How To Learn a CHARLIE PARKER Solo 

Great analysis. I bought your book yesterday on Halloween. The guilt of receiving all your efforts for free was really eating at my conscience . You are a great resource for all things music.

A couple of good tips for jazz improvisers: First, in a ii-V7 just ignore the ii and start playing the dom7 chord -- so if it's Am D7, just play as if it's D7. You'll see it all the time in transcribed solos by the great bop players, and you'll see it in this video. Example: if you see Bm, E7, Am, D7, G, then play it as if it were E7, D7, G. That slows down the changes by a factor of 2 and you'll still sound like Charlie Parker! Second, Parker loved to play 3,5,7,9 over any chord -- four eighth notes in a fast arpeggio starting on the down beat (beat 1 or 3). So it's good to learn to do that if you want to sound like him. Look at the heads of his compositions, like Donna Lee, for examples. Putting them together, if the chord is Fm, then play notes D, F, A♭, C which are notes 3,5,7,9 of a B♭7 arpeggio (a B♭9 chord). See line 4 of the sheet music in the video.

A couple of things I think worth mentioning for anyone following along with Rick's analysis (thanks for doing and showing how you think about understanding Bird!). 1. if you try and "get" Bird without listening to the original recording (preferably slowed down to 75% or even 50%) you will miss all the nuance in phrasing and rhythm that made Bird such a genius. The page will never be able to show the feel that Bird has (a constant 3 against 4), which is so special and unique in all of music. 2. talking about a dominant b9 sound is really diminished and all that implies. If you only think b9 on that dominant, you might easily miss the vast world that the diminished sound offers (i.e. each diminished relates to its four related dominants). 3. The tritone and all that implies. Rick talks about the b5 but doesn't mention the actual corresponding tritone. All the great soloists in jazz understand that a D7 is also an Ab7, which means you can put Eb- sounds, F-, C, Dbmaj sounds against the D7 and if you resolve correctly, they give a whole new world of sound possibilities. Lastly, for guitar players, if you want to hear Bird discussed by the greatest exponent of his sound on guitar, Google Jimmy Raney. Better yet, try and find the lesson he gives a student of his where he talks about so many players who "straighten" Bird out rhythmically, including someone like Joe Pass. Raney, more than any other guitar player, really understood Bird's invention was as much or more about rhythm, in addition to his harmonic and melodic genius.

5:02 the lick (evil version)

I love the video lesson format! Really valuable information, thank you 🙏

Great video and analysis! Maybe it's just me, but I really hate how they write a solo that is so clearly in Bb out without the key signature 🙂

Beautiful analysis Rick! I love the fact that a year ago, when I first started following you, a lot of this would have been over my head. A year later with many of your videos and many hours with the Beato Book studied... every bit of wisdom of this video is immediately understandable and absorbed in real-time. -- My God... You've re-wired my brain! :D Thank you so much for that!

Beautiful tuitorial breakdown to enhance our understanding of these composition's you are our best not afraid to help us out in this overwhelming journey thank you Rick.

!!!!!! I love this, Nahre has a lot of analysis like this on her vids, I'm so glad that you take the time out of your day to elaborate these in such a detailed way. I have my charlie parker transcribed solos and this is beautiful to learn.

Amazing, Rick. This - solo analysis - appears to be a really informative way on how to approach & target specific chord notes. Thank you!

Love the process, Rick. Looking forward to more. Thanks!

Excellent Rick! Keep these kind of videos coming!

Thanks for this great analysis Rick. You're an incredible resource for every musician in this planet! Ang a great inspiration for anyone starting a music channel on RU-vid.

You're doing great work. Thanks for sharing!

Rick, thank you very much. This type of analysis helps the composition process a lot.

0:32 rick your videos are DEFINITELY of high production value. The content is enough on its own, never mind how you showcase it and all that. I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say, that we’re extremely grateful you’re on this platform

Awesome work as always Rick. I wore out my Charlie Parker Omnibook at music college. I had to buy a new one. His solos are still amazing in 2018.

Thank you, Rick. I worked on Ch Chi and Confirmation with Mr. Negri in the 90s. It was difficult and I'm not very well practiced on them now. Maybe I'll break out the Omni Book after watching this. I purchased your Beato Book yesterday. So far, it's great stuff and a great perspective.

Fantastic video, this worths gold, thank you so much for your work

Rick, you're the bomb as a teacher! I would have like a beginning chord flow analysis to high level pick out generic analysis and then how Charlie stayed main stream and where he deviated (inovated) if he did. Thanks.

Really good lesson, Rick. Thanks alot

THIS IS GOLDEN!!! THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH RICK!

This is fantastic - thank you Rick!

A great analysis lesson Rick.Thanks

Great Jazz lesson.....Charlie Parker is a legend.....Thanks Rick

Such a nice analysis

You're so good at this. . Life goals. ✌

Really, really cool! Rick!

Professor, Love you work Rick. Thank you

this is amazing! thank you so much! You made my day and inspired me to start chasing the bird again

This is really interesting Rick ! We like that !

Super helpful. Thanks

Perfect timing. I just finished learning the head for Anthropology!

A great song to do analysis of is, New Kid in Town. That songs has some great songwriting techniques buried within it! Always love your videos Rick!

You are a great teacher!

Sir, first I have to say your knowledge is incredible and you are a great teacher. I absolutely love to follow your posts because they provide really good lessons. On that note, I'm composing a string quartet, and would like to send you the first movement, so, if you can, listen to and critique it. If that's possible, where can I send it? Thanks.

Can't wait to get home to jam along!

Love Bird. I wish you'd string it all together when completing the lesson and play the solo as written and per your analysis. That would help loads, just seeing your fret board work in action. Listening to CP blows my mind even with the chart. Really nice video though.

Great vid would be cool to hear u play whole solo at start or end of vid 🎸🤟

Great video, Rick. I’ll re-watch this undoubtedly. I’m a rock guitar player and I want to learn how to think as a jazz player when soloing. Would you perhaps have any tips? I’ll definitely analyse some jazz solos.

Awesome !!! I'm back in High School Jazz Band 🆒👍👍👍

Really great lesson

Sweet! I used to transcribe solos and then go over the analysis with my teacher and compare notes. He always insisted I do my own "detective work". Perhaps you could suggest a 4 or 8 bar Parker phrase for folks to transcribe and then go over the analysis at some point later, allowing people to compare their transcription and analysis with yours. Just a thought. These are awesome videos Rick!

Joe Pass also ignored the ii chord and just thought of the 2 5 as the 5:-) Rick you are the Man!

Hi Rick! I memorized " Bloomdido " once and it did more for my chops than anything! Get the Bird Omni book and memorize as many as you can!

i enjoyed this.

Check out the solo from XTC's 'Pink Thing', I think Dave Gregory borrowed some of the chromatic flavour of this piece for his very fast, succinct guitar solo.

Great video Rick - very nice public service you are doing here. Might be worth mentioning that you’re working out of the Omnibook (unless you did and I missed it) so that those unfamiliar with it can get it.

Thanks!

I love Charlie Parker! Thank you for sharing this video Mr Beato :)

Amazing

Can also hear elements of it on Duke Ellington stuff. I do love Charlie Parker.

if you get a Joe Pass book you find lots of this phrasing lines,nice video.

Hey Rick, love your channel. My brother sent me your way and have been hooked ever sence. Could you do"Never my love" by the Association. What makes that song great. Thanks

Can you put Confirmation by Charlie. Thanks.

Thank you Mr.Beato I got your mug.

2nd? Idc, you are awesome Mr. Beato

Hi Rick. I purchased your Beato book. Is there a playlist that I could follow along with it?

Challenge: do what makes this song great or analysis of Dazed and Confuzed (Song Remains the Same Live)

thanks for hittin some actual charts!

In the Beato club, do you discuss any practical advice on using these analyses in your own improvisation? e.g. I transcribed a Red Garland tune, and I can play the whole thing in about 5 keys now, but it still doesn't seem to influence my own improvisations.

I guess this must a concert pitch transcription of an alto sax performance, because the sax can't play notes below a B-flat (one line below the treble-clef staff).

You do a good job then thinking an octave higher while reading an octave lower!

where can I find a solo sheet with chords like this, so I can practice analyzing solos?

How do you interpret 8th note triplets in context of strong and weak beats? Chord tones on strong beats, scale tones and passing tones on weak beaks... so if you have 1 & a - are both the & a weak beats?

Nice! Can you do one on Donna Lee? :)

Please do a lesson om the Song named Baker Street. Guitar solo part

hey Rick , what do you think about Paul Gilbert and his new album Behold Electric Guitar ...there is a live youtube on the Iridium Club ; )

I think I have Manhattan Transfer doing a vocal with this little tune. :)

11:39 almost spongebob

Ahhh memories

Wish he would have explained more about substituting Eflat6 to Emi6 over the Eflat to Bflat. The first part is easy, but the Emi6 is interesting. Otherwise he's great. As usual.

Measure 11. E natural 4+. Its a chromatic aproach to the 5th

why do you ignore the ii chords?

the Bach of Swing

Nice Barry Harris descending in there. 😊

Where on the neck would you decide to play this? That’s what gets me on the guitar

This is the solo from the Savoy Sessions version

Does anyone find reading this stuff an octave higher quite tricky ?

In bar eleven (@6:40) Charlie Parker ist NOT starting on the sus 4. It's an E not an Eb (over a Bb maj chord). That could be called a #11 but the way it's used here it's just a chromatic approach for the 5.

Mr. Beato please, if you can, try to introduce your audience to the orchestral music of GIACINTO SCELSI. You have already done videos about Olivier Messiaen and the music of both composers is historically connected. Sorry to have bothered you with this request again. Thank you for your videos.

the analysis seems to, not play chord tones of the ii- in the ii- V7 I s, and just plays the notes of the V7. ... a style type thing or just for this tune?

So you are playing it an octave higher then how it's written?

I really can't understand the downvotes.

I need help. Commenters of youtube, comment! I am trying to get to a point of being able to play freely when it comes to improvising solos and knowing how to have my hand drift to chord shapes, I want to be fluent player in expressing my ideas I have in my head, on guitar, but where do I even start? I know the notes on the fretboard, I know what notes are in which keys, but then I come across all these abstract ideas and concepts that all seem vaguely important in achieving my goal, but I don't know when they might be best learning/ if they are even useful. I simply feel lost in all of this and don't know which steps are what I need in becoming a better player. I would love some pointers in what to learn/ peoples stories! That would be awesome

So your playing everything up an octave ?

Bar 11 is E Natural!

Carlos Santana likes to acknowledge Charlie Parker as a major influence of his.

Rick!

...at 1:59 that D isn't that a D#?

Thank you. I much prefer a human music teacher than a fucking robot.

F7 at 11:35 sounds like sponge bob song

I *loved* the lesson, but the guitar sounded clanky.

if you feel the music, you have no need to analyze it

Tabs?😫😫😫

Those who can't play analyse.

Was he drunk or high? Serious question.

Dude, you’ve got a Vote Republican ad running before this video.....