Beginner recording Recording Progress

[PiccoloPirate]

Alon,
What is the key signature of the music you are reading and what key is that backing track, now that you raised it up?

 

[PiccoloPirate]

Was stationed in California back in the last half of the '60s, and saw some big surf. Wondered if it was surfable or doable in a kayak.
IIRC, a kayaker got it started, and the jet ski type water craft, made it everyday fun.

We get nice rollers, at certain points in South Florida, when strong North Westerly winds happen.

Mavericks:

 

[AlonW]

Alon,
What is the key signature of the music you are reading and what key is that backing track, now that you raised it up?

I don't know what key the original backing track (Natalie Cole) is in. The sheet music appears to be in A?

 

[JSL]

Was stationed in California back in the last half of the '60s, and saw some big surf. Wondered if it was surfable or doable in a kayak.
IIRC, a kayaker got it started, and the jet ski type water craft, made it everyday fun.

We get nice rollers, at certain points in South Florida, when strong North Westerly winds happen.

Mavericks:

View attachment 35256

Yeah, that's Maverick's. It's probably possible to surf in a kayak, but most likely you'd get caught in the break and ripped right out of the boat, probably with the kayak being destroyed. I have a Kevlar surf kayak (the Rio, designed by a guy in the UK) which works great in 'smaller' waves up to 10 ft or so, which is plenty big for my taste. I have paddled out on a day when Maverick's was going off and positioned myself just south of the wave, looking right down the tube. The break is so explosive, it's scary (much scarier than the sharks, imo).

And maybe even a bit scarier than playing the sax out of tune!

 

[JayeNM]

No, it was just off Pillar Point, offshore from El Granada, north of Half Moon Bay. Have you heard of the Maverick's Wave, a huge 40-50+ foot wave that occurs a few times of year during the Winter? It attracts big wave surfers from all over. That's basically where I was (the wave was not happening at the time).

Very true. It's the seals that those sharks are after. The area I was paddling has a lot of seals and sharks are definitely around. But I've never really worried about getting attacked in my kayak (although I do know a guy who had the stern of his kayak bitten, but he was unharmed). Seeing that shark was more of a thrill than a scary incident.

Ah, was unaware they showed up in HMB

 

[AlonW]

I don't know what key the original backing track (Natalie Cole) is in. The sheet music appears to be in A?

View attachment 35261

Here's the last chord. Does this mean the sheet music is in Db? Or is it based on the first chord and key signature?

 

[LostCircuits]

The key is A major but it resolves to the third - Db (dominant)7

The circle of fifths has its progression from zero # to 1# 2 # etc until it switches to descending numbers of "b" and goes back to 0

This makes it pretty easy to memorize the different keys but if you need to cheat, you can look up the key signatures here

 

[JSL]

Here's the last chord. Does this mean the sheet music is in Db? Or is it based on the first chord and key signature?

The key signature on the sheet music you posted shows the key is in A major (as @LostCircuits pointed out). While a lot of tunes do end on the tonic, it's not mandatory.

 

[JSL]

Ah, was unaware they showed up in HMB

Well, Pillat Point is several miles north of the town of Half Moon Bay. Great White Sharks are in this part of the ocean because there are seals in the area. "Half Moon Bay" is not really a bay; it's at best a slight embayment of the Pacific Ocean where the coastline bends a bit inland.

 

[LostCircuits]

The key signature on the sheet music you posted shows the key is in A major (as @LostCircuits pointed out). While a lot of tunes do end on the tonic, it's not mandatory.

But since @AlonW plays it on a tenor sax (transposed to Bb) the song needs to be played in B (without the b).

BTW, gin also often ends on the tonic - or fizz

 

[skeller047]

Here's the last chord. Does this mean the sheet music is in Db? Or is it based on the first chord and key signature?
View attachment 35262

So that last note on the sheet is incorrect. The versions I know end on the third of the key in the melody, a C# in this case. And the chord would be an Amaj7.

You played it in the key of A on your tenor - and you got the last note right! But this is not the same key as the backing track. You seemed to follow the timing of the track pretty well, but since you are in a different key it sounds out of tune. On one listening I can’t tell what key the backing track is in, and I’m not near a keyboard at the moment.

Most people play this tune in the key of Db. That would be Eb on tenor. I believe that’s the original key. It’s certainly the key that John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman used, and it’s also the key that Billy Strayhorn sang it in on his recording.

I suggest listening to the version by Trane and Johnny Hartman. In my opinion that is the definitive version of this amazing tune. I listened to the Natalie Cole version, and it’s nice too, but I always like to listen to multiple versions of a tune to get ideas on how to play it.

I liked the way you phrased the tune, but it’s hard to listen to for me because the backing track is in a different key.

 

[PiccoloPirate]

Alon bought the sheet music for Tenor, in A, because he thought the backing track was in G concert, but it was B concert.
Then he said he raised the pitch up, four half steps, B C C# D?
That's one issue he needs to learn about and work on.

Possibly more important is his "pitchiness" as they say on those Voice TV shows.
While he has come a long way from his Alto Sax recordings, in a positive direction, this might be helpful, with his sheet music and the backing track in G concert, to hear and make his playing, "less pitchy".

Play the tune, straight, no embellishments or improv, from the attack of the first note to the very last note.
Concentrate on what you're doing.
It's possible that, he needs to spend time, long tones, crescendo and decrescendo, with a tuner, if his hearing/brain has any issues he described earlier.

I posted Cole music track but it is no longer on U Tube.
Post #44.
His left arm movement at times, is nice body choreography. 🎶🏴‍☠️🎶

 

[PiccoloPirate]

I might add that learning to keep the Flute, from going flat, with pianissimo, requires directing the slower column of air, that will dive down, back to where it belongs, with a micro movement, of the jaw, moving forward.
Sometimes it happens to the best of the best, 20 cents flat.
Oh the horror. 😜

 

[JayeNM]

I suggest listening to the version by Trane and Johnny Hartman. In my opinion that is the definitive version of this amazing tune.

I agree....

 

[JayeNM]

BTW, gin also often ends on the tonic - or fizz

Anyone else remember the Sloe Gin Fizz ?

Sadly went the same way as the Harvey Wallbanger..... and Singapore Sling.....🙁

 

[PiccoloPirate]

This one has lots to learn from,
sans the trumpet. 😜

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JqTFAIiAn4

 

[PiccoloPirate]

Not taking anything away from the trumpet's choice of notes, just too bright for the tune.
Mute or Flugel, for my ears.

 

[Colin the Bear]

This tune makes no sense to me. I can't understand it, can't tell what it's doing harmonically or where it's going melodically, and I don't like Coltrane's playing. 😕

 

[PiccoloPirate]

Sounds like he moved up to concert D#/Eb, for the 2nd take.
Try going down to G concert.
B to Bb A Ab G.

The track in take #2, has the piano too high up, for my ears.
Kinda like my Hohner harp in F. 🙉
Thought it would be down from G.
They start at G3 concert and go up.
So the F harp is F4 concert.
Tip toe, thru the tulips. 🙄

 

[AlonW]

Comments welcome. Thanks for listening.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TASYNp9oUS4