Playing AABA (Form) songs

[conttador]

How do you keep track of how many As you’ve played. Usually that third (or 1st) A to go to the B gets me. Any tips or tricks? Counting works with simple changes like Cantaloupe Island or Maiden Voyage but songs like Scrapple present a bigger challenge for me.

Thanks as always for your valuable insight!

 

[Ed Fuqua]

Always have the melody in your ear, for those standards that have words, learn them. First and second A sections will have different turnarounds, because they are pointing at different harmonic resolutions, generally the third A resembles the first A as they are aiming towards the first chord of the piece, but you’ll often have a resolution to the tonic before the turnaround to the top.
But the bottom line is - you need to hear the whole form of the tune, not as a series of separate chords, but as the arc of a melody.

 

[Malcolm35]

All my music had lyrics. Follow the chords while singing the lyrics under your breath will keep you on track.

 

[conttador]

Always have the melody in your ear, for those standards that have words, learn them. First and second A sections will have different turnarounds, because they are pointing at different harmonic resolutions, generally the third A resembles the first A as they are aiming towards the first chord of the piece, but you’ll often have a resolution to the tonic before the turnaround to the top.
But the bottom line is - you need to hear the whole form of the tune, not as a series of separate chords, but as the arc of a melody.

thank you! This is very valuable insight! I have started learning Melodies to tunes and that has helped with other tunes like Blue Bossa. I will start learning the Melodies to some of those AABA tunes.

What do you mean by “Arc of a melody”?

Thank you again!

 

[dreamadream99]

When the band hits that third A section, that signals the end of the song, there is usually the hint of some type of a conclusion at the end of it. The entire band should be feeling and hearing the conclusion of the form. If you don’t hear that, then you know you are still in the first or second A section.

 

[Ed Fuqua]

What do you mean by “Arc of a melody”?

Germans have a word for everything (even if it means putting a bunch of single words together to make one word), gestalt, the organized whole that is more than the sum of its parts. A melody (particularly for songs from the Great American Songbook, Broadway, etc.) isn't just a collection of individual notes or short phrases and you need to start working on hearing that.
Have you checked out this thread?

 

[conttador]

Germans have a word for everything (even if it means putting a bunch of single words together to make one word), gestalt, the organized whole that is more than the sum of its parts. A melody (particularly for songs from the Great American Songbook, Broadway, etc.) isn't just a collection of individual notes or short phrases and you need to start working on hearing that.
Have you checked out this thread?

I have not but I WILL! Thank you for your valuable insight! For what it’s worth, I’m working with your book too! Thank you again!

 

[Snarf]

I like Dancing Queen.

 

[SteveC]

As usual, Ed pretty much nails it.