Dos and Don'ts of Jazz Transcription

[@davidcox8961]

Thanks Nick, for the simple and very clear lesson. In every attempt I've made at transcribing it was trying to write it out that made me give up on it. Listen a lot, sing it, play it on the horn. Writing is another topic.

[@calebprovencher7727]

This has been the best video I've ever seen on transcriptions. Helped me out a lot! Even as a clarinet player

[@kabircameron1818]

i guess it's quite randomly asking but does anyone know a good site to watch newly released movies online?

[@jacquesleecoleridge1107]

This is so true. One of my assignments this week is to write a lead sheet. I think what I chose for this might be too hard for me right now. Thank you for your video.

[@rupertlay7684]

Thank you Mr Mainella...you have affirmed my approach to transcribing. I have experienced the part you mentioned about not hearing the soloist' solo while playing with it together with their recording.

[@hollisdonaldson6822]

This is a very clear and doable explanation of the transcription process . Thanks !

[@nickmainella]

Glad it was helpful!

[@heidegger101]

love the tips. I use the software Transcribe but I am going to add the many listens and singing along like you suggest before I pick up my instrument.

[@giovanniwalker4443]

Thanks for the video! Hello from Missouri! I'm taking notes on a lot of experienced transcribers so that I can have a healthy return to transcribing. The last solo I transcribed was Stan Getz on the tune The Girl from Ipanema. I remember how awesome it felt to get it down! I can't wait to get back into jazz because of the love it and not because it's an assignment.

[@k-Gonzo]

Wait, did I just have a music teacher tell me to play something by ear BEFORE trying to write/read the sheet music for it? What kind of parallel universe am I in? Honestly, hearing that just made me so much more motivated to transcribing something for the first time. I already have fun figuring out the head of some standards by ear when I'm messing around during practice, and I've also transcribed a couple of licks that I've written by ear. Combining those two skills should be an interesting challenge.

[@SepiaSepiaKR]

You're a musician, dude. Your ear will always trump your theory. This kind of advice might as well be the path from craftsmanship to artistry.

[@k-Gonzo]

@@SepiaSepiaKR Haha, thanks!! Some classically-trained folks may disagree with you, lol.

[@kennyr1161]

@@SepiaSepiaKR The both are equally important you can't place one above the other

[@genieroluispalaganas9728]

haha all of those ‘don’ts’ that you described is what i did when i started transcribing and that’s why i’ve been eternslly burnt out on transcribing, i’m starting to figure it out tho! 😂😭

[@julianmazzariello2539]

Very very helpful indeed! 🎶🎹👍🏼

[@T.H.W.O.T.H]

Great advise Nick. I usually suggest a Dexter ballad for the novice transcriber. You can't go wrong with Dexter eh? 🎷

[@DanMartin67]

I feel this. Great video! A lot to pull from this. I’m learning Bill Evans “how about you” from the bills Evans Omnibook on piano. I posted one of his transcriptions on my page if you wanna check it out!

[@AnilYadav-bh9rw]

Great video! Thank you :)

[@bobwrotenstien315]

I have heard this several times, that you should be able to sing the entire solo before attempting to transcribe it. Why is that better than approaching the solo by the phrases, and being able to sing each phrase before playing it. That seems a lot easier.

[@nickmainella]

I think that's a fine approach. I just think that getting the continuity of the entire solo could have benefits as well.

[@timobesamusca9332]

Thank you for this video Nick! I never gave it much thought, but I think these do’s will really help me in selecting the appropriate solo’s and work on them in a structured way. Very useful! I am not good at all in writing down so I like the idea of ‘just do and memorize’ so that is usually the way I do it already, but I really would love to get better at writing the notes down - do you have any suggestions on how to improve on this? How do professional musicians learn this at Music School?

[@nickmainella]

Start by just writing down the rhythms to a solo without the notes. Rhythmic transcribing instead of melodic. That make sense?

[@timobesamusca9332]

@@nickmainella Yep, thx for the advice.

[@qibert]

Hey Nick, I’m not sure we’re stealing. If you read a book and see a cool word and start dropping it into conversations, is that stealing. The word is published into the public domain, as is a sequence of notes in music. If you put that sequence into music you were selling, that’s another matter. I think of it as distillation of knowledge, meaning. Thanks for the food for thought.

[@timobesamusca9332]

Bert Buckley just goes to show that music is all about giving and sharing, not about taking and stealing

[@nickmainella]

You're right. I just put it in those terms to make a point that it's OK.

[@JoHeN1990]

as in the phrase “good artist copy, great artist steal”. Stealing is the part of taking something from someone and making it your own. Dont take it to the literal term. It just means that once you “steal” the solo, you must make it your own. Add it to your style, incorporate it to another song, etc and make it your own