Reading idiomatic phrases vs. transcribing them

[johncg]

In the last year or so I began transcribing and have found it to be the single most valuable tool in the woodshed. My ears are still not great compared to a very good jazz musician but I do at least a little bit every day and am learning to enjoy the work.

I'm not sure if you're familiar with David Baker's "How to Play Bebop" books but I've done a lot of studying out of them and have really learned a lot.

Lately, I've just been reading through the licks in those books for technical practice, sight-reading, and to absorb some new vocabularly. They are basically all super, super standard ideas that I think every decent improvisor is familiar with.

The transcribing has boosted my playing more than anything, and honestly I feel a little guilty from having learned so much from Baker's books. I feel that I would have learned those lessons in phrasing and note choice much more thoroughly if I picked them up from Bird records, y'know?

So my question is this: should I ditch the idea of picking up new ideas from "textbooks" and use only my ears? Or should I just stick to doing a little of both?

By the way, the new disc is fantastic. I've been listening to it for weeks and even just bought a copy for my friend. Thanks!

[funkydanbass]

I am not familiar with David Baker's books but I am a firm believer that we should use all of our senses and not discriminate against any learning tool. Marcus Miller made an interesting comment in an interview about the lack of visual cues on recordings that are present in watching a live performance, (and specific to the interview: DVD's). That said, I agree that a cetain amount of precedence should be given to aural learning such as transcription.

[janekbass]

I think that the more you pick it up by ear the more natural it will become in your playing, and the less things you'll have to recall when playing that phrase. Everyone processes things differently of course, but I know when I've seen something in a book I see a picture of it when I'm recalling it, so it's never as natural feeling when it comes out.

I try and stick with learning things by ear, and transcribing stuff and learning it.

Easy,

Janek