IOTM Sept 2015 - 'Turn Down not Tuna App!'

[aldevis]

Here is my second installment (with my teacher's hat on). This version also on clarinet uses the scales that fit the chord changes, but also incorporate "voice leading" ie. 7ths down to 3rds from one change to the next.

Great version.
I am too lazy to record it myself. Fancy trying just arpeggios New Orleans style and chromatic passages between 3 and 5?

 

[billbluesnjazz]

@Lesley - many moons ago my first degree was Mathematics and Natural Philosophy (Physics) 🙂 Am also an occasional clarinet player (lapsed mainly).

Here is my latest take on this at a snappier tempo of 190 bpm. Still playing as an exercise.

https://soundcloud.com/billbluesnjazz%2Ftune-down-yani-190-bpm

View: https://soundcloud.com/billbluesnjazz/tune-down-yani-190-bpm


Bill

 

[billbluesnjazz]

@aldevis Here is a simple version with the original backing track using predominantly triads from the changes with chromaticism to link them together. Great exercises!

https://soundcloud.com/billbluesnjazz%2Fturn-down-yani-triads-chromatic

View: https://soundcloud.com/billbluesnjazz/turn-down-yani-triads-chromatic


Bill

 

[Lesley]

@Lesley - many moons ago my first degree was Mathematics and Natural Philosophy (Physics) 🙂 Am also an occasional clarinet player (lapsed mainly).

Here is my latest take on this at a snappier tempo of 190 bpm. Still playing as an exercise.

https://soundcloud.com/billbluesnjazz%2Ftune-down-yani-190-bpm

View: https://soundcloud.com/billbluesnjazz/tune-down-yani-190-bpm


Bill

Thanks Bill. I love clarinet so thoroughly enjoyed the link.🙂

 

[Jeanette]

This must be about Take 199 and I was just about to pack up for the night but decided to have one last go.

https://soundcloud.com/jeanette-7%2Fmeloncoley

Jx

 

[Lesley]

This must be about Take 199 and I was just about to pack up for the night but decided to have one last go.

https://soundcloud.com/jeanette-7%2Fmeloncoley

Jx

Oooo that was nice

 

[jbtsax]

@Jeanette That was lovely. You played within the changes beautifully with a nice tone and great intonation. It was also very melodic. Since you are covering the basics so well harmonically and melodically, you might want to work now on giving your lines a bit more rhythmical interest. This is actually more difficult at slower tempos such as this exercise.

Perhaps Chris and Aldevis can come up with an IOTM one of these times that is not too complex harmonically that can be played at a faster tempo to let folks flesh out more of their rhythmic ideas.

 

[Lesley]

This must be about Take 199 and I was just about to pack up for the night but decided to have one last go.

https://soundcloud.com/jeanette-7%2Fmeloncoley

Jx

If I may ask, how long have you been playing sax?

 

[Jeanette]

If I may ask, how long have you been playing sax?

I started playing from no musical background about 4 years ago but didn't play much one year when I developed tennis elbow. My forays into improvisation started in earnest in January this year when I had a go with one of the IOTM threads.

Jeanette That was lovely. You played within the changes beautifully with a nice tone and great intonation. It was also very melodic

John you are very kind, all I hear are the fog horn low notes and compared to some sop tones quite a dull sound that gets thin in the upper register.

Since you are covering the basics so well harmonically and melodically, you might want to work now on giving your lines a bit more rhythmical interest.

Yes I will thank you but I'm not sure I've got harmony and melody solid yet 🙂

I appreciate your feedback John.

And a big thankyou to all those contributing it is all starting to slowly sink in and I am no longer just waggling my fingers, though that was a good place to start. 🙂

Jx

 

[billbluesnjazz]

@Jeanette Now you are improvising over the changes. Clear harmony, tone and intonation as others have said. If you want to move into more rhythmic improv, then play a couple of choruses starting each phrase on a different part of the bar each chorus. For example, the "and" of 1, and, 2, and 3 and 4 and - in four four time. This will give you a feel of jazz.

Once you have this, then mix up where you start (and end) your phrases.

You could then add one chromatic note per change, for example, starting on the semitone below the first note that you play in the chord. If you are starting on the C of the A minor triad, then you could play B,C, E, A. This gives you four notes per triad chord change in the ii Vs, making it easier to play a line straight through.

Keep blowing, Bill

 

[Colin the Bear]

This must be about Take 199 and I was just about to pack up for the night but decided to have one last go.

https://soundcloud.com/jeanette-7%2Fmeloncoley

Jx

Nice one. Small steps. A little better each time. It's all we can ask of ourselves. It's good to hear the bad in your playing. Be your own worst critic but don't beat yourself up. It's what makes us want to be better. In tune, on time, right notes. Some can only aspire lol.

 

[Jeanette]

Thank you @Colin the Bear and @billbluesnjazz

I am going to leave this for a week and do some serious scale, arpeggio and forced harmonic work, I've really been neglecting this side of my playing whilst doing this but I will be back to try the next step 🙂

Thanks for all the encouragement and help. You are all wonderful 🙂

Jx

 

[billbluesnjazz]

@aldevis and the rest of IOTM. Unfortunately still having some problems with our wee Cairn terrier, mixture of medical and behavioural so pretty stressed out at the moment. Had some fun improvising a four part close rootless harmony over the changes to the backing track, with a solo over the top.

https://soundcloud.com/billbluesnjazz%2Ftune-down-yani-by-five

View: https://soundcloud.com/billbluesnjazz/tune-down-yani-by-five


Bill

 

[Jeanette]

Sorry to hear about the dog, hope he/she recovers soon 🙂

Jx

 

[aldevis]

improvising a four part close rootless harmony

That is actually a very useful exercise to put a foot in the arrangement world

 

[Jeanette]

Another go with I don't know what anymore 🙂

https://soundcloud.com/jeanette-7%2Fbluefish

Jx

 

[Ivan]

I've had a session on Turn Tuna this arvo

I am easily mystified by the written explanations of what notes to choose, but the most recent played post by @jbtsax was most instructive

I didn't produce anything reproducible today but I'm so pleased to have this exercise which is both motivational and understandable, even if the actual playing of the notes in the right order whilst trying to follow the chords is outwith my grasp

 

[Ivan]

Another go with I don't know what anymore 🙂

https://soundcloud.com/jeanette-7%2Fbluefish

Jx

The girl's unstoppable

 

[Jeanette]

The girl's unstoppable

For the sake of mine and everyone else's sanity I might stop there 🙂

Jx

 

[Ivan]

For the sake of mine and everyone else's sanity I might stop there 🙂

Jx

I hope not