August 2012 - My Funny Valentine

**wizard3739** · 07-31-2012, 01:19 PM

My Funny Valentine is the obvious winner of the August poll. The backing track
is a BIAB real tracks "Bill Evans style" ballad.

Box ---> backing track

Box ---> PDF lead sheet

have fun with these!

wiz

**wizard3739** · 08-06-2012, 06:40 PM

This is a version I recorded this morning. I shortened it to 3 choruses and did it 99% by ear, it is done in c minor and probably has some melodic minor and harmonic minor mixed in with what I was hearing at the time. Here we go flubs & all.

https://www.box.com/s/9351688de87e45462acf

wiz

**jamieh** · 08-06-2012, 07:50 PM

Great tone Wiz, enjoyed your playing, keep up the good work.

**wizard3739** · 08-06-2012, 09:48 PM

Thanks Jamieh, Back when I could reach the close voicings a la Johnny Smith, I had a real nice arrangement for playing behind my wife (Alto vocalist). Unfortunately, I can't stretch into those sounds now so I have to be satisfied with more single line sounds.

wiz

**setpatch** · 08-07-2012, 07:52 AM

Hello Wiz,
I like it very much too.
Calm in the line we need nowadays.
Greetings.

**AmundLauritzen** · 08-07-2012, 11:49 AM

Great playing, Wiz!

I like the tempo you chose. To me, it has been a ballad since I heard Tal Farlow and Lenny Breaus rendition. Nothing comes close, and playing it uptempo like some people do just doesn't sit right with me. But that's because I've listened to the Tal & Lenny version so much and it's all personal bias.
So I was happy to hear that you chose a slow tempo, and I enjoyed listening to your playing!

**wizard3739** · 08-07-2012, 10:36 PM

Thanks everyone for the very nice thoughts on my version of My Funny Valentine.

wiz

**mr. beaumont** · 08-09-2012, 02:32 PM

I'd like to add this to the discussion...

I do this song in A minor--I like the open strings I can use in the melody...nice for a solo arrangement...I don't always put tunes in "guitar friendly keys" but this one works for me...

I also have this one on my website recorded a while back...feel free to compare/critique...

And ignore the bad sound quality on the vid...I only had time for one good take while 'lil man was napping...

**wizard3739** · 08-09-2012, 03:56 PM

very nice Chord Melody, Jeff. My wife sings it in A-minor also. I like open string A-7 chord, also nice for Bossanova like Triste.

wiz

**dkline** · 08-13-2012, 10:56 PM

Wizard: nice work. My wife and I enjoyed listening to your version of Funny Valentine. May I ask how you get such quality sound to the MP3? Do you mic your amp? Are you recording to a computer?

I am asking because I want to contribute and give these monthly songs a go, but I would also like the recording quality to be there too.

Thanks

Dan K

**wizard3739** · 08-13-2012, 11:59 PM

Hiya Dan K, Thank you for the nice compliment. Yes I do use a (SM58 Shure) mic in front of my speaker enclosure with a approximate 45 degree angle toward the center of the speaker. thank to fep, I am using the Reaper DAW with good results. My home studio includes a decent computer with a lot of memory, an M-Audio interface, the reaper software, a Sadowsky "Jim Hall" model guitar with 14 - 53 flatwound strings, and an Acoustic Image amp/Raezers' Edge enclosure. So far, that is the best way i know of getting a goo clean recorded sound at home. I still have a lot to learn about DIY recording and I experiment quite a lot with the concepts fep has given me.

best wishes,
wiz

**fep** · 08-14-2012, 01:37 AM

Hi Howard, Great tone and nice vibe. I really enjoyed your performance.

**fep** · 08-14-2012, 01:39 AM

Jeff, right on. It seems to me your were in the zone and had one of those moments. A great moment in time.

I love the way you work in the chords and single lines during the melody and the improvisation and all along keep time with a nice groove.

**wizard3739** · 08-14-2012, 02:52 AM

Thanks Frank, I have some new strings I'm trying out because I can't buy Sadowsky strings now. I'm using La Bella flatwounds 14 -53. I like the way they feel and sound. I didn't like the TI's because the felt rubbery to me. I guess maybe I like the tension with the La Bella flats. I'm still playing around with the Reaper Program and lovin' every minute I can put into it Thanks again for all the help.

Wiz (Howie)

**jayx123** · 08-16-2012, 12:00 PM

Wiz, very nice, love your tone.

**gcb** · 08-19-2012, 08:41 PM

Wizard thanks for the pdf, the mp3 and your great version. Loved the lines and the tone. Loved the tempo also, made me remember Hall and Petrucciani's version

**wizard3739** · 08-20-2012, 05:23 PM

Originally Posted by gcb

Wizard thanks for the pdf, the mp3 and your great version. Loved the lines and the tone. Loved the tempo also, made me remember Hall and Petrucciani's version

Thanks for the nice complement, gcb, I am happy you are getting some enjoyment out of the downloads. Jim Hall and John Petrucciani are one of my all-time favorite combinations.
I like the slower tempo for most ballads because it gives me more time to think when I am trying to express myself musically.

wiz

**Rich Cochrane** · 08-21-2012, 11:26 AM

I'm afraid this is a bit rushed but I did 2 headless choruses this afternoon and was moderately satisfied with them, modulo the usual clams:

I know this tune of old but had long forgotten the changes, so was reading a bit; in places I missed the chord, other places played it safe and ended up just sounding a bit square.

I wish I had time to work on these tunes more and post "polished" second takes, but it seems like my rather limited practice time is having to go on other things at the moment. I'm still determined to keep posting to these threads, though, even if it's just as a discipline for now.

Mr B and Wiz, your takes set an intimidating standard as usual. Wiz, when you brought back the melody at 2:30ish it gave me goosebumps. Mr B, I kind of liked the iPhone distortion - sounds as if you Dave-Daviesed your speaker cones

... but seriously, there's much knowledge and experience embedded in that performance. Hats off.

Lambosoa -- I actually liked the straighter (but not 100% straight) rhythmic feel riding over the swung 8ths in the comping, it came off really sweet and laid-back. If you have BIAB maybe try it with a bossa style as an experiment?

[EDIT: Incidentally, this may be the world's stupidest question but where are the polls posted for each month's choice of standard?]

**marcesaure@gmail.com** · 12-29-2012, 02:06 AM

Hello,
I´d like you to give me some advice about what scales i could use to improvise over this song.
I´ve never had a music teacher o professor, so i have some theory gaps of knowledge(?)
The problems are with the chords with b9, 9, #9, #5, #11, 13

The chords I play are:

<< C- > C-/B > C-7/Bb > C-6/A >
Abma7 > F-7 > D-7(b5) > G7(b9) >>

<< C- > C-/B > C-7/Bb > C-6/A >
Abma7 > F-7 > F-7(b5) > Bbsus9 > Bb13(b9) >>

<< Ebma7/Bb F-7/Bb > Ebma7/Bb F-7/Bb > Ebma7/Bb F-7/Bb > Ebma7/Bb F-7/Bb >
Ebma7 D+7(b9) G7(b9) > C-7 B13 Bb-9 Eb7(b9) > Abma7 > D-7(b5) G7(b9) >>

<< C- > C-ma7 > C-7 > C-6 >
Abma7 > D-7(b5) G7(b9) >>

<< C-7 F7(#5#9) > Bb-7 A13(#11) >
Abma7 G-7 Gb7(b9) > F-7 Bb7(b9) >>

<< Ebma7/Bb F-7/Bb > Ebma7/Bb F-7/Bb >>

Sorry, my english isn't very good.

Thanks!