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Double Bass Take The A Train.

#21
We can tell you the answer, but it sounds like you want to work through it with your ears from good reference recordings and I think you'll find a lot of support for that plan. It will stick with you a lot better that way.

Have fun and report back.
 
#22
TroyK said:
We can tell you the answer, but it sounds like you want to work through it with your ears from good reference recordings and I think you'll find a lot of support for that plan. It will stick with you a lot better that way.

Have fun and report back.
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I appreciate the support Troy. You're absolutely right...I really need to get my ears working and I am determined to. I have ear training software on my computer & phone and working on transcribing. I'm using the software three times a day for about 15 minutes each.

I'll definitely report back with how make out with the chart. Once again I appreciate the support!!!
 
#24
Interesting topic. For fun in practice lately I have been mashing together Take the A Train and AC Jobim's So Danco Samba. Fun to go back and forth from the walk to a bossa They are basically the same changes.

Although I have seen several different chord spellings of that D7b5, and many people seem to play different things there.
 
#25
So I have been at this for a few days and am really struggling. While I would call the tune up tempo, I wouldn't say that harmonic rhythm or pace seems to be moving very quickly. I get this feeling mostly from focusing on the bass line. I am having trouble figuring out the chords though because of what is happening on top (at least I think that's why). Anyone ever find themselves in this situation or have any suggestions for working through it? I really want to get better with this but have been finding myself getting very discouraged and frustrated.
 
#26
Have I ever found myself discouraged or frustrated? Yes.

Did you try transcribing the Ray Brown line? Nice and slow and he does a good job outlining the changes.

It is hard, man. Especially until your ear develops a knack for these kind of changes. It will come.
 
#27
TroyK said:
Have I ever found myself discouraged or frustrated? Yes.

Did you try transcribing the Ray Brown line? Nice and slow and he does a good job outlining the changes.

It is hard, man. Especially until your ear develops a knack for these kind of changes. It will come.
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Seems like a silly question now that I read your response. There'd probably be an issue if I didn't feel this way.

I was trying to work from the Duke versions to get the chord changes but I am going to go back and spend some time wit;h the Ray Brown version. The tempo seems much better and the bass is very clear.

I certainly didn't think it was going to be easy. I'm just wondering if this tune is good for beginners or more advanced and if my assessment of what I'm hearing is accurate.

I am going to keep at it....this is something I need to do...even if it takes a lifetime (which it probably will)!
 
#28
I think it's good for beginners. Not too many chords, resolve logically. There's really one chord in there that is a little unusual and then a very similar one that needs to be just the slight bit different that it is. They're really key for defining that song, if you walk in on someone blowing over the changes, that chord will resolve an ambiguity about what song it is.

The rest are simple and around the key center.

The beauty of dissonance is when it shows up in the middle of something really consonant. Stick with it, if you want some help, let us know. I don't want to ruin it for you by offering anything that you didn't ask for.

Pick Ray's lines apart. If he loses on one of his runs, don't worry about it, but see what chord/scale what he plays sounds like. You'll get it and you'll know that song in your sleep once you do.
 
#33
No one's going to flame you man. You're doing your work. We only flame people who want shortcuts.

For the most part your root movement looks mostly right to me. There are some chord qualities that are really important to this song that you're missing. Without knowing your teacher, I think it would be better for him or her to help you hear them than for us to tell you. If you think you have another critical listen in you, it might be worth it. If not, it will come out in your lesson.

If you have enough piano chops to voice the chords slowly it might help. I don't have access to an instrument, but the melody might have some clues, I don't remember and my pitch recall isn't that good.

Good work, though. Keep it up.
 
#34
Thanks Troy! I definitely plan to keep at it. Maybe my teacher will give me some helpful hints / guidance and let me work on it another week. The little pieces of the melody I figured out definitely left me thinking I was missing something, likely the tensions you are referring to. Also when I tried to play chords on my bass along with it, something seemed slightly off at points.

I definitely need to invest in a keyboard....either way I'll check back again after my lesson. For reference the track I worked mainly from was the recording on Best of Duke Ellington, it has a red cover.

I am really enjoying the tune...even after listening to it at least ten times a day the past few days.
 
#36
ErikP.Bass said:
Thanks Troy! I definitely plan to keep at it. Maybe my teacher will give me some helpful hints / guidance and let me work on it another week. The little pieces of the melody I figured out definitely left me thinking I was missing something, likely the tensions you are referring to. Also when I tried to play chords on my bass along with it, something seemed slightly off at points.

I definitely need to invest in a keyboard....either way I'll check back again after my lesson. For reference the track I worked mainly from was the recording on Best of Duke Ellington, it has a red cover.

I am really enjoying the tune...even after listening to it at least ten times a day the past few days.
Click to expand...

That guitar in your hand will work too, but make sure you know what notes you're playing vs just making chord shapes. Play the arpeggios (one note at a time ascending and descending) and see what you hear. When your ear connects with it, you'll own it forever. Much more valuable than reading a lead sheet and following the instructions.

This is where theory will help AND/OR hurt you. If it's an alteration that doesn't fall in line with your theory, your brain will get in the way of your ear. Not saying theory is bad, it's actually good, but you don't want to limit yourself to what you understand right now...know what I mean?
 
#37
I know exactly what you mean. Throughout my musical life I've relied on thinking and taking a theoretical approach to things which unfortunately left my ears far behind (and my playing shows that) I've finally decided to, and thankfully found a teacher who, is helping guide me to pick up the slack. Hopefully I'll be able to eventually "hear" the theory I conceptually understand and the subtleties (dynamics, phrasing etc.) required to make great music
 
#40
Paul Warburton said:
+1.

Looks like you really impressed these guys with this......oh, well. :help:

You're 100% right on. It's all right here in Red's lines, unless yer deaf.
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Enjoyed this, thanks for posting. Not quite sure I get what you mean by it's all in there with my ears where they are. I'd love to be able to play like that but I don't really comprehend what's happening. I'm just starting to hear do re mi so all the chromaticism washes over me in a blur.
 

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