Hello ,
It’s great to transcribe solos. It’s good for your ear but you need to know what to make of this transcription. I realized I needed to analyze the melody (identifying scale degrees) and simplify the phrases to understand how these phrases were built. This is what I call “zooming out”, to the quarter note and half note level. The half note level shows you the targeted notes on beats 1 and 3, the quarter note level shows you the targeted notes on each beat. Discover our free jazz lessons !
Here are a few things to remember when you transcribe a solo:
1. Analyze the melody. Identify the scale degrees. Is this D the 9th of C-7, the 13th of F7, the flat 9th of Db7?
2. Identify what are the targeted notes on beats 1 and 3 (half note representation of the melody).
3. Identify the targeted notes on each downbeat.
4. Identify patterns, approach notes, II V phrases etc… and practice these in 12 keys!
5. Sing the phrases
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2 Responses
Good afternoon, Mr. Terrier.
Sorry to bother you. I have a quick question: why, at 00:55, do you mention that the scale Hank Mobley plays in bars 31 and 32 is the half-step/ whole step scale? Speaking in concert, the chord is Ab-7 and he starts by playing the first notes of Ab-. There is a tone between Ab and Bb.
It would help me a lot to understand this question.
Merci beaucoup, Monsieur Terrier! 🙂
P.S.: Congratulations on the video. I’m learning so many new things. I’m happy!
Hi Aleix! On Ab-7, Hank Mobley is using the Db7 half/whole diminished scale. So indeed in this scale you have Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, the Ab minor tetrachord!