Read Me! Transcription Exercises - Levels of Difficulty

[Tuomo]

Hi everyone, I just wanted to create a post where I will keep a list of all the transcription exercises in the order of difficulty.

This way it’s easier to find the best fitting exercise for everyone, and moving to the next level will happen naturally

Exercises are not only categorized by level of difficulty in transcribing, they are also evaluated by technical difficulty, as well as on how advanced the study material/analysis from the solo is.

First I want to point out, that before moving to the transcription exercises, make sure ALL the ‘Ear Training Exercises’ feel relatively easy and understandable!

List of transcriptions:

Beginner:

Red Garland Transcription Exercise No. 1 - Bye Bye Blackbird

Wynton Kelly Transcription Exercise No. 1 - Freddie Freeloader

Hank Jones Transcription Exercise No. 1 - Confirmation

Keith Jarret Transcription Exercise No. 1 - Come Rain Or Come Shine

Bud Powell Transcription Exercise No. 2 - Bud’s Blues

Tommy Flanagan Transcription Exercise No. 1 - You Go To My Head

Oscar Peterson Transcription Exercise No. 1 - Pennies From Heaven

Tommy Flanagan Transcription Exercise No. 2 - Denzil’s Best

Kenny Kirkland Transcription Exercise No. 1 - I Thought About You

Intermediate:

Barry Harris Transcription Exercise No. 1 - Ascension

Oscar Peterson Transcription Exercise No. 2 - The Girl From Ipanema

Wynton Kelly Transcription Exercise No. 2 - Green Dolphin Street

Bill Evans Transcription Exercise No. 1 - Autumn Leaves

Keith Jarrett Transcription Exercise No. 2 - Bye Bye Blackbird

Red Garland Transcription Exercise No. 2 - What Is This Thing Called Love

Elmo Hope Transcription Exercise No. 1 - Happy Hour

Thelonious Monk Transcription Exercise No. 1 - We See

Bud Powell Transcription Exercise No. 1 - Celia

Bill Evans Transcription Exercise No. 2 - Without A Song

Thelonious Monk Transcription Exercise No. 2 - Hackensack

Chick Corea Transcription Exercise No. 2 - Armando’s Rhumba

Barry Harris Transcription Exercise No. 2 - Moose The Mooche

Elmo Hope Transcription Exercise No. 2 - Kerplunk

Hampton Hawes Transcription Exercise No. 1 - Yardbird Suite

Advanced:

Cedar Walton Transcription Exercise No. 1 - Bittersweet

Herbie Hancock Transcription Exercise No. 1 - Dolphin Dance

McCoy Tyner Transcription Exercise No. 1 - Vision

Lennie Tristano Transcription Exercise No. 1 - 317 East 32nd Street

Hank Jones Transcription Exercise No. 2 - Satin Doll

Chick Corea Transcription Exercise No. 1 - Steps/What Was

McCoy Tyner Transcription Exercise No. 2 - Bessie’s Blues

Herbie Hancock Transcription Exercise No. 2 - One Finger Snap

Lennie Tristano Transcription Exercise No. 2 - Line Up

[sean]

I feel like these should be a part of the main curriculum

[Hayden]

This is brilliant, thanks Tuomo.

You have created a fantastic resource with these transcription exercises and studies.

I agree with @sean - it should be a core part of curriculum here at PianoGroove. Leave it with me and I will find more ways to integrate and reference these studies in the lessons, courses, and also in the emails that we send out to our current and new students.