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[jazlover]

The give and take

This is a small taste and not the complete song. I am constantly reminded that I am not producing the polished professional songs that most of you are. I appreciate your indulgence with me. I know that this is a learning thing and I am.

Sunday, I took out the second section of this song because it did not belong together with the beginning plus it could not stand on it own. So you are getting the intro and an improvisation on the piano.

Most of you will recognize the combi used. The piano improvisation was one of my goals for this month. I wanted to do an improv using pentatonics and quartal harmonies. The improv was hit and miss but I did not want to redo the recording.

I will finish this song but with something that responds to the music you are hearing now.

Hope you enjoy!

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_music.cfm?bandID=787275
_________________
“I’m into scales right now.”
John Coltrane

[JonSolo]

After reading some of your current posts I am understanding a lot more of your influences. You not only clearly have a strong taste for jazz (and good jazz at that...not that there is really any BAD jazz) but have the ability to put it together for yourself and present it quite professionally.

Though this piece is not complete it sounds quite good. I like the buildup you have created for us as you have in some other pieces you presented here.

I for one would like to hear the final product of your incompletes!

Jon
_________________
Jon Solo

http://www.solosounds.net
http://jonsolo.me
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[Stephen]

Got yourself a Stevie Wonder vibe happening with this, at least early on.
I'm very anxious to see where you take this, it's sure headed in the right direction.
Nice!

_________________
Stephen
https://www.soundclick.com/artist/default.cfm?bandID=1514031
http://www.soundclick.com/jsf
http://cdbaby.com/all/jstephenfoster

Location Central U.S.A.

[georgeinar]

I can understand why these pieces are difficult to complete as you are attempting some very sophisticated ideas and the devil is in the execution, but you have a fabulous sound here, this improv is really great, I love listening to this. Sounds like a maestro at the keys to my ears. I hate to say that I actully like it the way it is, but hey, does everything have to structure like all the rest and does every ending have to sound like an ending? Anyway, I really like what you're doing here and hope you can get where you want to go with this.
_________________
George Nelson is 2loose
http://www.cdbaby.com/artist/2loose for my cds
http://www.soundclick.com/2loose or follow my tweets = 2loose_buzzgoth (twitter name)

[sewa]

I really like what you have been posting here, your recent tune is no exception. Its an interesting mixtrue of electronica and jazz; the sounds catch my attention and the improvisation shows that I still have a long way to go!

looking forward to hear the complete version

sewa

[DrWho]

Aaahhhhh - right up my alley - love that jazz style (Chic style) soloing. Makes me want to break out the bass and play along - like can we trade solo's ? I do like your synth bass sound tho - fills the bottom end spectrum - way cool.

Man I've listened to this a few times - wish I could play the keys like that!!

Please repost - pulleeeze !!!


_________________
Care for a jelly baby?
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[Pecca]

Very smooth and lovely bass/piano. Someone say Jazz ?
Really good impros. Bring it into an entire song plz
_________________
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[Dee]

Hi jazlover

WOW

This is really good - you're great on keys.

Pentatonics and quartal harmonies.......

Think I get the pentatonics - will have to look up about the quartal harmonies.

I love the sound you get here - keep going with it and let us hear the rest.

Regards from
Dee

[jazlover]

Hey Dee my computer is acting up, so I am writing from work today. I will be slow(-er than usual) in responding.

Quartal harmonies are harmonies based on fourths rather than on thirds. For example: I was playing the Aeolian mode of C for the A-min chord I could play these harmonies (A-D-G), (B-E-A), (C-F-B) based on intervals of fourths. The kool thing with fourths is that since no third is played, the harmonies are implied rather than stated. So if I play (A-D-G) with my left hand it is minor if I am playing a minor scale. If I play a major scale with my right hand the harmony on my left hand sounds like a Asus 4 chord. Quartal harmonies are great with pentatonic. These are much used in modal jazz. I need to learn so much more with them.

Girl I need to learn from you about music. I have just focused my learning toward Jazz (my love). You would be very unimpressed with my general knowledge and discipline of music. I hope what I was trying to explain is clear. I will look at your response once my computer is working right.
_________________
“I’m into scales right now.”
John Coltrane

[georgeinar]

That is really interesting. I am fascinated by these sorts of discussions. I really need a good music theory class to shoot me ahead in my musical consciousness. My thing is I have learned almost entirely from simply listening and emulating, and when it's very complex things going on such as classical or jazz that I can't get my ears around completely exactly what the harmonies and chords are doing so I just sit with my mouth open. Would that I could have someone showing me or directing my hands to accomplish some of these things. I remember when I figured out how to use major 7 chords and sustain and augmenteds and how excited I got. I guess I need to go a few steps further to learn even more. I know sometimes I play things because they sound good to me but I don't even know what it's called what I'm doing.
_________________
George Nelson is 2loose
http://www.cdbaby.com/artist/2loose for my cds
http://www.soundclick.com/2loose or follow my tweets = 2loose_buzzgoth (twitter name)

[jazlover]

George, since my computere is on the fritz, I can't listen to others music. I will therefore wax on (musical pontificating) from my lack of musical understanding and experience. If someone with a better understanding is so inclined they can jump in the conversation.

Bebop Jazz was played with a lot of quick chord changes. Later on came Modal Jazz where a chord could last several bars in the music and the players would just "blow" (long improv over a single chord). The concept of "blowing" over a chord or chord progression has always been my personal dream. If I had not dropped music for 14 years, I believe, I would already be there (or so I dream). Being able to take a solo to excitting and new places in whatever musical situation, has always been my aspiration. This is where the real magic happens. Cnegrad (many of you remember from this forum) could do this. He could sit down cold with other musicians and have something intelligent and exciting to say with his instrument. This is my private goal (if I live long enough). If you listen to John Coltrane (in the Modal era), you hear him going to new exciting places with his musical ideas.

Pentatonics (or altered pentatonics) are often to me like the most important notes in the scale. Often knowing several pentatonic for each chord type, gives you powerful options of where to go musically when you are soloing. Each scale or pentatonic (concentrated part of scale) points out something exciting about the harmony being played. If the rhythm and the progression are like the moving train on the musical journey, then the soloist is like the tour guide saying "look over here at this great harmony". The absolutely most magical moments happens when you get to play with other who can blow as well. They respond to your playing and you are getting to respond to their playing. This is where the greatest moment of live music happen. This is where I want to get in my musical learning.

If you understand the modes (Ionian, Dorian...etc) for each scale and what kind of chords they go with, then learning the quartal harmonies for each mode and key is worthwhile. I am at a library writing this now so my time is limited. If someone is interested, I will explain it a little more in detail to the best of my understanding.

George my ears are my real teacher like you. Much of what I learn to play is what my ears like. The ears are a gentle teacher. When the music is right, I am greatly rewarded, when my music is not good it waits until I am ready to move on. It is amazing that our ears understand the intreval of the notes in each harmony completely even when we are very small. We all (almost every person) have a genuis in our ears. It is remarkable!

This is probably more than either of you wanted. Let me know, if you want more!
I also know that there are some real Jazz musican on this forum who understand this better.
_________________
“I’m into scales right now.”
John Coltrane

[Dee]

Hi Jazlover

Please carry on writing about this - don't assume that anything is too basic to say. I can tell you that gaining an 'understanding' of jazz has always been the most elusive thing for me. I just can't get any sort of 'mental' grip on it. No matter how much I read about modes and scales and other stuff, when I hear jazz, it sounds like ........ JAZZ ........ and I can't say that was this-or-that harmony used with such-and-such scale.

I get the quartal thing and the 'tower' of 4ths, but don't see how to apply it.

Your example of the 'white note' 4ths makes sense, but I immediately wondered why some of the 4ths were 'perfect' and some augmented. So how do you know which to augment and which not to? This example was in A minor which has all white notes, so that's why all notes were white - is this right????

So you just stick to the key signature and stack up your 4ths that way?

See how little I know?!!!

So keep writing about it PLEASE - your analogy with the moving train and the tour guide and 'blowing' is just GREAT. Already I will listen with different ears, just from that.

Regards from
Dee

[jazlover]

I am away from a keyboard so I am doing this off my underpowered head. In this song during the solo my left hand play quartal harmonies off two scales only. The first is the Aeolian scale in the key of A (not the key C). So the scale sounds like a Amin and it is the white keys (essentially C major scale). Since the Aeolian scale is used the fourth have to played on the white keys. Therefore you get augmented fourth sometimes eg:( F-B-E) rather than (F-Bflat-E) in order to be in scale. If you play outside the scale the listen would know.
The second quartal harmonies are The Mixolydian scale off of F#. So the scale is (essentially B major scale) sounding like a F#7th chord. Not every quartal harmony sounds great but they all imply the scale. I need more experience playing this way (as is apparent in my solo).

It is interesting to me that even thought I am implying an Amin with my left hand, my right hand is not locked into anything. I can find all kinds of good harmonies to explore with my right hand. For example I could play (A blues), (G penta), (C penta), (Dsus penta), (E harmonic min), etc.... Also quartal harmonies sound great when you step up or down using half steps.

I have to split. I hope this is helpful!
_________________
“I’m into scales right now.”
John Coltrane

[georgeinar]

It's sort of helpful to me, but I'm thinking, hey isn't that what I already do? But I dont' know why I'm doing it and that it actually has all these fancy names. I do know that I've had some luck doing leads by not starting out at the root. Say, I'm playing on a c major basically, but I start out my scales and melodies starting on B instead and just going where that leads. Or I start on A and take off there. I could even start on e flat and see how that sounds. that's why often I play simply fifths on the left hand so that the in between harmonies are flexible as to what chord will blend with the left hand.
_________________
George Nelson is 2loose
http://www.cdbaby.com/artist/2loose for my cds
http://www.soundclick.com/2loose or follow my tweets = 2loose_buzzgoth (twitter name)

[ellll]

Boy!!

This is really tuneful and complex as well...with some really great structure...

Love the overall feel and sound...the piano is Awesome!!! You have GOT THE TOUCH my friend!! Wish I could do this.....

Love the following of good solid jazz moves...good attention to an old trick...the 4ths....You seem to do this as a matter of course here...so it is rather tight and controlled, while inventive!!!!

Reminds me of the old cheat sheets and quatric tricks my friends used...I could hardly keep up in high school....always too Classical minded I am afraid'..

GREAT WORK...Do pull this one to the front and give it a bit more time maybe???

It would be a good tune anywhere!!!

My Best! Johnny...(ellll) (sorry I done gone missin' a lot... )