Double Bass Real Book, Vocal, High Voice, 2nd Edition - Key Changes

[Steve Freides]

I like the Real Vocal Book. I use it for lots of things, and I encourage my students to get their own copy. It's got lots of great tunes in it.

One of my students bought it recently, same 2nd Edition that I have, or so I thought. The first tune we picked found his in a different key than mine, and then we picked another tune and, lo and behold, again his was in a different key than mine.

So I'm a bit peeved because his is called the 2nd Edition and so is mine, and if they're going to change the keys of multiple tunes, they ought to call it a different edition.

I contacted their customer service, and today I sent them email. Out of the 17 tunes that start the book - I did everything that starts with the letter "A" - 4 are in different keys.

Mad a hell and I can't take it anymore!



Still, no way for a music publisher to do business. They will lose mine because I'll have to photocopy the stuff I have, and won't be recommending to any more of my students that they go out and get a copy of this fake book.

Who's up for ranting about this with me?

-S-

 

[JBarz]

I’ve spent way too much time with that book, those tunes, in those keys. To further complicate matters, the ‘low voice’ transposition of these books are trash, too. Very poor proofreading of enharmonic spellings, etc. Luckily, my voice prefers the ‘high’, more standard keys.

My main complaint is that it’s really ballad heavy, though. That may be an idiomatic singer complaint, in all fairness.

I will say I do prefer a lead sheet with lyrics when available, though, so I still look at it from time to time when I’m trying to find a new tune to learn.

 

[Steve Freides]

I’ve spent way too much time with that book, those tunes, in those keys. To further complicate matters, the ‘low voice’ transposition of these books are trash, too. Very poor proofreading of enharmonic spellings, etc. Luckily, my voice prefers the ‘high’, more standard keys.

Agreed. So many weird things in the high voice book - I can't imagine it could be worse in the other one but I guess anything is possible ...

My main complaint is that it’s really ballad heavy, though. That may be an idiomatic singer complaint, in all fairness.

I like that because I teach and ballads, because they're slower, are more user-friendly to new players.

I will say I do prefer a lead sheet with lyrics when available, though, so I still look at it from time to time when I’m trying to find a new tune to learn.

Yes, there is that. These are mostly tunes with words and it's nice to see the words, I agree.

-S-