Since my last post I’ve added chords to the transcription, which makes a lot more sense of what is going on. Here is the musescore file and PDF, both in C. The musescore file can, of course be easily transposed to any key (Tools–> transpose) The_Way_you_look_Tonight_RStranscript_C.mscz (32.0 KB) The_Way_you_look_Tonight_RStranscript_C.pdf (73.6 KB)
I’m still working on the piece as a solo.
Now that the chords are visible, it’s clear that the accompanist plays simple chords during the main lines of the tune, but breaks out into his own, adding colouring whenever a cadence comes up, like a II-V-I in bars 57-59 for example (II-V-! in Dm) and 61-63 (II-V-! in F).
Between these points he plays simple Dm chords while Tony Bennett is singing. This can be seen almost throughout the whole piece, but I must say I just didn’t notice it before. This is what @lyndol is talking about in her tips to accompanying singers but it’s only now that I really get it.
I was trolling through youtube yesterday, just enjoying where the music takes me but essentially looking for piano solos that I like for my next transcription. If you search for “Jazz transcriptions” there are hundreds of transcriptions out there, with dozens of sites exclusively dedicated to transcriptions of jazz masters offering their transcriptions for every instrument for a few dollars or for free. I downloaded half a dozen for tunes I’m working on and will try some of them out today. I was immediately reminded of a recent quote from my 9 year old grandson:
“Why do I have to go to school? If I watch YouTube I’ll know everything!”
I wonder what our teachers think about the place of ready-made transcriptions in a jazz student’s curriculum?
@George_Miller I hope I’m not being presumptuous in replying as I’m a student not a teacher! But I thought it might be helpful to share my opinion/experience regarding the question you raise about “ready-made” transcriptions.
For lead sheets, just about anything we want is available either on pianogroove or in a real book; the real question (no pun intended), in my opinion, has to do with arrangements for solo piano or vocal accompaniment. One of the things I enjoy most about jazz piano is the ability to make an arrangement my own, whether it’s the approach to a rubato head of a tune or solos/improv, and for those goals, I find it more helpful to transcribe myself instead of, or in addition to, looking at someone else’s transcription.
As an example, I love Bill Evans’ approach to solo piano. I have some “ready-made” transcriptions for several tunes (exactly as Evans’ played it), but only by trying to transcribe them myself was I able to really understand what was going on, allowing me to add my own interpretation and creativity to the arrangement. Hayden and Tuomo have said the same thing with regard to improvisation; that’s still a learning process for me, i.e. I can transcribe and play someone else’s solo, but I’m still learning how to apply that experience to my own improvisation.
Bottom line–the act of transcribing helps me to be a better listener, which in turn allows me to be more creative when I play the tune. At the same time, I sometimes think of transcribing as a necessary evil–my transcriptions are often pretty crude (especially compared to those that are “ready-made”), since my goal is usually to understand reharms and/or voicings and then use those as building blocks.
I’ll be interested to hear what others have to say!
No worries Greg. In my student doctoring days we all mentored each other. Once you learned how to do something you showed someone else. There was so much to learn that the “real” teachers couldn’t be everywhere! I think that’s the case here too!
I gained a lot from doing my first real transcription. So I’m with you on the benefits for ear training and for gaining an intimate understanding of the piece itself, but if you wanted to study and analyse a Beethoven concerto you’d find a copy of the score, which someone else has taken the time to copy and print. You wouldn’t print it out yourself or transcribe it from a recording of the London Symphony.
I’m not trying to run down transcription or the benefits that derive from it, but it is time-intensive and if you are looking to understand an artist’s style, there is a lot of handy transcription out there. Yohan Kim, for example, has a wealth of followers who happily transcribe his work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upeQ3MfqkY4
By chance, I came across a site called Soundslice. Among other things, it houses a collection of transcriptions (hence “slice”) in a number of genres. I thought I’d share because it sounds like something of interest to everyone who’s following this thread.
There are several membership levels. I haven’t had a chance to check it out fully, but the free level apparently gives access to their notation editor. It looks sort of like the mashup of Transcribe! and MuseScore that @gregb showed in his entry a few weeks back. Here’s how they describe it:
Transcribing existing audio/video? No more juggling slowdown software plus YouTube plus a separate notation editor. Everything’s integrated in Soundslice.
Import YouTube videos, MP3s or other video files — and you can see, hear, slow down and loop the recordings as you notate. That means you get instant feedback as you work.
The end result is a more accurate transcription, plus beautiful notation that’s synced with a human performance. There’s never been a better way to learn from a recording.
Here’s a link to the editor. You can check out the homepage from there if you’re interested.
Thanks for chipping in @scott1. I opened up a free account and uploaded a musescore file, which I had to convert to MusicXML format first since it doesn’t accept the musescore format. It’s very much as you describe - a combination of musescore and Transcribe! on one screen. It’s all done using their online software so you have to have an internet connection at all times. The free account doesn’t allow you to print or export your finished file, which essentially limits it to a try-out of the software. Upgrades are $5 a month for printing and exporting, and the program can be licensed to be embedded in other musical sites, those of teachers of transcription, for example.
Right. So I’ve decided on my next attempt at transcription - Johan Kim’s version of “The girl from Ipanema” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZHSQhFEvvo
I can’t find a ready-made transcription on youtube so I don’t feel as if I’m reinventing the wheel. I’ve decided just to transcribe the solo as a lead sheet against a chord symbol background since my sight-reading from transcriptions is poor. I already play this tune and have modified my interpretation using many of the suggestions of @Jovino in his lesson on the piece (Bossa Nova grooves lesson 3.3) but I have a lot of trouble improvising in the bridge. Kim does a lot of neat things here, like his contrary-motion chromatic runs into the #11 chords. So I’m looking forward to seeing what he does.
It might be some time at the rate I transcribe! I chose Kim’s interpretation because it is so different from most other versions. In fact his whole style is unique which considering his age is amazing. He appears to “transcribe” on the spot just by ear, able to reproduce and improvise on a piece of music just by listening to it. I believe Mozart was able to do the same. His story is fascinating and he has been given a great gift. Hope he doesn’t throw it away as so many great musicians have done.
PS: The Roland 2000 is a great digital keyboard. IIRC you mentioned it was one of your keyboards in another thread. I’m seriously looking at the Yamaha YC 88, which just came out recently. Another amazing piece of technology.
My transcription trek is on hold for a bit. I’ve been setting up my new YC 88 Yamaha keyboard , connecting it with my laptop and the BIAB software I use for backing tracks, and watching as many YouTube videos as I can to get the hang of the hardware. I love this keyboard. I’ve been able to go to the piano section and play really easily but I’ve had little experience playing organs so this section will present me with a steep learning curve. I haven’t had an electronic keyboard for a while and I’d forgotten just how amazing they are!
The last week has been hectic, trying to get up to speed with the new keyboard and how it connects and talks to the speakers, the audio interface, the MacBook Pro, Band in a box, and Audacity. It’s all new to me, but if truth be told music has been a lifesaver over the past year and I’m so grateful that PianoGroove was around during this time. I haven’t had time to get back to transcription trek yet, but to prove I’m not swinging the lead, here’s the first tune I’ve recorded - this evening - in my new music studio. I love this keyboard!
Thanks Paul & Celia. Yamaha YC 88 stereo output to FocusRite 2i2. Focusrite connected by USB to MacBook Pro running Audacity, and to a pair of 5’’ Adam studio monitor speakers T5V.
Frankly, I didn’t know anything about all this technology until 2weeks ago. I’ve been learning from a site on YouTube - MusicRepo. The woman who runs it is able to break down the most complicated concepts of musical technology into simple components and explain them in a way that is easy to understand, from the different types of cables on the market to the intricacies of recording with today’s software.
My #2 grandson was right. (“If you watch YouTube Grandad you’ll know everything!”)
Wow - stunning performance there - @George_Miller
really inspiring to listen to GReat share of info btw on your connecting your focusrite onto macbook - I sure have a lot to learn!
i only use Garageband then connect with the piano for recording…
Thanks Kristeta. Before I got my electronic keyboard I had my focusrite output connected to the inputs of my Hi-Fi stereo system, with inputs from my macBook Pro Laptop. It allowed me to play backing tracks for the piano quite nicely. Whatever gives you the sound you’re looking for!
ahh, CooL! and very useful tools! Thanks very much! George - apart from myself, am sure this thread is going to be very informative to other members too.
Wow beautiful done George great playing !! thanks sharing it !! …
PS the sound is a bit saturated some time … you may use the tool normalization in audacity to get this a bit out … but the better advice is never recording with too hight level , you can always up the volume but its impossible to correct perfectly saturated sound . The piano sound cool . I recommend trying using some DAW
I love REAPER REAPER | Audio Production Without Limits which as a full free version avaible to try it , just need 5 s before each opening, it is not very expensive and as so much possibility. You will have much more flexibility with recording multi tracks midi sound … than with audacity .
Thanks Pierrot. I’ll try Reaper. There’s so much to learn going from audio to digital. I’m a teckie kind of person but it’s still been a struggle. YouTube and their how-to videos have been invaluable and I doubt I would have come this far without them. This teaching site too. We’re very lucky to live in this time when so much information is available as so very little cost.
GReat share of info btw on your connecting your focusrite onto macbook - I sure have a lot to learn!