RE: Playing by Ear

["d.m.fairweather" <dmf273@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Tom, 

My original question was directed more towards chromatic players and accomplished
overblowers, than traditional diatonic players.  

My favorite harp is now the XB-Melody which I've described in previous messages.  Mine
is in the key of Bb with F being 2nd position, but chromatic playing in every key is
possible on the XB-Melody.   

I like to take my XB-Melody down to the Santa Monica bluffs overlooking the ocean and
practice during my lunch hour.   Today I also took a long a Walkman and my practice
session consisted solely of playing along to a random selection of familiar jazz songs
that I'd never attempted before: "Don't Be That Way" (Ella sings it in Ab then Louis
sings in Db), "Four" (Anita O'Day sings it in Bb), "I Can't Give You Anything But Love"
(June Christy sings it in Eb), "The Music Goes Round and Round" (The Boswell Singers
sing it in Eb, then Ab, then the Dorsey Band plays it in Bb, then they all finish up
back in Eb!), "Lover Come Back To Me" (Al Hibbler and Roland Kirk in F), "Round
Midnight" (Babs Gonzales sings it in Eb), "Nature Boy" (Annie Ross sings it in A),
"Christo Redentor" (Donald Byrd plays it modulating between C and G).


I went on like this for an hour just playing along with anything that came up.  Some
keys were easier than others (A probably being the toughest) but they were all feasible
on the Bb XB-Melody.  Of course I played lots of clams along the way, especially the
first time through the head.  But I figure if I can whistle a tune with no clams, then
I ought to be able to play it the same way.  Its just a matter of learning where the
notes are right?  Chris Michalek wrote about practicing intervallic leaps, and I
suppose he's right, I should be doing more of that and less playing songs.  But songs
are so much more fun!







- --- tom ball <havaball@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> That's a good post and it got me to wondering, so I yanked out a 
> diatonic and attempted "As Time Goes By."  Initially I tried it in 
> second position -- got about a dozen notes in w/ no errors, but then 
> floundered because not all the notes are there (unless one overblows?)
> 
> Then I tried it in first position.  All the notes are there that way, 
> but I sure as hell couldn't get through it with no errors at all... 
> Hmmm...
> 
> Then I tried it on guitar, an instrument I've been playing for 42 
> years.  Several errors!
> 
> How humbling!
> 
> Your goal seems like a wonderful goal to me -- not only for diatonic 
> and chromatic players, but for all musicians, whatever their 
> instruments...
> 
> cheers,
> 
> Tom Ball
>