Re: Midi files

reed kotler ( (no email) )
Fri, 08 Nov 1996 11:33:52 -0800

At 01:08 PM 11/8/96 -0600, you wrote:
>At 09:52 AM 11/8/96 -0800, you wrote:
>>At 11:50 AM 11/9/96 +0500, Fernando wrote:
>>>What do you guys think about this:
>>>Couldn't we figure out a way of using a fantastic tool like the Standard
>>>MIDI file to illustrate our musical discussions?
>
> (etc. rest of message deleted...)
>
> (Then Reed replied...) (In part...)
>
>>Fernando,
>>
>
>>If people are just given all material digested and ready to go they
>>won't learn that much anyway from it. They need to participate in the
>>process in some manner.
>
> Garrett:
> **I couldn't agree more. As much as I might benefit from a little
>help now and then, the most gain will come from the hardest digging. I could
>just use a little (okay, a lot!!) of specific help from time to time.**
>
>
>
>>Another thing he taught me, which is off this subject, is that almost
>>all musical problems can be solved by doing more transcribing. If you are
>>rushing the beat, you havent transcribed enough. If you xyz, then you
>>havent transcribed enough. His idea is that you wont make whatever mistakes
>>you are making if you can hear what you are doing.
>
> Garrett:
> **Reed, I like this. I would like some suggestions for transcribing,
>however. For example, I have tried digging on Dave Brubeck's Over the
>Rainbow from his "Trio Brubeck" CD. The liner notes (his son writing)
>indicate that his father is playing in two different keys at once (go
Dave!!).
> I would benefit from someone transcribing the first (say three or
>four) bars with me (or for me) and then engaging in a discussion of just
>those harmony choices.
> I've just stumbled upon a technique that solo piano players might
>use for that 'more modern' sound. Instead of going for the Eb maj sound in
>bar one (of Rainbow), try something else that also fits the melody note (Eb)
>(assuming key: Ab). I tried D7, where the Eb melody note is a nice b9
>(instead of the boring tonic sound). This is for solo piano, of course...
>surely would be a disaster to spring this stuff without warning in a trio
>setting.
> Getting back to transcribing... I find it to be incredibly time
>consuming and my efforts are so incredibly wrong. There's always so much
>going on... "where was count one?... what was that root again?... sounds
>like a bunch of stacked fourths, but which ones?... holy cow, that was a
>neat rhythm, what was that again... etc."
> Anyway, thanks for the list, Reed.
>
Garret,

Accurate transcribing is done one note at a time.

Even for experienced transcribers, that's the process.

I posted a set of slides at the web site on transcribing from a course
I gave at Stanford last summer. That is a good place to
start.

You have to start off transcribing what seems to be incredibly
easy things , which of course will not turn out to be that
easy either.

I recommend starting with medium tempo Chet Baker. Not too slow
because then the time get's too complicated (playing behind the
beat, etc.).

Go back through the archives. We've discussed transcribing alot.

Transcribing somebody playing in two keys at once is not a good
place to start.

You have to start with level 1 solos, not level 5 or 10. (Another
thing John Clayton taught me). You will never get to level 5
solos if you start there.

Another story I'm reminded of is one that Richard Hindman told me.
He was a really talented classical pianist and his grandparents took
him to some big concert pianist for lessons when he was a kid. Dick
told them he really wanted to learn some difficult Barktok piece.
The concert pianist said that if he started working on the piece at that
time, it would be five years before he could play it. If he did some other
things first, he would be able to play it in 2 years.

reed

reed

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