Beginner recording Now's The Time (No.2)

Jeanette · Jul 22, 2018

What a great recording, woke my Sunday morning up nicely

Looking forward to your next one 🙂

Jx

BillyGreece · Jul 23, 2018

Dear Jeanette, that was a wonderful comment, that don't know really what to say for your compliment, concerning my recording! Thank you so much!
"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway. "

How time passes...but yes i don't care so much for this, at the time being, cause wonders never cease!
I wish you an awesome summertime Jeanette!
BillyGreece

jbtsax · Jul 23, 2018

I want to echo all of the positive things already said about your playing. You are on the right track. One of the challenges in playing in a jazz style is to make the articulation of eighth notes very legato except for accented notes and the last note before a rest. One should not hear a "tuh" or "tah" on the notes. Rather it should be a "da" (pronounced "dah") or no tongue "ah". Strongly accented notes and the last eighth note before a rest is played "dot". The "da" syllable touches the reed lightly moving the tongue the shortest distance possible.

This is an exercise that can help to develop that legato style of tonguing. Da is used on the first note and then on every eighth note that is off the beat. Ah is used on every eighth note that is on the beat except for the first note of the phrase. Notice that the highest note of a contour is accented, but it still uses the legato syllable

The phrase is Billy's Bounce would go:

da...da da ah da dot---da da da ah da dot---da.da da ah da, da da da ah da, da da da ah da dot etc.

I don't know if this book would be available in your country, but it is an excellent "text" on jazz style and articulation.

The Articulate Jazz Musician

You can also access this book by subscribing to Smart Music which costs only $24 more than buying the book separately.

Keep up the good work and keep sharing your progress with us at the Cafe. (and thanks for letting me put on my teacher's hat)

BillyGreece · Jul 23, 2018

Dear jbtsax, thanks so much for dropping by the thread and commenting on my recording! Well, that's my biggest issue. Phrasing, and jazz vocabulary! All this time, my jazz sax teacher, had to help me out with tone production, tuning, rhythm and so we had little time to spent on building musicality! I have already checked the book, and i might buy a hardcopy through the summer!
I think that this ships to Greece easily!

PS: I have liked your fb page!

All the best to you and enjoy your summer!

BillyGreece

BillyGreece · Jul 26, 2018

Dear jbtsax,
i have ordered the book, you ve recommended above. I ll write back, when i ll get it.

Have a great time!

BillyGreece

BillyGreece · Sep 26, 2018

Well folks, summer is over and the fall is on the way!
Due to this reason, i wanted to record Mr P.C, in order to challenge myself in a faster tempo!
That's my intro to autumn and the upcoming season! I would like to send you my best post-summer wishes!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONLIGLRqQb0

PS: Phrasing is still an issue, but i ve started working on it!
PS1: Jeff Coffin's book is amazing!