December 13, 2009
Page 43 of the Eb Charlie Parker Omnibook contains this cool phrase in lines 12 & 13. Why does this particular lick sound so nice over a V7 chord? One reason is that the 3rd of the chord (TI), the 7th of the chord (FA), and the 13th of the chord (MI) are prominently featured on the strong beats 1, 3, & 1 respectively. These are the most interesting notes in the chord. FA & TI form an attractive tritone, while MI is a major 7th above FA. The line also has an interesting contour.
Although Bird’s solo on “An Oscar For Treadwell” is in the key of A major (on alto sax), you will notice that the lick shown below - which occurs in the first 2 measures of the bridge – is in the key of F#. For the benefit of New Ears Resolution students, i have written in the solfége syllables below the notes. (The syllable “SE” – pronounced “say” - is between SO and FA.) In the next few days, i will publish the lick in all 12 keys and provide a recording you can practice along with.
The more you study the work of the masters such as Charlie Parker, the richer your own musical vocabulary will become. Playing the licks in all 12 keys develops your “hand / ear co-ordination” and prevents you from falling into “finger familiarity” ruts.
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Posted by Craig Buhler
October 17, 2009
Are you hip to Ralph Moore? He has a fabulous sound and great ideas. The following lick is taken from Ralph Moore’s solo on the tune “SOS” from the CD “Moore Makes 4″ by the Ray Brown Trio with Ralph Moore. This is an amazing solo, packed with wonderful lyricism and dazzling technique. For details, see the book “Ralph Moore Jazz Tenor Solos” Transcribed by Bill Sears, published by Corybant Productions, Inc., 1994. I have recorded the lick in all 12 keys, so you can play along with the recording. On the following page is the link to the recording along with a chart showing the lick in all 12 keys. Below is an analysis of the various key centers traversed by the lick. You will note that the melody & the chord changes both adhere strictly to this key center scheme. (See “New Ears Resolution” for details on this analysis technique.)
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Posted by Craig Buhler
July 29, 2009
This wonderful phrase illustrates how Charlie Parker (“YARDBIRD” or “BIRD”) could take a simple chord progression (such as III minor / bIII minor / II minor) and transform it into an opportunity to modulate. In this case, he raises the key by a half-step, a favorite be-bop modulation. (Thus, the bIII minor becomes a II minor in the key a half-step up from the original key.) To solo properly over this progression, you need to use the Ab major scale for beats 3 & 4 of measure 1, the G major scale for the rest of bars 1 & 2. Try it! As always, try to master the exercise without resorting to the printed page. Click here to hear the audio.
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Posted by Craig Buhler
July 2, 2009
There are so many great phrases in this classic solo. This one deserves attention because of its rhythmic & melodic vitality and its effortless harmonic insinuation. Click below to see the phrase in all 12 keys. However, it is better to practice your ear training by figuring out the lick through melodic extrapolation. Click here to purchase the Charlie Parker Omnibook with its 142 pages of heads & transcribed solos by Bird. Click here to hear a play-along version. (To slow it down or change the key, download the free program “Best Practice.”)
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2 Comments | Charlie Parker (Yardbird, Bird), Clarinet, Ear Training, Improvisation, Jazz, music, Music Education K-12, Saxophone | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
June 30, 2009
This arpeggio is very useful over a V7 (or a V9) chord. Notice that the iteration beginning on A# is actually in the key of C major. The A# is LI (sharp 6) in the major scale. For “New Ears Resolution” students, also note that the key change is indicated by the presence of a “pivot note.” Marked as (TI=LI), this notation is understood to mean “The note B natural, (TI in the old key of C major) will now become LI in the new key of Db major.” Once grasped, this understanding of modulation as described by a pivot note is a very powerful concept when one attempts to navigate the changes of a song with many internal key changes (such as “All the Things You Are.”)
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Posted by Craig Buhler
March 20, 2008
From a quick viewing of YouTube video footage, it appears that Coltrane’s fingers may move further from the keys than do Bird’s. Do you agree?
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1 Comment | Clarinet, Improvisation, Jazz, Jazz for Youth, music, Music Education K-12, musician, Saxophone | Tagged: fingering, loop, practice techniques, Saxophone, swing, tempo, trill | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
March 20, 2008
WHY should real musicians – the ones who can actually play their instruments – have all the fun?
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1 Comment | Clarinet, music, Music Critic Reviews, Music Education K-12, musician | Tagged: basoon, performance, starting an orchestra | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
March 12, 2008
You can now download MP3 copies of our 2 best-selling CDs from CD Baby for $9.00 per CD.
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Leave a Comment » | Clarinet, Jazz, Jazz Band, Jazz for Youth, music, Music Education K-12, Saxophone | Tagged: Capistrano Sessions, CDBaby, Craig Buhler, Larger Than Jazz, MP3 | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
October 2, 2007
Is it possible for an older jazz musician to influence younger players in a constructive way? Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by Craig Buhler
September 29, 2007
Have you tried reading the charts in the Charlie Parker Omnibook? I find that some of them require a level of focused attention that is quite difficult to maintain over a 3-hour practice session.
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Posted by Craig Buhler
September 23, 2007
There are so many wonderful phrases that Bird created. When one phrase in particular captures my imagination, i try learning it in all 12 keys. Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Charlie Parker (Yardbird, Bird), Clarinet, Ear Training, Improvisation, Jazz, Jazz Band, Jazz for Youth, music, Music Education K-12, musician, Saxophone | Tagged: Bird, Bop, Jazz, Omni, Parker | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
September 6, 2007
Do you ever grow attached to a key and find yourself resisting modulation into a new key?
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2 Comments | Clarinet, Ear Training, Improvisation, Jazz, music, Music Education K-12, musician, Saxophone | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
August 14, 2007
Written by noted woodwind artist & teacher Signe Crawford for the “Keys to Music” collection of jazz etudes.
Think of tone as your material for creating music.
If you can create a good tone, good pitches will follow.
If you can create a good pitch, a good tone will follow.
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2 Comments | Clarinet, Jazz, Jazz Band, Jazz for Youth, music, Music Education K-12, musician, Saxophone | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
July 5, 2007
YES YOU CAN! How do i know? Because I have taught over 100 musicians to do it over the past 15 years. These are musicians of all ages and levels of ability on various instruments, and you can be one of them.
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12 Comments | Clarinet, Ear Training, Improvisation, Jazz, Jazz Band, Jazz for Youth, music, Music Education K-12, musician, Saxophone | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
June 20, 2007
Every sax player I have ever known struggles with the G# key sticking in the closed position. updated May 15, 2008
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16 Comments | Jazz, Jazz Band, music, Music Education K-12, musician, Saxophone | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
May 24, 2007
You spent a lot of money on that horn. How can you make sure it will give you great service for many years to come?
Written by Daniel “Dr. Dan” Parker
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4 Comments | Clarinet, Jazz Band, Jazz for Youth, music, Music Education K-12, musician, Saxophone | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
May 23, 2007
How you can develop an effective practice routine and get the most benefit from your practice time
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1 Comment | Clarinet, Ear Training, Improvisation, Jazz, Jazz Band, Jazz for Youth, music, Music Education K-12, musician, Saxophone, worship band | Permalink
Posted by Craig Buhler
