I'm trying to decide which pieces to do for my upcoming jazz exam, and also just wanting some feedback as to whether I'm "somewhere close"/vaguely convincing. (Plus I have discovered that recording myself is raaaaaaaaaather inhibiting so guessing it'll be good practice for playing in front of someone...)

SO... I have used youtube, as it's my understanding (from Barry Thain's research: http://forums.abrsm.org/index.php?s=&s...t&p=497117) that copyright is thus youtube's problem not mine... hope it'll thus be OK to get some help from you folks...

My profile is here: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=sarahflute

And the relevant vids are all entitled "jazz flute"

I'm not exactly on fine form today, and there appear to be gaps in the recording of sound (maybe it's just here... ) ...excuses excuses ... but hoping there's enough here to say "yeah you're doing OK" or "go back to the drawing board, lass!"

And of course there's the fact that it's different every time I play but I guess that's a good thing!

PS: will keep adding recordings of the tunes I like...

any and all constructive criticism welcome............

Anyone??

I've recorded all the G1 tunes that I like, and a few that I don't... feedback/constructive criticism here, via PM, or on youtube all appreciated.

The last one I tried to record was Mo' Better Blues, I'm HOPING it's processing the reasonable second version rather than the dodgy first one

There should be 10 in all when they've finished processing.

I've had a look at some of these now and there's some really nice stuff in there. I think you've made a good job of merging the solo sections and head into each other so the solos are in the same style. If I were being critical I'd say that there seems to be a slight tendency to lose the pulse and come adrift from the backing at times, for my ears that would be the number one thing to work on.

It must be really difficult working on these with only the backing CD for company. I do a fair amount of this and I know that after a while I tend to end up playing pretty much the same thing each time because the backing is always exactly the same. I'm a lot more imaginative in my lessons when my teacher plays piano. I've been told (and from practice, have to agree) that the best way to use the CDs is as a tool, so maybe 3 out of every 4 times you play with them set yourself particular goals that you must achieve e.g. to always incorporate a particular riff into bar 4 of the section, to start every phrase on the and of 3, to start every phrase on the 7th of the chord, to only use 1,2,3 and 5 from the chord etc, etc. Then when you play a "proper" solo these ideas get incorporated.

This evening I've been practising Canteloupe Island, it's a great funky Herbie Hancock tune, it's not difficult, there are only 3 chords and I know it well. I'm finding it really frustrating because I can't play anything interesting over it. I can play stuff that fits, but nothing that's really worth listening to. So I started to set myself some restrictions - the first one was to play a chorus using just 3 notes. Do you know, it suddenly became more interesting, having the notes restricted meant I had to be more creative rhythmically and using the same notes over the different chords created interest and tension. Then I played a series of choruses gradually introducing more notes - it got worse the more notes I put in! I haven't got this one sorted by a long way yet and I'm still at a loss to know why I'm finding it so difficult. I'm now determined to beat it and the next step is to listen to the 2 or 3 recordings I have of it to try and analyse the solos and why they work. One day I may even be to brave enough to put up some recordings of myself to listen to - believe me I talk a better solo than I play

Yes, I noticed that myself... I think I need to work on exactly how loud I need the CD to be able to hear it without it being so loud I can't hear myself. I kept noticing at the start of one of them, don't remember which now, that I kept thinking I was on the pulse and then realising I wasn't in these two bar phrases and driving myself potty

That's a good idea about limiting the notes - one of those things I know about in theory but forget to do

I had a go earlier on at playing through, improv and all, without the CD and seeing if I could hear the harmonies in my mind's eye/do an improv without the CD as a safety net. I should try that some more.

Thanks for the feedback - both helpful and encouraging! Much appreciated

ps if you (or indeed anyone else) have any strong views about which you think I play best - I'm not saying I'll definitely take your suggestions , but ideas on how to narrow this down to 3 would be great!

pps: I haven't exactly divided them into useful "this one's from list A" etc, but just any "don't do that one it doesn't suit you" or "you play that one particularly funkily" would be great

That's a good exercise, it's really hard though. It forces you to count and play simply so you can be sure that you've got the right number of beats on each chord and don't end up adding beats (or even bars!) in.



I'll have another listen through tomorrow and let you know.

Yup, it was a bit trying to keep it together! It was reassuring how well I managed with some, and depressing how badly I messed up others


Thanks

ps:

- thank you - I don't like (personal listening wise) improvs that seem to bear no relation to the head, (I don't like some of the examples on the CDs for that reason) so it's nice to know that I've succeeded to some extent doing improv in a style that "fits"

You've been a real help TSax - thank you! Much appreciated

The ones I thought worked best were

Minor Swing - you sound comfortable with the style of this one
Someone's knocking at my door - nice and lyrical
Bye Bye Blackbird - I think this is a good one for flute, I wasn't sure where the improvised section was - is it he intro?
Jean Pierre - I liked the style, I'm guessing (because I don't know the tune) that it could be more legato. In general jazz phrasing tends to be more legato.
Everything that lives laments - flows well
St James Infirmary - this was nice, but watch the thing of taking a couple of bars rest before coming back in, it looks as though you've lost your place

If any of the comments contradict anything that's written on the music or is in the CD then ignore them! I'm not familiar with the tunes.

Thanks TSax! I'm assuming that the examiners will be familiar with the tunes or ask to see the music.

Several of those tie in with ones that I like/prefer and was having difficulty picking between, so, erm,

Thank you!