I have a challenge!

[Spearhead]

This is all in effort for me to make the most out of talkbass. I want to take the time and challenge my self and those who would care to join me to 5 or more full transcripitions a month. In my efforts to improve my reading abilities I find that a crucial element is to just sit down, listen, and transcribe (actually notate) a music of personal choice. The thing is I want to be able to give them to talkbass so that others can elvaluate and use them. It would be my hope that eventually this could lead to a possible transcription forum where people can share and supply transcriptions the same way tabs are provided. How many times has there been a piece of music that you would really like to learn, but unless you want to use tabs or transcribe it by ear, your stuck. Not that either of the these two options are bad, but the option of actual notated music should deffinetley be available to any musician who wishes to pursue it. It is my beleif that it is because of the lack of actual available sheet music (at least free) that tabs are such a worthy alternative and that more people dont start out learning to read music. I know there is software that one can download for free to notate music and I guess we could use something like that. What are your guys feelings about this idea. How do you think it should be executed.

Oh yes, and my 5 selections for this month would be:
Paul Chambers - giant steps
Tom Jenkinson (squarepusher) - Iambic 5 poetry
Joe Lally (fugazi) - the kill
John Paul Jones - Travelin riverside blues
Jamiroquai - Return of the Space Cowboy

[Wrong Robot]

All I can say is

Squarepusher - "Iambic 5 poetry" is one of the most beautiful songs ever written.

sounds good...If I have any free time I'll give it a shot.

I really like the idea, its the type of thing that, with discipline, would GREATLY improve your ability to not only read, but to write, and to use your ear.

[stratking]

I am very new at bass and am just getting around to learning music notation, so I wouldn't be that much help. I would like to say, however, that I feel this is a great idea and one that could benefit everyone involved. This would definately motivate me to start learning how to transcribe music into true notation and the ability to know who has transcribed a piece and ask questions of that person but those learning(i.e. me) would be a wonderful way of learning.
I am all for it.

stratking

[codeine]

I only transcribed my first song the other day which was porcelain by rhcp. I will however try to fulfill the 5 a month quota as this idea is probably the best motivation for me for actually doing it regularly (not counting the obvious benefits of learning by ear).

So i will try Crossroads by cream, shadow of the sun by audioslave, californication, soulshine by govt mule and night train by james brown

sorry if these are really easy songs and no one wants them but i am new to this.

[mcbosler]

sounds like a real good idea to me. first choices sound like good ones too. are we going to have some kind of system as far as who picks what we're doing each month?

[Howard K]

How many times has there been a piece of music that you would really like to learn, but unless you want to use tabs or transcribe it by ear, your stuck

Never!
If I want to learn something I'll learn it by ear, it's a damned sight easier than learning from standard notation!!

...and tab is very often totally wrong!

Truth be told, I kinda dig this idea too, but I have to say that 5 a month is ridiculous!!! It's far too many!

It'd usually take me about an hour to work out an average song, providing a) I dont have to learn a new technique or b) the tune is remarkabley complex and has a million fiddley variations of the basic theme.

I'll bet my good hard earned cash that not many people here will manage five a month unless they can write music like it's a second language!

Great intentions but seriously can we just try ONE a month! I think that'll be more realistic. I think many of us have jobs and bands and stuff, know what I mean!

Personally, it'd take me a month to notate one song... I could work it out in an hour, but notating it would take me days!

Where can we get this tool anyway, it sounds good?

[moley]

Nice idea. When you say 'full transcriptions' - do you mean as in every part? Every note of every part? Bass, keyboards, guitars, vocals? Drums too?

Originally posted by Howard K
I'll bet my good hard earned cash that not many people here will manage five a month unless they can write music like it's a second language!

You're on. How much of your hard earned cash do you wanna bet that I can't transcribe five songs in the next month? And how much detail? Every single part? Including drums? Including solos? Every single note played on the recording? Either way - I'll take that bet

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally posted by moley
Nice idea. When you say 'full transcriptions' - do you mean as in every part? Every note of every part? Bass, keyboards, guitars, vocals? Drums too?



You're on. How much of your hard earned cash do you wanna bet that I can't transcribe five songs in the next month? And how much detail? Every single part? Including drums? Including solos? Every single note played on the recording? Either way - I'll take that bet

I think he just means bass lines and that might well be a problem as if you take the Giant Steps example - a lot of great 60s Jazz was recorded in such a way that the Doube Bass is heard more as a dull thud or a percussive sound - so it is very difficut to hear the actual pitches.

But then I don't need to do this, as I have transcriptions of Coltrane and a lot of PC bass lines already!!

[Bruce Lindfield]

PS - I could do the bass lines for 5 Status Quo or Ramones' songs in less than 5 minutes!!!

[Howard K]

yoyu can obviously read music better than you can read english moley!

I'll bet my good hard earned cash that not many people here will manage five a month unless they can write music like it's a second language!

you dont count as 'many' you count as one.

anyway, you reckon you could transcribe five complete songs, every instrument in a month!

1) b*ll*cks! ... and

2) have you nothing else to do?!

I think the thread starter intended just bass parts anyway. but if you wanna go ahead an transcribe the entire songs go ahead.

moley, what do you do full-time.. are you a student or do you work, a msucian or what?

[Howard K]

Bruce.. coltrane eh.. I bought the delux version of a love supreme today... the bass on it is mad.. there's so much of it!!!

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally posted by Howard K
Bruce.. coltrane eh.. I bought the delux version of a love supreme today... the bass on it is mad.. there's so much of it!!!

Yes - I would be intrested to see Moley transcribe 30 choruses of improvised Double Bass that is mostly chromatic passing tones, along with slight gaffs and intonation "issues"!!

How about the 15-minute live version of Impressions!!!

[moley]

Originally posted by Bruce Lindfield
I think he just means bass lines and that might well be a problem as if you take the Giant Steps example - a lot of great 60s Jazz was recorded in such a way that the Doube Bass is heard more as a dull thud or a percussive sound - so it is very difficut to hear the actual pitches

Yup, you're right there. Those Blue Note recordings don't make it easy to figure out notes - like you said the pitch of the bass doesn't come over well. Though, throwing the whole thing up an octave may well help. The piano doesn't help, either - the sound of the pianos they used (and the way they were recorded) means the sound is very... mellow, for want of a better word - and, a little like a Rhodes, hearing what chords are is made harder by that.

Originally posted by Howard K
you dont count as 'many' you count as one.

anyway, you reckon you could transcribe five complete songs, every instrument in a month!

1) b*ll*cks! ...

Put your money where your mouth is!

and

2) have you nothing else to do?!

Not if there's money in it

Besides, I like transcribing, and it's a really good exercise. I wouldn't do five *full* transcriptions a month normally though. But if it's just the bass parts you're after, well, sure I could. You name the songs

I think the thread starter intended just bass parts anyway. but if you wanna go ahead an transcribe the entire songs go ahead.

If you're willing to take the bet, sure

moley, what do you do full-time.. are you a student or do you work, a msucian or what?

I am a student, but I'm in the sandwich year of my course, I'm working full time for IBM at the moment.

[moley]

Originally posted by Bruce Lindfield


Yes - I would be intrested to see Moley transcribe 30 choruses of improvised Double Bass that is mostly chromatic passing tones, along with slight gaffs and intonation "issues"!!

How about the 15-minute live version of Impressions!!!

I'd give it ago

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally posted by moley


I'd give it ago

Masochist!!

[moley]

Originally posted by Bruce Lindfield


Masochist!!

Damn right! Why make it easy on yourself?

[Howard K]

moley, if you wanna take this bet then go ahead, but you will lose...

ill bet you a tenner or twenty if you like (which you can send by post when you lose) that you cant transcribe five songs of my choice within a month!

This is a stupid bet, I can pick five tracks you wont a have chance of transcribing fully.

I should point out that we cant really do this bet because there's no one to approve or disapprove whether your transcriptions are correct.
I'm certainly not up to the job!

If you want a taste of what I'll set you, think of the first track on either mwandishi or crossings... the one with about ten minutes of percussion. i cant remember which album now.

...we're talking 5 tracks - that's like a hundred minutes of full on jazz here!

please dont take the bet, cause i dont want to take your money and i dont really want the transcriptions either!

[moley]

Originally posted by Howard K
moley, if you wanna take this bet then go ahead, but you will lose...

No I won't.

ill bet you a tenner or twenty if you like (which you can send by post when you lose) that you cant transcribe five songs of my choice within a month!

This is a stupid bet, I can pick five tracks you wont a have chance of transcribing fully.

Well, do you wanna make £20 or not? Name the five songs, and I'll choose whether I wanna take the bet. So if you make 'em too damn hard (like 5 10+ minute Jazz tunes @ 200mbp w/ crazy solos) I won't take it.

I should point out that we cant really do this bet because there's no one to approve or disapprove whether your transcriptions are correct.
I'm certainly not up to the job!

You can read music can't you? I'll send 'em to you, you play 'em, and judge whether they sound right. Well, you won't need to, really, I can tell ya, they'll be right

If you want a taste of what I'll set you, think of the first track on either mwandishi or crossings... the one with about ten minutes of percussion. i cant remember which album now.

...we're talking 5 tracks - that's like a hundred minutes of full on jazz here!

please dont take the bet, cause i dont want to take your money and i dont really want the transcriptions either!

Heh. You're probably thinking of the last track on Crossings - with all the percussion. Sleeping Giant it's called. And it's 24 minutes long. And not really good candidates for transcribing, as it's very free, and much of it not in strict time - so how you'd notate the rhythms for it, I don't know.

Seriously though, pick 5 tunes - not all long free Jazz ones like that. Stuff I've got on CD - Jamiroquai, Stevie Wonder, Beatles, Billy Joel, Sting/Police for example, or maybe Jazz stuff such as Kinda Blue, Mingus Ah Um maybe, or early 60s Blue Note (not the really wild stuff). Or, some good ole' Herbie Funk, or some Weather Report maybe.

Pick 5 tunes and I'll tell you whether I take the bet.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Bluff and double-bluff?

It raises a serious issue though - you have to do transcriptions for a purpose - e.g. to learn something like : how Jazz bass lines are constructed. Or maybe you want to play a song with a band.

Otherwise it can just be a chore.

[Howard K]

"Not a good candidate for transcribing"
...precisely my point!

Seriously though, pick 5 tunes - not all long free Jazz ones like that. Stuff I've got on CD - Jamiroquai, Stevie Wonder, Beatles, Billy Joel, Sting/Police for example, or maybe Jazz stuff such as Kinda Blue, Mingus Ah Um maybe, or early 60s Blue Note (not the really wild stuff).

Well, you were all "I can transcribe anything, c'mon then!"

..and here I was thinking about a couple of tracks from Tijuana Moods, some of Herbie's more 'out there' stuff and maybe a horribley complex live track from the marcus miller CD I just bought!

...and now it's all, "go on pick five ordinary songs and I'll do it"

I could figure 5 ordinary songs in a week for God's sake. It'd take me a month to write it all down mind you, cause my notation is next to non-existent...!

Basically, I'm not betting you £20 that you cant notate a bunch of 4/4 pop songs in pent minor and some major keys!!!

I'm not stupid... honest I'm not!!

..anyway, back on track.. i still think transcribing 5 songs per month is a lot to ask from 'MOST' talkbassers!