How do you (or anyone else) transcribe the faster solos?

ras1983 · #1 09-15-2009, 09:46 AM

Hi Janek,

you've often said and written in the past that you used to transcribe a lot of solos. I've been wanting to start doing the same, but I can't figure out how guys can transcribe a solo at a fast tempo such as a typical Coltrane solo.

How do you go about transcribing these solos? Actually, it would be great if you could give some tips on how you transcribe any solo.

Thanks,

Ray

**251** · #2 09-15-2009, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ras1983

Hi Janek,

you've often said and written in the past that you used to transcribe a lot of solos. I've been wanting to start doing the same, but I can't figure out how guys can transcribe a solo at a fast tempo such as a typical Coltrane solo.

How do you go about transcribing these solos? Actually, it would be great if you could give some tips on how you transcribe any solo.

Thanks,

Ray

There are several programs that record the interesting (fast) section & allow you to slow it down. I use SlowBlast which came bundled with Band in a Box.

ras1983 · #3 09-15-2009, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 251

There are several programs that record the interesting (fast) section & allow you to slow it down. I use SlowBlast which came bundled with Band in a Box.

So the pitch of the notes doesn't change when we slow a section down?

LeonD · #4 09-16-2009, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ras1983

So the pitch of the notes doesn't change when we slow a section down?

Correct. I use the Amazing Slow Downer. Great piece of software.

http://www.ronimusic.com/

LeonD

adri24an · #5 09-16-2009, 09:10 AM

i use transcribe.

http://www.seventhstring.com/

Adam Wright · #6 09-17-2009, 01:07 AM

My Tascam CD-BT2 is my best friend. I'm not a fan of the mp3 version though. I've never used any software programs.

knarleybass · #7 09-17-2009, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeonD

Correct. I use the Amazing Slow Downer. Great piece of software.

http://www.ronimusic.com/

LeonD

works well for bass?

janekbass · #8 09-17-2009, 01:24 AM

I started slow and simple. Stuff like Miles Davis on Freddie Freeloader from Kind of Blue, Freddie Hubbard on Fee Fi Fo Fum, Art Pepper on You'd be so nice to come home to...... etc etc

simple, melodic, changes based solos. And going way back to basics with Louie Armstrong and ella fitzgerald, dexter gordon, king oliver, lester young..... tons of old school and very slow tempo and simple stuff. When you do so much work on the fundamentals of the language of improvisation by digging back into the history of the music, your ear will become trained to hear the most complex stuff at any tempo out there. You just have to start somewhere simple to get in the swing of things, and the progress with the difficulty of solo as your ear develops.

It is, after all, a language. And the only way to learn that language is to immerse yourself in it, surround yourself by it, and study it by ear as much as you possibly can.

I never used any software to slow down solos. This was simply because I couldn't afford a computer, the software, or a hardware based machine to do it......

I think because of this, it may have improved my ear slightly quicker out of necessity..... so I'm not the biggest fan of people using that stuff to cut corners now. But at the end of the day it just depends on how much you want to do on your own and how good you want to make your ear.

I'm going to be shooting a DVD in October which will deal with a lot of these subjects on transcribing, and learning music as a language no matter what style you play in. I'll post more here when I know the release date etc etc...

Easy,

Janek

adri24an · #9 09-17-2009, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by janekbass

I'm going to be shooting a DVD in October which will deal with a lot of these subjects on transcribing, and learning music as a language no matter what style you play in. I'll post more here when I know the release date etc etc...

Easy,

Janek

great news dude!

LeonD · #10 09-17-2009, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knarleybass

works well for bass?

Bass is all I use it for.

I don't use the EQ very much (to pull out or enhance the bass part).

What do I use all the time is the slowdowner to change the tempo (without changing the pitch) and the pitch control to change the pitch (without changing the tempo).

LeonD

bass349 · #11 09-21-2009, 12:01 PM

I use transcribe as well.. Cool easy to use program. The best thing about it is the fact you can loop sections of music really easily, and I find this is the best way for me to really get into and nail the phrasing, without having to hit the rewind button a million times. I try not to use the slow downer part of it for the reasons Janek mentioned, but it can come in handy, an especially useful since you can speed it up a bit to say 110%, so the original tempo feels easy

Nothing wrong with embracing the technology I reckon! Just as long as you're not cutting corners!

I think about guys back in the day transcribing off actual records.. Man that must've been frustrating!

Jaydin Nathan · #12 09-21-2009, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bass349

I think about guys back in the day transcribing off actual records.. Man that must've been frustrating!

Well I heard of one instance that a guy wanted to transcribe a really fast run down on a guitar, and being inventive, he stacked coins on top of the record to make it slower.

So in some ways it could've been easier!