Now's The Time - Charlie Parker

[rich2k4]

here is my try at it, we are currently working on this, in my guitar lessons.

http://profile.ultimate-guitar.com/rich2k4/

comments? suggestions?

 

[Leucadian]

...it's sounding pretty good...I would listen to how Charlie Parker plays the melody and try to imitate his feel...or any master jazzer...those guys will give you all the answers...

 

[rich2k4]

thats what i was basing the entire recording from

 

[Tag]

Very nice! Keep it up! Those guys were the best players ever IMO!. You sounded very relaxed.

 

[jzucker]

Good playing. Spend some time working on playing strictly 8th notes ala Martino or the improv exercise I posted about a few months ago. The swing feel could be a bit lighter. Sounds like you're going to be a monster in a few years if you keep this up.

 

[DrSax]

If I'm not mistaken, you played Parker's whole solo, right? That's great. Step out and do your own improv on it using some of those ideas. Learning that stuff has helped me so much.

 

[rich2k4]

yea, the first half was charlie's solo then toward the last 2 chorus's i did improv.

what i am worried about though, is the fact that i learn these licks and solo's and i always play the song the same way. i need work on using the licks to come up with similar types of licks, but that has always been a problem for me.

 

[DrSax]

yea, the first half was charlie's solo then toward the last 2 chorus's i did improv.

what i am worried about though, is the fact that i learn these licks and solo's and i always play the song the same way. i need work on using the licks to come up with similar types of licks, but that has always been a problem for me.

Experiment in little chunks, like that first lick he does in the solo where he plays root--slides up to the 3rd--5th. Maybe play just the slide up to the 3rd a few times, then the slide/3rd--5th a few times. Then see how it sounds going from the 3rd to the 5th chromatically. Then do it descending. Then play those in a different position on different strings. The key is getting those sounds in your head, working off chord tones. It'll come with time and pretty soon you'll be making up your own statements.

 

[Tag]

yea, the first half was charlie's solo then toward the last 2 chorus's i did improv.

what i am worried about though, is the fact that i learn these licks and solo's and i always play the song the same way. i need work on using the licks to come up with similar types of licks, but that has always been a problem for me.

Listen to the good Dr.Sax above, and do NOT always learn the entire solo!!!! Learn one little line from Parker, another from Grant Green, another from Benson, and then practice MIXING them up! Mix them every way you can think of, and keep at it. It will come together very quickly. Constantly FORCE them into your playing 20-30 times a day or more. Over and over and over, until you never want to hear them again. Soon, they will start to come out even when you do not want them to!

 

[DrSax]

Listen to the good Dr.Sax above, and do NOT always learn the entire solo!!!! Learn one little line from Parker, another from Grant Green, another from Benson, and then practice MIXING them up! Mix them every way you can think of, and keep at it. It will come together very quickly. Constantly FORCE them into your playing 20-30 times a day or more. Over and over and over, until you never want to hear them again. Soon, they will start to come out even when you do not want them to!

Good advice!

One day i will be as good as Tag. Very good, very good!:AOK

 

[rich2k4]

Listen to the good Dr.Sax above, and do NOT always learn the entire solo!!!! Learn one little line from Parker, another from Grant Green, another from Benson, and then practice MIXING them up! Mix them every way you can think of, and keep at it. It will come together very quickly. Constantly FORCE them into your playing 20-30 times a day or more. Over and over and over, until you never want to hear them again. Soon, they will start to come out even when you do not want them to!

thats what my teacher has me doing, we learn ii-V-I licks, and i practice throwing them into my playing.

problem is, it's at a point now where it's really obvious that i am playing licks over every ii-V-I that comes up. as i learn more licks/ideas will that "obvious" thing go away?

 

[rich2k4]

bump

 

[Leucadian]

thats what i was basing the entire recording from

...what I meant, is that you try and imitate Parker's phrasing feel in the melody or the solos as closely as you can...which you will pickup quicker by spending lots of time listening to Bird or any of the other classic jazz soloists...you already have the notes down...I think you sound really good though...I will try and follow my own advice too!