There Will Never Be Another You - Robert Conti Ticket to Improv Vol. 2

**lawson-stone** · 09-04-2017, 01:54 PM

The Robert Conti study group working through his Ticket to Improv series is continuing on to the second project in Volume 2!

Our next solo is based on the changes to "There Will Never Be Another You." We who have worked through the previous solos will be pressing on, but we also invite any who wish to join in this journey to feel welcome!

We've evolved a few basic guidelines that have helped us. These are based on the fact that most of us are either beginners in jazz improvisation or old hands who still feel like we haven't gotten a good grip on soloing yet. So, here's what we do:

We move at the pace of 8 measures per week, learning the exercise solo composed by Conti and transcribed in the digital transcription booklet on the DVD. Some get behind, some run a bit ahead, but generally 8 measures per week is the norm.
We post a video clip each week, typically on Tuesday, of ourselves playing the scheduled chunk.
We use any background track we like. Conti has one on the DVD, but many other sources exist, and we use whatever we want!
We don't do much critique, but sometimes do openly ask for advice. Mainly, we cheer, support, encourage, and empower each other. We don't offer criticism unless it's asked for, but positive advice is helpful.
We try to learn the solo as written and also to make it our own in phrasing and timing.
Some like to post a clip playing an arrangement of the "head" of the tune. That's fine, we enjoy it, but nobody is obligated or expected to do that.
We avoid detailed wrangling over theory, but seek to grow in the actual practice of playing.
We don't branch off much into other approaches to the tunes, other solos, other styles. We have succeeded so far because we stay focused!
We don't regard any of these guidelines as inflexible and we don't get in arguments about it!

Here is a proposed schedule for posting:

September 12: Measures 1-8
September 19: Measures 1-16
September 26: Measures 1-24
October 3: Measures 1-32

If you are planning to do this, please post a simple "I'm In!" reply.

Let the games begin! And really, when we practice, the odds are always in our favor!

**lawson-stone** · 09-05-2017, 03:02 PM

Here is my effort on measures 1-8 of the Conti solo, played on two guitars for fun.

One thing I see scanning down this solo is that Conti continues to like these lines ending with the same note played in an 8th note pair. Sort of da-di-da-di-DA-DA. This is kind of getting on my nerves, though I suspect it is an intentional part of the pedagogy so I'm not going to stray too far from it.

I started playing around with those, approaching them from a half-step, etc. Just to see what I could come up with.

Any observations or advice are welcome!

**losaltosjoe** · 09-05-2017, 09:05 PM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

Here is my effort on measures 1-8 of the Conti solo, played on two guitars for fun.

One thing I see scanning down this solo is that Conti continues to like these lines ending with the same note played in an 8th note pair. Sort of da-di-da-di-DA-DA. This is kind of getting on my nerves, though I suspect it is an intentional part of the pedagogy so I'm not going to stray too far from it.

I started playing around with those, approaching them from a half-step, etc. Just to see what I could come up with.

Any observations or advice are welcome!

Way to get us started Lawson! I believe this is now our 7th Conti TTI project and I think it is perfectly reasonable to start taking some liberties with the lines. I'm trying to push myself to stop being so literal with the solos and start taking some chances without drifting too far off course.

**lawson-stone** · 09-05-2017, 09:13 PM

Originally Posted by losaltosjoe

Way to get us started Lawson! I believe this is now our 7th Conti TTI project and I think it is perfectly reasonable to start taking some liberties with the lines. I'm trying to push myself to stop being so literal with the solos and start taking some chances without drifting too far off course.

Agreed on the liberties though for myself, first I try to play the line exactly as he wrote it and demonstrated it because I have come to think he has a very consistent, far-reaching pedagogical thing happening here and sometimes it's the "awkward" stuff that carries the point! But once I've mastered it how he wrote it, I start playing around with the feeling of it, the time, the phrasing, all that.

**rlrhett** · 09-06-2017, 02:40 PM

It is hard to play these perfectly straight. At least for me. Somehow, at a minimum, I think we hear the phrasing differently from one musician to another even when playing the same notes.

Here is my 1-8:

**lawson-stone** · 09-06-2017, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by rlrhett

It is hard to play these perfectly straight. At least for me. Somehow, at a minimum, I think we hear the phrasing differently from one musician to another even when playing the same notes.

Here is my 1-8:
...

I think a lot depends on if you are playing solo or with an ensemble, too. Playing solo, one can take great liberties in phrasing. In an ensemble, the melody has to hang pretty much with the traditional phrasing, and this solo's compatibility with the chord changes and pulse of the swing tempo of the rhythm section needs to be pegged pretty well. My own interest is ensemble playing. After playing solo for some 25 years, I've become more interested in being able to play with rhythm sections, so I'm trying to nail the notated times and feel the lines really closely against the chord changes, since I'm assuming Conti has a teaching purpose in the way he's composed these.

**MikeS** · 09-07-2017, 03:51 PM

There Will Never Be Another You
Improvisation
Bars 1-8

Here are my first eight bars. I have been finger picking my other videos. This time I thought I would use a pick.

Mike

**lawson-stone** · 09-07-2017, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by MikeS

There Will Never Be Another You
Improvisation
Bars 1-8

Here are my first eight bars. I have been finger picking my other videos. This time I thought I would use a pick.

Mike

Good start! I'm still trying to do the One Note Samba solo finger style on my nylon stringed guitar. It's a challenge for me to play these lines finger style!

**losaltosjoe** · 09-09-2017, 12:02 PM

Here's my take on bars 1-8. Hope to get more done this weekend. Cheers, Joe

**lawson-stone** · 09-09-2017, 03:06 PM

Lovely tone with that L5! I like your articulation of the phrases too.

**Doublea A** · 09-09-2017, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by losaltosjoe

Here's my take on bars 1-8. Hope to get more done this weekend. Cheers, Joe

That was great !!
Bravo !!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

**losaltosjoe** · 09-14-2017, 06:56 PM

This is a bit early but the thread has been quiet, so I thought I'd get this posted.

**Doublea A** · 09-14-2017, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by losaltosjoe

This is a bit early but the thread has been quiet, so I thought I'd get this posted.

Very nice. I find that your playing is getting smoother with every post.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

**lawson-stone** · 09-14-2017, 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by losaltosjoe

This is a bit early but the thread has been quiet, so I thought I'd get this posted.

Nice. That L5 just has the tone. Nice and round.

**losaltosjoe** · 09-14-2017, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by Doublea A

Very nice. I find that your playing is getting smoother with every post.

Thanks Doublea A. I sometimes find that I'm so hell bent on memorizing and playing the phrase(s) error-free that I forget to make them musical.

**lawson-stone** · 09-14-2017, 10:23 PM

Here is my week 2, mm. 1-16, using iRealPro for my backup. Working ahead, I'm finding mm. 23-25, esp. the transition from m. 24 into 25 really hard to "feel." Maybe it's also because I don't like the repeated triplet figures we've gotten here and in ONS towards the end. Down low, they just sound muddy to me. Anyhow, hopefully by the end of week 3 I'll have worked that out.

**rlrhett** · 09-15-2017, 12:55 AM

You guys are sounding very polished and very hip. Congratulations!

Here is my week's contribution:

**Doublea A** · 09-15-2017, 12:57 AM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

Here is my week 2, mm. 1-16, using iRealPro for my backup. Working ahead, I'm finding mm. 23-25, esp. the transition from m. 24 into 25 really hard to "feel." Maybe it's also because I don't like the repeated triplet figures we've gotten here and in ONS towards the end. Down low, they just sound muddy to me. Anyhow, hopefully by the end of week 3 I'll have worked that out.

Sounds great. Is this the first time you are using iReal Pro for backing tracks ? I use them and I love it. Thought I was the only one using it. I like that I can edit the chords if necessary. I can also adjust the tempo as I learning the music. I put the music into playlists which makes my practice sessions more efficient.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

**losaltosjoe** · 09-15-2017, 02:19 AM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

Here is my week 2, mm. 1-16, using iRealPro for my backup. Working ahead, I'm finding mm. 23-25, esp. the transition from m. 24 into 25 really hard to "feel." Maybe it's also because I don't like the repeated triplet figures we've gotten here and in ONS towards the end. Down low, they just sound muddy to me. Anyhow, hopefully by the end of week 3 I'll have worked that out.

Really smooth Lawson! The books add a nice aesthetic to your playing. I agree, bars 23-26 are going to take some work.

**losaltosjoe** · 09-15-2017, 02:27 AM

Originally Posted by rlrhett

You guys are sounding very polished and very hip. Congratulations!

Here is my week's contribution:

I enjoyed that rlrhett! You get a nice clear tone with your fingers. Me, not so much...

**lawson-stone** · 09-15-2017, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by Doublea A

Sounds great. Is this the first time you are using iReal Pro for backing tracks ? I use them and I love it. Thought I was the only one using it. I like that I can edit the chords if necessary. I can also adjust the tempo as I learning the music. I put the music into playlists which makes my practice sessions more efficient.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Not my first time with iReal Pro. I usually try to find a backing track done by human musicians, like Aebersold or the Hal Leonard RealBook tracks. In Capo! I can adjust the tempo, though not the chords. I fell back on iRealPro this time because some of the phrasing in this solo is hard for me to hear in connection with the tempo. Like I said, right now I'm really having trouble making mm. 23-25 sound natural and swinging.

**lawson-stone** · 09-15-2017, 01:32 PM

Yesterday while doing my clip for the week, I also took a shot at a clip including the head as well as the first 16 measures of the solo. I enjoy doing this because it gives me, for a moment, the "illusion" of being a "real" jazz guitarist!

I'm still working on how I want to play the head, experimenting with various voicing. I would encourage anyone to try it. The tune and chords offer nice options for fairly easy arranging.

**losaltosjoe** · 09-15-2017, 09:21 PM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

Yesterday while doing my clip for the week, I also took a shot at a clip including the head as well as the first 16 measures of the solo. I enjoy doing this because it gives me, for a moment, the "illusion" of being a "real" jazz guitarist!

I'm still working on how I want to play the head, experimenting with various voicing. I would encourage anyone to try it. The tune and chords offer nice options for fairly easy arranging.

Man that was really nice Lawson! Loved the chord-melody. I will wait for your final version before trying to lift/transcribe it. :-) The Conti solo fits like a glove. Cheers.

**lawson-stone** · 09-15-2017, 09:24 PM

Originally Posted by losaltosjoe

Man that was really nice Lawson! Loved the chord-melody. I will wait for your final version before trying to lift/transcribe it. :-) The Conti solo fits like a glove. Cheers.

Thanks! There's really nothing special about my arrangement except maybe the double-stops with moving voices on mm. 1-2 and 17-18. Kinda proud of that! The rest is very much the standard grips that we all know. So feel free to lift all you want!

And yes, I enjoy rolling into the Conti solo from the head. Feels right.

**Doublea A** · 09-16-2017, 03:40 AM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

Yesterday while doing my clip for the week, I also took a shot at a clip including the head as well as the first 16 measures of the solo. I enjoy doing this because it gives me, for a moment, the "illusion" of being a "real" jazz guitarist!

I'm still working on how I want to play the head, experimenting with various voicing. I would encourage anyone to try it. The tune and chords offer nice options for fairly easy arranging.

That was great !!
I loved the chord melody.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk