Dave Brubeck - Take Five (Guitar Cover)

[lucky one]

Hi All,

I'm coming from rock and Electronic music, and Jazz has always been quite a mistery for me.
About 3 years ago, I have decided to start spending some time learning Jazz classics.

Take Five by The Dave Brubeck Quartet is definitely the track that triggered that journey.
I am completely under the spell of that beautiful tune and especially the Paul Desmond melodies.

I took the time to learn the complete saxophone solo from Paul Desmond with my guitar, but I'm still trying to get the correct feel and timing

Tell me what you think!

I'm playing on a backing track from M2 : https://youtu.be/PE9tt0vdZvQ

Thanks,

Luc

[Gitterbug]

Thanks! Never enough of Take Five. I know of other jazz guitarists who copy/listen to horn players for great single-string solos. Clifford Brown comes to mind as an example. Your guitar tone could be fuller - maybe it's just just because of the way it's been recorded.

[lucky one]

Thanks for the feedback and the tip about the tone Gitterbug! I will spend more time tuning the sound in my next recordings
Did not know about Clifford Brown, thanks for the reference, I really enjoy his melodies and can easily understand why he is covered by guitar players.

Cheers,
Luc

[Slpytym]

Great job - I am very familiar with this solo, as I am a jazz sax player forever, and newly minted jazz guitarist taking lessons from a great teacher.
You've gotten the notes down. How about the phrasing? Dont cut things off so quickly - desmond lets things flow, especially in the bridge portion.
As to tone, remember, the closer that you play to the bridge, the shorter is the string. The shorter the string, the less full will be the tone.
So try playing your lead a bit further back on the neck, if the notes allow. Tone will be better. And remember, when a guitarist tries to copy a horn player the fingerings can be
very tricky - they work on the horn, and maybe not so well on guitar. I think in saxophone even when I play guitar. Weird, I know.
You did an excellent job here.

jeff

1971 Mark VI
Heritage Mimi Fox model 575

[Rene Asologuitar]

Hi All,

I'm coming from rock and Electronic music, and Jazz has always been quite a mistery for me.
About 3 years ago, I have decided to start spending some time learning Jazz classics.
Take Five by The Dave Brubeck Quartet is definitely the track that triggered that journey.
I am completely under the spell of that beautiful tune and especially the Paul Desmond melodies.
I took the time to learn the complete saxophone solo from Paul Desmond with my guitar, but I'm still trying to get the correct feel and timing
Tell me what you think!
Thanks,
Luc

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hi Luc,
Sounds really good to me.
Your guitar playing is exquisite and beautiful!
Your timing and feel is lovely, you are a jazzer!!!
Thanks for sharing this beauty!
Respectfully,
Rene

[lucky one]

Great job - I am very familiar with this solo, as I am a jazz sax player forever, and newly minted jazz guitarist taking lessons from a great teacher.
You've gotten the notes down. How about the phrasing? Dont cut things off so quickly - desmond lets things flow, especially in the bridge portion.
As to tone, remember, the closer that you play to the bridge, the shorter is the string. The shorter the string, the less full will be the tone.
So try playing your lead a bit further back on the neck, if the notes allow. Tone will be better. And remember, when a guitarist tries to copy a horn player the fingerings can be
very tricky - they work on the horn, and maybe not so well on guitar. I think in saxophone even when I play guitar. Weird, I know.
You did an excellent job here.

jeff

1971 Mark VI
Heritage Mimi Fox model 575

Very cool, thank you for the really interesting comment jeff, I have been reading it multiple times and have been thinking about it in the last weeks when practicing the track. It's clear that I'm bringing all my guitar gimmicks and habits in this version. I am now listening the original version again and trying to get out of the "guitar interpretation"
It must be quite interesting to play sax and guitar, these are two really different instruments, you're lucky !

Luc

[lucky one]

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hi Luc,
Sounds really good to me.
Your guitar playing is exquisite and beautiful!
Your timing and feel is lovely, you are a jazzer!!!
Thanks for sharing this beauty!
Respectfully,
Rene

Thank you very much Rene! I think of myself as a beginner in the Jazz domain, but your comment makes me happy

[Brooks]

I also am a lifelong rock guy (and somewhat of a hack jazzer), but I studied at North Texas and have been doing a bunch of easy jazz stuff on gigs for over 20 years.

I do this tune on solo gigs (w/ a looper pedal). I tune down a half step, so I'm playing Take Five in the E minor position, which opens up the possibility of adding open strings and natural harmonics. You sound good, I'd agree about not cutting the notes off as quick and fattening up your tone a little. Maybe tame your rock vibrato at the end of the phrases. Keep up the good work!