I Real Pro - A review

Most users of modern devices have probably come across this app by now. It's like the old real book that you used to be able to buy under the counter - but way better.

Not only do you have literally thousands of charts available online, they can be downloaded in an instant, saved for offline use on the road. Furthermore they can be transposed and used as a practice tool BIAB (Band in a Box) style. 

So what's good and what's not?

The plus:

- thousands of charts in all styles available through the forum. Blues, Pop and Rock becoming more available as more people use. 

- when you are in time trouble and need charts fast there is nothing better. 

- transposing is very easy. 

- the app can act as a traveling play-along tool. 

- easy to create playlists for gigs. Have all your songs in one place.

-the app can be used on your phone.

The minus:

- many of the charts are wrong. Time saved transcribing is lost correcting errors. This is not the fault of the app. You rely on work done by others, and naturally there will be mistakes. 

- as yet, the play along feature is weak. If you enjoy practicing with such things, BIAB is much better. There are lots of styles to choose from, but it's a little stiff and the harmonies no where near as advanced as other play along programs. I'm already not really a fan of BIAB, but this is even less enjoyable to play along to.

- melodies are not shown in the score. This is a big disadvantage for me. Especially when it's a new tune, the melody is really needed. 

- click back on an Android tablet and it exits! Hard to get used to that. 

- you spend less time getting better at transcribing songs!!
 

On the whole this is a superb application.  It has already saved me countless hours and I love having all my charts in one place. Furthermore it's updated regularly so I can only see it getting better. I hope that sometime there will be the possibility to see the melody on the chart but for now this is a wonderful tool. 

The modern Jazz musician - What is it really like?

Rarely have I read an article that hit home more. Musician or not, this makes for a thought provoking read. For those who are, it will strike a chord, and for those who are not, it might give an insight into this fascinating and unique life that we lead. The article is written by Jeremy Gantz for inthesetimes.com.

 http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/16833/working_40_jazz_musician

Writing a musical - Sorcery at Sea

Last year I had the great pleasure of being part of a team of people in Auroville that put together an original musical. As a collaborative musical effort this was probably one of the most enjoyable and satisfying things I've been a part of. The Video posted below gives a good idea of the work behind the scenes that went into the production. It includes interviews with myself, Paul Blanchflower, who wrote the script and co wrote the music, and Clare Stewart who co wrote the lyrics and was involved in pretty much everything in the project.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-OwUqR0aDY

Practicing Slowly - When you havn't much time

A lot has been written on this subject on the internet by excellent writers and knowledgeable teachers of music, but I felt I had to post something on this subject because it is so important. In fact I would say that if there was one thing I would recommend to any student this would be it. If you want to become better faster - even in a short space of time - practice slowly.

Some weeks ago I was practicing the piano for a concert in which I had to play tunes at a faster tempo than I'm usually able to handle. In the short space of time I had, there wasn't a lot of hope for me to achieve the desired technique, but with several concentrated sessions of slow practice, I was at least able to get to a point where I was relaxed while playing at these faster speeds. I may not having been ripping around all over the piano, but I could play, and I was playing comfortable solos within my limitations. The results were undeniably better than the fumbling, tense improvisations of my previous attempts.

When you are short on time the natural thing to do when you need to improvise on a fast tune would be to crank up the metronome and hope by brute force you'd hit the mark. But does it work? I don't think so. The best you can hope for using this technique are very short term results. Try playing the same solo a few days later and most probably you are back to where you started.

So what happened when I gave those hours to slowly building up the tempo? Starting at a cool medium pace and notching the metronome up every 15 minutes or so. Suddenly everything was different. I was relaxed, I could see the notes in front of me, I was aware, conscious of the movement of my fingers, my brain had time to make musical decisions, my brain had time to cope with those unexpected twists and lines that come when you improvise, I was rhythmically solid, and I was enjoying the moment... I was making good music!

And when I came back several days later and had to play the same solo again cold? Well... it was ok. It took me time to reach where I was, but I know that it was a lot better than if I had done all that practice at speed. I wasn't starting afresh each time I reached the piano. Body and mind knew it was going in the right direction and with a couple more similar sessions I probably would hit that mark.

Piano voicings - 7th chords made easy

Ive been having to do a bit of a refresher these last weeks. I get by reasonably well on piano but since I don't play as much as Saxophone some things slip. Playing through the changes of "All of Me" for a recording I realised that the conventional 7th rootless voicings were not coming out as I would have liked. They were missing some of the fuller, darker quality I usually enjoy in other chords.

I gave it some time and this is what works for me. Here are two simple voicings that work very well. As with most of the things I study, I try to keep things as simple as possible to remember:

1. In the left hand all you need to play is the third and seventh in either inversion. 
2. In the right hand play a stack of three 4ths starting on either the 6th or the 9th.
3. Take a look at the score below to see how.
4. www.noteflight.com/scores/v...


The score was made with www.noteflight.com

Later on this week I'll post on how to make these voicings sound even richer by altering the notes in the left hand.

Jazz Hero TV - Jazztutorial on Youtube

I came across this today, a very useful channel on YouTube by pianist Julian Bradley. The videos cover a wide variety of topics and are very well explained. From what I've looked at so far its geared towards beginner and intermediate players and is an excellent and comprehensive resource for students of Jazz piano as well as Jazz theory in general. I will definately be recommending this to my students.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu1yiKjTRetsoZ-OSeOMmzg

For more information have a look at this trailer:

How much do we know about the standards we play?

How much do we know about the standards we play? I grew up at the time when the "holy" real book was the only thing you thought you really needed. Find a dodgy music shop with this mysterious hand written book of charts, and you were off. You knew every tune you ever needed. Get together with a bunch of like minded friends and the only question was how to find the first gig.

Twenty years on, that same trusty book is ragged and tattered. It's seen hundreds of gigs and rehearsals and it's served me well. Maybe by now I don't even have to take it around with me, as a lot of the tunes are ingrained in my memory. What a fabulous tool this has been.

So how many of these 600 odd tunes do I really know well?

The honest answer is hardly any. Yes, I can play a number of them. At one point or other I may have even played most of the book. Some are even recorded. But do I really know them? The truth is no.

I've known this for a long time. Admittedly the gigs in which I have to play these tunes now, are very few and far between but this is not an excuse. How can something that I thought so useful as a teenager really be quite the opposite? Not only that, it is well known that the original Real book is full of mistakes that I certainly wasn't aware of or bother to check years ago.

I definitely did something wrong.

The clincher came when I read this article about Blue Bossa by Rachel Bronstein on Don Sickler's website.  http://www.donsickler.com/blue-bossa-what-you-dont-know/ It reminded me of something I was telling myself for a long time. Every song, tune, composition has a story behind it. In order to do it justice, to play it well, we must surely really know these things. This wonderful article illustrates just how far I was from this, and how sad it is that even the most famous of standards, I know almost nothing about.








 

Miles Davis Biopic - Miles Ahead

I've been seeing this for sometime now and it looks like it's finally happening. The long anticipated movie on the life of Miles Davis  - now entitled 'Miles Ahead' will start filming this summer. The movie stars, and is directed by Don Cheadle who has been working on this project for years. It looks like no stone has been left unturned as he has been learning the trumpet for over 3 years and has the services of Herbie Hancock on the production team.

Personally I'm following this with anticipation yet at the same time with some reticence. Like alot of movies that are on topics close to our hearts, it can either turn out to be what we were hoping for, or not hit the mark at all. It's a very big ask of Cheadle and his team to portray such a leading figure in music in a way that will touch all of us in the way we are looking for.

Still it has been done. For me Ray, Walk the Line, and Cadillac Records are good examples of successful portrayals of iconic musicians. I enjoyed Forest Whitaker's portrayal of Bird, and as a fan of formula one I also immensely enjoyed Senna  - another huge figure to put onto film.

It remains to be seen. I will follow this with interest.

Ahmad Jamal in India

This is not something we will see everyday. Legendary Jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal will be performing on July 5th in Bangalore at the Chowdiah memorial hall. Have a look at his official website and you can see that he is breaking up dates in France and Belgium with a hop over here. Definitely something not to be missed.

Here are various press links for the event including a nice interview with Kamal Sagar in Rolling stone Magazine on how this concert came about.

http://rollingstoneindia.com/qa-kamal-sagar/

http://rollingstoneindia.com/jazz-legend-ahmad-jamal-play-bengaluru-july/

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Entertainment/Kannada/Music/Music-legend-Ahmad-Jamal-to-perform-in-Bangalore/articleshow/37507253.cms

Marc Berthoumieux

Incredible! I came across this today. What a fabulous version of Pat Metheny's composition "Have you heard". Who would have thought this instrument would suite so well.

Recording with your phone - converting files to Mp3

I use my phone alot to record. Actually I record almost everything. When I practice, rehearsals, compositions, bits and pieces here and there. Unfortunately the 3ga format that comes with Android phones is not so useful if you want to edit or store your files for later use. Luckily I found this great site that allows you to convert online to pretty much anything you please. You can even modify the bitrate and other settings. Check out audio-convert.com. You can convert books, images videos and more. A wonderful tool.

http://www.online-convert.com/

Jazz Melodica

For those who are still doubters of this wonderful instrument, here are a few links regarding the melodica in jazz and music today. In the first video, pianist Jon Batiste talks about his love of the instrument, and the tonal possibilities that it has. The second video is an extraordinary rendition of Astor Piazzolla's Libertango by Masa Matsuda. It has to be see to be believed. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMJump1VzEw

As far as tone is concerned this is my favourite. Mario Duenas has a quite beautiful and expressive sound. There are other several good videos to be seen on his Channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmxPwuCuoQM

To wrap it all up have a look at this article from the Jazztruth blog. A humorous and insightful discovery of the melodica in jazz today.

http://jazztruth.blogspot.in/2010/09/jazz-melodica-why-didnt-anybody-tell-me.html

How to tune a melodica

Going to music stores can be very dangerous on the wallet. Time spent in three nice music shops in Bangalore on Sunday and I find myself with a new instrument. This time it's another melodica. A 37 key one opposed to the 26 key one I already have.

It is not unusual for even a brand new melodica to have notes that are out of tune. It's sad but unfortunately the case. Luckily however this is not something too difficult to fix. A screwdriver, a tuner and some sand paper and one hour later mine was playing like a dream.

Having watched some YouTube videos on the same topic this is what I did:

1. Take your tuner and identify the notes that are out of tune. Note how many cents they are sharp or flat. I would tackle only the very worst ones first. It is unlikely that you will notice notes that are slightly out of tune. I dealt with the ones that were 10 cents or more off.
2. Unscrew the melodica. Be careful to keep the same screws in the same wholes. The last time I took a melodica apart, I didn't quite put it properly back together, and it was leaking air making it almost impossible to play.
3. Identify the reeds that correspond to the out of tune notes, either by gently plucking with a pocket knife or lining up the corresponding key. 
4. Take a small piece of sandpaper and sand a small amount at either the tip or the base of the reed to correct it.
5. If the note is flat, you need to sand near the tip. Support the tip from under with a pocket knife or something like that to protect it.
6. If the note is sharp you sand the base near where the reed is attached.
7. Put the melodica back together without the screws, and test the notes. You will need to blow fairly hard.
8. Adjust as needed and put the melodica back together.
9. It is very important that the screws are tightly put back or the melodica will not be airtight.

This is what worked for me. A feel good fix for someone that had spent money on an instrument, and was disappointed when it was out of tune. The melodicas I have are not expensive and I was prepared to take the risk. I would advise anyone wishing to do this, to research it properly first. For a more thorough explanation read these article from melodica.com and melodicaworld.com

http://www.melodicas.com/tuning.htm

http://www.melodicaworld.com/article/788/

Examples

I've spent the last days playing through the scales talked about in the previous two posts. If anyone is interested in recorded examples - (basic recording) just to hear what they sound like, do mail me and I'll send you something your way. All my contacts are under the links tab. 

Modes of the melodic minor - Improvising on alt Chords

In my last post I took a look at an alternate way of soloing on a m7b5 using the 5th mode of the melodic minor. In this next post I want to look a possibility for improvising on the vth degree of a minor ii v i.

If we take the progression Am7b5 D7alt for example, two nice possibilities are there.

In traditional theory we are often proposed to play the melodic minor a half step above:

• D7alt = Eb melodic minor = Eb F Gb Ab Bb C D Eb

One further possibility would be to use the 6th mode or Locrian #2:

• Eb melodic minor = Eb F Gb Ab Bb C D Eb
• 6th mode of Eb = C D Eb F Gb Ab Bb C

An even nicer one in my opinion which has a very modern sound is the 4th mode or Lydian b7:

• Eb melodic minor = Eb F Gb Ab Bb C D Eb
• 4th mode of Eb = Ab Bb C D Eb F Gb Ab

Like my proposition for the m7b5 chord, these are very much subject to taste and style. One would really need to play though each mode carefully and with time in order to find the best personal choice. One could even use the mixolydian b6 (charukesi) proposed in the previous post starting on Bb. Each one has it's unique sound.

Improvising on m7b5 chords

About a year ago in my journal I had written that improvising on m7b5 (half diminished) chords was a weakness of mine, especially when they didn't resolve to something obvious that the ear would help out with.

I did quite some study on this and with the help of pianist Aman Mahajan we came to a scale choice that offers a sound alternative to the standard teaching.

Firstly I was always taught that the best scale to play here was the melodic minor a minor third above. For example:

Am7b5 = C melodic minor = C D Eb F G A B C

I had used this for years but it never gave me quite the feel I was looking for. Then at one point I sat at the piano and looked for an alternative. I started by going through, and experimenting with the different modes of the melodic minor.

After some time I found that the 5th mode offered the best sound for me:

 C melodic minor = C D Eb F G A B C

 5th mode of C melodic minor = G A B C D Eb F G

At this point I can see some people asking me yes, but these are exactly the same notes. Yes, they are but the fact that you base your improvisation around a different key center offers you an entirely different sound. You must try it to see the difference. Improvise over an Am7b5 chord alternating the different modes of the C melodic minor, and there is a big difference, though the notes remain the same. Oddly enough this scale which is known as the Mixolydian b6 is also a scale used in Indian music called Charukesi.

This works for me and may not work for others. I still have a long way to go with this and next I will post I relate this to a minor ii v i progression.  I would be interested to have feedback from anyone who gives this a go.

Update

I'm just back from a short tour with Refuge lead by Aman Mahajan. We had fantastic concerts at Shisha Cafe Pune, Vidyaranya school in Hyderabad and B Flat bar in Bangalore. The music continues to be very well received and I will post recordings and write ups as and when they come.

For now, here is something from the Indian Express, The Hindu and the Times of India:

http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/The-Musical-Refuge/2014/06/11/article2274590.ece1

http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/events/take-refuge-this-weekend/article6104624.ece

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/music/Refuge-is-on-a-south-India-tour/articleshow/36244311.cms

apassion4jazz.net

Another great site. Full of useful tools and resources for students of Jazz, as well as many humorous things too. Here's a good one:

How to play Jazz Sax:

First things first. If you're a white guy, you'll need a stupid hat, the more stupid the better and preferably a beret. Sunglasses are optional, but all the really, really good players wear them, especially indoors. You'll also need some gig shirts. Hawaiians are good, but in a pinch anything with a loud floral pattern is acceptable, as are T shirts from various Jazz clubs and festivals. The good thing about the latter is that you can get them by mail order, so you don't have to go to all the trouble of actually seeing live music. And sandals are an absolute must, even in winter.

Once you've assembled the proper attire you can begin practicing....

If your on Twitter, you can also subscribe to their Tweets. Lots of interesting quotes, tips and information tweeted throughout the day. It's probably my favourite read on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/APassion4Jazz

A Passion for Jazz! History of Jazz music, styles and musicians
featuring photo gallery, timeline, festivals, webcasts,
piano & guitar chords, scales and online lessons.

http://www.apassion4jazz.net

Jazz Quotes - BrainyQuote.com

Sometimes some of the best players have a way of summing up music and jazz in a way that really hits home. It's like a good solo - a message that tells you all that you need to hear. I love Jazz Quotes and follow all kinds of sites on Twitter and the Web. There is something about hearing from the greats that I really enjoy, because often enough the characteristics of their words mirror the way you hear them play.

www.BrainyQuote.com is a fantastic site. Type in Jazz and you have 28 odd full pages of quotes by all kinds of people on the subject. In fact you can type Saxophone or anything else and lots of interesting things come up. It's a really nice resource.

Here are some of the gems:

One chord is fine. Two chords are pushing it. Three chords and you're into jazz.

Lou Reed

By and large, jazz has always been like the kind of a man you wouldn't want your daughter to associate with.

Duke Ellington

Comedy is the ultimate truth. Jazz is hitting the notes that that no one else would hit, and comedy is saying words that no one else would say.

Tommy Chong

The cool thing is that jazz is really a wonderful example of the great characteristics of Buddhism and great characteristics of the human spirit. Because in jazz we share, we listen to each other, we respect each other, we are creating in the moment. At our best, we're non-judgmental.

Herbie Hancock

I'd like to point out to people the divine in a musical language that transcends words. I want to speak to their souls.

John Coltrane

There are countless more. Check out www.BrainyQuote.com

Tunes that got me listening to Jazz #4 Moanin - Art Blakey

This was another tune I heard somewhere or other as a teenager and as soon as I heard it, I had to buy the album. Like "So What" this is another recording that doesn't get any better. I've heard those solos so many times now, when ever I hear someone else play the same song, it will always come second best. Even the alternate take that comes with the CD doesn't come close. They are that good.

As with Miles' iconic improvisation on "So What", for any student or listener of Jazz, Lee Morgan's trumpet solo ranks up there as one of the best in modern times. Google 'best ever trumpet solos' and you can be pretty sure it's going to appear on most lists. Not only that, he was only 20 at the time.

Sadly I liked the opening track so much, initially I had a hard time with the rest of the album. This is really a testament to the brilliance of the opening title, because the whole album is outstanding, and one of the most important recordings of that era and of the Hard Bop genre. It contains further great solos particularly by Lee Morgan and Saxophonist Benny Golson, as well  as excellent compositions, all of which bar one are composed by Golson.

Away from the sax - Visualization

Back in 2007 I had written this post:

Some time ago I started to notice a discrepancy between my ability to formulate harmonic ideas on the piano and that of the saxophone. I began to realise that one of the difficulties on sax was that unlike the piano or guitar, it is not a very visual instrument. By this a mean that due to the nature of keys or fret board, these instruments are very "colour coded" which aid in visualizing harmonies. 

Discussing this with a friend of mine recently, he suggested trying to get the same principle from the sax by working without the instrument. He suggested working several times a day on visualizing with the mind only, the things being worked on in practice. So far I have tried it only with scales and patterns, but already I've noticed a big difference. If I practice a particular scale or pattern in my head several minutes before practice, I'm clearly able to work on it with a better feel and understanding, and achieve results much faster. Just as the fingers and lungs need warming up as does the brain. My next step will be to work this idea on particular tunes, as I feel my improvising on the sax would benefit from this "visual" aspect as well as the aural and mental side.

Today I discovered this excellent article on Jazz Advice that takes this principle further. According to Forrest, who also quotes from Jerry Bergonzi, a small amount of work in this area can be equivalent to hours of physical practice especially if it's done in a concentrated way, and at the right time. Have a read of this article. It really breaks down the concept I had written about, and suggests methods to go about working on it.

http://jazzadvice.com/visualization-for-jazz-improvisation/

A few months later I also wrote this:

Due to a cyclone in our area that put off the power for a week I was forced to find alternate ways of practicing in the evening as playing in the dark was getting quiet difficult. Since I couldn't afford time off, as some gigs were approaching I decided to spend some time reviewing pieces and applying some of the visualization techniques I had mentioned before. Although I was not able to do for long periods of time because my concentration wouldn't allow it, I was really very happy with the results. Using a metronome to avoid 'cheating' I went through scale choices in my head in various combinations and speeds. Once I got back to the sax the results were quite noticeable and I already felt more comfortable particularly in tricky spots of certain pieces. Working this way highlights those weaknesses very quickly. Now I just have to apply this more often even when the laptop is available for practice!

#Jazz #Sax - Some of the best resources on the Web

Looking back at previous posts it's been quite a while since I updated links to resource sites for both Saxophone and Jazz. Here are some of the best that I know of at the moment.

www.jazzadvice.com

I love this site and it follows a kind of thinking that I try to apply here. Good old fashioned advice on topics that concern practicing musicians, by musicians themselves. There is so much good stuff here.

www.davidvaldez.blogspot.in/

Still the best Jazz blog around in my opinion. Updated regularly it's got articles on pretty much anything in Jazz. This blog is geared more to advanced players.

www.bestsaxophonewebsiteever.com/

Yes it probably is. A dream come true for saxophone players. Articles on anything sax related by a multitude of great players and teachers.

www.saxontheweb.net/

Founded by Harri Rautianen this has been THE leading resource for saxophone for a long time. It has the worlds largest and best discussion forum.

www.charlesmcneal.com/

Solo transcriptions, pdf books. It's all there. Updated recently there is alot of good material here.

www.learnjazzstandards.com/

I only came across this recently and I prefer it to it's similarly named counterpart. Pick a standard. Play along with the backing track. Watch the greats play the same tune on Youtube. I can't believe it's all in one place.

Tunes that got me listening to Jazz #3 Art Pepper - Softly as in a morning Sunrise

It's been a long time since I thought about this recording, but then I came across it recently as I wanted to go over the changes of this fabulous standard. Art Pepper was one of my first influences on saxophone. I was introduced to him by a friend on a visit to India, and was instantly drawn to his cool soft tone and rhythmic phrasing. Quite unlike some of the alto players I was used to. I had heard him described as a 'man walking on eggshells' and his sound is exactly that. Not a heavy sound, but one that seamlessly weaves his way through the music.

I must admit, though he is one of my favourite saxophonists, I have not enjoyed all of his albums. In his later ones, though his ballads were as good as they ever were, (maybe even better) he had lost some of the edge and freshness in his phrasing, and we were not hearing the abundance of ideas like before. Here though with the famous Miles Davis rhythm section of Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb he really is at his best. They provide him the perfect platform and his solos are some of the best you will hear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ8WsVX6QZs

The History of the Saxophone in 10 minutes

I saw this on Twitter and found it very good. Made by New York based CDZA, this is a video of the history of the saxophone. It's a bit of fun, but also very well done by Saxophonist Ben Flocks, who takes us from the earliest years through, swing and be-bop till now.

There are other 'history of' videos which are also good, but this one I found the best.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du0XUOEIQ7Y

29 things Micheal Brecker wants you to know - www.bobreynoldsmusic.com

Saxophonist Bob Reynolds http://bobreynoldsmusic.com/ has done us a big favour here and written a nice article on advice Micheal Brecker has given through his 1984 series of interviews at the University of North Texas. I have already posted on these youtube videos before, but this is the first time I'm seeing such a comprehensive and well written guide to the things he had said.

Bob mentions at the end - 'If you know another musician who would benefit from this please pass it along' - well, these are extremely valuable for saxophonists or any student of Jazz. Like the Sonny Rollins videos I posted recently, it is rare to see the greats talk so openly and well about their art, and the practice that goes on privately. These really are a must see.

http://bobreynoldsmusic.com/michael-brecker-on-guitars-drums-transcribing-and-dancing/

Tunes that got me listening to Jazz #2 So What - Miles Davis

Prince of darkness or not, Miles recorded some of the the most stunningly beautiful solos in Jazz history. My first encounter came at around the age of 14 when I bought the cassette 'A Kind of Blue'. I've no idea why I chose it, as I had very little knowledge at that time, but its strange to think that more than 23 years on it remains the album I've listened to most.

It has already been said by countless people, but these are pieces that you can never get tired of. Every time you put it on, something new will come to your ear - and I've listened alot of times! I had this as a permanent fixture in my Walkman for the long walks to and from school until the cassette was finally damaged, and then replaced by a prized limited edition CD.

Though I have probably loved Miles' famous solo on 'So What' more than any other, amusingly it wasn't the trumpet that initially brought me to the tune. It was the Saxophone. The long flowing lines of Coltrane and Cannonball -  to the point that as kids we actually asked ourselves; 'can this other guy really play?'

I'll never tire of this tune or album. later on I listened alot to the 'My Funny Valentine Four and More' concert too but it never got quite the same hold of me as this. 

Konnokol - Deep Rhythmic understanding

Simply put, the best way to learn rhythm. Whichever kind of music you play, whichever instrument you practice, this will lead you to the deepest understanding of rhythm. Used for centuries in Carnatic music, Konnokol is the art of vocalising rhythmic syllables while keeping the basic pulse or meter. In the west it is only in recent decades, partly thanks to work by composer Zoltan Kodaly, that it has been realised that children learn rhythms better through spoken syllables, but in Carnatic music this has been the norm for a long time.

In modern times it has drawn countless musicians to India in order to develop a better understanding of rhythm. Once learnt, the benefits are great and are easily incorporated into your instrument as well as practically any form of music.

A good start would be to watch this video by Asaf Sirkis:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0T5u7Sthi4

Then give these basic exercises a try. They are very well explained by Bruno Tauzin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwLkEB2r-lI&index=37&list=PLF7DE23FB1FB8E3A5

How I notate Konnakol. I don't know if this is the best way but it works for me.

http://t.co/2GcYWUqOg7


More to follow...

Tunes that got me listening to Jazz #1 Oscar Peterson, Hymn to Freedom

I stumbled upon this recording the other day and it got me thinking about the tunes that got me listening to this great form of music. I remember hearing this tune for the first time like it was yesterday. A GCSE music class in school. Out of nowhere the new music teacher gets out the LP and plays this tune. Coming from a fairly strict school that basically studied all things classical, this was quite a shock. Not only that, at that time my only real introduction to Jazz was hearing the school Dixieland band perform, so this was my introduction to something completely new.

I liked this piece so much I had to have have it. It took me quite some time. Without internet I had to scour the cassettes in the local shop until I found it on a compilation called 'Jazz on a summer's day'. Many other tunes became favorites on that album but this one always stood out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHv1tcv_DoM

Harmonicas - first impressions

Like the Melodica, until recently this was an instrument I knew nothing about. I was totally ignorant. I even had for years 2 very good Hohner harmonicas sitting in my room which I hardly touched.

So, as summer is here and there is a little time on hand I started exploring. In short here are some of the things I found out:

1. It's not that easy to play! It took me a long time to even get a proper single note without spilling sound from the next hole. The first hours I practiced were so dire my girlfriend asked me to stop.

2. Don't buy cheap harmonicas. It's just a waste of time and will add to the time it takes you to learn. I bought a Hohner Silver Star locally and even after a month or so playing, and my limited knowledge I've decided to give it away.

3. Good Harmonicas are not that expensive. I have now a Hohner special 20 and a Hohner Blues Harp both which cost me less than 20 pounds in India.

4. You can bend notes on the 10 hole diatonic harmonica to achieve further notes. Ok, this sounds obvious but I had no clue what this really meant. This adds to the range of the instrument considerably. It is also what gives the harmonica it's bluesy flavour.

5. In the hands of a good player you can play almost anything on the diatonic harmonica. I will post links later but there are some extraordinary players out there young and old.

6. With skill, certain notes can be overblown or bend upwards. This again adds to a further range of notes not originally thought possible.

7. You can fit this instrument in you pocket and play anytime you feel. How good is that!

8. When you play the blues on the harmonica you play what is known as crossharp. If you are playing a harmonica in the key of C you use it to play blues in G. This is also known as second position and basically you are playing the instrument in a different key that it is intended.

9. If you want to start playing right away and your not sure what to buy go for a Hohner special 20. Thousands of top musicians swear by them and they are not expensive. Buy a key of C because alot of books and videos online use this tonality.

I'm going to post more on this topic as I advance. This is just a bit of fun. I will never be a full time harmonica player but I already love this instrument and maybe this post can help ignorant people like me get the most from it.

mattlittlewood.blogspot.in

After a very long time I have corrected the faulty links of my other blog and updated the look a little. I will use this page to keep posts regarding audio, video and pictures of past gigs.

I've added a further track with many more to come.

http://mattlittlewood.blogspot.in/

More foot tapping

Sometime ago I posted on the pros and cons of tapping your foot while playing. Does it help you keep time better? Do you feel rhythm better? Or is it actually a hindrance and distraction from the music you are playing?

After thinking about this carefully over the last weeks while practicing, my take on this matter is that both are valid. I believe that in order to understand some rhythms and to tackle certain rhythmic difficulties it is very necessary to tap your foot. It helps you to feel the rhythm in your body and tapping the pulse gives you the awareness of how the beat is placed in the music and how the phrase you are playing is falling relative to that beat. This is something essential to know, and in the long term builds up a strong sense of rhythm.

Having said that I feel that once you have achieved a good understanding of a certain phrase or rhythm, and how is falls within the music you should stop tapping your foot and simply feel the music through your ears and body - as if you were still tapping your foot. This in my view gives you a  more in depth feeling for that particular rhythm. Your understanding is coming directly to your ear and not first via your foot and in the long term will help you better internalise the rhythm.

Melodicas

Until recently whenever I was to see or hear a melodica I basically thought it was no more than a toy. A plastic piano that you blow? It can't be up to much?

Then around a year ago I started playing in a band where the keyboard player was using one to good effect and my views started to change. Not only did it sound good, but what a useful thing to carry around, especially while travelling. The perfect practice instrument.

A few weeks ago I purchased my own. A very basic but useful Hohner 26 key student model. It comes with a hard case and a couple of mouthpieces.

So far it's turned out to be the perfect addition to my practice gear. I'm too new to the instrument to yet play it in public, but taking it with me wherever I go has turned out to be very useful. Practicing, transcribing, impromptu jamming...you name it. What a find!

I think eventually I would like to set aside some time and learn to play it properly. The student model is not the best in the world and there are better ones available. Below I've put some links to useful sites regarding the melodica and some fun stuff too. There are some great musicians who play.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCz2nUjlwCI  A melodica comparison


http://www.melodicaworld.com/ An excellent site for anything and everything about the melodica including a very good forum.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gqgp5qU1B0Q A great demo of Suzuki melodicas or melodians.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gqgp5qU1B0Q My funny Valentine by Mario Duenas

Temple Rock on Kappa TV

About a year ago I went to record in Kerala with the band Temple Rock. Led by Krishna Kumar on vocals and kanjira, the band plays an exciting and dynamic blend of traditional Carnatic songs, Jazz and Rock. The band also features some of India's best musicians such as Mishko M'Ba on bass, Aman Mahajan on piano, Jay Sithar on guitar and Souri Rajan on percussion. The videos were recorded for Kappa TV a popular music channel in Trivandrum. Below are youtube links to some of the songs.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4VdRzUJqSI Vathapi Ganapathim

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSTCQurV_WA Pa Pa Pa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpdst-gGcG4 Nagumomu

Refuge

It's with great pleasure that these last months I have been playing with a band called Refuge. This is a band based in India led by pianist and composer Aman Mahajan. It also features Mishko M'Ba on Bass, Jeoraj George on Drums and myself on Sax. The tunes are all by Aman, and have the perfect twist of Jazz and Indian music incorporated in them. The band has played concerts in Bangalore and Chennai in recent times and is planning an Indian tour later this year.

For the official website and links to news and music check out:


/http://www.refugemusic.in/

Here is one of my favourite tunes "connections" recorded live at Humming Tree Bangalore:

https://soundcloud.com/refuge_music/connections?in=refuge_music/sets/hummingtree

More apps for travelling musicians. I Real B

Most musicians have seen this by now but this is probably the most useful app out there for travelling musicians. Basically with this app you have access to literally tens of thousands of charts which can be transposed on the spot and even played back for practice in different styles and tempos as in programs such as band in a box.

Especially if you play standards or need a tune quickly this is a wonderful tool. A few quick downloads and you have almost every tune your ever going to need. Furthermore with the ability to transpose instantly in a gig or rehearsal it is one of the most useful tools to have.

http://irealpro.com/

Sonny Rollins on Google Hangouts

If you haven't seen these already you really have missed something. Sonny Rollins gives in depth answers to questions from musicians via internet. There are some extremely interesting things here on a variety of topics for any level of playing. Wonderful stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7p6lYTREtU