Maurice: I began studying jazz guitar last summer; I've been playing for many years. My present assignment is to write a solo over the changes to Satin Doll in C. I don't own the Sher New Real Books, so I can't provide their changes, however to start the discussion I will give first the old Real Book changes, then the changes given on J. Aebersold's Duke Ellington Book/CD set. First, the old 5th edition Real Book-- Satin Doll -- Duke Ellington / D-7 G7 / D-7 G7 / E-7 A7 / E-7 A7 / / A-7 Db7 / Ab-7 Db7 / C / E-7b5 A7b9 / / D-7 G7 / D-7 G7 / E-7 A7 / E-7 A7 / / A-7 Db7 / Ab-7 Db7 / C D-7 / D#dim7 E-7 / / G-7 C7 / G-7 C7 / FM7 / G-7 C7 / / A-7 D7 / A-7 D7 / D-7 G7 / E-7 A7 / / D-7 G7 / D-7 G7 / E-7 A7 / E-7 A7 / / A-7 Db7 / Ab-7 Db7 / C / (E-7b5 A7b9)/ Then from Volume 12 by Jamey Aebersold 'Duke Ellington'-- Satin Doll -- Duke Ellington / D-7 G7 / D-7 G7 / E-7 A7 / E-7 A7 / / A-7 Db7 / Ab-7 Db7 / C B7 / Bb7 A7 / / D-7 G7 / D-7 G7 / E-7 A7 / E-7 A7 / / A-7 Db7 / Ab-7 Db7 / C / / / G-7 / C7 / F / / / A-7 / D7 / G7 / / / D-7 G7 / D-7 G7 / E-7 A7 / E-7 A7 / / A-7 Db7 / Ab-7 Db7 / C / (A7) / last verse: / D-7 G7 / D-7 G7 / E-7 A7 / E-7 A7 / / A-7 Db7 / Ab-7 Db7 / C7 B7 / Bb7 A7 / / A-7 D7 / Ab-7 Db7 / C7 B7 / Bb7 A7 / / A-7 D7 / Ab-7 Db7 / C / / My teacher's comments were to the effect that it is not necessary to think in terms of two beats of D-7 then two beats of G7 then repeat that, for example, in the first two measures. He said that it's ok to think a bar of D-7, then a bar of G7 or maybe even two beats of D-7 then 6 beats of G7. Then he said "What I'm trying to say is that soloing is loose, looser than the rhythm section changes. Check it out and you'll see what I mean." >From this I gather that there is an approach to harmonization that applies to the changes or the structure of the tune as realized by the rhythm section which I see as the approach that Reed took with Stella By Starlight. Then there seems to be a different paradigm for approaching a solo. With this in mind, I'd be interested in approach to Satin Doll's rhythm structure and solo approach. Thanks in advance Maurice Tucker mtucker@slate.Mines.edu reply from reed: ...... but let me give you a basic soloing approach. At a first approximation, just think of the whole A section (first 16 bars ) as playing in the key of C major. Then think of the first 4 bars of the bridge as the key of Fmajor. Then the next four bars as G major. Then the last 8 bars as the key of C major again. This is a simplification and if you just play that way without listening you will play alot of wrong notes. Then put on the record and try to make sure you can hear when the band is in the A section, in the first four of the bridge and the last four of the bridge. Then just play along by ear. You can be intellectually aware of the overall keys that I mentioned but listen and try to make adjustments. You are never more than a half step away from a "right" note. If you hit a wrong note, just move it up or down a half step. When the Abmi7 comes in you could just lay out there for now if you can't hear how to adjust from C major but you should be able to move the note you are at up or down a half step and it will work. Play very, very, very, little at first. You have to try and hear the band, your sound and what you are playing. If you play a million notes that won't happen. Sometimes just let the band go by for several measures without playing at all and just listen to the chords, the bass, the drums. Once you can do that, try experimenting with some modifications to the major scales that don't change the feeling of the key. For example you can play an F# if you play G next. That is called an approach note. Similarly you can play D Db C as a line because the Db is just a chromatic approach note. You can also add some indirection like F# A G which is really just a variation of F# G where you take a slight detour. You are also free to make adjustments that you "hear" to the basic scales I mentioned, but use your ear. Since you arent probably use to improvising this way you have to play sparse at first. If you play a million notes and noodle, this technique will bring disaster so be simple!! reed ------------------------------ John Hyde reply to Maurice: I'm sure I won't be the last person to point this out, the 5th bar should be A-7 D7. Also the 13th and 29th. Satin Doll is an excellent tune to get your 2 - 5's together. The whole song is made up of this device. D-7 G7, E-7 A7, A-7 D7 etc. They are called 2 5's because they are taken from the II minor chord and the V dominant chord and tend to resolve down a fifth. ex. D-7 G7 Cmaj7. One aproach to soloing over a 2 5 is to play over the chord or scale they are resolving to. The first 2 bars Cmaj, next 2 D-. Another approach would be to pick a target note, say a 3rd or a 7th of the dominant chord and approach from 1/2 step below, scale tone above. EX. D,E,F,G,A,C,A,A#,B with B the target note. Others will probably analyze this old warhorse, If you remember that dom 7 chords can also resolve down a half step and that any dominant chord can be preceded by its related II-7 chord your well on your way ex. Ab-7 Db7 / C ------------------------------ John F. Hyde pointed out: >I'm sure I won't be the last person to point this out, the 5th bar should >be A-7 D7. Also the 13th and 29th. Whoops!! Here are the corrected changes: First, the old 5th edition Real Book-- Satin Doll -- Duke Ellington / D-7 G7 / D-7 G7 / E-7 A7 / E-7 A7 / / A-7 D7 / Ab-7 Db7 / C / E-7b5 A7b9 / / D-7 G7 / D-7 G7 / E-7 A7 / E-7 A7 / / A-7 D7 / Ab-7 Db7 / C D-7 / D#dim7 E-7 / / G-7 C7 / G-7 C7 / FM7 / G-7 C7 / / A-7 D7 / A-7 D7 / D-7 G7 / E-7 A7 / / D-7 G7 / D-7 G7 / E-7 A7 / E-7 A7 / / A-7 D7 / Ab-7 Db7 / C / (E-7b5 A7b9)/ Then from Volume 12 by Jamey Aebersold 'Duke Ellington'-- Satin Doll -- Duke Ellington / D-7 G7 / D-7 G7 / E-7 A7 / E-7 A7 / / A-7 D7 / Ab-7 Db7 / C B7 / Bb7 A7 / / D-7 G7 / D-7 G7 / E-7 A7 / E-7 A7 / / A-7 D7 / Ab-7 Db7 / C / / / G-7 / C7 / F / / / A-7 / D7 / G7 / / / D-7 G7 / D-7 G7 / E-7 A7 / E-7 A7 / / A-7 D7 / Ab-7 Db7 / C / (A7) / last verse: / D-7 G7 / D-7 G7 / E-7 A7 / E-7 A7 / / A-7 D7 / Ab-7 Db7 / C7 B7 / Bb7 A7 / / A-7 D7 / Ab-7 Db7 / C7 B7 / Bb7 A7 / / A-7 D7 / Ab-7 Db7 / C / / Maurice Tucker mtucker@slate.Mines.edu