a website that anybody can access, and will be printed and handed out right there on the spot. That's why I don't want to use a transcription with mistakes. Plus I just personally prefer a transcription that was done with notation software.

3. The Bert Ligon transcription has a bunch of mistakes. Every whole note in the head is anticipated by an 8th note, which Bert somehow missed. He has incorrect changes at some spots, like the second half of measure 22 (should be a Bb7). And finally, he has a number of incorrect notes, i.e. the very last note in measure 20 (should be an F, not an Eb). I'm not trying to sound like a jerk, but you did ask me what was wrong with it.

The reason for my irritation is that it seemed like you were being offered help, insulting the help you were given, and not really explaining the purpose of your odd request. I think it was a reasonable assumption to think that you were asking for a transcription for your own personal use.

Your explanation here still doesn't really explain why the transcription needs to be flawless. Every transcription is going to have mistakes, even high quality professional publications have some mistakes in them.

[JakeAcci]

Larpers might actually be cooler than us...they've at least been poked fun at more by pop culture. We're not even cool enough to pick on

Zing! And true. Although the Simpsons episode where Bart became a jazz drummer was pretty good.

[edh]

Larpers????

[bluewaterpig]

The reason for my irritation is that it seemed like you were being offered help, insulting the help you were given, and not really explaining the purpose of your odd request. I think it was a reasonable assumption to think that you were asking for a transcription for your own personal use.

Your explanation here still doesn't really explain why the transcription needs to be flawless. Every transcription is going to have mistakes, even high quality professional publications have some mistakes in them.

Please show me where I insulted any posts that tried to help.

[Bluedawg]

Larpers????

I think they mean Live Action Role Players ...

Live action role-playing game - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


People that dress up in fantasy/historical costumes and play live action RPGs ...

AKA Dragons and Dungeons in the park ...


Could be fun ... even if people look at you funny as you stop for gas in your barbarian costume

[edh]

Thanks bluedawg.

[bluewaterpig]

Here's an accurate transcription in concert pitch for anybody interested.


Jake, I'm still waiting for you to show me where I insulted the people who were trying to help.

[Big Tony]

One portion of my group's presentation is showing how quickly somebody can open the internet, find Coltrane's Giant Steps solo transcription, and print out a hard copy.

I guess it wasn't that easy after all...

/ Tony

[cosmic gumbo]

[Sirspinbad]

I joined this forum even though I'm a horn player to respond to this rediculous thread. If you want to play music it is WORK. The NUMBER 1 comment by EXPERIENCED musicians these days about the younger crowd is that They haven't paid their dues.... There are no automatics here... Even if you could find a "suitable" transcription for you on the web, the viewer needs some experience with the song...btw I found some very good resource material here for working on this tune.. The etp website is very nice... And your supposed to write straight eight notes ... It's up to the reader to interpret the MUSIC and therefore make music... On YouTube there is a great video of a robot playing this great solo... It's cool but exactly NOT what we need to hear in the real world. I have a sneaking suspicion that very few people could play an interesting solo on Fly me to the Moon in your pedagogy class, and the last thing we need are more self proclaimed professional musicians just because they have a degree, and in this case an Internet degree...the point of the whole thread is to show how easy the Internet is?? Yet you can't find anything acceptable? It would be easy to "correct" all this "wrong" information out there and then repost it right here!!! But that's too much work isn't it.... Oh yeah, I learned how to transpose when I was 8, so give it to ME in ANY key.. I don't care... Good for you that you can always hit the transpose button in your software or irealbook. I personally ALWAYS transcribe solos myself because I've then internalized it. Then I can use any notation I want because I KNOW how the solo goes. Notation is JUST a guide..... Make music

Now let me tell you what I really think!!!!

this post is an observation on current events and not meant in any way to be malicious in any way.

[ASATcat]

lol, this thread reminds me of Tommy Flanagans solo lol.
Ps, Coltrane rarely if ever played this live.

[ASATcat]

Perhaps more important than Coltranes solo is how his matrix works with the circle of 4ths/5ths in decending major 3rds ala GS

.......................(C)
................F..............G
...........Bb....................D
..........Eb.......................A
.........(Ab)....................(E)
...............Db............B
.....................Gb/F#
C major pent = C G D A B
Ab major pent = Ab Eb Bb F C
E major pent = E F# G# B C#

Giant Steps
.........................(B)
....................E..........Gb
.................A...............Db
...............D..................Ab
...............(G)...............(Eb)
...................C............Bb
...........................F
- remember enharmonic equivalents
B major pent = B C# D# F# G#
G major pent = G A B D E
Eb major pent = Eb F G Bb C

Try playing GS with just these three pents.
It's not everything, but it's a good
starting outline of Coltranes matrix.
And of course to be complete, you need to consider V7 - Imaj7 changes

Ok, two pents per key

D major pent for D7 to preceed the G major pent
Or easier, think all this as a hexatonic scale for each tonal center,
For D7 Gmaj7 combine both pents
G D A E B F# , done, a hex scale

[ASATcat]

I know that was a bit off topic but it's still more productive than the bickering.