BOTM 2013/4 - Virgo

AlanT · Apr 24, 2013

rudjarl said:
This is where I'm lost. I can't hear the sentences and paragraphs in the music. Mathematically it should be easy enough. 4 bars to the sentence and 8 bars to the paragraph and Bob's your uncle. I just don't hear that in the music.

My feelings exactly. I would add that I like to express the lyrics of a great ballad as much as the music and without them I am lost so I will pass this month.

daveysaxboy · Apr 24, 2013

AlanT said:
My feelings exactly. I would add that I like to express the lyrics of a great ballad as much as the music and without them I am lost so I will pass this month.

Well keep playing it till you find it >:)

I'm sure if you spent some more woodshedding on the tune you would be ok.

daveysaxboy · Apr 24, 2013

rudjarl said:
Hi all

Firstly, a big thanks to Chris for his generous supply of backing tracks. Ballad of the Month would be a bleaker place without him.

Secondly a big thanks to Davey for finding challenging Ballads. And on that...

...every now and then there is a challenge from which you just can't walk away. This month ballad is a such one for me. A ballad, seems easy enough on the paper, yet I just don't get it. This variation of jazz music is well out of my comfort zone, and I have a hard time understanding it.

Playing the noes one by one ought to be easy enough but that's not telling the musical story of Virgo. It would be like understanding "The Old Man And The Sea" by reading it letter by letter. We don't do that. We read words. And to get a grasp of the meaning, we read sentences and paragraphs.

This is where I'm lost. I can't hear the sentences and paragraphs in the music. Mathematically it should be easy enough. 4 bars to the sentence and 8 bars to the paragraph and Bob's your uncle. I just don't hear that in the music.

Maybe it's a question of listen to this kind of music more often.

Anyway, here's my go at Virgo: http://rudjarl.com/music/Virgo.mp3
(maybe there will be another take if I get to understand it 🙂 )

Nice job there.Good to see so many good versions here.

Chris · Apr 24, 2013

AlanT said:
My feelings exactly. I would add that I like to express the lyrics of a great ballad as much as the music and without them I am lost so I will pass this month.

While I know and understand what you are saying Alan, I feel you are missing out on some very good ballads. eg 'Infant Eyes', 'Round Midnight', 'Ernie's Tune','Naima','Theme For Ernie', 'Isfahan'..To name just a few..

Chris..

daveysaxboy · Apr 24, 2013

I find getting right into the nitty gritty of a tune you then are kind of set free when you play it.Its alot of hard work,time and tears at times but who said it was easy.Once you tame it its a very nice feeling.

rudjarl · Apr 24, 2013

AlanT said:
My feelings exactly. I would add that I like to express the lyrics of a great ballad as much as the music and without them I am lost so I will pass this month.

You really shouldn't pass this one. It is to difficult for that.

Profusia · Apr 24, 2013

I've finally found the time to get my fingers around this thing and have a go at making a recording.

Its very much a work in progress. I'm having to use my Windcraft tenor piece instead of my old Berg in order not to go even more sharp on the high notes. Trouble is its backed off so far down the cork it makes some of the low notes rather unstable. It took me a few practice sessions to get my fingers around those palm key notes and still not happy with the fluffed fingering, sharp high notes, and plain wrong notes. But the biggest worry is not being able to come up with much interesting in the way of improvisation. And yes I had to cheat and use the head from one take and the improv from another! Still here it is. I'd like to have another go before the month's out over Chris' backing track as this one is from iRealB (just to be different from everyone else's really). VERY open to suggestions on improvements.

https://soundcloud.com/profusia/virgo-1

Chris · Apr 25, 2013

Hi Thomas, this is NOT an easy tune.. Yours is a good attempt

. Rather than try and give advice( I'm no tutor), working on the things you mentioned would be a place to start. Best thing is you can hear yourself what is going on and that is invaluable to a sax player

...Thanks for posting.

Chris..

Clivey · Apr 25, 2013

Nice first effort Thomas. Welcome to "the balladeers". Nothing wrong with using technology to make things a little easier It sounds pretty seamless to me .Well Done

MLoosemore · Apr 25, 2013

OK... I give up...

I can hear the cries of 'WUSS' echoing around the forum but I know my limitations.

I have tried, HONEST but perhaps I will let it rest for a month or two and then come back to it. I can get the feel of the piece but the technicalities of producing something which even I would be happy to listen to have defeated me.

So as small compensation for those of you who have been missing having something bad to listen to I have placed an entry in the August 2012 BOTM thread.....

daveysaxboy · Apr 26, 2013

Months end soon.Handing the honour of next months pick to our Chris.

thesaxman71 · Apr 27, 2013

daveysaxboy said:
Months end soon.Handing the honour of next months pick to our Chris.

aye aye Dave, can i be cheeky and suggest a ballad maybe in the upcoming months or whenever in convenient, i will make interesting ;-)

daveysaxboy · Apr 27, 2013

thesaxman71 said:
aye aye Dave, can i be cheeky and suggest a ballad maybe in the upcoming months or whenever in convenient, i will make interesting ;-)

Ask our Chris,he's got the next pick who picks for June.I'm sure he will pass you the golden ticket.You can always just post your own recording of a ballad in your own thread instead of waiting over a good month away.

Chris · Apr 27, 2013

daveysaxboy said:
Months end soon.Handing the honour of next months pick to our Chris.

Thanks to Davey for this month

:welldone. Also to everyone that has posted there version of this great Balllad:welldone. I have one or two ideas for May I think you might like. But it's still April >:)

..

Chris..

thesaxman71 · Apr 27, 2013

daveysaxboy said:
Ask our Chris,he's got the next pick who picks for June.I'm sure he will pass you the golden ticket.You can always just post your own recording of a ballad in your own thread instead of waiting over a good month away.

ok mate, will do, watch this space, recordings will follow in time

ArtyLady · Apr 27, 2013

Profusia said:
I've finally found the time to get my fingers around this thing and have a go at making a recording.

Its very much a work in progress. I'm having to use my Windcraft tenor piece instead of my old Berg in order not to go even more sharp on the high notes. Trouble is its backed off so far down the cork it makes some of the low notes rather unstable. It took me a few practice sessions to get my fingers around those palm key notes and still not happy with the fluffed fingering, sharp high notes, and plain wrong notes. But the biggest worry is not being able to come up with much interesting in the way of improvisation. And yes I had to cheat and use the head from one take and the improv from another! Still here it is. I'd like to have another go before the month's out over Chris' backing track as this one is from iRealB (just to be different from everyone else's really). VERY open to suggestions on improvements.

https://soundcloud.com/profusia/virgo-1

Very nice attempt