Just ordered Miles and Chet transcription books

[Jimmy Smith]

I'm gonna start playing through entire solos to absorb their sound. I try to do some work by ear but I don't have the time and dedication to work through a whole page. I think this way I can do both, play through a bunch of solos and absorb all their knowledge and do some ear work when I can. I chose Miles and Chet because I want to focus on simple melodic ideas. I chose horns because their tone is similar to organ with the sustain. Another reason is I think horns are forced to play melodically while keys kind of have a different approach. Hard to explain but I think their melodic approaches feel different. I also got the real solos book with a bunch of solos and I already have the Charlie Parker book.

[kris]

This is ok.I have a lot of such books like this.
In my opinion...It's better to do the transcriptions yourself and from the original recordings, and then we practice our hearing.
Repeat phrases-lines over and over again and adopt to your own jazz language.
Besides, first try to be fluent in playing the instrument ... practice scales, arpeggios, etc. in tempos.

[Jimmy Smith]

If you're playing through solos a lot, it also develops your hearing and understanding. This way I can do both, play through a bunch of solos and pick things that I want to work by ear.

[alltunes]

I have the Miles book; had the same intentions as you. This is helpful as you can hear and see. Also I sometimes I'll pencil in the function of the note as it relates to the underlying chord. i.e. R 3rd 5th b9 etc.


This is helpful as you can hear and see.

[mr. beaumont]

Playing through others' transcriptions will get you one of the benefits of transcribing, but not all, and not the most important.

But there's no bad in it. Great choice of players, too.

[Jimmy Smith]

Great choice of players.

Yep, I'm diggin the horn players because organ is like them with a long sustain and precise attack. I like Miles and Chet because they're laid back and melodic. I noticed when I fall back on my instincts when recording, that is what I do so I want to improve on that type of phrasing and build on that, rather than biting off more than I can chew with Bird or something. (Although I do like working thru a bit of Bird.)

Playing through others' transcriptions will get you one of the benefits of transcribing, but not all, and not the most important. But there's no bad in it.

I'm still working ear training and picking up stuff by ear but I want the benefits of playing through whole solos without traumatizing myself every time for a page of transcription. I don't want to spend that much time on it. I end up just not doing it.

[ccroft]

Once you can read through them at tempo, playing along with the record will do some ear work. Phrasing. Feel. Important!