One Note Samba
June Kim
I'm taking a big band class at community college from this month.
Some of you guys probably remember that I put on a question about chord
voicing for a big band. I appreciate all the answers about that.
Now I'm pretty much used to reading chords.
Last week, we were working on 'One Note Samba'.
A teacher of that class doesn't really care about guitar but he suddenly let
me solo of that tune. I've never played it before but I tried to solo just
using chord tones.
It's not even a year I started to play jazz but I worked on arpeggios
everyday, I played an exact chord tones over the progression.
But It was terrible. I played so bad. It was like I played a different tune.
Is it a hard tune? Just playing chord tones is not a good idea for some
standards?
or My ears are not good enough to play it?
I went home and tried to play it again and still so bad.
I think it might be the best idea to transcribe the other player's solo.
Any of you guys know a good solo of One Note Samba? and please give me a
method of working on that tune.
Thanks in advance.
Larry
you're singing. I think it will help you to establish some direction in terms of
what you want to play. Howard Roberts did a great live version of this tune on
Magic Band Live At Dontes II. Some great ideas to listen too. I think you just
need to find some direction for your solo, and singing will help. Remember too
that you don't have to fill every second with notes. Try playing short phrases
with pauses between. Good luck, with a little experimentation, you should be
able to come up with something you like.
Rick Ross
A) Bb major-Ebmajor-Bbmajor
B) Dbmajor-Bmajor
C) same as A
this is a recognizable tune and sells itself so you don't have to play that
much...once the melody and groove are planted in the ear..your job is pretty
much done..one note samba is always a winner!
"June Kim" <juneg...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:NAse8.6278$QB1.1...@typhoon3.we.ipsvc.net...
Tom Lippincott
>news:NAse8.6278$QB1.1...@typhoon3.we.ipsvc.net...
>> Hi, all
>> I'm taking a big band class at community college from this month.
>> Some of you guys probably remember that I put on a question about chord
>> voicing for a big band. I appreciate all the answers about that.
>> Now I'm pretty much used to reading chords.
>>
>> Last week, we were working on 'One Note Samba'.
>> A teacher of that class doesn't really care about guitar but he suddenly
>let
>> me solo of that tune. I've never played it before but I tried to solo just
>> using chord tones.
>> It's not even a year I started to play jazz but I worked on arpeggios
>> everyday, I played an exact chord tones over the progression.
>>
>> But It was terrible. I played so bad. It was like I played a different
>tune.
>> Is it a hard tune? Just playing chord tones is not a good idea for some
>> standards?
>> or My ears are not good enough to play it?
>> I went home and tried to play it again and still so bad.
>> I think it might be the best idea to transcribe the other player's solo.
>> Any of you guys know a good solo of One Note Samba? and please give me a
>> method of working on that tune.
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
Hi June;
As Rick Ross pointed out, you can probably "get away" with sticking to a few
basic key centers for that tune, but it's actually a pretty complex tune to
really play over and "nail" all the harmonies that are going on. Several years
ago someone posted a similar question and I posted a long reply, which I will
repost here. I a previous post I had pointed out that the A sections to that
tune are pretty similar to the commonly played chords for the tune "I've Got
Rhythm." If you're not aware of it, the chord progression from that tune has
been used for countless jazz tunes, where new melodies have been written over
those same chord changes (or variations of them). Because of this fact, the
chord changes to "I've Got Rhythm" have become popularly known among jazz
musicians as "rhythm changes." There is an article at my website that gets
into playing over rhythm changes if you're interested in delving further. The
long and short of it is, if you're pretty new to playing jazz I don't think
it's very realistic to think you're going to be able to start playing burning
improvised solos over One Note Samba overnight, or even in the new few weeks or
months. Your idea about a transcribed solo may be a good one: find a solo that
is within your technical abilities to play, and learn it. Perform that solo
when you play your solo with the big band, and as you gain more comfort with it
try experimenting a little bit with your own variations. I don't really know
of any published transcriptions of jazz players playing over that tune or even
recordings where someone takes a solo over the tune, come to think of it. If
you have trouble finding anything, and you have the ability to play back midi
files, let me know and when I have a few minutes I'd be glad to make a quick
midi file of a simple solo over the tune and email it to you.
Here is the original post I put up specifically about soloing over "One Note
Samba";
I mentioned before that the A section is similar to rhythm changes, so perhaps
I'll elaborate.
From what I remember, the original sheet music to "I've Got Rhythm" has changes
something like this for the A section;
| Bb6 Gm7 | Cm7 F7 |
| Bb6 Gm7 | Cm7 F7 |
| Bb7 | Eb6 Ebm6 | Bb6 Gm7 | Cm7 F7 |
Except for bars 5 and 6, the progression stays diatonic to the key of Bb. Note
that according to common practice, major chords and 6th chords in more recent
times are usually written and played as major 7th chords, but both are still
diatonic to Bb in this case. For bar 5 and the first two beats of bar 6, we
have a V-I in Eb, which would imply the Eb major scale. The second half of bar
six is Ebm6, which could be thought of as the minor IV in Bb (and it progresses
to a Bb major, which gives us the classic minor IV to Imajor progression,
probably the most common progression in most tonal music after V-I .) There
are several possible scales that would work over Ebm6, but in this case since
we're primarily in the key of Bb, it would make the most sense (use the best
"voice leading" if you will) to use the minor scale that has the least notes
different from the Bb scale, which would be Eb melodic minor ("jazz", or
ascending melodic minor, of course.) The only difference between the Bb scale
(Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G, A) and the Eb melodic minor scale (Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C,
D) is that the G and A of the Bb scale become a Gb and an Ab in the Eb melodic
minor. It also happens that there's only one note difference between the Eb
major scale and the Eb melodic minor scale (G, and Gb, respectively), so
overall there's not a whole lot of notes that change among the 3 scales. It
will help to outline the changes to emphasize the notes that are different when
you get to bars 5 and 6.
It's pretty common to substitute a IIIm7 for a I major chord, and so in the
first and third measures, Dmin7 could substitute for Bb6/Bbmaj7. Once again,
this substitution doesn't change the "diatonic" status of this part of the
progression. Also, it's pretty common to stick a II chord in front of a V
chord, so the Bb7 in bar 5 could be changed to two beats of Fm7 and two beats
of Bb7. And one more thing; the IV chord in the Eb melodic minor scale is an
Ab7 with the extensions of natural 9 and 13, and #11. This is usually called
the "lydian dominant" chord, and scale. Since they are both from the same
scale, the lydian dominant chord is often substituted for the minor 6 chord,
especially in the minor IV to I progression. When we analyze the Ab7 chord in
the key of Bb, we could call it a bVII dominant chord. So even though we'd now
have an Ab7 to a Dm7, it'd really still be a minor IV to I in disguise.
Now things get a little more tricky. The next substitution we could add would
be to replace the Gm7 chords with G7 chords. This adds tension and an added
pull to get to the IIm7 chord (in classical theory we would call this a
secondary dominant, "V of ii"). Probably the most "basic" minor scale is the
natural minor (R, 2, b3, 4, 5, b6, b7), but the five chord doesn't have a major
third. This major third is what gives the V chord the natural pull to resolve
to the I chord, so if we replace the b7 of the scale with a natural 7, we get a
natural 3rd with the V chord (in this case, Bb, the b7 of the C natural minor
scale, is raised to B natural, which gives us a major 3rd in the V chord, now
G7). So now we have the basic flavor of the C minor key and a B natural
leading tone to add pull to the V chord. This scale is C harmonic minor, and
it's what you could play over the G7 chords in the progression, which now would
look like this:
| Dm7 G7 | Cm7 F7 | Dm7 G7 | Cm7 F7 |
| Fm7 Bb7 | Ebmaj7 Ab7 | Dm7 G7 | Cm7 F7 |
Now that things have gotten complicated, it's time to complicate them even
further. Another handy use of the melodic minor scale is the altered dominant
sound, which comes from the seventh mode of the scale (R, b2/b9, b3/#9, 3,
b5/#11, #5/b13, b7). The chord that represents this scale is often played as a
dominant 7th chord (R,3,b7, note no 5th) with any or all of the extensions b9,
#9, #11, b13.
This dissonant, "altered" sound is often used to replace a regular V7 chord
(which is the dissonant part of the V - I progression), either in major or
minor. So in our progression, we could use it over all the G7, F7, and Bb7
chords (note we're not using it over the Ab7 because that one's not a V chord,
it's merely a minor IV "in disguise".)
It's also common to substitute a dominant 7th chord a tritone away from a dom7
being used as a V chord. As it happens, in the melodic minor scale, the
seventh and fourth notes are a tritone away from each other, and both modes are
dominant seventh chords (fourth mode = lydian dominant, seventh mode = altered
dominant). For example, for G7, the Db lydian dominant chord/scale could
substitute for the G altered chord/mode. Both are from the Ab melodic minor
scale. Notice that if you play a chord voicing for G7 with no fifth, and with
any or all of the extensions of b9, #9, #11, b13, you can change the root to Db
and have a good voicing for Db lydian dominant. If we leave the Bb7 chord the
way it is, and use the tritone sub for G7 and F7, we get this progression;
| Dm7 Db7 | Cm7 B7 | Dm7 Db7 | Cm7 B7 |
| Fm7 Bb7 | Ebmaj7 Ab7 | Dm7 Db7 | Cm7 B7 |
Does this progression look familiar? Other than the resolution at the end, and
the fact that it's double the harmonic rhythm, it's the exact chord progression
for One Note Samba. To reiterate, the scales for the chords would be as
follows;
Dm7; Bb major
Db7; Db lydian dom., or Ab melodic min.
Cm7; Bb major
B7; B lydian dom., or F# melodic min.
(repeat the same sequence)
Fm7; Eb major scale
Bb7; Eb major scale (could also be Bb altered dom., or B melodic min.)
Ebmaj7; Eb major scale
Ab7; Ab lydian dominant, or Eb melodic min.
(Repeat the sequence in the first two bars)
So there are five different scales involved; the Bb and Eb major, and Ab, F#,
and Eb melodic minor. You could work on getting these scales down by position
as well as up and down one string at a time. You could then practice playing
the tune staying on one string, or in one position. You could also work on
arpeggios for the chords/scales. I like to work on playing extended arpeggios
to catch all the notes in each scale. I might finger the arpeggios with the
root on the fifth string, and play one note per string except on the 4th and
1st strings, where I'd play two notes. For example, for Dm7, I'd play;
D, 5th string, 5th fret
F, 4th string, 3rd fret
A, 4th string, 7th fret
C, 3rd string, 5th fret
Eb, 2nd string, 4th fret
G, 1st string, 3rd fret
Bb, 1st string, 6th fret
Db7;
Db, 5th string, 4th fret
F, 4th string, 3rd fret
Ab, 4th string, 6th fret
Cb, 3rd string, 4th fret
Eb, 2nd string, 4th fret
G, 1st string, 3rd fret
Bb, 1st string, 6th fret
Ect.
Of course, keep in mind that you don't have to start with the root on each
arpeggio. For each scale you have seven possible starting notes. For example,
for Dm7 you could go up from Eb (to G, Bb, D, F, A, C) or from F, G, A, Bb, or
C.
Tom Lippincott
Guitarist, Composer, Teacher
audio samples, articles, CD's at:
http://www.tomlippincott.com
thomas
>
> A teacher of that class doesn't really care about guitar but he suddenly let
> me solo of that tune. I've never played it before but I tried to solo just
> using chord tones.
> It's not even a year I started to play jazz but I worked on arpeggios
> everyday, I played an exact chord tones over the progression.
>
> But It was terrible. I played so bad. It was like I played a different tune.
> Is it a hard tune? Just playing chord tones is not a good idea for some
> standards?
> or My ears are not good enough to play it?
> I went home and tried to play it again and still so bad.
> I think it might be the best idea to transcribe the other player's solo.
> Any of you guys know a good solo of One Note Samba? and please give me a
> method of working on that tune.
Just play the one note melody and make it sing.
Rick Ross
"Tom Lippincott" <tomli...@aol.comnospam> wrote in message
news:20020225161937...@mb-fw.aol.com...
Charlie Robinson
----------------------------
Then yell "You've got it" when you get to the bridge.
(Yes you can use chord tones, try to keep the melody in your head).
Charlie Robinson Jazz Guitarist, Composer
You can hear me online at: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/robinsonchazz
or: <A HREF="http://rmmgj.iuma.com">http://rmmgj.iuma.com</A>
Bob Agnew
at it!
My question is this. The changes I have (don't know where they came from)
go:
Dm7 Db7 Cm7 B7b5
Dm7 Db7 Cm7 B7b5
Fm7 Bb7 EbM7 Ab7
Dm7 Db7 Cm7 B7b5 Bb6
Now the first line sounds almost like what Jobim et. al. played except for
the Cm7. I can pick the melody directly out of::
Dm7 Db7 Gm7 B7b5
What's up with this??
"Rick Ross" <rick...@adelphi.net> wrote in message
news:NSse8.13372$xs1.3...@news1.news.adelphia.net...
Bill Casady
Regards,
Bill C.
Bob Agnew
What I meant to say is that I could almost pick the 3 part harmony that I
was hearing out of the melody except for the Cm7.
"Bob Agnew" <rag...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:kx%e8.7316$FY5.5...@news2.west.cox.net...
JM
section, and then Ab,Bb,Db,Eb Gb, then Fb Eb,Db,Cb, Bb, in the other
section, basically), and play with the dynamics, phrasing, groove and
rhythm of this tune?
You could play those same melody notes, and just chop them up differently
rhythmically, invert them etc.
When you can't figure what to play harmonically, play with the dynamics, and
rhythm. You can play the chords in a funky rhythmic sort of way. Remember
you can use space too. You may use the melody in your solo, and embellish
it. sidestepping etc., play the melody up a 3rd, and use some chromatic
notes to fills some stuff up.
Restate the melody, but in between the next melody note, play intervals of
2nd below, and above, but keep emphasizing that F. etc. Look at the chords,
and the chord tones. Unless you get really comfortable about the notes you
select I'd play with the dynamics, and rhythm.
It sounds like you need some Jazz Licks or vocabulary. You can work this out
either form recordings you've heard or pick up some books on jazz patterns,
and scales. Or simply mess arkound on you instrument until you get something
you like and transpose it to all keys.
June Kim <juneg...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:NAse8.6278$QB1.1...@typhoon3.we.ipsvc.net...
florian schmidt
<rag...@cox.net> wrote:
> Let me preface this by saying that Rick plays this really well, and I
> suck at it!
>
> My question is this. The changes I have (don't know where they came
> from) go:
>
> Dm7 Db7 Cm7 B7b5
> Dm7 Db7 Cm7 B7b5
> Fm7 Bb7 EbM7 Ab7
> Dm7 Db7 Cm7 B7b5 Bb6
>
> Now the first line sounds almost like what Jobim et. al. played except
> for the Cm7. I can pick the melody directly out of::
>
> Dm7 Db7 Gm7 B7b5
>
> What's up with this??
the changes are allright, except theres also a second part, and in the
before mentioned changes i play these chords a little bit embellished to
let the "one note"character ring :)
the chord)
a:
||dm7 |db7 |cm7add4 |b7b5 :||
|fm7add4 |bb7 |ebM| ab9 |
|dm7 |db7 |cm7add4 b7b5| bb|
b:
|ebm7 |ab7 |dbM | |
|dbm7 |gb7 |bM | cm7b5 |
now in the a part, one can nicely put the melody on top, if you voice
like this:
x 5 7 5 6 x
x 4 6 4 6 x
x 3 5 3 6 x
7 x 7 8 6 x
(6xx766 for the bb)
and
x 8 10 8 11 x
6 x x 7 6 6
x 6 x 7 8 6
4 x x 5 4 6
in the b part it isnt qute as easy to integrate the melody. so i leave
this to another player in my group :)
i play there (usually):
x 6 8 6 7 x
4 x 4 5 6 x
4 6 5 4(6) x
x 4 6 4 5 x
6 x 4 6 5 x
7 x 8 8 7 x
8 x 8 8 7 x
and to the start again..
--
florian schmidt
mista...@gmx.net
http://www.artedagencygermany.com/mista.tapas/index.html