Billie's Bounce Melody - Guitar Position

[pingu]

hi all,
where do you guys play Billies Bounce
in F ?
i used to play it in 8th posn starting
on the sixth string
but trying it at the 3rd pos now 5th string

sounds a bit clearer I think

[SamBooka]

Yeah just feels right at the 10th for me.. some of the lines go up to a G (high E 15th fret) so even with a cutaway it is an awkward fit.

[grahambop]

I play it right down at the first fret. Probably came from hearing George Benson's version, maybe also hearing Dexter Gordon on tenor sax. I kind of like it down low like that.

[dmorash]

1st position for me too. I referenced the Andres Orberg version on youtube a lot when I learned it and he plays it 1st position too.

[SamBooka]

1st position for me too. I referenced the Andres Orberg version on youtube a lot when I learned it and he plays it 1st position too.

What video? I found a couple where he is playing an octave below but still around the 6th position

[dmorash]

What video? I found a couple where he is playing an octave below but still around the 6th position

I was mistaken . He does play it starting in the 6th position. I must have been thinking of the vamp he starts with. It's the live version with the good video quality.

[Patrick2]

I play it right down at the first fret. Probably came from hearing George Benson's version, maybe also hearing Dexter Gordon on tenor sax. I kind of like it down low like that.

Yeah, I too playing it at the first position. At least, that's where I start it. It then needs to move between the first, second and third position for the articulation I want to voice. I incorporate quite a bit of slurs . . slides, hammer-0ns and pull-offs, to try getting as horn like as possible for the head.

[pingu]

thanks guys ....

[MarkRhodes]

I learned it down low but often play it around the 10th position now. That's the more "alto" area on my guitar.

[mikeSF]

5th position for me. starting on the pinky.

[Horszt]

I play this one round the first three frets and without any chords pure melody... like this tune like that...

[jaco]

I asked Coryell about this one. He replied play it one octave low and then one high. I think the best position is what works for you, but being able to play the head in two different octaves is pretty standard for a lot of jazz.

[Vladan]

In this recording,
1st chorus I played the first note C at the 8th fret 6tth string using ring finger, index position on the 6th fret, shifting position to 5th than 3rd ....
2nd chorus, octave up, from note C at the 5th fret 3rd string using the middle, index on the 4th, to 6th, 10th ...

VladanMovies @ Billies Bounce

[MarkRhodes]

I asked Coryell about this one. He replied play it one octave low and then one high. I think the best position is what works for you, but being able to play the head in two different octaves is pretty standard for a lot of jazz.

I like that approach. As you say, it's good to play the head of a blues two ways, or at least be able to when it sounds right. I think this is one of those cases.

[Jehu]

I recall Jimmy Raney starting it in the upper octave, and then dropping it down when the line rises in bars 5+. That's another option.

[Geechnyc]

I recall Jimmy Raney starting it in the upper octave, and then dropping it down when the line rises in bars 5+. That's another option.

Thanks for the reference: I didn't know I was in such company trying something like that!

[Jehu]

[grahambop]

I like that bit where Kirk Lightsey plays the theme a tritone away from Raney (at least I think it's a tritone). I have a tape of Louis Stewart doing this too. I wonder who did it first? sounds like a bit of a tradition perhaps, though I don't know any other examples.

[Jehu]

Yeah, I love everything about this version. His first chorus in particular is just perfection... so simple, but it just seems like those notes are the ones that are supposed​ to go there.