Bebop heads: Donna Lee

[pamosmusic]

Here we will be working on Donna Lee.

Four bars a week. I’ll post later with the first four. Anyone else is welcome to start in the meantime — we’re talking:

1. fingerings
2. articulation
3. analysis
4. vocabulary
5. whatever else

Awesome.

[mr. beaumont]

Great idea...

And now I'll make a suggestion...4 bars at a time, or should we think more in terms of phrases? Or just leave it up to whoever is participating?

[AllanAllen]

My rationale was 4 bars a week, 32 bar tune, 8 week commitment. I have not played the tune so I don't know how the lines lay and if we should have a loose definition of 4 bars to complete phrases. LIke, the pickup in bar 0, that should count for the first 4 bars.

[mr. beaumont]

My rationale was 4 bars a week, 32 bar tune, 8 week commitment. I have not played the tune so I don't know how the lines lay and if we should have a loose definition of 4 bars to complete phrases. LIke, the pickup in bar 0, that should count for the first 4 bars.

Works for me. I'm definitely in.

[Tal_175]

Some years ago I analyzed the head and extracted a series of chord specific licks that covered the whole head. If you orient the licks to the chord of the moment, there are a relatively small number of licks. It's a good head to mine for this purpose.

[pamosmusic]

Great idea...

And now I'll make a suggestion...4 bars at a time, or should we think more in terms of phrases? Or just leave it up to whoever is participating?

It can depend on the tune and on the section … in this case we’ve got probably the beginning to beat one of m4, with the second phrase starting on the last beat of m4, yes?

[AllanAllen]

Yeah, that's a good plan. Not sure why I thought there was a pickup on this one.

[mr. beaumont]

It can depend on the tune and on the section … in this case we’ve got probably the beginning to beat one of m4, with the second phrase starting on the last beat of m4, yes?

After messing with it for a few minutes during lunch that seems to make the most sense.

[lawson-stone]

I'm in. I already know the tune, but would love to work along with you all thinking about how to play it best. We're posting clips for each segment?

[Christian Miller]

Guess what?


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[mr. beaumont]

Here's my lunch break musings...

[pamosmusic]

Christian — no one’s going to guess.

[AllanAllen]

here’s my try. Different fingering from Jeff at bar 3.


https://youtu.be/EP8sERdi0Zc?si=8NHtvMJX4SNab4k_

[Christian Miller]

Christian — no one’s going to guess.

#hehasavideo

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[AllanAllen]

#hehasavideo


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Sir, this is too many of the bars... I'm going to need you to go back and edit out anything about bars 5 through 32.

Kidding, but I am glad to hear I'll get Back Home Again in Indiana out of this study. Always liked that tune.

[pamosmusic]

Here’s mine.

[lawson-stone]

Here's my first four measures, played slowly about 140 bpm. This is my brand new Cordoba Stage nylon-stringed amplified guitar. Played through a Fender Tone Master Twin Reverb, direct to the recording interface.

[mr. beaumont]

here’s my try. Different fingering from Jeff at bar 3.


https://youtu.be/EP8sERdi0Zc?si=8NHtvMJX4SNab4k_

There's a few notes off there, I think. Pitches, I mean, you have the rhythm correct...

[AllanAllen]

There's a few notes off there, I think. Pitches, I mean, you have the rhythm correct...

I would have to agree with you. Took a look at the realbook this morning and saw I was off.

[lawson-stone]

I would have to agree with you. Took a look at the realbook this morning and saw I was off.

I'd suggest avoiding the Real Book on this tune. User "PMB" on the forum here passed along this lead sheet to me when I was learning off the Charlie Parker recording and I've used it and found it accurately gets the pitches from the recording.

This is really the lead sheet I refer to whenever I'm working on this tune.

Thanks again to "PMB"!

Donna_Lee_JGO.pdf

[AllanAllen]

I'd suggest avoiding the Real Book on this tune. Someone on the forum here passed along this lead sheet to me when I was learning off the Charlie Parker recording and I've used it and found it accurately gets the pitches from the recording.

I really wish I knew who sent this to me because they deserve credit and gratitude, but I can't find the note anywhere. If I do, I'll edit this post to give them credit because it is absolutely due!

Donna_Lee_JGO.pdf

Thanks! FWIW, the first line matches my RB.

[AllanAllen]

Practice practice practice

[lawson-stone]

I spent a little time today trying to get that first section up to speed, trying to see where basically I begin to lose control of it. In stepping up from 170, to 180, 200, and finally 210 I hit the wall just barely getting the notes out. I also noticed I needed to shift my technique. My right hand unconsciously turned a little so the pick "sawed" the strings just a little more. I only noticed it after a bit, but I think the problem with starting slow and trying to speed up is that slow and fast are different techniques.

[Mick-7]

Attached is tab of my preferred fingerings for the A Section.

A problem I see with breaking this up into 4 bars is that the most efficient way to finger a section will depend partly on where it's going next, you need to be looking ahead and considering how you'll play upcoming passages, because you'll have no time for major position shifts with a fast tune like this.

[pamosmusic]

Attached is tab of my preferred fingerings for the A Section.

A problem I see with breaking this up into 4 bars is that the most efficient way to finger a section will depend partly on where it's going next, you need to be looking ahead and considering how you'll play upcoming passages, because you'll have no time for major position shifts with a fast tune like this.

Thats a fair point, but for what it’s worth, there’s only one position where it can’t be played without displacing the octave (that’s 8th position).

11th requires a little scooting out in places but nothing major.

Not to say anyone needs to play it in one position —- but the fact that it works in most means that probably the shifting will be minimal wherever one starts.

EDIT: corrected the position that requires significant movement out of position