SOTM July 2020 : Norwegian Wood

[randulo]

Greetings fellow CD (Café Denizens)!
It's the eighth of July. Do you know where your Norwegian Wood recording is? In the next 23 days, join us in these efforts. If you've been bashful, hesitant, reticent or otherwise keeping your head down, please know that we'd

LOVE TO HEAR YOU!

Norwegian Wood, an eternal memory from The Beatles. The Fabulous Four wrote a lot of songs. Few are easier to play than this one. Ok, it is a waltz, kind of, that's why I chose it. I considered Gravy Waltz and found it may be to hip. I considered Tennessee Waltz and found it not hip enough, although it's a good tune to practice in every key.

Norwegian Wood is the Goldilocks of rock waltzes. Hip because it's The Beatles, easy to play by ear with simple major and minor chords.

 

[Nikki]

I can give it a try but doubt I’ll be able to download it here. I’m really not good with stuff like that so if I learn this will you help me get it here?

 

[randulo]

I can give it a try but doubt I’ll be able to download it here. I’m really not good with stuff like that so if I learn this will you help me get it here?

Absolutely, we will not let you down.

You might be interested in reading this older post:

https://cafesaxophone.com/threads/how-to-post-a-recording-here-for-sotm-botm-or-your-sound-clips.27731/

 

[ajmiller]

I’ve only been playing sax since March but I’m working on this so I might inflict my efforts on you all! Even if not, just to focus on learning the melody, chords etc and practising improvising over them has been invaluable. It’s good to have a purpose to my practising. Get your earplugs at the ready!!

 

[randulo]

It’s good to have a purpose to my practising.

There is that! Please share your progress, this is one of the few places where you'll mostly be aided, not judged.

 

[Nikki]

Thanks randulo. I’ve got Dropbox and Soundcloud. What link do I use to download the backtrack for soprano?

 

[randulo]

Thanks randulo. I’ve got Dropbox and Soundcloud. What link do I use to download the backtrack for soprano?

All the files are here:

NW SOTM July2020 - Google Drive

drive.google.com

There are four backing tracks in two keys and two speeds.

 

[Nikki]

All the files are here:

NW SOTM July2020 - Google Drive

drive.google.com

There are four backing tracks in two keys and two speeds.

I see the sheet music but can’t get the music part. It doesn’t do anything. I’m stuck already.
Sorry. It’s not a Dropbox thing or a soundcloud thing , it’s a google drive so I’m confused already. It asks me if I want to download it and I click on that but I don’t know where it’s getting downloaded. It’s not going anywhere that I can see.

 

[randulo]

I see the sheet music but can’t get the music part. It doesn’t do anything. I’m stuck already.
Sorry. It’s not a Dropbox thing or a soundcloud thing , it’s a google drive so I’m confused already

replying privately to avoid a discussion here
Sorted! (i think)
She's on an iPhone so it isn't obvious where the file goes. I think on iOS, you just open them on your recording app.

 

[Pete Effamy]

I’ve only been playing sax since March but I’m working on this so I might inflict my efforts on you all! Even if not, just to focus on learning the melody, chords etc and practising improvising over them has been invaluable. It’s good to have a purpose to my practising. Get your earplugs at the ready!!

Honestly, go for it. You'll learn so much in the process and will have a great sense of achievement. Fifth month in and you recorded and posted - let's hear it, we're all learners and never get "there".

 

[randulo]

Another attempt at it in E concert (C# on alto). This is good exercise in all keys. Let yourself go. I may have, a little too much. Means of production in the hands of the masses and all that.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ifj_ibmLcD4

 

[Jmoen3]

I ran through this song in my practice today. I didn't realize how long it had been since I played in 6/8 time... Caught me off guard as my counting was all over the place. Caused some setbacks, but I'll hopefully have a take soon!

 

[randulo]

I'll hopefully have a take soon!

Even if you don't get to it in July (but of course you will!) you can still post it any time after. I specifically wanted to do something in medium to fast tempo 6/8 time because I hadn't seen one for a while. Last month's ballad was a slow 6/8 in case you missed it. I also think a good workout tune to practice is Tennessee Waltz in all 12 keys. One of my other ideas was the Gravy Waltz, a 6/8 blues with a bridge, also a great practice tune.

 

[Jmoen3]

Even if you don't get to it in July (but of course you will!) you can still post it any time after. I specifically wanted to do something in medium to fast tempo 6/8 time because I hadn't seen one for a while. Last month's ballad was a slow 6/8 in case you missed it. I also think a good workout tune to practice is Tennessee Waltz in all 12 keys. One of my other ideas was the Gravy Waltz, a 6/8 blues with a bridge, also a great practice tune.

Great Choice! It definitely has been a long while, so It'll be a good practice. I'll add the others to my practice regiment! Gotta start changing up from the 3/4, 4/4 stuff!

I'll keep practicing and hopefully have something fun soon!

 

[randulo]

We are approaching the middle of July. 16 or 17 days left. There's no hurry! But this is a great tune to work out on. If you are a new player, I recommend you try to pick out the melody without needing to read it. Find a key you like, one that feels good. Then play the melody, thinking of the rhythm of the words.

I... once had a girl... or should I say.... she once had me.

The melody starts on the 5th degree of the key you play it in. Let's assume you pick up a soprano, finger a G. That is the key you'll be in. The melody will start on the D above it and end on the D below it. It's a decent range without too many hard to finger notes, in my opinion. All the notes are between that low D and the high E. Try it and let us know how it works out!

 

[Jmoen3]

Haven't had much of a chance to give the full takes a listen to yet, but there is some phenomenal work so far. I hope to come listen to each one fully.

Thas being said, I've finished my take finally.
https://soundcloud.com/user-805266588%2Fnorwegian-wood
Let me know how bad I did lol

 

[randulo]

Nicely done, @Jmoen3!

 

[guidocreo]

Playing without worries:

View: https://youtu.be/eIcDQ4WCMMM


Ciao and keep you safe.

 

[Nikki]

Nicely done, @Jmoen3!

Very much so.

Playing without worries:

View: https://youtu.be/eIcDQ4WCMMM


Ciao and keep you safe.

That was really fabulous. Your playing improves every time I hear you. Your improvisation is so fresh and unique and well. Oddly enough I didn’t find the song challenging enough melody wise. You sure did your own thing. Really nice. That didn’t sound duck like at all. Maybe I should get a tenor. Lol. How did you learn to improvise like that?

 

[randulo]

Playing without worries:

No worries, indeed! Well, one. You should probably change the angle a little so the light isn't so strong as to dominate the video. Good sound, and that's important. The major problem with a large number of videos is inadequate sound. As we're musicians, we suffer less from that. Our challenge is usually lighting.