Reading Chord Changes

mafields627 · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2001 6:15 pm Post subject:

Does anyone know of a website or have some info they'd be willing to share with a person who has never read chord changes in a jazz chart before and who's life might now possibly depend on it?

Thanks!
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No representation is made that the quality of this post is greater than the quality of that of any other poster. Oh, and get a teacher!

I Jazz 24 7 · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2001 7:29 pm Post subject:

A good place to start would be @ http://www.jajazz.com/jazzhandbook/Default.htm or you could buy Jamey's vol. 1 "how to play jazz and improvise"

certain chord changes can be complex and hard to learn in a short period of time, try to talk to a local professional or teacher.

Brad
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mistrad37 · Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2001 10:24 pm Post subject:

The best book to purchase is the Jamey Abersold Book 1. This is what I started on and now I am in college and ripping solos better than ever. Get it, read it front to back a couple of times, and then dive into the music and the cd. Jamey did a very nice job on this book.

Jim · Veteran Member Joined: 12 Nov 2001 Posts: 110

Marc Sabatella has a nice jazz-chord page and the info is free! Look up his name with your browser's search function. Jim

PH · Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2001 8:21 am Post subject:

Lots of good advice so far...

The only thing I would add is that almost every good jazz trumpet player I know can play chords on the piano with hip voicings and good voice leading. You don't need to have good or proper piano technique. Mine is VERY homemade. However, being able to play through a chord progression on piano really helps your understanding of the chord symbols when you go to the trumpet.

I have found that this is the best thing I can do when I am resting my chops during a trumpet practice session. If I have a minute or two to rest during a practice I'll go to the piano and work on my ii- V7 I voicings or play through a tune I'm learning.

There are lots of good jazz piano books on the Aebersold website <http://www.jazzbooks.com>
I recommend the Phil DeGreg book for horn players who are beginners on jazz keyboard skills.

tom turner · Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2001 9:33 am Post subject:

Hi,

I concur with all the fine advice you've receive so far, but want to add one additional suggestion.

I'd recommend, if you haven't already, to begin to play along with whatever comes on the radio to develop your ear to "hear" the changes that are happening too.

Every time the song ends and some dude comes on screaming about zero down financing on a car, switch to the next channel--jazz, rock, classics, country, WHATEVER . . . and begin instantly playing along with that also!

Soon you'll begin to "think" with your ears and, in time, you'll be able to play about anything with anybody in the popular music field--with or without music. Combine this with fluent reading of charts and you'll be much in demand!

Some really fine working musicians don't use books on stage . . . the music flows out of every pore of their body, heart and soul.

Written music organizes us classically trained players and beginners alike. Music keeps us on track when we need it and keeps a group of people playing together, but ultimately will enslave you if you don't master it and then break out!

Maybe you've seen the humorous commercial on TV for a Victor Borge piano video where he begins a classical piece and nothing makes sense until he turns the paper around 180 degrees and begins "William Tell Overture" the RIGHT way! Funny as this video is, so many educated, classically trained players are truly held hostage by the sheet of music and cannot play without it.

Louis Armstrong could not read a lick of music until long after he became famous. Even today, in the non-classical field, many of the most famous musicians cannot read either. However, these cats DO hire people to play with them and they expect that those people can "feel" and reproduce the music instinctively.

I'll share a humorous (at least for me) story of how an "ear" can set you free. I had to travel to another state about nine years ago to play in the wedding of some people I know. Also in attendance was an internationally noted classical trumpeter and music professor--a truly awesome classical player and teacher! However, he's also one who must either read music or memorize an organized piece. He doesn't play by ear or chords.

He used his piccolo in A and I used my rarely played D trumpet. I asked him at rehearsal if he was using music on the gig and he smugly replied, "I don't need it." I said, "If you don't mind, I'd like a stand out there, for I'm not used to playing this song so much on my D.

At the wedding, he started a piece where he played for eight measures and then I would answer him for eight measures. Then the song moved to a "B" section, a "C" section and back to section "A"--each eight measures followed by eight measures from the other.

Well, when I first answered him I played my FIRST NOTE on a wrong pitch on that darned D trumpet! Rather than sound like I played something wrong, I made up a neat melody that would have made Purcell, Clarke, Vivaldi (or whoever it was that wrote the piece) proud. [I've always thought that a good musician was like a good carpenter . . . you learn to cover your mistakes!]

When I finished, and it was time for the professor to come it again, he was as LOST AS A BAT! He'd never heard what I played played done on that classical piece, and was in serious trouble. Not knowing where he was in the piece, he went to the wrong next section, as the organist played the right changes that clashed with what the professor was playing.

The organist refused to change and go to the wrong section so, from the sounds of everything, it made the professor sound like HE was the one that screwed up royally. Since then, when I have bumped into him, he has been a little "cold." Gee, I don't know why!

So, go turn on that radio and learn what a "B" feels like, even before you put the horn to your lips. In time hopefully you'll "hear" all the pitches and know what key you are in and what note to play even without your horn around. The uppity name for this is "perfect pitch" (I hate that term because humans aren't perfect), but it is an invaluable gift that gets me a lot of work. It all started on the radio . . .

Really "hearing" THE music, rather than contributing to the music will set you free!!!

Sincerely,

Tom Turner

Horn of Praise · Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2001 2:12 pm Post subject:

I have to agree with Tom. I was also "chained to sheet music" until I was put into a position where I had to learn to use my "ear" and improvise my own parts, because there wasn't any written music for me.

Because I was forced out of my "comfort zone", I learned a great deal. The biggest thing I learned was that I "could" do it.

Don't be afraid. Go for it. You will be glad you did.

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[ This Message was edited by: Horn of Praise on 2001-12-01 17:13 ]

mistrad37 · Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2001 2:29 pm Post subject:

Yes, very good point. You need to do two different things at once. Purchase a jazz book first. Something that can teach you chords and scales. Now take those scales and memorize them without using music. Take a beginning note, and find the major and dorian scales that have the tonic of that note. Once when you have the scales down forwards, backwards, and sideways, you are ready to move onto a different scale. This might sound difficult, but the benifits are amazing. Instead of looking at music, you are figuring out the scale yourself by ear training!

tdromba · New Member Joined: 16 Nov 2001 Posts: 10

I think the use of the piano that Pat mentioned is really invaluable. It gives you much better insight into how jazz harmony works.

Once you get proficient enough, it really can be an invaluable practice aid. At one point I worked through rhythm changes, blues, etc. in all keys by making a recording of myself playing changes on the piano with the metronome on 2 & 4. I also did this with alot of standards and more difficult tunes. I think I spent a couple weeks working 'Moment's Notice' through all 12 keys!

PH · Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2001 6:41 pm Post subject:

In the world of the professional jazz musician you are considered to be illiterate if you have to use a fakebook to play the 250 tunes that every pro has memorized. Tom is EXACTLY right. Playing without paper should be everyone's goal in improv.

Reading a fakebook at a jazz gig or jam session is like reading a dictionary or encyclopedia in a conversation!

[ This Message was edited by: PH on 2001-12-01 21:42 ]

tom turner · Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2001 6:54 pm Post subject:

Hi,

To PH's post, I can only say, "AMEN BROTHER!"

Sincerely,

Tom Turner

mafields627 · Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2001 8:25 pm Post subject:

Hi everyone,

Sorry for being so silent but I'm sure all of you know what it's like around final and jury time. There's a lot of good sugestions here, too many good ones to individually respond to, but I'm definately going to check into the Jamey Aebersold stuff. I'm sure my improv will improve over time as my musical training advances. I've already found out in my Jazz Band class that it's easier just to improv something than to try to read anything on the page. Thanks for all the help.
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No representation is made that the quality of this post is greater than the quality of that of any other poster. Oh, and get a teacher!

Strawdoggy · Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2002 5:30 am Post subject:

Try Aebersold ii/V7/I book. I think it is vol. #3. ALso, Gettin' it Together (vol ?) and Major &Minor (vol?). These will develop your ears. In my opinion, all the theory in the world won't do you much good if you can't HEAR what is going on. There have been many gigs where I didn't know all the changes to tunes we were playing, but I was able to hear my way through.

A few other replies suggested learning piano voicings/changes. I think that is great advice! Sit down and listen. Check out The Chord Voicing Handbook - Matt Harris/Jeff Jarvis (trumpeter). It is published by Kendor Music. Good luck and have fun!

Steve

jdscreamer · Regular Member Joined: 08 Mar 2002 Posts: 31

At Jamie Aebersold's website, http://www.jazzbooks.com , there are some free books. You can also download the book as adobe acrobat files (download the one most relevant to you). Also check out the jazz camp by clicking on the Jazz Camp advertisement.

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[ This Message was edited by: jdscreamer on 2002-03-10 15:06 ]

jakepainter · Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2002 9:01 am Post subject:

From what i can see, most people learn to improvise either by learning scales + licks etc and then incorporating them into solos, or ... just using their ear to make up a solo around the chords they hear.

I improvise a lot in my playing and i just use my ear, (although i don't play much straight ahead jazz), mostly salsa, and commercial type stuff.

Im interested in getting more into jazz and am wondering are there any examples of great jazz players that just used their ears to improvise ? or do all great jazz players spend hours learning licks ?

BTW, Im not scared of woodshedding or hard work,im just wondering whether its better to either spend hours learning licks or getting my ear better ?

jake

_Don Herman · Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2002 9:13 am Post subject:

jakepainter · Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2002 10:22 am Post subject:

The reason i say "either or" is because a lot of the jazz players i know concentrate hours and hours just doing scales etc, and to me their improvising is very mathmatical without much soul or feeling to it.

Sure they can play the "Hungarian Dalmation raised 11th minor" damn fast, but when they incorporate this into their improvisation IMO it lacks feeling and musicality.

I guess what you say is right though, trancribing improves both skills - im off to the woodshed ith my new miles CD !

jake

pfrank · Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2002 12:19 pm Post subject:

The problem with learning "licks" is that they become a part of your body, and then you get sick of sounding the same on different tunes that should have very different emotional content. Learning some licks is inevitable, but a constant attitude of openness and exploration is necessary to keep growing out of the old licks. The ideal, of course, is to get to the point where the Music is telling you what to play. Wispering it in your ear, perhaps.

I used a book called the dictionary of scales to stretch my body/mind/patern memory. I don't know if it exists anymore, but you can make em up yourself using series of half & whole steps. Also good is listening to asian, african and e. european music that even perhaps uses semi-tones. The notes inbetween the notes. Also good is reading through modern classical works and trumpet pieces. Stravinsky, for instance. These are all useful for Unlearning licks. But it's like dieting, it takes awhile.
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BeboppinFool · Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2002 12:31 pm Post subject:

My understanding of the original question is that this guy needs to be able to sightread changes and blow some kind of meaningful jazz solos . . . his life may even depend on it!!!

All the pontificating away from the original question has been impressive, no doubt, but the man wants to learn to sightread chord changes. The man didn't say anything about not being able to improvise by ear -- he said that's something he does better than reading changes.

I know that I've played plenty of gigs where I'm sightreading charts and changes and some of the changes are tricky, deceptive, and altered in such a way (sussed and plussed) that by the time my ear identifies a chord, we may already be in the next bar playing the next chord. If I didn't know how to sightread chord changes, regardless of how good I may think my ears are, I would've embarrassed myself and the whole group many times.

All I know is that this is something that must be developed over a period of time, and probably won't come in a day, or as a result of reading a book or looking at a website.

One suggestion I can come up with is to find a bassist or a pianist who's willing to play down tunes out of a fakebook for hours and hours, sightreading as many tunes as you can gather together. Of course, until proficient at doing this it would probably be a good idea to play things at ballad tempo, and gradually increase the metronome markings.

[Those old fakebooks (#1 and #2 from the 50's) probably aren't the best possible choice because the chords aren't necessarily correct, depending on how you look at them.]

Anyway, that's my 2¢ on the subject. Y'all have a lovely day, unless you've made other plans!!!

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_Don Herman · Posted: Wed Mar 13, 2002 1:04 pm Post subject:

Well, guess I was answering Jake's question, not Matt's... sorry! I thought transcribing the chords would force one to learn what the chord sounded like, what notes are in it, etc. which seemed to be on-topic, but maybe not...

Re. the eternal bass line, why not use Band in a Box or some other freebie software? BiaB lets you enter chord changes, and will make up a background track in one of many styles. You can look at the notes in the chord and try to play along with them at the same time, or work on reading and playng them seperately. You can print out the chord changes (or just write 'em down) and then play along, varying the tempo as Rich suggested. BiaB has a bunch of standards built-in, and many more are available online (so I'm told; I never seem to have time to look).

Best of all, you don't have to feed the bassist, and listen to him laugh at all your wrong notes...

FWIW - Don (The Pontificator)
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"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music." - Aldous Huxley