What am I missing in this measure?

[LBS-bass]

It’s a typo, no doubt. The only reason to write a D# in the key of Bb is to convey an ascending line (generally accidentals are sharp ascending and flat descending to convey direction of the line), but in this case I think it’s just an oversight. I really can’t imagine a teacher would try to trick a student, as there’s really nothing to be learned from it. If you were in a session or rehearsal and played as written, the BL is either going to stop you or shoot you a glare and have you fix it in post.

I would think the point of this assignment is to get you to see how walking bassists used chromatic connectivity in their lines, not whether or not you can spot a typo. Play it as mentioned, Bb-D-Eb-E, and if you want mention it afterwards. The real lesson here is chromaticism in walking bass. Happy learning!

That is indeed the stated intent. The whole point of me taking lessons here is to learn positioning connectivity in the way you describe. So this is where we start.

I don't see it as a trick, though. I see it as an evaluation point. What can she see in this? Is she reading the flats and accidentals correctly? For a first lesson I don't see that as unreasonable evaluation. But I may be giving more credit than is due. I will find out. The big thing is that I'm not insane and this is indeed a weird way to write this.

 

[dkelley]

So I'm not nuts, which is good to know.

Since it's a lesson, I am going to play what is written but I'll ask about it.

it could be a test to see if you catch the error.

 

[LBS-bass]

it could be a test to see if you catch the error.

That’s my guess.

 

[Space Pickle]

lol, I doubt it's a secret test. Looks like a turnaround in a jazz blues progression...the point of the lesson is probably to get you started on walking over the blues.

 

[LBS-bass]

lol, I doubt it's a secret test. Looks like a turnaround in a jazz blues progression...the point of the lesson is probably to get you started on walking over the blues.

I’ve been walking over blues changes for a few years. My goal is to add to my bag of tricks and get more than my standard pentatonic patterns under my belt. My teacher seriously does not know what I know yet, since I’ve been playing for 40+ years and I’m not your average beginner. So I think it’s fair to assume he needs ways to evaluate what I know.

I have asked him to customize a program of study that is appropriate for where I am. Not to apply a rote program. So I think it’s appropriate for him to evaluate my skills at this stage. I’d be more concerned if he weren’t wanting to do that.

 

[DigitalMan]

I'm terrible at reading, but in my super limited exposure I thought it was always sharps or flats, but not both in the same score.

 

[charliethomas]

When you're dealing with chromatic approach notes, it means very little to say "well this note isn't in the key". Of course it's not, that's why it's chromatic. It may be more typical to see this approach written as "E(b) E-natural F", but that doesn't mean that writing it as "D# E-natural F" is incorrect (though if you have an Eb in the key signature, why not use it?)

I'm terrible at reading, but in my super limited exposure I thought it was always sharps or flats, but not both in the same score.

The same note may be written with in two different ways (enharmonic equivalents) within the same score, usually depending on whether it's ascending or descending, especially in the context of walking bass lines.

I'm very interested to see what the verdict is on this one! I don't think it's that big of a deal if it IS a simple oversight, but it'd be quite juicy if it does turn out to be a test to see if you'd notice.

 

[SkylineFiver]

Since this is your first lesson, it could be your teacher’s way of determining right out of the gate, whether you are going to practice or not.
It is unlikely this is first time this measure has been assigned.

 

[Real Soon]

Reading thru and knowing what I know about some extremely talented musicians (that being a skilled player and reader doesn't make you an expert typesetter! I have some background there, I've worked as a professional typesetter, though the other skills are questionable), this was an honest mistake. It could also very well have been transposed from another key and not given a lot of looks beyond making sure nothing was too weird. Finale or Sibelius would have absolutely caught it, so I think it's a small human flub.

I'm curious what the next line after that would be, as ending on a C means it would not loop back to C7 for any proper walking pattern. I'm guessing it's meant to go on as a nice 16-bar jazz head might.


Also I would have written it Bb, D, Eb, E-nat; typesetting-grade notation rules default to: less is more! You'd always notate to describe what happens normally in that key, only adding accidentals to show chromatic motion that falls outside of it (or when applying an accidental to notes in different octaves, if the publisher is to be trusted). There's always exceptions, but really only when things are getting mighty weird. Ultimately, it's a skill to read past "incorrect" notations, so that's another notch for you to recognize it and play what's intended.

 

[LBS-bass]

The consensus here is this is a typo where the last note should be E natural. I wish I had a recording to know what should have been transcribed.

However, one or two have pointed out that the D# could indicate ascending movement which is something I wondered about.

Suppose Paul really did play the notes that are written. Would it be at all reasonable to say that the last note in the measure is represented that way because the line is no longer ascending?

It seems a stretch to me, but I dunno.

 

[JimmyM]

seems like an mistaken attempt to describe a chromatic run from the 3rd
they probably meant Bb D D# E
What follows next measure may give clues

Can't see the key signature, is it truly 2 flats? It's not key of F by chance?

I agree with that. I would put money on it.

 

[jtg]

The consensus here is this is a typo where the last note should be E natural. I wish I had a recording to know what should have been transcribed.

However, one or two have pointed out that the D# could indicate ascending movement which is something I wondered about.

Suppose Paul really did play the notes that are written. Would it be at all reasonable to say that the last note in the measure is represented that way because the line is no longer ascending?

It seems a stretch to me, but I dunno.

Nah, the e natural is the half step approach, while the D and Eb are in the key. There is no reason to sharp the major third in this context to reach the perfect fourth, already in the key. Just a typo.

 

[Nashrakh]

I'm terrible at reading, but in my super limited exposure I thought it was always sharps or flats, but not both in the same score.

In classical music of the Romantic era, you see both accidentals being mixed all the time. For example, I have before me the piano arrangements of Brahms' string quintet op. 88, and it's full of sharps and flats being mixed. Usually, it's a diminished 7th chord that necessitates a spelling like that, though there are others. (For example: the IIdo of Brahms op.88 features a dim 7 chord in measure 14 of mvmt. 1, spelled c in the left hand, e flat, f sharp, a natural (with accidental), e flat in the right hand.)

 

[Les Fret]

When is your next lesson? Now I am curious what your teacher will say! Let us know.

 

[albertus]

I consider myself almost a professional transcriber. I do it everyday for various reasons and I have three books published, so a little experience here.
what happened here is that the person who did the transcription was doing the input via clicking the mouse directly on to the staff. after writing the D# (I also would have written Eb since as other mates here say) he forgot that the E was flat and saw an E natural. really common mistake.

 

[themickster]

There's a chord chart of George Harrison's Isn't It a Pity, with C#m7-5/G and Gdim7. Both chords are half-diminished, so why say it in two such different ways?
George Harrison - Isnt It A Pity (Chords)

 

[Ekulati]

It's the third measure in this line:

View attachment 5124273

It's a lesson, so my gut tells me it's just a test to get me to ask this question, and to see if I don't play two different notes there.

That's clearly some kinda mistake. Or something written by a person who knows nothing about music notation.

 

[TreySonagras]

It's the third measure in this line:

View attachment 5124273

It's a lesson, so my gut tells me it's just a test to get me to ask this question, and to see if I don't play two different notes there.

Someone maybe made a mistake with the notation. For one thing, mixing sharps into a piece that uses flats is a bit awkward. A better way would have been to write D-E flat-E natural.

 

[OptimalOptimus]

In classical music an ascending line would have sharp and descending line flat

I’ve seen jazz transcriptions treating each bars as its own world no matter the key sig

 

[CatOnTheBass]

- This is a transcription of a bass line played by Paul Chambers.

Why not listen to the recording and hear what Paul Chambers played?
Seems to me that would be the definitive answer (and maybe what your teacher is testing/hoping you will do).