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Martino Special user Manchester, UK 928 Posts |
Michael,
You mentioned in another thread (and in the Workers books) that Art Tatum is a musical influence of yours. You also mention that because you have small hands you have trouble with certain "runs" or "phrases" (At least that's what I took to understand by your "minor tenths" comment) Have you ever managed to learn any of Tatums work or do you accept that anything of his would be technically beyond you? (Having seen and heard you play - and being very impressed, I would be surprised that anything would be beyond your scope!)I play guitar a little and am a huge fan of Joe Satriani and Steve Vai. I know that I'll never be able to play most of their stuff but took pride from learning to play a couple of "easier" pieces. Regards, Martin.
"There's a difference between not knowing how something is done and knowing it can't be done!" - Simon Aronson
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mclose V.I.P. 306 Posts |
No, the comment about the 10ths does not mean runs or phrases. Tatum (and other pianist of that generation such as Teddy Wilson, Fats Waller, J.P. Johnson) used what was called a "stride" left hand. This was an elaboration of the "oomp pah" left hand of the ragtime pianist. Tatum brought this to a very harmonically sophisticated level. Basically, the right hand melody (and whatever florid passage work might be involved) is supported by either an alternation of 10ths (that is a note and the note 10 notes above it, for example c to e, c to eb, b to d#, ab to c, etc) and chords, or walking tenths. This provides a very strong harmonic underpinning. I can do the right hand runs, because reach is not really a factor with them. I can reach the big tenths (such as b to d# or ab to c). I have to "roll" them, and that is not stylistically correct.
I have a file cabinet full of jazz transcriptions; in fact I may have one of the largest collections around. I have studied and practiced lots of Tatum transcriptions, but I can't play them convincingly because I can't make the reach in the left hand. Bummer. Close |
Joshua Quinn Inner circle with an outer triangle 2054 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-01-14 16:02, mclose wrote: Just out of curiosity, which ones (if any) have you learned to play down? I have (or had) a rather extensive collection also, but there were very few that I actually learned to play in their entirety; mostly I would study them and find certain specific "bits" that I could use, or sometimes just see if I could learn something about the player's thought process. I'm curious to know how you use them. (Also I used to be one of the transcribers for Hal Leonard, so given what you said about your collection, there's a good chance you have some of my books.)
Every problem contains the seeds of its own solution. Unfortunately every problem also contains the seeds of an infinite number of non-solutions, so that first part really isn't super helpful.
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mclose V.I.P. 306 Posts |
Amazing! I am pals with Paul Lavender and Michael Sweeny at Hal Leonard. I played on many of the Hal Leonard jazz band and marching band (I was the sythesized mallet player) demo recordings. I had the chance to visit the Hal Leonard offices when I did a lecture in Milwaukee in 2005. A remarkable set-up.
I have most of the Hal Leonard keyboard transcriptions, including Tatum, Evans, Peterson, Benny Green, Gene Harris, Teddy Wilson, Fats Waller. I also have a large number of books I've picked up from other countries. My guess is that there are a great number of transcriptions available from Japan that are not readily available here. I mostly learn other people's solos for the development of technique and to expand my database of licks and harmonic possibilities. With the exception of the some of the stride solos (Johnson's Carolina Shout, Jelly Roll Morton's Fingerbuster) I've never performed them publicly. Close |
Joshua Quinn Inner circle with an outer triangle 2054 Posts |
Wow, small world. I didn't know either of the guys you mentioned, as I worked as an independent contractor and only "knew" a couple people there, and then only by phone and email. Still, small world.
I didn't work on any of the books you mentioned. Mine were Brad Mehldau, Kenny Werner, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, James Booker, Professor Longhair, some of the Monk stuff... possibly a couple more that I'm forgetting. And yes, there are some incredible transcriptions in Japan that you can't get anywhere else. The one time I did a tour there, I think I spent half my pay on music books. If we ever meet in person, I'd love to sit down for a full-on magician/jazz pianist geek-out. Joshua
Every problem contains the seeds of its own solution. Unfortunately every problem also contains the seeds of an infinite number of non-solutions, so that first part really isn't super helpful.
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ASW Inner circle 1879 Posts |
Quote:
On 2007-01-14 16:02, mclose wrote: I have studied and practiced lots of Tatum transcriptions, but I can't play them convincingly because I can't make the reach in the left hand. Hi Mike, Have you tried wearing a thumb tip? Hope this helps, Andrew
Whenever I find myself gripping anything too tightly I just ask myself "How would Guy Hollingworth hold this?"
A magician on the Genii Forum "I would respect VIPs if they respect history." Hideo Kato |
mclose V.I.P. 306 Posts |
Actually, what's needed is a little fingertip, and yes, I've tried it, and no, it doesn't work. You need that sensitivity in the end of your finger.
There was actually an article in a keyboard magazine about the disadvantage that keyboard players with small hands have. Basically, it said that if Horowitz had had average sized hands, no one would have ever heard of him. The article was actually about creating keyboards with keys that were 7/8th the width of normal keys. This would even the playing field. Actually, you asked if I had ever used a thumb tip. Yes I have. And how are you? Close |
ASW Inner circle 1879 Posts |
I'm fine. Just back from the mid-east and going through the pain of trying to find a decent house in Sydney. May score a place a minute's walk from a ferry terminal and 20 minutes drive to the City. Whoo-hoo!
Music-wise, I just had a custom-built repro of a late 1950's tweed Fender Pro (with the big-ass 15" speaker) made for me by Clark amplification. Hope to start gigging again really soon. (Every time I save enough money for a Fitch-Kohler holdout I get a jones on for a tweed amp. I could have had four holdouts by now and be halfway clear to my Dr.Oktopus coin act). How are you and Lisa? I see you've both been busy with Seth's new booklet. I just got my copy and it's OUTSTANDING. Hope to see you both again soon in Sydney, when you're willing to work again for 100 Pacific Pesos and a Sydney City bus pass between the venue and the YMCA. cheers Andrew
Whenever I find myself gripping anything too tightly I just ask myself "How would Guy Hollingworth hold this?"
A magician on the Genii Forum "I would respect VIPs if they respect history." Hideo Kato |
Joshua Quinn Inner circle with an outer triangle 2054 Posts |
Funny story about thumbtips and piano playing. A few months ago I accidentally sliced off a chunk of the end of my left thumb -- the exact part that hits the keys, to be precise. Coincidentally, I was scheduled to shoot the illustration photos for the manuscript for my effect Conjunction the next day, and now my left thumb was mangled and full of stitches. So I covered it with a thumbtip for the photo shoot. (And yes, you can tell. I explain the whole story in the manuscript.) But because of that, it occurred to me to see if I could play piano with the thumbtip on. Not only did it work reasonably well (at least for the ballads), but it also extended my reach a whole extra key. (Too bad an eleventh is an essentially useless interval.) So it allowed me to continue to practice, perform, and earn a living in a situation that would otherwise have rendered me unemployed for a month.
Every problem contains the seeds of its own solution. Unfortunately every problem also contains the seeds of an infinite number of non-solutions, so that first part really isn't super helpful.
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