the way he finishes the last phrase in the video with the blues lick is just so tasty. That's what I like, use the harmonic complexity but always come back the the blues.
The great thing that Joe did was to compose wonderful melodies naturally by ear; he advised his students to not think in terms of scales or arpegios. That's what made him such a fabulous player. Great video as always Jens.
What do you think about Joe's remarks on Arpeggios? 🙂 0:00 Intro - Always playing the same things? 0:22 Finding Different Aprroaches 0:30 Joe Pass - Relaxin' at Camarillo 0:48 Example #1 1:05 Blues Call-Response 1:46 Breaking down the Blues-phrases 2:45 Going Bebop 3:26 Example #1 Slow 3:49 Example #2 4:08 From Bebop To Repeated 8th notes 5:55 Octave melody and polyrhythm 7:00 Going From One Type of Melody To Another 7:25 Example #2 Slow 8:04 Exmple #3 8:23 -- Joe Pass Doesn't Like Arpeggios -- An Interlude 9:27 Wes Inspired Arpeggio idea to Reharmonized Triads 10:00 The Arpeggios 11:20 The Upper-Structure Triad Idea 12:33 Example #3 Slow 12:58 Like the video? Check out My Patreon Page
I was at a masterclass of him way back and he was very funny direct and rude with a NY attitude. He immediately heard if someone made to much to effort to play "good" and fast. I think that is what he tries to teach, forget "thinking" in arpeggios, formulas or technique etc. When the moment is there to perform, play with/in front of people, just let it flow and try to sing. And then those things will find its way anyway. Thats what I always remembered from that day, his awareness for the melody, no bullshit. Sometimes I forgot though...Still learning
Wow, I forgot how much I love Joe Pass...He really does so much to make solos interesting. I remember back when I started studying Jazz that he was the first jazz guitarist I ever saw using hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides.
@@JensLarsen Yeah I saw plenty of other guitarists use it later but when I was first studying Jazz, it was mostly on tablature back in the 90s and he was the first I noticed who used it alot.
At 8:44, I think you're on to something. Especially pointing out the Cmaj7. I may be in the minority (and don't play guitar), but I don't think his phrases, on average, are that creative.
I think whether you consider Joe Pass creative is mostly a matter of taste. He is certainly a very skilled improviser within his style, but if you don't find the style or language creative then you may not like his playing that much. And then again, I think a lot of people listen to him for his chops as well.
Thank you Jens. I appreciate how you post sheet music in standard notation as well as guitar tabs. As a guitarist, sax and trombone player I find that I can use your posts in all three genres. Here is the text of a commentary I put up on Facebook when I posted this video there. "Howard Roberts thought that guitar tabs were an abomination because they could be used as a crutch if one's sight reading skills were subpar. I agree with that with the exception of how Jens Larsen uses tabs. He posts both the music in standard notation and also includes tabs. I think this is a great idea because it is less intimidating to the novice guitar sight reader but also provides a seguay into developing sight reading skills. My own pet peeve is the use of a capo. Learn the fuckin' barre chords, drop 2 voicings, drop 4 voicings or shell voicings! When playing in a small group like a trio, quartet or quintet most guitarists don't play the root very often. That's the bass player's job. i.e. "Less is more" (thank you Meis van der Rohe and Jerry Brown.) I've never seen a competent jazz guitarist that uses a capo. It's a crutch for those too lazy to learn barre chords.
Are there entire videos to watch the staff music along with the audio music? I LOVE that! Thank you! I'll now spend the next month analyzing this video :)
I'm just going over the inversions : dominant, major, minor and half diminished . Then picking the modes of the major and melodic minor scales. I can't even think of Joe Pass right now. Man, had a major cramp on the upperback part of my fretboard arm. I mention it because I think it is important to flex at the wrist up and down and side to side as far and as fast as you can. Just like a baseball pitcher warming up. It's like athletics. I'
Another great video, good job man! Would like to see a video over his chord melody, "Chloe". The way he plays the head of the tune in chord melody is very nice and I think a lot of people would enjoy the tutorial!
Thanks, Tristan! I am really thinking about retiring these types of videos, they almost never do well and are not good for the YT channel. So I need to find another way of approaching material like this.
@@JensLarsen very sad to hear, I love your transcriptions haha. But I do understand that if people don't like it then it does hurt the channel! Well just remember you have at least one person who loves them haha!
@@tristanhill1433 No worries. I think I will try to frame it different. I guess Jazz Guitar is already so small that if it has to be Jazz Guitarists who love Joe Pass then it is not going to cut it :D
@@JensLarsen Yeah, true I guess you already have to be somewhat into the jazz guitar world to be studying joe pass and the other players you have covered. Do you give skype lessons or anything? Perhaps we could discuss Chloe in a lesson so you wouldn't have to make a Whole video about it?
Hi Jens !!! I was wondering when you will cover Joe Pass, and you finally did!!! Thank you very much for your insight!! BTW, the C7 response in 1:53 sounds very similar to the Jazz lick meme, the one Adam Neely popularized it in his channel....
@@JensLarsen .. hui yes, I forgot about it, lol … but somehow I felt this time was more in depth to the style of joe pass, emphasizing on the main aspect of this lesson, which is how to improvise on practicing solos and making interesting lines …. Nevertheless, these days your content has become more structured and in depth into learning and practicing jazz styles for understanding how simple 2-5-1's can be made interesting, with examples from many of the greats... Joe pass has been one of those rare players who has a unique melodic and harmonic taste …. I know you have done Allan Holdsworth before, but it would be nice to have a rendition on the aspect of how he uses chord scales, and plus maybe , a lesson on Chick Corea and Scott Henderson style of jazz fusion.... Please keep it up the good work... I am very soon considering being a patron!!! Just a little time needed …
@@vasishtakanthi4231 Thank you! I am actually considering to stop this type if video all together. They don't do and are hurting the channel. I will find another way to cover material like this.
i learned ced solo and it changed my playing and has so many ideas but, i would love to see your analysis also, wes Montgomery land funk and bangles baubles and beads intro is classic.
Hi Jens! Just puzzling over Joe Pass advising "don't think in arpeggios" --notice he didn't say "don't use arpeggios." My view is that the melodic quality of the solo is the goal we should have in mind. We use techniques like scales, arpeggios, etc. to express those melodic ideas. My thoughts only--
Sorry I couldn't see the entire comment on my phone for some reason :) He says "First of all, I use very little arpeggios.." Which is obviously not true.
Jens-- for some reason, my comment did not fully get to you. Basically, I was distinguishing between musical and technical. While we might actually use a technique, we might be thinking of something quite different --e.g. a melodic phrase.
Great vid Jens! I got my work cut out for me this weekend. Question, what modern jazz pianists would you suggest I transcribe? I’ve been working on Keith jarretts autumn leaves solo from live at the blue note, but I wanted to get your opinion...
yes montgomeryland funk you just punch it up on you tube or google and you will find it but,its wes at his best before he got into later years and he even plays plays a fast flurry on the turnaround that without a pick i think is interesting how fast it is.
Hello Jens, thank you for your video. In 11:49 you say he uses Db7#11. Indeed this Db is the dominant substitute of G7. Could be an interpretation too, that I say he uses G7alt? For example, in 11:16 you say he uses A7alt when the song plays A7. Or should one make a difference to keep the things in order? When do you decide to see it as an alt chord or as a dominant substitute? I mean that regarding the improvisation line, not regarding harmony of the song.
@@JensLarsen I have to play the whole trascription at an exam, you suggest to bring a backing track from YT or to make one in BiaB? Or else play along with the original rec? ✌
I had a teacher at uni who said only solo/play walking bass using arpeggios and when we referred that to a masterclass with the great Laurence Cottle he quickly demostrated using only arpeggios and said, well, that get's a bit boring doesn't it? Meaning that solos need more colour than just outlining the changes using arpeggios only so that's probably similar to what Joe Pass was thinking?
Well, in the video he says he doesn't play a lot of arpeggios (and then plays a lick with a Cmaj7 arpeggio) You can look it up. It is in the Jazz lines dvd which is also on YT somewhere
@@JensLarsen Yes, true. I think things like arpeggios are just integrated into their vocabulary so you just kinda play it without thinking "I'm playing a arpeggio"? Even though of course a lot of jazz vocabulary is based on triads and arpeggios.
Certainly, but that is not the same as "First of all: I don't play a lot of arpeggios" :) I think anything you want to use has to be absorbed to the point where you don't have to think about it.
hey mr larsen do you know the song i am speaking of montgomeryland funk off wes first album with his brothers check it out its like the jazz version of the perfect solo and would be great to analyze.
Maybe browse this playlist and see if something might be fun to check out How to Begin with Jazz Guitar - Some videos to get you started as a jazz beginner: ru-vid.com/group/PLWYuNvZPqqcHcRM5XL8rGFh1Xqkft77Qk
@@JensLarsen I know, he even displaces the order of the notes sometimes. He is just genius... there's a lot you can do with arpeggios To me they are a map of the chord tones I wanna accent. But still,what's does he mean? 😂
If you want to keep it interesting play melodies. nobody cares if you are playing complex stuff. motive repetition, variation, space. Play only stuff that you can sing, don't run scales and chords that make perfect theoretical sense but doesn't mean anything. Sing sing sing. If you can't sing it don't play it no mother what the theoretical justification is
