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Incredible playing, I really mean it, but I don't understand how people enjoy listening to jazz and crazy chromatic solo's, never got it. To me it just sounds like random notes, but maybe it gets more interesting if you understand the musicality behind the notes. Jazz listeners out here, what do you think? Really want to like it but I find myself next'ing jazz tunes as soon as the solo's go wild.
I would recommend starting with stuff from the Swing era of jazz before moving to bebop or post-bop stuff. Try Django Reinhardt's "Minor Swing", and Charlie Christian on "Swing to Bop". Those are two of my favorites. If you like those, I recommend listening to anything by those guys, and try Wes Montgomery's version of "Round Midnight". I hope that helps!
I’m glad that’s the case! To be clear I meant my comment with utmost respect. Ben deserves all the recognition. He’s one of the best jazz guitarists in the scene today for sure.
The main thing I take from this is how all the greats thought, wrote and played, which is to say; all truly great music is chordal. A great solo comes afterwards…..weaving it’s way through, connecting and outlining each chord.
In the second half I like to play all the chords as rising min7 shapes by a tone, i.e over the Fm7-Bb7 Play Fm7 then over the Ebmaj7 play Gm7 then over Amin7 D7 play Amin7 and then over the Gmaj7 play Bm7 etc etc has a great sequential and rising feel to it
Great overview! I found Pat Metheny’s versions of Giant Steps very inspirational. I’m sure you’ve heard them. Most interesting I thought was how he sometimes plays the changes but then also finds more modal ways to float over the changes, while using chromatic phrasing and side slipping. Plus he had the courage to slow it way down and put it over a bossa groove. And this was before anyone else had released a version, I think. Very brave. Thanks Ben.
Ben, this is so much fun. You’re so gentle and unassuming, sort of like a Mr. Rogers of jazz guitar. Perhaps you could wear a comfy sweater when you do your videos. Thanks for the instruction.
Thanks so much! I discuss it a bit here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-FGevX-AzXQo.html ... but I might make an updated version soon!
Those intervals are not at all comfortable (as is the minor pentatonic scale) on guitar. Ben Eunson is obviously a master of these finger positions. As Ted Greene said, “It’s only difficult until you learn it”. But, learning those fingerings are far more daunting than what most jazz players have under their fingers. Just watching Eunson play makes my hand hurt.
Muscle memory from years of practice. A serious effort made and tons of wood shedding to become an inspiration to everyone. The man is very gifted and remarkable to watch
Quincy JONES WEAK ARGUMENT.ABOUT COLTRANE EVERYTHING EVER PLAYED was from the book " IS ABSURD!! The division of the scale..Quincy JONES ALSO USED IT..EVERYONE USED IT N STILL WE USED IT .
i love how fast you solo over.these changes and how calmly and deliberately you explain in simple terms how to get the just of soloing over these chords. After many several.years and a couple of decades trying to crack this nut..it feels like its starting to click. Again, your buddha-like demeanor makes it easier to digest!?❤ Thanks!
I used to practice on intervals over G.S. like: 3>5>2...3>5>2 (for each chord or tone) or two different intervals combinations: 3>5>2...5>2>3 etc but it's a total mental masturbation lol
I have been soloing over this tune for many years and it is a daily habit of mine. I can improvise quite freely with the original song but this 340 bpm is very exciting! Anyone knows where I could find such a rapid backing track?
Giant steps should never have been recorded and released. It’s an exercise for improvising musicians. It’s about as interesting as watching athletes do press ups or actors do voice exercises. Unfortunately generations of young wannabe jazzers have now inflicted audiences with attempts to prove their status by performing this ugly exercise in public. I fully appreciate this teachers skills but ask yourself that awkward question; who’s actually going to want to listen to that solo never mind pay to listen to that solo? Ever wondered why jazz went from being Pop music (Louis Armstrong) to the esoteric backwater of unemployed academics (half of the jazz tutor videos on RU-vid)?
Thanks for watching! I always think it's great to start as slowly as you need to maintain a steady, uninterrupted flow of notes. Then you could gradually increase the speed as you see fit. Hope that helps!
@@beneunson that IS great advice and it works,heres another one,"the whole tone chromatic concept,similar to the LCC,same idea,because "Giant Steps" revolves around augmented,that's a good alternative to triads and trying to arpeggiate in real time to keep up,it kinda only works ok for bass,but I dont see why not,🤔
Complex? Yes. Pleasing to the ears? No. This song could easily be used as a torture device by the military. Don't get me wrong. I think dissonance can be great when used effectively in music but this is just obnoxious and unpleasant
I turned 30 as a guitarist and all the sudden I'm getting jazz improv recommendations from youtube. The algorithm has us all figured out and in this case I'm okay with it
Inspiring lesson and awesome playing. Playing over changes in +300 bpm is hard whether it’s Giant steps or a blues. For Giant steps changes I found Jerry Bergonzi’s book Melodic Structures very useful. It sounds to me also like the same way John Coltrane approached soloing on these changes. Practicing this tune has been an ongoing project for the last 20 years or so on and off, back to it again now I guess. Thanks!
Yo ben cool video but i don't you're just playing triads in your solos Can you go deeper on how you're developing your linear vocabulary in these changes?
Couldn't you just take the Eb minor pentatonic, the B minor pentatonic, and the G minor pentatonic scales, and throw those over the ii-v's in the key centers down a major third from each?
Great player. However, he must stop looking at himself trying to decide which is the best side of his face, left or right? Left or right? Funny and distracting. Great player, though…
I like to do some close voice leading with the triads and one more cromatic note that glues to the next triad, going always up one triad and down in the next triad. With the triad and the chromatic note we have 4 8th notes.
I read that the reason the piano player was playing sparsely on the original recording was he had never heard it before going into the studio for the recording! How’s that for playing off the cuff first time?
It is relatively easy to play over it horizontally rather than vertically. As pointed out, the key centers form an Eb augmented triad. Just using major scales, spell the Eb augmented triad backward (B,G,Eb) for the first section and forward (Eb,G,B) for the second section. The second section is straight forward II V I progressions. The tricky part is the harmonic rhythm of the first section where key centers change in the middle of the measure.
How is it moving in major 3rds if it's B - G? Shouldn't it be in minor 6ths? I mean the direction does matter. Major third would be the opposite G - B.
I remember I had to write and practice a lot of etudes for myself in order to be able to play anything coherent on it in an improv aproaching the higher tempos, but I certainly did not feel free on it. Maybe I should revisit it and see if I can make some more progress.
As a jazz ley man and a country guitar picker, I appreciate you breaking down the structure of the theme and motif of what's happening in these 2 pieces.
what gave me the most trouble was the fact that you never really get a rest and sit on one chord at any time. other songs give you a place to sit for a breather during the form
@@beneunson He is the founder of a well-known guitar school in Amsterdam, Wim den Herder, see: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-GTFr3BvosHg.html😃 Possibly, they are going to refer your channel as well... !
You are actually better than Mike Stern, whom I remember hearing for the first time almost three decades ago. Okay, I'm not ready to say "better" yet, after refreshing my memory. Surely faster, surely superior on many levels, but let me absorb it a bit more. But damn, you are *good* , like really good! Edit: I wrote too soon. You are better. No questions.
I really appreciate it! I played before Mike many times for a few years at The 55 Bar in NYC, it was a wonderful experience. Thanks again for watching 😀
Nice playing. But I have to say, I'm a bit fed up of mainly guitarists playing Giant Steps as if they are in a sporting competition. And now that they know how to play it they feel it's some sort of rite of passage. Giant Steps is not that difficult to play. There are many other jazz tunes, ballads included that create a greater challenge. But even with those tunes they are not written for sporting events. And as a fellow guitarist, my personal preference for Giant Steps is without distortion.
Coltrane studied with Dennis Sandole.There is a recording of Dennis playing a tune that had these changes before John Coltrane made Giant Steps. This was in the 50's. I think he was influenced by Dennis.
Tommy Flanagan was given the music to Giant Steps the day and time of recording whereas Coltrane practiced his ass off to make sure no one outshined him on the album according to musicians close to them at the time.
Great question - In many ways, I agree. Somehow I think Giant Steps might have a bit more of a "legend" around it being notoriously difficult... just speculation! Thanks for watching 😀
@@beneunsonyou're welcome it was a pleasure, i'm not to the level where i can understand this kind of stuff yet theory wise but i'm trying to get some understanding of it before i enter in beginner level of jazz music school in paris next year i'm kind of terrified
@@beneunsonthanks for the kind words ! reason why i'm so terrified is that unlike most of my future classmates i started learning my instrument only 4 years ago with no musical background, while my instrumental level is pretty good for 4 years of playing according to the teachers i've seen, i lack the years of practice of reading sheet music, the first course which i'm getting it is teaching the basics but while other will just be reviewing the basics i will be learning them ! I'm glad the 2024 2025 year starts only next september so i'm using the time i have left to try to get as familiar as possible with sheet music and theory so thats why this kind of videos are great even if i don't understand most of it
You're absolutely right Ben. It doesn't have to be hard. 16 Bars. 3 Key Centers. Fast Tempo. What makes it hard for some people is not only the fast Tempo. Its the Harmonic Rhythm. Some Key Centers are the equivalent of 1 Measure long. Some are 1 and A Half Measures long. Some are 2 Measures long. When the Tempo and Harmonic Rhythm are Fast, one option is to play 4 Note Scale and Arpeggio Cells in different Patterns. This is what Coltrane did on Giant Steps. For anyone that's interested, please check out the Giant Steps books written by Joe Diorio, Wolf Marshall and Walt Weiskopf. Thanks.
