How to Make an Audience Cry

Original Video: • Marcus Miller - Metrop...
(Marcus Miller - Metropole Orkest - Edison Jazz/World Awards 2013)
Transcribed by: Levi from Notebook Transcriptions
Soprano Sax - Alex Han, NOT Alex Hahn as written in the video. (Though he is also a great player!)
As part of Marcus Miller's Edison Jazz 2013 set, Alex Han played this beautiful solo on Miller's original tune, Goree.
This solo is particularly meaningful because the tune is about a slave house on an island that held African slaves. Miller visited the island and wrote this song about how he felt standing in that slave house, and Han truly raised the emotional level of the piece with his beautiful solo.
I would highly recommend checking out the original video, which has a preamble by Miller outlining the above story, and watching the rest of the whole set. There are many great solos and I can't wait to transcribe more of them...
PDFs are freely available on my Patreon:
/ notebooktranscriptions
If you would like to contribute to the channel please contact me through the Discord OR through my email found in the About section to discuss.

[@nathanwalters2856]

Just thinking how much effort you put to transcribe the solo makes me cry

[@notebooktranscriptions]

It was an effort!

[@berylallen7800]

There are transcribing computer programs where it transcribes to paper what is played. Sorry.

[@rapinncapin123]

🤩

[@notebooktranscriptions]

@@berylallen7800 If only it was that easy!

[@GabrielSoto31]

@@berylallen7800 Yes but they don't transcribe perfectly and you have to have a good ear and good theory background to understand what's going on and improve those transcriptions. Usually they transcribe as midis and the midi don't register the saxophone only, for example. It will transcribe every noise as a note into the sheet music. That's where is hard, you see just a ridiculous amount of notes without silences at all. And transcribing is not just putting the notes. accents, Correct scoring techniques, progressions, changes to understand the whole thing. So, no, it is not easy. Sorry.

[@mv11000]

Marcus dancing, laying his hand on Alex‘ shoulder, pointing at him showing his appreciation, really touches me

[@turbosnack]

He gave his heart and SOUL to this performance. Dear god

[@notebooktranscriptions]

Definitely. I am scheduled to upload another solo of his in the coming weeks that equals this one in terms of emotion! So keep an ear out

[@CarSimping]

best video on youtube (the whole concert). his solo on detroit was the best of the night

[@notebooktranscriptions]

@@CarSimping might be the solo I am talking about! Maybe maybe not 🤗 find out next week

[@crieverytim]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqXQpJyLYqyNosk Heart and soul is only good for so much! He brought talent! 😂

[@KrisVComm]

@@notebooktranscriptions you can contact him for newer content. He would appreciate it

[@jacksonmack]

This made me cry

[@blackie8083]

not cry, but it was nice.

[@68caribou]

:: Gets me every time!!!! ::

[@GLeague86]

That band entry hits different

[@notebooktranscriptions]

Great writing by M.M and an excellent setup from Han!

[@jillthinksimabreakfasttaco4904]

What's fascinating is the back-up musicians are just following the lead as the music progresses. The lead is just ad libbing each phrase, but somehow they make it all work in harmony. Great progression and beautiful music.

[@notebooktranscriptions]

A product of great compositional skills by M.M and an outstanding ability to conceive and produce a solo / melody based on harmony AND countermelody from Han.

[@It.wasnt_me]

What a tone. Love Marcus tapping him on the shoulder.

[@lydmarl.475]

That is Marcus!!! One has to love the guy, I have watch Alex H., what an amazing talent!!

[@natchanielb]

that is honestly one of the best solos I've ever heard, and it's paired with an amazing transcription too

[@notebooktranscriptions]

Thank you, that means a lot!

[@fionaalderman4871]

I keep playing it and I keep crying . AMAZING musicianship. Thank you.

[@greetfrompete9344]

a perfectionalist like Marcus is flipping, grooving and dancing❤

[@Shaktidej]

The Metropole Orkest performance with Marcus Miller is just absolutely mindblowing, and Goray & Revelations are its pinnacle. Such talent on scene is jaw dropping !

[@BenitoAndito]

Reminds me of Cory Henry slaying the solo in Lingus. 5 minutes of pure musical mastery that develops and builds the whole time.

[@notebooktranscriptions]

I completely agree. One of my favourite solos of all time

[@dinowibisono99]

The day Snarky Puppy / Ghost Note does a cover of this song will be the day I die peacefully

[@miksyezpatelik]

so many masters of the art on that stage .... absolute heaven .

[@free2bpoppie]

This displays the absolute brilliance of Miller's genius as both a musician and band leader! Allowing the skills and talent of other players to make a point in the song, makes this so much more listenable than if it were just his brilliant solo playing! Yes, this is how to do it!

[@Cheezburgers959]

Alex is in the next level truly telling a story

[@notebooktranscriptions]

Never heard anyone able to build a solo quite like him!!

[@lydmarl.475]

I have seen this guy on tour with Marcus Miller, what a talent, never forget him! Love how he Marcus has all those young talents in his band. Always enjoy see Marcus getting into a whole different space!

[@notebooktranscriptions]

He’s passing on that legacy from Miles who did the same for him!

[@lydmarl.475]

Saw Marcus just last night again, great show, was at the Blue Note in NYC for the whole week doing 2 shows a day. Some die hard fans in line, one French guy seeing him each day back to back for the the whole week! He did not have his original band with him, because of the small stage. He invited each day others like, Lisa Fisher, Isiah Sharkey and others, we had another legend, Mike Stern last night, Awesome show!

[@williamhornabrook8081]

Amazing work transcribing it. From around bar 105 there are demi-semi quavers at around crochet = 120 which is 16 notes per second. Alex Han then speeds up into sextuplets which is a blistering 24 notes per second. I think he gets even faster than that! Truly an amazing solo too. The rhythmic stuff he's doing is nuts.

[@notebooktranscriptions]

He is for sure a master of rhythm. When I heard the sextuplets nested in the quintuplet I was shocked. And he manages to simultaneously create a melody with the top note of each of those 6-note fragments. Ridiculous player

[@FunkadelicFlea]

Man, Alex Han is such an inspiring musician!!! I've seen him play with Marcus Miller a couple of times now and he never ceases to amaze me! If you don't believe me: Marcus Miller is actually dancing to his solo. You don't see Marcus dance that often!

[@UkuleleAversion]

Awesome phrasing. Builds really well.

[@dinowibisono99]

You will *not* fathom the happiness I felt the moment I found out that not only this song exists on the internet, the *perfect* transcription of the *best* sax solo version of this song also exists on the internet.

[@patrickquibodeaux4438]

Can't give this enough thumbs up. This is one of my favorite pieces of music, ever.

[@kurikokaleidoscope]

Curtis plays some emotional sax. Come and listen. Happy Holidays.

[@notebooktranscriptions]

すごい！

[@Olivier_Debats]

Alex Han is a virtuoso ! What a shame that he no longer accompanies Marcus Miller... I hope for his return🤞

[@rapinncapin123]

Beautiful soprano sax

[@benjaminkenobi21]

If Marcus Miller is jamming, we should be jamming

[@rpj-sax4lyfe]

This is one of the most powerful solos ever. (For me) it truly speaks...this version of goree is like a story being told...🖤🎷💯

[@SaxPracticemanJazz]

Amazing!!!

[@chowter]

I so agree with you. the best entire concert too. I can watch this everyday and never tire of the music. Quality

[@NatureHeadSupreme]

Stunning composition.

[@JoMajorSax]

Holy cow, my gosh, what an amazing solo, and the larger work is so powerful. Thank you so very much for bringing to my ears!!! Great work on the transcription.

[@JC-ct1pp]

3:56 I was feeling it with the bass player right there woww

[@kevindowning1541]

WOW!!!

[@swaggerlikemcjagger3162]

The tone is AMAZING

[@fredericippolito9071]

Enorme. C'est pour ça que je suis musicien. Merci

[@Elohist2009]

This man *lives* above register🤩

[@free2bpoppie]

Yeah, baby!

[@wchicaiza2400]

This Alex Han is without the middle "h". He´s one of the most talented saxophonist of our time. There is another Alex Hahn (with middle "h") who is also one of the most talented saxophonist of our time... I wonder if they meet each other?

[@CBeauford5]

The pace of this solo...wow

[@charlesdolphinboy]

wow!! * what an amazing ride!! * thanx man for giving your all to your craft!! * music does heal!! * and the rest of the band was totally amazing as well * cheers!! 🙏 🕯 🎶 🌌

[@MusicBySJP]

Marcus dancing like Ray Lewis back there😂

[@rfsantos021]

amazing

[@przemysaworszulik3865]

Wow... solo is amazing of course but transcription is on another level too... huge respect!

[@oleksandrplishkin436]

It’s awesome.

[@rubywilliams7455]

Ahhhh this is so good

[@shaggy.patches]

Really wanted this in B-flat so I could play along.

[@notebooktranscriptions]

B flat transcription is free!

[@fluidjazz]

2:17 onwards, Marus unashamedly digging it is very wholesome!

[@LukeBass1000]

Look this is obviously fantastic and I enjoyed every second of it......but if you imagine Marcus as a friendly ghost jamming away while no one can see him it becomes an 11 out of 10 😂😂

[@mrglump52]

MM was having a F. Monk moment

[@notebooktranscriptions]

I loved that he showed how much he was digging the solo! Must be nice during the show for him to have a break and listen to the great musicians he’s surrounded by!

[@hammondphillips2251]

💅

[@martinmystair]

I didn't even know this level was reachable...

[@donaldonnelly69]

Cry no , excited yes.

[@jooelewis]

Alex is a nut. Thanks for this transcription.

[@willmorley9186]

and it did.

[@notebooktranscriptions]

This Beautiful Comment Made Me Laugh

[@fujinshu]

Neato

[@mastermao8592]

Some players just mark their instruments sing so beautiful

[@rupertgordonii6623]

Wow 🌸

[@chrismilyo3702]

Alex Han*** there’s another Alex Hahn on the sax that’s also killin!

[@allijnera]

3:21😭😭😭

[@notebooktranscriptions]

Tremendous, emotional playing

[@makethistechwork2881]

Definitely love the sop solo. Also, that jazz Bass Clarinet was great at the beginning! Would like to know if the transcription is done with the help of a computer. That's kind of a crazy good transcription.

[@notebooktranscriptions]

Glad you think so! No it was just done by ear and using Musescore to notate. Thanks for your kind words

[@josephdebri8941]

If I'm not mistaken the transcription is in concert pitch.

[@fujinshu]

You and @GeorgeCollier should collab sometime.

[@notebooktranscriptions]

Perhaps!!!

[@JaSaunJ]

Is this written in concert pitch?

[@notebooktranscriptions]

Yes, it is. If you'd like it in Bb, that's available in my patreon found in the description. For free!

[@ngtamphuong]

He’s Alex Han, not Alex Hahn who’s another sax player.

[@notebooktranscriptions]

I amended the title after publishing the video but unfortunately I cannot change the text inside the video

[@abielferrin913]

2:44 can someone tell me what those plus signs on those notes mean?

[@notebooktranscriptions]

It’s a versatile symbol depending on the instrument and composer/transcriber. If you listen to how Han is playing the notes marked like that you can hear he is sort of half-muting or “stopping” them, which is how I intended it to be read in this transcription. (Sounds like his tongue is on the reed for the note.)

[@abielferrin913]

@@notebooktranscriptions ah, I believe he's half-tonguing the reed in this case.

[@notebooktranscriptions]

@@abielferrin913 yup!

[@rjfyt]

He’s playing an A on the soprano (concert G) and pressing some of the right hand keys. Since there’s an open hole in between it’s still an A but it changes the pitch and timbre making it sound like a distinctly different note. He may not be using the tongue at all. You can do this with some other notes on the sax but A is by far the most common and most pronounced

[@abielferrin913]

@@rjfyt oh that trick, nice

[@DIDHEJUST]

4:28 bass fill

[@Madinko12]

Could somebody explain to me why the fifth is explicitly specified for some chords (e.g. 0:53)? Isn't that redundant? I'm very ignorant in music theory, please don't hurt me 😅. Amazing solo and transcription by the way. Gives me goose bumps.

[@notebooktranscriptions]

Hey, great question. Having the 5 next to a chord name (in this instance D5) is telling us that the chord consists of only two notes: D & it’s 5th which is A. You might have heard them called Power Chords. (Because a 5th sounds powerful!$ D5 chords basically cause a vagueness between major and minor as flavours which can give the improviser some cool opportunities to pick one or the other at different times and superimpose it over the top of the same chord.

[@Madinko12]

@@notebooktranscriptions Oh, I see. Great explanation, very much appreciated, thank you. I'll dig into that!

[@rafagxjunglezz]

Alex Han* not Hahn

[@alvarovanzijllopez7506]

What a insane drummer! Who is it?

[@maxpettersson8919]

Robert ''Sput''' Searight!

[@Jaujau933]

Forget it Mr Miller, stick with bass gtr

[@bio7771]

cool very cool but i suspect..

[@bio7771]

2:53

[@number-1-Saxman]

Sorry didn't make me cry.

[@KrisVComm]

Alex is an amazing player. It’s a shame what Marcus has done to blackball Alex and destroy his career. Shame on Marcus Miller!

[@notebooktranscriptions]

Did they have a falling out? Not sure what you mean

[@KrisVComm]

@@notebooktranscriptions Marcus knows! This kid has ALWAYS been there for Marcus and played his ass off. Marcus may indeed be a victim of government propaganda. Nevertheless, you take care of family and you speak openly and honestly and protect your own. That's the way of love and Christ. On a positive note, anyone playing sax who wants to get better, you can take lessons from Alex! (note, there are two Alex H's - Alex Han whom we are discussing and Alex Hahn who is another great sax player from So CA)

[@notebooktranscriptions]

@@KrisVComm Am I out of the loop? What has happened with Marcus Miller?

[@KrisVComm]

@@notebooktranscriptions he screwed over Alex…a kid who was loyal to him

[@notebooktranscriptions]

@@KrisVComm Just wondering where I can read about what happened... What is M.M doing to screw over Han?

[@rightchordleadership]

He’s good but no Kenny G

[@nancykaydudek2129]

And thank goodness 🌻

[@Riverland1]

He plays much better than Kenny G. Better tone and ideas !!

[@NatureHeadSupreme]

Kenny G just has amazing lung capacity, thats about it.

[@judah49]

Circular breathing is not lung capacity. And I’m positive AH can circular breath. Most professionals can.

[@KrisVComm]

This comment has to be a troll. Otherwise, there’s no way you are a sax player. Kenny G is not even on the same planet.

[@jeremystobingham2362]

wack

[@OS-yg9fr]

wow. guy in hat thought he was the main character. guess that's why the audience was crying.

[@burkhardty10]

Meanwhile, he is. It’s his band.