Tips on learning Donna Lee?

[misterCRUSH]

So I already learned Portrait of Tracy, and am moving on. Donna Lee is so much longer, and has much less repeated sections. I'm wondering what your thoughts are. I have an official transcript, just need to get it memorized and under my fingers. I know I should probably work in sections, but should I take a section until I get it up to speed and then move on; or, should I get the whole thing memorized slowly, and then get the whole thing up to speed? I'm torn between the two. Thanks in advance.

 

[Lobster11]

This is well above my pay grade so I can't speak from experience, but I would definitely approach it section-by-section and then string the sections together at the end. As one of my bandmates likes to say (about life in general), "I try to do one thing, do it well, and then move on...."

 

[WrapRough]

Small sections at 50% speed. Once memorised, move on. When complete, increase speed.

See you in a year

 

[IamGroot]

I used to play a lot of Charley Parker and Bach. It was a brutal learning curve.

1) If you don't already play one finger one fret, time to rethink that.
2) Figuring out the correct fingering is the key. Don't blindly use somebody elses tab.
3) Think hand position, not fingers. Once you are sure of the fingering, mark over the music, which position you are using. I like Roman Numerals for this. So if your index finger is on the third fret, use III. I remember Donna used to switch back and forth one fret in position which made it challenging.

 

[misterCRUSH]

I used to play a lot of Charley Parker and Bach. It was a brutal learning curve.

1) If you don't already play one finger one fret, time to rethink that.
2) Figuring out the correct fingering is the key. Don't blindly use somebody elses tab.
3) Think hand position, not fingers. Once you are sure of the fingering, mark over the music, which position you are using. I like Roman Numerals for this. So if your index finger is on the third fret, use III. I remember Donna used to switch back and forth one fret in position which made it challenging.

THANKS!!!

 

[Bob_Ross]

Donna Lee is so much longer, and has much less repeated sections.

Actually...

Presuming you're talking about learning the entire Jaco Pastorius rendition of "Donna Lee" off his eponymous solo album -- including the improvised parts -- I think your best strategy would be to first learn the chord changes to "Donna Lee". Because:

- A) once you have memorized the chord changes, you'll be able to see that in fact it repeats several times over: Jaco plays the written head over the form, then his own improvisation over a repeat of the form (I forget if he takes one or two choruses) and then recaps the written head over yet another repeat of the form. (Or maybe the recap is over a truncated version of the form? I forget, it's been a while since I've listened to that version.) Knowing that the entire form repeats three or four times is invaluable in getting a handle on how to memorize the entire piece. But also

- B) once you have memorized the chord changes, you'll be able to analyze how the melodic phrases (both written and improvised) relate to those changes, and this will allow you to grasp larger groups of notes rather than having to parse each one individually. E.g., if you know that the second chord change is a G7 and then acknowledge that the melodic phrase in that measure is just a descending G mixolydian scale followed by a G dominant 7th arpeggio, it's much easier to remember what happens in that measure; the chord changes tell you what material to use, and the melodies (usually!) confirm that.

 

[misterCRUSH]

Actually...

Presuming you're talking about learning the entire Jaco Pastorius rendition of "Donna Lee" off his eponymous solo album -- including the improvised parts -- I think your best strategy would be to first learn the chord changes to "Donna Lee". Because:

- A) once you have memorized the chord changes, you'll be able to see that in fact it repeats several times over: Jaco plays the written head over the form, then his own improvisation over a repeat of the form (I forget if he takes one or two choruses) and then recaps the written head over yet another repeat of the form. (Or maybe the recap is over a truncated version of the form? I forget, it's been a while since I've listened to that version.) Knowing that the entire form repeats three or four times is invaluable in getting a handle on how to memorize the entire piece. But also

- B) once you have memorized the chord changes, you'll be able to analyze how the melodic phrases (both written and improvised) relate to those changes, and this will allow you to grasp larger groups of notes rather than having to parse each one individually. E.g., if you know that the second chord change is a G7 and then acknowledge that the melodic phrase in that measure is just a descending G mixolydian scale followed by a G dominant 7th arpeggio, it's much easier to remember what happens in that measure; the chord changes tell you what material to use, and the melodies (usually!) confirm that.

Great tip thanks!!

 

[JonathanPDX]

Actually...

Presuming you're talking about learning the entire Jaco Pastorius rendition of "Donna Lee" off his eponymous solo album -- including the improvised parts -- I think your best strategy would be to first learn the chord changes to "Donna Lee".

Yes, I was about to write the same thing! Donna Lee is a very different experience with a traditional arrangement (IE multiple instruments covering the chords, bass, and melody) compared to Jaco's solo performance. I think his makes far more sense when you understand the full-band context and can imagine that underneath what he's doing.

If this were my project I'd start by listening to all the arrangements of the original tune I could find, learn the form, get the changes down to the point where I could comfortably walk or play the chords, then tackle the original melody, THEN move on to Jaco's version so I had a really clear context of what he is adding and changing from the original. I think it's easier to build on top of that, as he did, rather than try to master the end result without all the steps he took to get there.

 

[Don Kasper]

Also - keep in mind that Jaco modulates to the key of Emaj, (from Abmaj), for the out-chorus melody starting at 1:46...
This version:

Thanks and Good Luck.

 

[IamGroot]

THANKS!!!

I lerned Bach's Violin Concerto (Presto) in G while overseas in a barracks. I practiced 45 minutes bfore work at 5AM, 45 minutes at lunch, and an hour after work which ended at 7 PM. I did this for 56 straight days while working 72 hr weeks and didnt play anything else. I took a quantum step up in playing ability as a result. The barracks environment helped get er done.

I developed a lot of insight on how hand position and phasing work together.

 

[WrapRough]

I read somewhere that Jaco said in an interview it took him 8 years to get this down to the point where he could put it on a recording. Not sure of the truth of that. But it's a serious project piece nonetheless

 

[WrapRough]

Out of interest, have you learned any other pieces of this difficulty level before? I always thought Teen Town would be a nice way to get up to the point where I could attempt Donna Lee

 

[Pacman]

Out of interest, have you learned any other pieces of this difficulty level before? I always thought Teen Town would be a nice way to get up to the point where I could attempt Donna Lee

Ornithology, Confirmation, Anthropology, Scrapple....all great tunes to work your way up to Donna Lee. They deal more with the vocabulary needed than Teen Town does. (Not that Teen Town isn't a worthy pursuit)