Bebop Heads (no. 5) - Confirmation

[Question]

Here is a version of Parker's Confirmation.

The guitar is panned right (not completely due to the sound from my speakers bleeding slightly into the guitar mic), and the Parker track is panned left.

I used the Voelpel Charlie Parker for guitar book that someone posted earlier in the thread. An excellent resource with an accurate transcription. I did find one incorrect note in bar 14; the first note should be an Eb and not D.

Otherwise very accurate and he has fingerings, which I found very useful and different than the solutions that I maybe would have used.

@Supersoul-good version, I suggest that you play it up an octave (in Parker's register), which will make it much easier!

Parker had an amazing rhythmic phrasing, which is sometimes tricky to copy exactly. (like the bridge for example)

As I said in the Moose the Mooch thread; I don't think playing these Parker heads at their original tempo in necessary in order to benefit from learning about phrasing and articulation. Just play them at 60% and focus on matching Parker's phrasing as close as you can.

I hope this video maybe helps someone with the fingering and articulations.

[James W]

I did find one incorrect note in bar 14; the first note should be an Eb and not D.

Noted, thanks. And great job.

[Question]

@James

Thanks.
Is there some reason that you are learning it in the lower octave? (or at least that is where you notated your version)
As I wrote to Supersoul, I am pretty sure that you will find it easier in Parker's octave.

[Mick-7]

I used the Voelpel Charlie Parker for guitar book that someone posted earlier in the trhread. An excellent resource with an accurate transcription. I did find one incorrect note in bar 14; the first note should be an Eb and not D.

Otherwise very accurate and he has fingerings, which I found very useful and different than the solutions that I maybe would have used.

I've been playing the A section and the beginning of the B section entirely at the 10 fret position (that's as far as I've gotten), but I can see I'll have to leave it for the remainder of the B section.

[James W]

@James

Thanks.
Is there some reason that you are learning it in the lower octave? (or at least that is where you notated your version)
As I wrote to Supersoul, I am pretty sure that you will find it easier in Parker's octave.

I'm learning it in Parker's octave.

[hohoho]

Any good guitar recordings of this song?

[charlieparker]

Here is a version of Parker's Confirmation.

The guitar is panned right (not completely due to the sound from my speakers bleeding slightly into the guitar mic), and the Parker track is panned left.

I used the Voelpel Charlie Parker for guitar book that someone posted earlier in the trhread. An excellent resource with an accurate transcription. I did find one incorrect note in bar 14; the first note should be an Eb and not D.

Otherwise very accurate and he has fingerings, which I found very useful and different than the solutions that I maybe would have used.

@Supersoul-good version, I suggest that you play it up an octave (in Parker's register), which will make it much easier!

Parker had an amazing rhythmic phrasing, which is sometimes tricky to copy exactly. (like the bridge for example)

As I said in the Moose the Mooch thread; I don't think playing these Parker heads at their original tempo in necessary in order to benefit from learning about phrasing and articulation. Just play them at 60% and focus on matching Parker's phrasing as close as you can.

I hope this video maybe helps someone with the fingering and articulations.

Full speed, wow! That was impressive from an execution standpoint.

[charlieparker]

I am in the process of transcribing the head. I try and do that before looking at another transcription. Only a few measures in. Hope to get more time this weekend.

[Question]

Full speed, wow! That was impressive from an execution standpoint.

HaHa! The way that you worded that sounds like it is maybe not so good from another standpoint.

Once again, I don't believe that learning these heads at full tempo will benefit your articulation more than at half speed.

If you learn to control the length of the notes, articuations and accents at a slow tempo, then you just need to speed it up.(easier said than done)

Also, when it sounds like Parker tongues the note, play it with a pick; if it sounds legato then play it slurred.

This is where the fingering becomes crucial. There were a few lines that I could not play/articulate clearly at full tempo until I found a suitable fingering.

The Voelpel book had some fingerings that were very useful, which I would not of thought of myself l. I think he put a lot of consideration as to his fingering choices.

In essence, I am just mimicking Parker, and when something isn't working I then try to figure our what I am doing wrong and how to realize it on a string instrument.
(like for example, the scoop in bar 7 where I use a bend)


Hope that helps!

[GuyBoden]

I am in the process of transcribing the head. I try and do that before looking at another transcription. Only a few measures in. Hope to get more time this weekend.

Excellent, I'm transcribing each phrase by ear and trying to keep them as licks, this is my very, very, very, slow process. I may post a few of the licks.

I've slowed the track to 80%, so that I can hear the phrases easier.

Good stuff everyone, inspirational thread.

[AllanAllen]

HaHa! The way that you worded that sounds like it is maybe not so good from another standpoint.

Once again, I don't believe that learning these heads at full tempo will benefit your articulation more than at half speed.

If you learn to control the length of the notes, articuations and accents at a slow tempo, then you just need to speed it up.(easier said than done)

Also, when it sounds like Parker tongues the note, play it with a pick; if it sounds legato then play it slurred.

This is where the fingering becomes crucial. There were a few lines that I could not play/articulate clearly at full tempo until I found a suitable fingering.

The Voelpel book had some fingerings that were very useful, which I would not of thought of myself l. I think he put a lot of consideration as to his fingering choices.

In essence, I am just mimicking Parker, and when something isn't working I then try to figure our what I am doing wrong and how to realize it on a string instrument.
(like for example, the scoop in bar 7 where I use a bend)


Hope that helps!

The takeaway for us should be the part I've bolded. Even someone like Question who can clearly nail the Parker heads, is working on them. Checking how other people play tricky parts and adjusting his technique.

It's easy to get the wrong idea from youtube videos and online discourse that everyone else has these things right off the cuff.

[charlieparker]

Excellent, I'm transcribing each phrase by ear and trying to keep them as licks, this is my very, very, very, slow process. I may post a few of the licks.

I've slowed the track to 80%, so that I can hear the phrases easier.

Good stuff everyone, inspirational thread.

+1. I think breaking out fragments of the head and turning them into licks is more valuable than learning the head itself.

[Question]

@AllenAllen

Yes it might look easy, but it is not!

I did need several hours to learn it at full tempo, but then once I started to record I realized that there were a few phrases in the bridge that I could not accurately articulate that needed to be re-worked.

My idea is that the hurdle determines the solution. I am not really very interested in learning to play any faster, but I am often in working situations where I am expected to be able to read/play complex fast-tempo Soli-lines together with other players or sections in a Big Band.

Focusing on speed only makes sense once you can already play slow with accuracy and content.

I learn a lot about my own playing when I watch the video and listen to the recording.

For example, I noticed that I tend to pick down-beats with a down-stroke and up-beats with an upstroke; didn't know that.
Also, I noticed that I sometimes determine the length of a note by stopping it with the side of my right hand, did not know that either.

By the way, I am not here to say "I can do it better"; these videos are just documenting my practice and if I think it is any good and might benefit a less experienced player, I might post it.

I am not very good at explaining my method with words, (hence my user name) so if you have a concrete question, ask and I will try to explain it.

Hope that helps!

[AllanAllen]

By the way, I am not here to say "I can do it better"; these videos are just documenting my practice and if I think it is any good and might benefit a less experienced player, I might post it.

I am not very good at explaining my method with words, (hence my user name) so if you have a concrete question, ask and I will try to explain it.

The clips are inspiring to me. What one man can do, another can do.

[ragman1]

What one man can do, another can do.

Unfortunately not true

[AllanAllen]

Just because you don't want to dislocate your bones doesn't mean you can't.

[CliffR]

Here is a version of Parker's Confirmation.

The guitar is panned right (not completely due to the sound from my speakers bleeding slightly into the guitar mic), and the Parker track is panned left.

I used the Voelpel Charlie Parker for guitar book that someone posted earlier in the trhread. An excellent resource with an accurate transcription. I did find one incorrect note in bar 14; the first note should be an Eb and not D.

Otherwise very accurate and he has fingerings, which I found very useful and different than the solutions that I maybe would have used.

@Supersoul-good version, I suggest that you play it up an octave (in Parker's register), which will make it much easier!

Parker had an amazing rhythmic phrasing, which is sometimes tricky to copy exactly. (like the bridge for example)

As I said in the Moose the Mooch thread; I don't think playing these Parker heads at their original tempo in necessary in order to benefit from learning about phrasing and articulation. Just play them at 60% and focus on matching Parker's phrasing as close as you can.

I hope this video maybe helps someone with the fingering and articulations.

Sounds great! And.... is that an oscar on your shelf in the background?

[Question]

@CliffR

Hi Cliff, thanks.

With my new camera I now should start checking to see if I have anything strange in the background!

Yes and no; I composed music for a film that got nominated for an Oscar in 2004 (I think) but since we didn't win, the production company gave the whole team a porcelain Oscar.

You can see what I actually have been doing for the past 20 years or so on my website, my website address is in my user profile.

(hint, it is not playing that much Jazz)

[Mick-7]

With my new camera I now should start checking to see if I have anything strange in the background!

There are very few videos where you don't!

Tell me this tune doesn't sound like Parker made it up by stringing a bunch of licks together - except for the first few bars, which sounds composed. The last few bars in particular lack what could be called melodic continuity.

[JazzKatua]

Seems almost rocket science this explanation about picking directions; don't get me wrong, I learned a LOT from Frank Gambale about picking, but it all depends on the person playing how much it feels comfortable to play. Not every 'formula' works for everybody.

[AllanAllen]

Seems almost rocket science this explanation about picking directions; don't get me wrong, I learned a LOT from Frank Gambale about picking, but it all depends on the person playing how much it feels comfortable to play. Not every 'formula' works for everybody.

It doesn't have to be rocket science. You can play something, think it was clunky and try something else. All without knowing what a rest stroke is.

[GuyBoden]

Tell me this tune doesn't sound like Parker made it up by stringing a bunch of licks together

Yes, Parker played extraordinarily fantastic licks, using his genius he sometimes strung licks together to create marvellous Heads, that's why his Heads will always be a great way to learn Bebop licks.

Charlie Parker was a true genius.

[CliffR]

@CliffR

Hi Cliff, thanks.

With my new camera I now should start checking to see if I have anything strange in the background!

Yes and no; I composed music for a film that got nominated for an Oscar in 2004 (I think) but since we didn't win, the production company gave the whole team a porcelain Oscar.

You can see what I actually have been doing for the past 20 years or so on my website, my website address is in my user profile.

(hint, it is not playing that much Jazz)

Thanks! I'll check it out. And huge congrats for the Oscar nomination. That's pretty awesome!

[James W]

Seems almost rocket science this explanation about picking directions; don't get me wrong, I learned a LOT from Frank Gambale about picking, but it all depends on the person playing how much it feels comfortable to play. Not every 'formula' works for everybody.

Is this a reply to #23? It's definitely not rocket science!

[supersoul]

So... up an octave and along with Charlie Parker himself. It's not perfect, and I'm out of tune with the recording, but I thought I'd post it as a progress report.

It's a good exercise, to play along with him and try to match all of his phrasing and rhythms. I made a conscious decision to not emulate his triplet flourishes, I want to concentrate on the basic lines for now.