Q+A #25 - Why I own an Eb Real Book

[@MisterAppleEsq]

I'd watch Adam Neely's Cooking Lessons.

[@timesink8947]

I laughed harder at that smash cut than you'd believe, oh my god that was great

[@LukeBeadles]

And as always... *STOVE*

[@benjaminwaddill1625]

Same

[@renerpho]

And he's absolutely right about the grapefruit taste.

[@Steeyuv]

Mister Apple I’d watch his paint drying vids.

[@talkingbasslessons]

Spot on with the Cruise ship gigs. I did ships for years and you find many musicians become locked into that gig because the longer you do it, the tougher it is to make the transition back to land. Several years can pass you by very quickly but back home people move on in their professions and lives in general so any kind of networking just disappears. The money and lifestyle is very alluring and can hold you there for longer than you might want but I guess it all depends on your aims and aspirations.

[@sigiriabeysekara8723]

Heiiiiiiiiiiiiii

[@dizyart6996]

If all ads in real life used this format, I'd be a very happy man! THIS IS proper advertising (well, endorsement) done proper properly. Unapologetic, to-the-point, well structured, with informative content and CONTEXT!! Adam, I was afraid of the day you gave in to advertising. But now I see my fears were unnecessary. As I should have expected, this was a thorough and well thought presentation, worthy of Adam's intelligence, interests and our time. I now know what Audioblocks is and when and why I should use it. And it also shows that Adam takes what he gives us very seriously. I really wouldn't mind more advertising like this. If you are an intelligent viewer, please upvote this comment to show our support for Adam's great work and his struggle to consistently make great, free content for us to enjoy and learn. Seriously proper kudos, Adam.

[@LootFragg]

I upvoted because I agree with the core message, not so much the intelligent viewer bit.

[@josep43767]

I totally agree. the advertisement actually added content to the video, not just being a thing to sit through.

[@noahzimmerman7913]

Why would you write this much about an ad?

[@gutsman85_86]

"I'm on a mission from Gahd." - Bach (probably)

[@jamescannon167]

Bach: *plays rawhide theme for 6 hours*

[@deltabilly1]

This channel blows my mind. I’ve been a professional musicians for close to 30 years; I wish this sort of thing has been freely available in the 80s and 90s. We were just kids trying to get gigs. Such a different world. But we could have benefited from a broad resource of info like what you provide. Kudos. It’s a very very different music world today. Glad someone is making sense out of it.

[@AscensionUSA]

As a bass clef player TIL i can read an alto sax part without transposing.

[@laurierbaribeau7785]

- add 3 flats to the key (when there are sharps, negate sharps instead) - Accidentals will be wrong on B's, E's and A's (sharp->natural and natural->flat) ie. A# means A natural, since in treble that was originally an F#. You'll find you need to learn which notes have wrong accidentals or you'll forever play wrong notes. I forget if more notes have problems (maybe C's and F's, but the E's and A's you see the most) - It helps to know what key you're in as a first step, this will help with the many incorrect accidentals It is easy except for the haunting wrong notes that keep finding a way of creeping in.

[@xSh4d0WxFoXx98]

Yeah same, I'm an alto player and can play bass clef pieces on alto without transposing too

[@nou6990]

JordiSax Yeah. Bari player here, very useful for playing bass parts

[@lewisblakley8288]

I love using that trick.

[@dabeamer42]

Old classical musician here -- you nailed Bach in the second Q/A. Good stuff.

[@mharbaugh]

Everything you said about cruise ship work is spot on. I've been working boats for about 10 years - The music scene back home has more or less disappeared in the last couple of years, so at this point I'm all in with the cruise ship (and I'm OK with that).

[@jkhan337]

I'm an INTJ as well and I found when I was in school for audio engineering that I became extroverted around fellow musicians/engineers. It's easy for even an introvert to get excited around like minded people

[@maldivirdragonwitch]

Agreed. As an introvert myself, I find that's what the whole problem is about: most introverts are "nichey" people who are not exposed to like-minded peers in the early stages of life (that's when we get the feeling for the world around us). That makes us not want to engage in a world that obviously doesn't understand us. Luckily, the internet is connecting us in ways that was never possible before, but that also brings the drawback of getting addicted to exclusively virtual comradery. Whoever is struggling with this - I feel you.

[@tz4601]

@Mank Hobley I have heard this described as being "people-oriented" versus "object-oriented." Object here not necessarily meaning literally objects, but basically, are you someone who gets excited about other sharing experiences with other people, or are you someone who gets excited about _____ , including sharing your love of _____ with other people? The two are kinda different things. I don't think it's that introverts live in a world that doesn't understand them, and if only everyone around them were (let's say) musicians, they would become constant extroverts. I think introverts have vibrant inner lives (this is how introversion is usually described); we gain a lot of enjoyment and satisfaction from various pursuits; so yes, that excitement can definitely bleed into sharing that excitement with like-minded people. I found this when I took my hobby of programming and made it into a career; suddenly I was around other programmers and I instantly clicked with them, meaning I suddenly loved going to work. Having said that, there are definite limits. Even with music, I can really deeply enjoy playing with others for a few hours, but before long I'm drained and thinking about how nice it would be to be playing my piano alone at home instead.

[@Termsterms]

Hey Adam. I've been watching your videos for a while, but never commented. I just wanted to take a moment to express how much I appreciate what you do, and the knowledge you share (and how clear and articulate you are). It's been of great help to me. A very sincere thank you!

[@dannybrickwell]

Classic Adam, even when he's shilling he's educating. Love your work!

[@AdamNeely]

i aim to please!

[@jcortese3300]

Chuckling over the Eb real book mind trick; I've recently -- like within the last day -- done the same thing with A mode plainchant. I can play it on a D Major Irish flute by pretending that the clef on the front is an alto clef, then boom. It falls into place. Neat to run into a video a day after I discovered that trick myself!

[@ΓιάννηςΜπάλλας-ν6τ]

my trick as a producer for recording anxious musicians, first "practice it" "let's try another idea", "play again the first one" "OK, final rehearsal before we record it" and all that time the engineer...is recording..It works all the time...

[@ForcesOfRandom]

One who thinks Bach's instrumental work doesn't contain any clear emotion should listen for commonalities in musical content to his vocal works. Take "Können Tränen meiner Wangen" from the St. Matthews Passion; clearly a tearful, grieving song. It's not far-fetched that a grieving Bach would take up his violin and improvise a similar kind of flowing melody! For other settings in the passion the music is completely different. "Sind Blitze sind Donner" invokes thunderstorm and hellfire with fast bass-runs and short staccato-riffs. Also, much of his music wasn't mostly for the glory of god! There are tons of instrumental show-off pieces in keyboard concertos and toccatas, written as a hobby besides paying church works, and musical jokes on drinking songs. Greetings from Germany! Love your videos.

[@nick1237811]

i just realized that The Lick is played at the outro of Englishman in New York from Sting

[@RCAvhstape]

Ha ha thanks for ruining that song lol!

[@GregF71]

Branford Marsalis (sax player on EINY) uses the lick so much (and so well) he even used it in one of his tunes' head (Doctone, from his masterpiece album Requiem)

[@HanBurritoz]

3:35 But why does Bach have self references like the B-A-C-H (or Bb-A-C-B) motive? Coincidence?

[@milopfultz]

He also made a cantata about coffee, so Adam is probably speaking mostly of his sacred music, as most of what he wrote was as the main composer of a church. The Art of Fugue, cello suites, etc., are all pieces he made in his free time, IIRC.

[@XxAmageddonxX]

it is a motive of death. because if you link the notes the right way it forms a crucifix

[@KKIcons]

Cool! A good way to see the visual patterns in Bach is watching the animated scores on Smalin's channel.

[@federico4639]

It's probably more about the legacy of the Bach family than just a self reference

[@ajarofnutella]

17:44 GASP IS THAT BG MUSIC BIRD ON THE WING?! *SUNGAZER VOL 2 EARLY SONG LEAK EASTER EGG*

[@karakhanzi]

That's the best sponsor insertion I've seen yet. Which is to say, I stuck around and got educated, and didn't skip it. Props man, love your work!

[@grberendzenproductions312]

I am an introvert bass player as well. I started out playing clarinet, worked my way to first chair and then wanted to spread out. Luckily, I had an instructor who saw my ability and I was at a school that had a baritone sax just sitting around. He gave me a beginner book, and tips on embouchure position and told me to learn at my own pace. I was leading the school jazz band, playing bari sax in about 4 months. The only sax I haven't played is soprano, which I despise. I also had my hand at the school's bass clarinet and played it in a few concerts. I was also taking beginning 6 string guitar at the time, basically playing cowboy chords, when I realized all the forming rock bands needed bass players. I bought a bass and amp and just started playing, by ear, without any specific bass guitar lessons. I was also acting and I eventually majored in theater, combined all my training and became a theatrical sound designer, mixing live sound, recording custom sound effects and finding period music for shows from all eras.

[@travishutton9750]

I played in the pit as a percussionist for the first time this weekend and it was very interesting. I didn’t get to practice with the rest of the orchestra as I was only a stand in. And I often got lost because this new type of performance was completely foreign to me

[@monkyjamman]

Just further inform you with the whole Eb thing. I am an Alto Sax player and I have used this trick for a while, when people (mostly elderly guitar conducters) coulnd't figure how to transpose to Eb even on a computer i just told them to give me the same sheet music in the bass clef. What you just need to do is I add 3 sharps or go 3 steps forward in the circle of fifths. So what you do is just go three steps back, for instance if you have a sheet music in the Eb book that is in the key of A major just pretend is all in the key of C and whenever you come to an "F#" or an "C#" just remove the sharp!

[@korny92]

Thanks for the podcast version, so good to hear while driving!

[@JasonGeddie]

As a trumpet player, looking into the older baroque style of playing is amazing. At college this year I managed to get my hands on a Baroque Trumpet and it was a totally different beast

[@Petrolhead99999]

I'm a bari player, so I have to play tuba or bass parts frequently. The trick is: add 3 flats and skip natural to go from Eb to concert. If you're playing in concert F with 2 sharps in Eb, you will end up with 1 flat. If you're playing in Ab, you'll have 4 flats, etc.

[@Nic33rd]

Thanks for putting these in podcast form, Adam!

[@victorcercasin]

Hey, Adam. As a not at all musical person, I struggle coming up with smart stuff to ask. Any advice? Please note that my sole purpose is to be answered in a video and I have no intent of actualy learning anything.

[@bobfike7231]

My best advice is to mine questions from other KZbin channels that Adam has not yet addressed on his channel. The best way to mine questions is with a small, one-hand pickaxe, not the larger two-handed pickaxes known to pop culture. I prefer "Estes"-brand tools, because I find them consistently to be of high quality, and I value that they are made in the USA, but I have experience with other types that are almost as good while also being more affordable. When you begin to mine the questions, do NOT use your pickaxe to tear away more material from the bottom of the exposure, as this might lead to rockfall, which could result in humancrush. Instead, dig through the slag at the foot of the exposure, and use the pickaxe to tear into rocks that are likely to contain questions (the presence of agate veins is a dead giveaway, though pay close attention to anything containing specular hematite). Make sure to wear tough gloves and proper footwear, and happy hunting!

[@9TheEarth7]

Hey man, loved your writing in 'Les Misérables', it was really an epic story

[@jacobynt6851]

Bob fike, that was the best re troll I've ever seen.

[@Vanamutt]

Bach was known to improvise in the church he played at for hours at a time, he pushed himself to be able to play 4 melodies at the same time, there are accounts of him strapping a wooden peg on his nose, so he could play an extra voice on the organ with it. Bach's compositions are filled with his personal emotion, Partita E-Major for example. His Fugue on the theme B-A-C-H (H is the German equivalent of Bb, B is Bb) is literally trying to put his name in to the composition. To me it doesn't seem like Bach did it only to praise god through music, Bach was the OG jazzman.

[@patrickthames8853]

Concerning the Bach comment... The religious aspect of Bach's music lends itself to the emotional... Bach definitely intended his music to express the beauty and majesty of God. Your comment about feeling the grief is spot on... i believe that Bach fully intended his listeners to be moved emotionally by his music. Your return comment was kind and focused in relation to the accepted academic interpretations of the Baroque period but the truth is that the music of Bach hinges on the profound, deep experience humans find when encountering the miraculous and amazing world of Deity.

[@AndrewBeals]

One of my high school band teachers taught me "The Bass Clef Trick" back then, as I was playing bari sax at the time. "Imagine that it's treble clef, and add three sharps." We know that this works because the key of E-flat major has three flats (as you well know) and bass parts are written in concert pitch. Since then, I've since switched off to clarinet and have been playing just soprano and bass in B-flat, so when I was recently loaned an E-flat contra alto and tried the trick again, I was very pleasantly surprises, that not only I could still do the "bass clef trick", but that I could sight-read a bassoon part while playing in my community band.

[@brassbandit]

In the UK, brass band music is written in transposed pitch in treble clef, which is how I learned to play Eb Tuba, so had to use the same trick to read bass clef concert pitch parts in wind band/orchestral music. INTJ (once INTP) here.

[@AbigailPoirier]

Saw the title and wondered if you'd figured out the same Eb trick I did...yup! It's pretty convenient if you ever need to play along with a saxophonist and only have his book. I exercise my brain by transposing songs into multiple different keys. If it's a memorized song, I'll do all 12, if I'm reading music, I usually stay within a 4th of the original key.

[@IamUncledeuce]

After holding down the bass chair with several very accomplished pianists, horn bands, and a long stint with a 22 piece swing outfit, I can see where the Eb Real Book would be beneficial. We always had charts and many were Hal Leonard intermediate+. Nice arrangements too.

[@nicktenwolde3154]

I've never noticed it if you've been doing in your past videos, but you use "the lick" for every transition and its awesome!

[@wrenclark4907]

hahah yep the Eb transposition trick is real useful (especially since i used to play bari sax, so whenever the band’s bassist lost his music (which admittedly, was a lot) he’d always read off of mine lmao)

[@jacobsaintjames]

For a difficult part I usually do between 6 and 12 takes. My best takes come roughly 2/3 of the way through. When you give up the idea of nailing it on the first take, you give yourself a few times through to get warmed up and comfortable in situ. When enough time has passed, you find yourself in the zone, and every little imperfection you remember for the next time around until you get it perfect. Sometimes just having this no-stress mentality will allow you to nail it in the first few takes. Worst case, you will have lots of material for comping.

[@obknowles]

Adam: As a fellow INTJ, I really appreciate your comments on the need to be extroverted. As an amateur musician and a professional nurse, I find myself needing to be extroverted a lot. I find that treating these situations as a role play helps. I AM and introvert, that is who I am. I can not BE an extrovert. However, I can be extroverted when I need to be, but I find it draining. My ideal patient is one who relays information that I need and answers my questions succinctly and lets me get on with my job with no social interaction. However, most patients expect, and even need, a nurse who is socially engaging. So, to do my job well, I become extroverted. This idea, I think applies to any job in which social interaction is required (which is nearly every job). Introverts need to learn how to be extroverted if they want to succeed in life. You gave some good advice there.

[@gracepadilla8887]

I agree with you about Bach's music. I have been playing it for all of my music career and it has always been for me the most difficult to understand, compared to other music, but it has also prepared me so well, that other periods of music now seem to be much more easy to play and interpretate thanks to the complexity of Bach's music, specially for the piano, where you're supposed to be musical with each and everyone of the voices sounding at the same time, which is crazy, but is totally a challenge every musician should do. So yeah, Bach rules!

[@Megatallica572]

Great video! I think this is the. Best use of an ad I've ever seen, keep up the awesome work!

[@33BiGBoB33]

Hey Adam, I'm in a metal band and we are trying out different scales. We're tired of all this "SHRED DIS SHIEEEET" and "MORE STRING, MORE METAL" stuff and we're currently experimenting with some gypsy scales and they made metal great again. It would be awesome to get some names of artists like Django Reinhardt that was know to use those scales. Have you ever tried them in your music?

[@LucasJKey]

33BiGBoB33 I think Al Di Meola is another great in this vain .

[@FoldedHelix]

There's something called "Historically Informed Performance Practice." It is the idea of performing whatever music you are playing as close as possible to how it would have been performed. These performers will do anything from changing the tuning of their instrument, to taking off certain parts of their instrument (like end pins on cello or chin rests on violins), to playing entirely different instruments. The problem with this, however, is that there is no way of knowing exactly how music before audio recording sounded. Historically Informed Performance Practice is weirdly enough, a relatively new concept, and there's a lot we don't know. The only thing we can do is search for writing that describes the performance of old, and play that. I think the idea of classical music being boring comes from modern performers playing this older music in a modern style. Go listen to Feodor Chaliapin sing "A Swan" by Grieg, then listen to Håkan Hagegård perform it. Personally, I just can't listen to the newer recording.

[@theopminer952]

That cheat with Eb transposed treble clef is something I figured out my junior year in highschool after I took music theory and was trying to take a look at one of the saxophone parts for our marching music for the upcoming fall

[@JacobDFerguson]

dude you have no idea how stoked i get when I see you post a new q&a's! thanks for the lovely content (:

[@luchadorito]

Jacob Ferguson I know right? Just something to look forward to listen to as soon as I get home

[@gregariouslyme9492]

In regards to the question on recording anxiety- Another recording tip is to do pre-production/demos on your own before heading into the actual studio. That will give you an opportunity to practice your part, the process of recording, and you get to hear what you sound like so you know what you can work on before the real takes. I also like the idea of just listening to the whole song and practicing "in your head" only before doing a real take. I think Adam has mentioned the study where thinking about what you need to do in a practice and practicing in your head can be just as productive as the real, physical practice, so maybe give that a shot. Finally I'm a big believer in taking breaks - those long breaks you take can be significantly more productive that just trying to record the same thing over and over again.

[@donald-parker]

Re Myers Briggs (I am also an INTJ BTW) - You will never learn this unless you have a well trained facilitator, but just knowing your own comfort box is the least powerful lesson. The real power comes from knowing you can behave outside your comfort box, and your basis for choosing this is in knowing who you are trying to communicate with or influence. Your adjust your approach/style to their comfort box. Of course, it is just a model. There may actually be more than 16 types of people in the world :).

[@jonathanzilk6089]

I enjoyed this one more than most. I like how you had similar topics throughout.

[@subbbass]

Hey Adam, i am Bandleader on a cruiseship. Here are my thoughts: Pro: you play a lot of songs (in my band 600 + Repertoire of the band + more songs when you play with guest artists) So if you come from school / college and had only played "musicians music" you get in contact with the real life. You learn how to read, you learn so many songs in all styles. Cons : As You said : the life on land goes further, you will be replaced by other players in the bands that you where in. And even if you're back home , many people think you're allways on the boat anyway and the don't need to call you. So You have to keep contact, go to sessions, call people, when you're back. after all I like playing on the ship, I can play all kinds of music every day. See the world, have great food, great weather, have summer in wintertime ...

[@RCAvhstape]

Adam, about the difference between what classical composers intended and what orchestras play today, there was an awesome episode of Radio Lab on public radio a while back where they talked about Beethoven's 5th being meant to have a much higher tempo than most people are used to hearing. When they played a recording of it played fast it totally changed the vibe of the piece, made it much more urgent and less overbearing. IF you search on "radiolab podcast" it's pretty easy to find.

[@FranLegon]

hey Adam! I just wanted to tell you you blended that advertisement very well. That website looks very interesting and useful. I'm telling you this because you most likely struggled trying to show it's truly something you want to advertise 😀 keep these videos coming!

[@BlueSparkMid]

Hi, before I start this wall of text, I would like to say I enjoy the content you make and feel that it's getting better every video. I formed a "band" (idk if you can call it that) in school and we have quite a few problems. First, and most importantly, we have near to no focus when it comes to playing songs. We always start with a song we have in mind and it ends up in us just playing completely different riffs, and the drummer just being loud. How can I instill an order in this scenario? Because I hate doing nothing after we booked a school's practice room. Second, our vocals are practically non-existent. I've considered learning how to sing (I've heard It's not the norm on bass), and our drummer's our best singer. Is the effort to find a vocalist worth it? Or should I just learn to sing/let the drummer sing? Finally, and least importantly, what do you think of bands that form in schools? -------------------- Just for reference: • Me (bass): I've been playing for nearly 4 months and I can play things like 'Hysteria' etc. I don't mess around as much as the guy on guitar but I do occasionally mess around (Seinfeld theme, of course). I don't know much music theory (something I know for a fact is useful). • Guitar: He doesn't practice much, mostly plays games (I myself, can't blame him too much for that) or does other stuff. He knows a lot of his shit though, chords etc. Bit sloppy recently. •Drums: I can't blame him for not practicing much, as he doesn't own a drum-kit, but he's keen on learning. But he prefers songs less 'rock' oriented and more 'urban' (I doubt that's the correct term). •Vocals: She practically never turns up, and not too keen on actually being a part of the band. She also dislikes music theory, as she perceives it as being prescriptive :( ------------------- Thanks

[@junglefett]

Hey, it's been four years, how's your band going?

[@supernamnam8110]

"If my goal was to make a lot of money, I wouldn't be a musician. my goal is to make money as a musician... I'm primarily looking to play with really amazing people, and make really good music" love this thanks so much

[@sluagh5534]

i recall, when i was deep into my emo phase, posting in a bass group on facebook asking how to tune to drop C, to my dismay, instead of helpful advice, i received hateful comments from men in their 40s. i remember trying to argue that he can't prove that i'm trying to tune down for jazz rather than metalcore, so with this in mind i ask you, would you ever use a lower tuning/drop tuning/ five string for jazz? you personally. keep up the good stuff man, still one of my favorite youtubers!

[@callummoodley6311]

Could you do a video on harmonics? I've been listening to victor wooten and his use of harmonics just amazes me

[@luchadorito]

Particularly the constant associacion of the tonality of harmonic overtones and cleanliness, beauty. Its been bugging me for a while. For whatever reason we have learned to associate the sound of an overtone in key played by itself with cleanliness, beauty, etc. Y THO

[@shcxatter2]

hey Adam, I was just wondering if you would make a video or series of videos on the history of western music theory, I know it's a really complex topic, but it really boggles my mind how can someone think of such complicated system and organize it so well.

[@RCAvhstape]

You actually managed to make an ad pitch into something informative. Achievement unlocked.

[@nikikovacs1923]

As always, your talks are highly enjoyable even for non-musicians. Thanks!

[@NeilABliss]

Eb =Bass first trick I ever learned. Add three flats, flip the Clef. most useful use of real books for me was forcing myself to read treble clef both transposed (Bb treble) and non-transposed (C treble) As a trombonist this opened up all sorts of potential sight transposing.

[@karlpoppins]

18:37 This is not a cheat, this is the most common way that musicians are taught how to read common transposed instruments. To add to your "shortcut", Bb transpositions are taught through tenor clef and F transpositions are taught throught mezzo-soprano clef, but I'm pretty sure you know that already.

[@robertofontiglia4148]

A couple of quick questions : 1) Was there ever more music by the Mass Extinction Event ? I've only just discovered Exigence and am very blown away by it. At least, what are some other compositions of yours that you are proud of ? Can we buy them ? 2) When I use music, say, in a film, I have to pay royalties to the owner of the intellectual property. For the sake of example, say I used a part of Exigence in a video, I suppose it's you whom I'd have to pay. My question is this : I've bought Exigence, and it comes with the score as a pdf. Suppose I get copies of it printed out, and I get all the talented musicians required to play it, and I put on a show, do I also have to pay some royalties ? How does that work ? I'd always assumed it didn't matter for the older classical pieces since the scores for them are surely all public domain, but what about contemporary pieces ? How does that work legally, do you know ?

[@addyd.3140]

Prelude in Eb Minor from WTC I is extremely emotional for me.

[@teistix]

I don't mean to be overly critical about such a trivial matter, but this has to be said: Myers-Briggs is a pseudo-science. It can not produce reliable guidelines for which people will be compatible with one another, i.e. you can't say that an INTJ wont click with an ESFP, or that two ENTPs is one too many. I get that it's fun to find a new label to describe yourself in a sort of self-exploration kinda way, but it has, and continues to lead to, among other things, job denials. Again, it's a trivial subject, but I hear an alarm ring when you say that it might be an interesting inquiry for working with other musicians...

[@TanisAnnicchiarico]

As somebody studying psychology...THANK YOU! The MBTI was put together by a mother-daughter team of housewives who listened to a Freudian radio show during the day together and comprised it together. They have no scientific background at all, period. The *most* that the MBTI should be used for is part of a broad-spectrum indexing method (as in one of many tests being used).

[@ayompedro]

who sells MBTI as science for starters? Pseudo-science are things that try to fool people being sold as science. Pseudo-science is not everything that is not science.

[@KY_100]

@@ayompedro yeah at the pseudoscience label fits perfectly.

[@waterguyroks]

I mean, psychology is a pseudo-science.

[@manan-543]

A personality test leads to job denial. Really? Is it actually taken seriously? Which types of jobs are they? If anyone knows it would helpful. I'm just curious. Sounds ridiculous if it's true.

[@stevencleere4912]

I love that you actually started to answer the grapefruit cooking dream question

[@alejandronieto576]

Adam, again, thank you. your videos are very enriching.

[@Wheelly1]

Thank you for this q&a session. You are keeping to amaze me by constantly delivering unusual, unpredicted opinions on all these subjects. Another words, you usually say what did not expected from reading the list of subjects before starting the video. It's supposedly one of the keys to your success here on youtube.

[@RhayneAedyth]

Its what we always do in concert band when there is no baritone sax sheet - just get the tuba sheet, change to treble clef and add three # on the circle of 5ths

[@MusiCaninesTheMusicalDogs]

My tip for the first question, about focusing on what you're playing when recording. A caffeine pill. Caffeine is scientifically proven to help with concentration, among other things. I have a home studio and I always take one before recording sessions, and other non music related stuff which depends a lot on brain activity, and it helps.

[@nathanbraswell7673]

Thank you so much for doing podcasts

[@PedroPetracco]

0:32 - I feel ya. I was once having some trouble with an impromptu piano take (I'm essencially a drummer) and the studio operator said: "Let's do another whole take. Try to nail the beginning!" At first that sounded kind of bulshittish. Like - What about the rest of the take?! Shouldn't I try to nail it?! Well, what happened was - I nailed the beginning. By mid-take I was more confident and at the end I was really confortable and hadn't messed anything up. That guy knew what he was saying! He made me instantly deliver better playing while also making me pretty confortable.

[@SokuThePunless]

You know what, I came to that realization a couple of years ago. When I was a high school freshman, I was playing a piece called Avenger March for concert band. I played bari sax, but the only bari sheet music they had was trombone sheet music with “or Baritone Sax” at the top of the page. The sheet music was in bass clef, and I read treble, so I thought it was going to be impossible. After looking at the music, however, I noticed something. If I get rid of the flats and played as though it was in treble clef, the part sounds exactly the same. Well, Sorry about the long winded comment, but this was just something that blew my mind back when I was younger.

[@irishmuso7129]

I stumbled across the Eb shortcut when I was transposing horn section parts. The unison passages for trombone and alto occupied the same lines and spaces on the clef. However, as you point out, you have to realise there are a few issues with the key signature. Key of D in bass clef has 2 sharps whereas the equivalent alto key - it's B - has 5 sharps. So in that key you have to remember to play all G# D# and A# notes as G D and A - or just mark them in on the real book. A good exercise in itself if you are really obsessive. You could try the Bb book which would be more difficult in some ways and easier in others. Or perhaps a viola book in alto clef? Great channel - It's all good

[@mitchellgeddes8829]

Appreciate your use of 'the lick' when you introduce commenters

[@georgehiggins1320]

I've only been playing jazz for a little over two years, but I've found that if you're playing standards, concert pitch instruments such as piano (my instrument), bass, and guitar, tend to get WAY more practice in keys on the flat side of the circle of fifths (C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Etc.) I find this frustrating because keys like G, D, A, E, and B are not nearly as intuitive to me at a glance. Reading from a book for Eb instruments may give you more exposure to keys that might otherwise be less accessible to you. The same goes in reverse for transposed instruments reading from a concert pitch book.

[@Nick-me1ms]

The flat side of the circle of fifths is usually called the circle of fourths (as they’re inverted fifths you know)

[@deanfromtarget3554]

I already knew the Eb transposition thing, and it was great as a trick so that I didn't have to waste time transposing (I play bari sax, but that's not the only instrument I play)

[@ThePianofreaky]

I play alto saxophone, and I don't have an Eb real book yet. Can you send me yours? :D

[@coconutnut6278]

@Gustavo Campos bought*

[@nicktaylor1902]

@@coconutnut6278 thank you, 69Dead pool69

[@ap7390]

@Gustavo Campos bought***

[@maxtazer2000]

Hi Adam, I enjoy your stuff. I am waiting for Monday moring to check out what is new, weekly. I am a chef/bass player and work in a foreign country. I have been playing bass for 30 plus years and am always trying to do something to grow a bit on my instrument. I work from 10-14 hr days, 6 days a week and my bass practice time happens at night, usually after 11:00. Most of the time I just work on the new material my band is doing, get it down, then put my gear away, eat dinner..12:00 and proceed to pass out. With so much info out there on how to improve your playing, and after purchasing several online courses, that I didnt have time to work on, or found to be too boring to follow, I need to ask what resorce or course of action would be best to follow. I am not into learning tricks: Slapping, tapping and such but am more interested in some jazz theory, Voice leading, harmony, ect. Any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

[@joaofiorot8975]

Hey, Adam! Funny thing you mentioned about podcasts soundtracks. I am a Brazilian podcaster, and I listen to a lot of podcasts from here. That said, it's very usual for Brazilian podcasts to have a soundtrack (even when it is not related to whatever people are talking about). Then, I started listening to American and British podcasts and I noticed that there was no soundtracks while people talk. That made it very difficult for me to listen foregners podcasts. This is just a random comment, I'm really enjoying the channel

[@thegreatgambeeno]

8:23 Maybe it's because I'm stoned, but that had me cracking up, Adam. "smiley face"

[@AscensionUSA]

Nah i didn't really even smile at that part. You're really fucking high man.

[@thegreatgambeeno]

I have... Ascended.

[@autofigure00]

Heyyyyyy I'm intj, I also took it in person and I got a book with the in depth descriptions of the types and how they interact with each other which was neat. Not that I ever use it but it was a cool thing to learn and see.

[@MrDylan1031]

You're the dopest Adam. Great musical food for thought!

[@ruperth8902]

The lick! I'd finally got it out if my head

[@juandemeirleir6497]

Assuming you read anything else than written notes, what have been your favourite books on musicology or music theory? Love your videos, they inspire me a lot! Keep up the awesome work :)

[@Pinko_Band]

I've been to a few The Mars Volta shows where they pretty much play for 3 hours straight. It was intense af.

[@tasfa10]

The idea of catharsis in music comes from the Antiquity, LONG before Romanticism. Music's been related with pouring out emotions for a long time. Also, in most cultures music is associated with things like festivities, adoration or mourning. Which is, in a way, very related to personal, but most importantly social and comunal expression.

[@SaberToothPortilla]

I think what he meant when he said that was that music was less about the catharsis of the *composer*, which I think is mostly true. Music was largely a means to an end for a long time, like you mentioned, the end of letting people experience the catharsis that comes with either performing or listening to music. For a long time though, the wants/needs of the composer were seen as being secondary to the needs of the performers and the needs of the audience. Not to mention people really composing in general was much less common. (Or, at best, equally common. Improvisation of whole songs was *very* common for a long time) Overtime though, people became more comfortable with the idea that there was an artistic value in music, outside of the actual "music". Like a score should be reviewed, critiqued, analysed, and respected in a way similar to a poem for example. A poem is often seen as being about the *authors* pathos, and not the audience's, and certainly not the interpreter's, unless they happen to be the author.

[@tasfa10]

Bach, kapellmeisters, and hired composers in general had to write music at an incredibly fast rate ending up recycling their own and others' material. In that sense music was mostly a job and wasn't all that heartfelt. Neither it was a personal expression for the composer nor it was a big work with the intention of praising God, as it's said. I'm saying MOST music. And I can't agree with most music being improvised. Masses had to be composed constantly. Anyways, that is not much different than today's industry, in the sense that songs are composed in set parameters to a certain audience they are a business. We live in the era of recorded music and that's what we sell. Previously there was an industry for scores. And previously there was an industry for masses as I said. Music was in the past and still is today a business, and most music is made to an audience in serial production, not as a form of expression for the composer. Of course there are lots of people composing music for their own sake and of course it's not black and white, there's a grey scale. My point is that in different times we have different discourses but we have to look at the practical side of things. Some things haven't changed that much, and in this case, the change in the industries, that obviously grew a lot since Bach's time, opposes the ideas conveyed by the discourses of music as a deep personal form of expression. At the same time it's also important to see where these discourses come from. If you think that the idea of catharsis through music had the audience in mind and wasn't self centred enough, think of trovadores, for example. It was still before Romanticism and it was a tradition of expression of love between a man and a woman, of sorrow for loosing the girl or for the platonic character of their relationship or whatever. It had a very intimate and personal tone, right?

[@martinepstein9826]

Adam may not have been clear about this, but the idea of music as impersonal and defying emotional interpretation is from a specific era of European music, not old music in general. It was a subject of intense debate in I wanna say the 16th century.

[@willgaines5269]

That shortcut you talked about is something that Bari sax players use very often when a song doesn't have a bari part. Just read the tuba part and you're pretty much 90% there.

[@taylor914ce]

Hey Adam, ever heard of the band Snarky Puppy? Those guys sound like if I took all of my delicious Christmas Dinner, and put it in a blender to drink it afterwards... and it still tastes freaking awesome!!! I just can't establish what genre they play but I love their music. Hope you know something about them, much love from Mexico.

[@brynportas5300]

The Eb transposing trick got me through university as a UK tuba player, but the opposite way.

[@TheSaxsquatch]

Probably figured this out already, but adding 3 flats to the key signature of bass clef music reads right for an Eb instrument, and adding 3 sharps to the key signature reads right for a bass instrument reading Eb.

[@Zoco101]

Jarad Saxsquatch-Selner . Hi Jarad. Think you got that the wrong way round. The reply button didn't work earlier, so I tried to answer this elsewhere. If you play alto sax, add three sharps to read normal bass parts, and vice versa.

[@steveallenmashburn8815]

Giving a baritone sax player a bass clef part is an old school band director trick. Sometimes a state teacher college teaches more than Berklee. LOL.

[@BradleyKoch]

Q&A Submission: From the looks of your apartment/studio and the quality of all of your gear, it looks like you do pretty well financially. That seems to run contrary to the assumptions that many have about what it means to be a professional musician. How many sources of income does it take to do that? What is a reasonable expectation for income for a gigging musician? Is a certain level of precarity the norm? Are any of your peers able to do the family thing?

[@girlinagale]

I'm introverted and enjoy playing a two hour live set of solo minimal techno. Afterwards I'm not interested in partying, just want to get home to chill down for a couple of hours before sleeping.

[@LuisJimenez-nd2pl]

Hey Adam! Thanks for the videos; I learn something new every time I visit your channel. Could please talk about what subliminal Music is, and how effective it is? Thanks :)

[@jacksonsmith4648]

That clef-switching trick for Eb is pretty popular among bari players who need to read tuba/bass music. Bb might actually have posed more of a challenge

[@pavkamd]

I'm a casual bass player - primarily electric guitar or acoustic for preference - but I get asked to fill in on bass quite frequently. Any tips on where to turn for technique? I've seen your older video but would appreciate more direction. Keep up your awesome work! This is such a great service to the worldwide community of musicians.

[@Primemantis108]

Thank you, Adam Neely. I quick did the Myers-Briggs test online and it spooky accurate. It appears that I am an INTP-T (non-planner and turbulent type), this explains a whole lifetime of bizarre behaviour. Also, explains many of my personal issues I have. Also been checking out a number of INTP personal interpretation that somehow resonates with me. So yeah, thank you, and keep up the intellectual content.

[@nicholasscott9672]

I turned down a gig on a crystal cruiser because they didn't want to pay me and were going to drop me off on the other side of Australia 4000km from my home. They weren't open to any negotiation, which is a shame because I was excited when I got the call. Cruise jobs can be highly exploitative.

[@TomasMcClu]

Hey Adam and hey people! For those who live in New York (or will be there in february) I'm visting NYC in late february and want to play music with strangers. I'd say I'm an intermidate guitarist/pianist and music is just a hobby for me and not what I'm studing at university, but I like to meet new people, getting to know them by jamming and even more if they are into the kind of content Adam puts out (great content Adam, love all your videos!). If anybody reads this and is interested in joining please do reply, whatever instrument you play and whatever genre you're into (as long as you want to jam), that I'ld love to make this happen. Personally I'm into blues, jazz, rock, fusion, funk and soul, but I'll play anything as long as its jammable or I've had at least a little time to practice.

[@Ted_DiSanti]

Yeah that whole Eb to concert pitch thing is really easy. I play both sax and bass but when I was in marching band I took the role of the tuba player as a bari saxophone player (best instrument every btw) and I read the tuba music and all I had to do was add or take away three sharps or flats. I pretended like I actually had to transpose so all the kids in my band thought I was even better than they already thought though.

[@richardwildes5247]

on the point of using the Eb real book, My private instructor was surprised to find that i use a treble clef real book as a bass player, mainly so i can still be used to treble clef for classwork

[@gabriel_moulin]

Great natural lighting Adam!

[@johnbensinger4931]

Do you like Snarky Puppy? Micheal League is my favorite bassist.

[@moritzs.6116]

John Bensinger Everybody likes Snarky Puppy!!

[@johnbensinger4931]

Youre right. How silly of me

[@moritzs.6116]

Snarky is my favoutie band but in my opinion micheal leauge is not the best bass player. Dont get me wrong he is amazing but there are a lot better in Jazz Fusion :)

[@johnbensinger4931]

Moritz rip i dont think hes the best, hes just my fav. The subtle things he does astounds me. He also does everything in the band. He is just an all around great guy

[@moritzs.6116]

John Bensinger Yes youre right. His Songs are the best!

[@MasterMeijer]

Hey Mr. Neely, Is it possible to record and mix decent quality music if all you have is a guitar, a bass, an amp, a laptop and an interface?

[@thisisanexonym]

Of course, I do it all the time. It just depends on what your standards are on fidelity, really. Like, if you really want things to sound clean; you should either audio treat your room or go for the cheap option and just stack loads of blankets and tarps in your closet, and record there with your laptop. Personally, I'm way too lazy for that; so I just keep things lo-fi. :)

[@SaberToothPortilla]

Oh, definitely. People do it all the time. There's nothing in that scenario that's explicitly limiting your potential for fidelity, apart from your own skill and *maybe* the quality of your gear and miscellaneous mixing tools. I mean, afterall, that's sort-of the large portion of modern tracking. If you wanna get super anal about things, your next biggest factor would be your environment. Noise can be gated out, but the louder it is, the more you're cutting into your actual signal, but after that... Anything else you could add does surprisingly little to better the quality of a mix. Pick up a book or two on audio-engineering/production and start fudging around with some basic stuff as you learn (most fundamental being EQs and Compressors, after that things start to be much more creative/personal concerns). Good luck!

[@MasterMeijer]

SaberToothPortilla Thank you very much for your elaborated answers!

[@ILikeFeelingElectric]

Rene Meijer Yes. All depends on your mixing skills. With regards to recording, I’d highly recommend recording through your interface rather than through a mic if you’re on low budget