Blog Mike's musings

[MikeMorrell]

Inspired by @Tenor Viols musings, I decided to create my own thread. Focused on my new 'journey' from Big Band music into the world of rock/pop music.. Not only the very different style of music but (for me) also the very different world of amplification, different mpc's, etc,
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For the 1st 3 weeks, things started off really well! I was enthusiastic and so were the band. I was less enthusiastic on the 4th week when the nominal 'band leader' returned from a vacation, brought a ton of equipment along with him and basically drowned other members out.

During the 4th rehearsal (always on a Saturday), I noticed that my right hand felt a bit 'odd' but OK. That night, the pain in my right hand kept me awake. The day after (following internet advice) , I applied a bandage and ice. My guess is that I injured my hand during a "Fitness Session' the previous Friday. Since then , I haven't been able to play sax🙁. But I have been able to listen to some tracks that I've been asked to play🙂. Not exactly (no-one in the band does) but 'sufficiently recognisable'.

 

[Jeanette]

Ouch sorry to hear about your hand, but looking forward to following your thread.

Jx

 

[MikeMorrell]

My right hand feels much better than last week (no pain) but still lacks a lot of strength. I tried out my right hand on sax last Wednesday and I reluctantly cried off on the evening Big Band rehearsal because of increasing pain. I've now found a 'support' that I hope will help.

My Big Band's first performance in quite a while is on 29 sept. So I don't want to anything that risks my participation in that.

 

[MikeMorrell]

My 'new band' consists of 2 guitarists (1 on vocals), a female singer, a keyboard player, a bassist, a drummer and me. The drummer (who I knew) invited me to come along to a rehearsal, I took my sax along and just joined in. Both the band members and I were enthusiastic! Our personalities just 'clicked'.

W.r.t. my 'new band', we've (happily!) moving on from the (initial and experimental) 1st phase - in which I just played ad-hoc 'fills' and solos by ear to whatever the rest of the band was playing, towards a more 'planned approach'. Most importantly, I now have a Tablet with the lyrics + chords (= 'structure') of the songs that they play. Secondly, we're now together deciding on which songs, where, and how I can have the most 'added value' as a sax player. I'm the only (and very first) reed/brass player that the band has ever had. So we're all working it out together.

The band plays their own versions of 'well-known' and 'much less well-known' covers. In very different genres including Blues, Rock, Pop, Reggae, Ballads, Folk, etc. From the beginning, I've always said that a sax can perhaps add some value to some songs but not to many others. So I'm quite happy to 'sit out' on the songs that I have nothing to contribute.

 

[wakyct]

Mike, have you seen the FoolishFrankie channel on YouTube? He does a lot of gig vlogs that might give you some inspiration. FoolishFrankie

 

[Tenor Viol]

My right hand feels much better than last week (no pain) but still lacks a lot of strength. I tried out my right hand on sax last Wednesday and I reluctantly cried off on the evening Big Band rehearsal because of increasing pain. I've now found a 'support' that I hope will help.

My Big Band's first performance in quite a while is on 29 sept. So I don't want to anything that risks my participation in that.

I think I'd suggest getting to see a physiotherapist. I suddenly lost a lot of strength in my right hand last year. It was a pinched nerve in my neck, which affected my shoulder and elbow and caused 'tingling' down my forearm and into fingers 4 and 5. I had almost no strength in my grip, and a lot of pain. The treatment quickly resolved the pain, but the strength was very slow to return - it's still not 100%

 

[MikeMorrell]

Mike, have you seen the FoolishFrankie channel on YouTube? He does a lot of gig vlogs that might give you some inspiration. FoolishFrankie

Thanks for this link, @wakyct! I've watched a couple of vlogs and I really like them. They're very real and give me confidence that - with just one band - I'll be OK. I've subscribed to the You Tube channel.

 

[MikeMorrell]

There are probably about 10-12 songs on the setlist that I can play on. For the moment (at the request of the band leader, I'm focusing on the first four:

Mustang Sally - Bob Barnes (fills + solo)

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwolvmhKnKI


Unchain my heart - Joe Cocker (fills + tenor solo from 2:30)

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4B4L60DIG8


Good for Nothing - Solomon Burke (fills + solo)

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsKOocBSN_o&list=PL52BYrgodG_WhxYUDBtVgsCzNa8J_aJeo&index=8


'Mag het licht uit' by Dutch band 'De Dijk' (I can't really hear the horn section on this or any other recording)!

View: https://youtu.be/YaddXg8JEWo?si=kfI8X9_FTmFzsytg&t=681

 

[thomsax]

Two of the songs are good and wellknown rocksax songs. I guess you hand is now healed.

 

[MikeMorrell]

Two of the songs are good and wellknown rocksax songs. I guess you hand is now healed.

My right hand is not yet completely healed. No pain but still less strength compared to my left hand. Depending on the nature of the injury, I read that 'healing' can take up to 6 weeks,

 

[MikeMorrell]

This morning, I spent an hour or two 'prepping' for my Saturday rehearsal with my new band on the 4 numbers in my previous video's. The band uses the songbook app to share music. So no sheet music, just lyrics with chords and annotations. The band also has a 'Spotify' playlist for the songs that they play. However, the band said they sometimes play 'originals' in different keys (for vocalists) and pretty much always create their own 'cover variations' on the 'originals'. Including different solos.

The bandleader sent me (and all other band members) updated 'Songbook texts' for these 4 songs that include my sax contributions. I'm still' resting' my right hand so I haven't been able to practice much at home. So my 'prepping' has consisted of:
- first checking that the band's 'songbook' versions of songs (with chords) corresponded in keys to the 'originals''; they did.
- figuring out (in concert pitch) what the main fills were on each song

My main (very useful!) tools for doing this were:
- the YouTube versions of the 'Spotify' songs, which I found much easier to 'backtrack' 10-20 seconds and listen again (compared to Spotify)
- a way of verifying that my band were playing in the 'original' chords or in transposed chords*
- a way of figuring out (in concert pitch) what the main fills were*
- (mentally) transposing these fills (and solos) to my tenor sax (I've made notes!)

* How you do this is not so important: with your sax, a concert C instrument, etc. I decided to use a (random) online keyboard at onlinepianist.com/virtual-piano and - if you can read piano keys - I can highly recommend it! This website helped me:
- (by ear) figure out what keys were being played and verify these against my 'Songbook' charts
- (by ear) figure out what the main fills were on each song

PS. This experience reminded me very much of my student days (50+ years ago) when I spent a lot of time playing and replaying my (analogue) tape recorder to gradually learn Leonard Cohen's guitar accompaniments to his songs 🙂. At that time (studying for a degree in IT) neither I nor my fellow students or professors could ever have imagined the 'digital transformation' in the past 50 years.

 

[wakyct]

the YouTube versions of the 'Spotify' songs, which I found much easier to 'backtrack' 10-20 seconds and listen again (compared to Spotify)

It's a bit of work, but I've found it helpful to record/download songs I'm learning to my laptop where I can properly loop parts or change the speed in a DAW or a program like Audacity or Transcribe. I'm guessing there's similar iOS/Android apps?

 

[MikeMorrell]

Yay, I'm playing sax again! I still need to avoid much strain on my hand but I found a 'hand support' in a local chemists that seems to help. I only use it when I'm uncertain of the 'strain' things like playing sax, driving, cycling, etc. may have.

I tried it out a a Big Band rehearsal yesterday (uncertain of how long I could play for) and it went just fine. I'm sure the 'support' helps physically. But it's also a psychological boost.

 

[thomsax]

A hand support is fine. I use Voltaire Gel when my hands and fingers are not working as the should. I'm not eating blood thinning medication, so the doctor says it's ok.

 

[MikeMorrell]

I want to thank @thomsax for the wonderful support he's given to me (OT in various threads) about playing in my new band.

What I've mainly learned from him is:
- listen to multiple versions of the same song by various artists (w.r.t sax intros, fills and solos)
- my takeaway: make (if appropriate) alternative - and positive - suggestions about how a sax can augment a song even if it's not on the 'most well-known, original, official recording' but perhaps on other (live) recordings
- develop and suggest my own sax intros, fills and solos to other band members, even if these weren't on the original recordings

Good news for the preparations for today's rehearsal was that a few 'screaming guitar solos' have been re-arranged to replace them with my 'screaming sax solos' 😉. I didn't have enough time (due to hand injury) to rehearse all the fills that I'd worked out so I just improvised. Turned out fine 🙂.

Other good news: our 'bandleader' was today much less 'dominant' (his volume on guitar and vocals) than I remember him being 2 weeks ago. The band also repeated (sections of) the same numbers multiple times to 'get it sounding right'.

Less positive: I was at the rehearsal from 08.30 (set-up) until 12.00. In that time (with coffee breaks and a long discussion unrelated to music), I played sax on 2 (repeated) numbers. So there were long periods when I had to 'sit out'. For 2 numbers I didn't (yet) have the lyrics/chords. So some kind of 'rehearsal planning' (with and without sax) is important to me. I'd prefer to come in once every 2-3 weeks to rehearse the numbers 'with sax'.

 

[thomsax]

I want to thank @thomsax for the wonderful support he's given to me (OT in various threads) about playing in my new band.

Thank you. I'm glad if my "rambling" is helping you. I just write or talk about what other blues and rock musicians told me when I had questions.

If you want to develop as a group you all members should be on every rehearsals. Even if the band is sick and tired playing the same songs over and over .... you can play a song and improvise. We often started, or ended, rehearsals with songs like "Midnight In Memphis" (J.J. Cale), "Last Night" (The Mar-Keys), "Coming Home Baby" (Earle Hagen) ..... easy songs (blues).

View: https://youtu.be/kiMmGkBBdFY?si=-RxHpov4WaanMpOS

 

[MikeMorrell]

Thank you. I'm glad if my "rambling" is helping you. I just write or talk about what other blues and rock musicians told me when I had questions.

If you want to develop as a group you all members should be on every rehearsals. Even if the band is sick and tired playing the same songs over and over .... you can play a song and improvise. We often started, or ended, rehearsals with songs like "Midnight In Memphis" (J.J. Cale), "Last Night" (The Mar-Keys), "Coming Home Baby" (Earle Hagen) ..... easy songs (blues).

View: https://youtu.be/kiMmGkBBdFY?si=-RxHpov4WaanMpOS

Good point! I see what you mean. The band is as much as 'social group' as it is a group of individual musicians who play together. In order to 'belong' - and learn more about the band members as 'people' rather than as musicians, I do need to be at every rehearsal, even I don't play on every song.

The multiple coffee breaks are important for socially 'bonding' as a band. Last Saturday, one of normal 15 minute coffee breaks ran over into almost an hour. Just talking about various structural problems in the Health Service, Higher Education, and other 'Service Providers'. Not from the 'viewpoint' of 'consumers'. But from the viewpoint of band members who work (or have worked) at these 'Service Providers' in various roles.

And yes, if I'm at every rehearsal, I can suggest adding a sax part to some songs.

So, point taken!

 

[MikeMorrell]

Back to bass (for the 1st time in 3 months).
And (for the very 1st time!) reading sheet music on my Tablet.

The 2nd 2024 series of (10) weekly 'Jazz Improvisation workshops' starts up this evening. Our first 4 songs are:
- Chitlins Con Carne (Kenny Burrell) - with a bass sheet
- Footprints (Wayne Shorter) - with a bass sheet
- My Funny Valentine (Rodgers/Hart) - chords
- Satin Doll (Ellington/Mercer) - chords

I really like 'Footprints' and 'My funny Valentine' (vocal versions). Burrell's take on Chili con Carne sounds fun too! Makes me almost wish I was playing sax instead of bass😉

 

[thomsax]

The multiple coffee breaks are important for socially 'bonding' as a band. Last Saturday, one of normal 15 minute coffee breaks ran over into almost an hour. Just talking about various structural problems in the Health Service, Higher Education, and other 'Service Providers'. Not from the 'viewpoint' of 'consumers'. But from the viewpoint of band members who work (or have worked) at these 'Service Providers' in various roles.

It's a problem when other things interferes with the music. I don't mind long breaks .... but there were guys who just came to the rehearsals to play. Crazy guys 😉 .

 

[MikeMorrell]

I've had a busy weekend:
- rehearsal (sax) with my 'new band' on Saturday (conclusion band members: I need a mic.)
- concert (sax) with my Big Band on Sunday
- Jazz improv, workshop (bass guitar) on Monday

These are just a couple of short mobile phone clips from the concert that a friend (sitting right at the back of the hall) sent me. The video and sound quality is awful but they give an impression:

Dropbox

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Dropbox

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