Play a really fast tune with as few notes as possible challenge

[christianm77]

I continued after the track stopped in the video I posted.

ill check it out

EDIT: thanks for giving it a try instead of making excuses as to why it’s a waste of time. How do you think it went?

[christianm77]

Yea, it's all good, but the concept of playing fewer notes on fast tempos include playing off of each other, the rhythm section basically. People's ears get tired of endless 8th notes precisely because the sonic field becomes too dense.

Now when you play solo, nothing to play off of, busy lines actually do sound good, if you must avoid the chords or chord solos of course (no idea why you would though). OTOH, keeping it sparse with no chords just the lines sound unnatural and boring. So the challenge is how more uninspired you can get. That's just my observation, sorry. Because you don't really practice something of value to your performance with a band, if thats the point.

Excuses. give it a try.

Besides you don’t always have a drummer or rhythm on the gig of course. Anything that tightens that up is of interest to me.

one problem with long strings of 8th notes is that in my playing at least (but also in others) they can be a bit rhythmically uninteresting. Locked into the downbeat. Lots of players tend to start phrases on the beat more esp as the metronome gets north of around 280. Things can start sounding like mountain music. (Bud, Bird and Oscar do not have this problem.) How do you keep swinging?

being able to place swinging upbeat accents at those faster tempos would be helpful.

but then you have the same issue playing a half time straight feel like funk or samba, no? And if not, why not?

[christianm77]

Actually... if we don't have to play the melody, and we can use very few notes, 240's not that difficult, is it?

Perhaps! But you still have to evoke the changes... one or two notes per chord may be enough if you are smart about it....

have a go!

[ragman1]

Actually... if we don't have to play the melody, and we can use very few notes, 240's not that difficult, is it?

The problem's not fewer notes, it's playing it properly at speed!

[christianm77]

Not sure if I quite understand what you mean

[christianm77]

HINT: another way of putting it. Double time is obviously not the same as playing 16th notes. Confirmation middle 8 for instance is a true superimposed double time.

So you could feel something at 120;

But you feel/phrase funky Mardi Gras over it.

[ragman1]

How few is few? You're not answering it.

[christianm77]

How few is few? You're not answering it.

I dunno. It's a fucking exercise smart arse ;-)

[ragman1]

You set the rules. Anyone can play sporadic notes over a fast track. We could all probably do it easily at 480 if we used less notes. So, at 240, how few is few? Or, put it the other way, how many is too much?

It's what you want, it's your thang, man!

[ragman1]

Anyway, you're talking to the guy who even plays slowly over slow ones :-)

[christianm77]

You set the rules. Anyone can play sporadic notes over a fast track. We could all probably do it easily at 480 if we used less notes. So, at 240, how few is few? Or, put it the other way, how many is too much?

It's what you want, it's your thang, man!

Blimey you are so binary. Fewer notes = better, more notes = not so good. Just doing my best - but trying to hold the time and the changes together too... Not too blinking complicated to understand is it?

Look if you can listen to someone else doing this and snap your fingers on 2 and 4 and it feels good and you can recognise the song, the second two categories are basically done, right?

[ragman1]

Keep calm, keep calm, it's only an exercise. Yes, I know what you mean but I don't think 240's that much of a challenge.

Look, here's you-know-what-the-thing-is at 240. I mean, it's got to be harder than that, right?

[christianm77]

Round two

Some mistakes here... Also I do that ghosting thing which I think is a bit naff. Still too many notes lol.

[christianm77]

Keep calm, keep calm, it's only an exercise. Yes, I know what you mean but I don't think 240's that much of a challenge.

Look, here's you-know-what-the-thing-is at 240. I mean, it's got to be harder than that, right?

Now not the melody.

[ragman1]

Round two

Okay, lovely playing. Are you sure you're not just practising at 240?

[christianm77]

Thanks! That’s at 280.

Of course practice element to this but the aim is to try and get something musical out. I’m actually trying to apply the editing process I mentioned on DBs thread.

[djg]

easy peasy










donna lee

[ragman1]

No melody. Sounds leisurely but I'm often using one chord for two. As you do :-)

[ragman1]

So now it's 300 and a different tune? Less notes, naturally

[christianm77]

No melody. Sounds leisurely but I'm often using one chord for two. As you do :-)

yeah so rhythmically I’d say this feels a bit more half timey and relaxed. Which is great, but what I’m trying to dig into are these little rhythmic features - especially pushes that kind of clue the brain into hearing the tempo. Like funky little rhythms.

What might be a cool thing to try might be to feel it at 120 but really aim to play funkier more 16th based rhythms. You can put a little swing into the 16ths. Also anything that locks into the clave. Either one.

[ragman1]

Well, you're shifting the goalposts a little. The tune sounds pretty laid back at 240 too because there are lots of long notes in it. You want fewer notes... but now they ought to be 16ths? At 240?

I could do that, just make little flurries... but I think I've done the exercise! I might try it just for the hell of it.

[christianm77]

Well, you're shifting the goalposts a little. The tune sounds pretty laid back at 240 too because there are lots of long notes in it. You want fewer notes... but now they ought to be 16ths? At 240?

I could do that, just make little flurries... but I think I've done the exercise! I might try it just for the hell of it.

You do understand that 16th note rhythms does not mean continuous 16th notes? So you can syncopate in 16ths, right?

[ragman1]

Sure, little flurries :-)

[christianm77]

Sure, little flurries :-)

listen to this for 24 hours and get back to me

[rpjazzguitar]

ill check it out

EDIT: thanks for giving it a try instead of making excuses as to why it’s a waste of time. How do you think it went?

If it was studio recording I'd do another take.