Can I Transcribe Jazz Solos Too Much? (Q&A)

So, I did an episode on my podcast recently. It was an Ask Me Anything episode where I asked people on Facebook and KZbin to ask me any question about jazz and I'd spend the whole session answering it.
Well, I got way too many great questions that I couldn't answer on that show. So, I'm going to spend today answering the rest of them and I know that you are going to get a lot out of this.
If you want to hear more questions like these, check out the podcast episode: www.learnjazzs...
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[@rudyvasquez9343]

Question for your next Q&A. How do you communicate with the piano player and stay out of each others way while comping? Or what can I do, as a piano player, to stay out of the guitar players way? Any thoughts on this topic

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Ah the classic piano and guitar cooperation question. Will keep in mind! But in short- I think piano should have lead role as comper. Guitar can still comp but should use sparser voicings, or play a rhythmic role. That said, you can also switch off comping, which can be a great way to keep things fresh on the bandstand. The worst thing is to step on each others toes because that won't sound good and doesnt serve the music.

[@thorfranch3608]

Another Q&A. If you are comping and you put colors in your chords or maybe you do some chord substitutions, should you discuss it first with bass player or piano player?

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Great question! If it's a lot of subs to the point of harmonization, probably, if its just a tritone sub here or there or a chromatic ii-V approach, hopefull they'll here it. That being said, don't play these things simply because you want to play them. When you are comping it should complement the soloist, and the soloist may not want you to impose something they aren't playing.

[@ollies246]

If someone had told me to learn arpeggios all over the neck inside out, before attempting to transcribe any tune, I think I would’ve saved so much time and effort. Learning and analysing solos without the fundamental knowledge was really disheartening

[@Learnjazzstandards]

That makes a lot of sense Ollie! I 100% agree. "Mapping Out" tunes is very helpful.

[@pickinstone]

Thanks to teachers like Brent, I think we might be FINALLY emerging from the Dark Ages of Jazz Pedagogy: Chord Scale Theory. Don't get me wrong, it has it's place in jazz improvisation. Here we go with someone quoting Gary Burton's masterclass and clinging onto CST for dear life. It's a shame, cause Gary Burton is a melodic/harmonic/rhythmic genius. Unfortunately, I think he teaches the opposite of how he actually plays. Scales don't create music, melodies do. I don't think in pitch collections (but I think it's an excellent teaching idea), I think in sounds--it's easier to extract sound when I'm improvising on the bandstand than to think notes or calculations. I remember when I first noticed how Miles Davis used the 6th in a minor context from transcribing "So What"... Then I found that sound in other players in the same minor context. Regardless, it will always be the "Miles Davis 6th ending" sound to me. By the way, Brent's in great company. Adam Maness and Peter Martin over at the "You'll Hear It" podcast are two master jazz pianists who say many of the same things that Brent says here. And Greg Fishman, Jim Snidero, and the Gonz (Jerry Bergonzi) have all said what Brent says as well. Unfortunately, we (including me) all want quick fixes. Hence... the prevalence of Chord Scale Theory.

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Thanks pickinstone! True, nothing wrong with chord scale theory, but "quick fixes" aren't the things that will truly feed your musical growth in the long term.

[@gionnipinziroli3994]

Question for Q&A: How do you learn solos by ear?

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Great question Luca! I would suggest my LIST method (which works for learning standards as well). Here's a video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJa2iIuld72rrM0 But also learn in small batches. We do this in one of my courses, and it's highly effective.