[mp3] Counterpoint Jazz Std. (All of Me)

[Adam Fulara]

Hi!

Since year I'm thinking about (and I'm practicing) counterpoint jazz soloing with my trio, and first tune we did in that experimental (for me) conception is "All of me". It's quite different from things we are playing usual (bebop-fusion). Here is the Mp3 file:

http://adam.fulara.com/music.php?file=13

I'm thinking about not playing swing on the drums directly in the future (but try to swing until soloing), and don't playing walking bass lines to increase counterpoint conception sound.

There is short line when bass player plays improvisation together with 2 parts of guitar.

What You think?
Adam
http://adam.fulara.com/

[PhoBucket]

Adam,

First of all, what you do is amazing. However, there are a couple of things you could work on to make it feel less square. Take everything I say with a grain of salt, because I am definitely being the armchair quarterback here, and in no way do I have the dexterity to do what you're doing, but I do have a fair amount of experience as a jazz bass player.

Here are my thoughts in no particular order:

Don't take the conversion of straight 8th notes to swung (triplet) 8th notes so literally. That is a good starting point, but back away from that concept a little bit.

Make your hand that is playing the counter-melody play more legato. Really short dip-dip-dip lines don't swing well in this context.

In general, the group is *too* together on the beat. Try emphasizing the front side of the beat with the bass and your comping hand, while really stretching out/laying back on the melody. This tension may help drive the music more. I work in a big band with a guitarist who plays alot of the 4 to the bar kind of comping. He is the swingingest guy I've ever met. I always try to lock in with him on my big band gigs.

If you're thinking about not using drums, try listening to an album called "Fingerpainting" with Christian McBride, Nicholas Payton, and Mark Whitfield. There is also a Joe Pass/NHOP album called "Chops" that will give you some very good counterpoint and interplay ideas. I can't recommend "Chops" highly enough. It is an amazing album.

Good luck and keep up the good work!

[Adam Fulara]

Thanks for opinion. OK so from this point we could go 2 ways in the future:

- do it more like "swing" feel - do things You are writing about

- do it more like "Bach" feel - cancel walking and bell drum to do more "counterpoint".

I think I'll try to do both in the future. Thanks, regards.

[PhoBucket]

I'm looking forward to hearing more. Do you have any plans to tour the US?

Also, not to beat a dead horse, but here's a link to some clips (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000000YZF/qid=1123278078/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl15/002-4406103-6035251?v=glance&s=music&n=507846) from the "Chops" album.

[Adam Fulara]

OK, I got the point, I have heard "Chops" already - great playing indeed. I think next recordings will be much better, this was the first try, it was from counterpoint idea to "rest of the band" with question what they should play on it, so nobody have an idea what it should be like. We did something like TANGO feel to the counterpoint and it was not good idea.

I know what "swing feel" means, sometimes when I play usual "simple" notes I have got it, but not always. It's very hard to do it in coutnerpoint mode because we have not the same rhythm in both parts.

No, we have not yet any US tour plans (Europe only), maybe in the future.

[PhoBucket]

Originally posted by Adam Fulara
It's very hard to do it in coutnerpoint mode because we have not the same rhythm in both parts.

I don't doubt that at all. I have trouble pulling off simple latin basslines and melodies like one note samba. What you do is far beyond my tapping ability at this point.

Originally posted by Adam Fulara
No, we have not yet any US tour plans (Europe only), maybe in the future.

I guess I'll have to plan on a trip to Europe then. :cool:

[davidseekam]

hi adam
I saw your last video( goldberg variations) and, of course it is amazing, but in my opinion that isnt the path. Other ynwie malsmteen uff! (is there something more boring?) yes you can do it, is posible play bach in two neck guitar but..what do someone do it?? It would be better to hang a pianola in your neck. "All of me" is a disaster too, sound like tourist's restaurant. busy with all that matter of counterpoint you have forgot the real guitar! excitement, feel blood in your body!!

[davidseekam]

adam, dont angry with me, its only a opinion...

[Adam Fulara]

Is there something wrong with playing Bach music? Many musicians do that (we have probably over 1 milion of different CD's with Bach music), and there is nothing wrong with it IMO.

"All of me" was an experiment, and I will change some ideas recorded in that tune in the future.

[davidseekam]

oh no, my god, a lot of musicians have felt the "Bach temptation", the trouble, in my opinion, isnt about bach but all those "I-can-to-do-it-too", of course Glenn Glould did it but you wouldnt be to waste your talent playing Bach again. Why Angus young (ACDC) by example, who play less notes you, is a guitar leyend? because he is creative (ok good or bad songs ,but creative) all the people know variations goldberg and hell bells, but nobody will know to adam fulara but like a "freaky" what play two necks guitar. Stanley Jordan felt the "bach tempation" but he went for other path..
your sincerely

[Adam Fulara]

OK, I've got the point. Very soon I'll place new mp3 on my site, Fool-X trio compositions and things we play "usualy". I hope it will be more "creative" from Your point of view.

[GaryOpenhill]

Don't listen to him, Adam! :)
It's awsome watching you play bach, and i hope you'll do all of the goldbergs one day. (i don't even know if it is possible). Also...vids like yours makes more ppl want to buy a touchstyle guitar -> more demand -> more instruments -> LOWER PRICES!
Yep, all of that from playing Bach. :P

Btw, what better way to get to know the instrument and to practise reading AND get to play some of the absolutely best and beloves music ever, than to play BACH. I saw Trey Gunn in an interview said something like "if you want to learn touchstyle, get into playing Bach as soon as possible"!

I actually stood on bach's grave in Leipzig earlier....i should have told him about tap guitars while i was there. He'd probalby say: "Ach, finally! those gefreakte luths was so boring..." ( btw, "gefreakte" may not be german)

[traktor]

Originally posted by GaryOpenhill
I actually stood on bach's grave in Leipzig earlier....i should have told him about tap guitars while i was there. He'd probalby say: "Ach, finally! those gefreakte luths was so boring..." ( btw, "gefreakte" may not be german) Kids these days!

No respect for the elders!

Monkey-business! Fiddle-sticks!

Hrumph!

[Adam Fulara]

Gary
> Don't listen to him, Adam!

I listen to anybody does creative critics, it even don't have to be musician, or good musician. Often usual listeners have a lot of smart things to tell about music even if they don't know anything about playing.

Later I do on it my "filter" and I change some things sometimes, and sometimes not. Remember that it's an experiment, only few people did counterpoint "solo instrument" recordings (like Brad Mehldau), and it's hard to do it well in first shot. I will continue this direction makes better my music in the future.

My Bach influenced many people here in Poland to play with tapping (classical guitar players for example). It is not good Bach, but one teacher at conservatory said, that details in my case are NOT important, because he knows 1000 players, who can play all that stuff with many details, and SO WHAT? They don't have own, original sound in it.

> i hope you'll do all of the goldbergs one day.

Yes, i'm working on it now (whole cycle, each note exactly played), I want to do it much better (with more accenting, phrasing, dynamics, power etc.) than previous my recordings You listened.

Simmoultaneously I'm working on my own compositions with my band, we play many gigs in Poland now, and first CD will be with THAT stuff. (I'll place some mp3 soon)

Thanx for nice words.

[GaryOpenhill]

Yes, i'm working on it now (whole cycle, each note exactly played), I want to do it much better (with more accenting, phrasing, dynamics, power etc.) than previous my recordings You listened.





It blows my mind that it even is possible to do this. Doesn't some of the stuff go way above the guitar tone range? Or do you play the whole thing an octave below, as so much music transposed for guitar does?

What exactly is your tuning on your double neck?

[James]

With regards to Adam's Bach transcriptions,

I am a classicaly trained pianist. In my first year performance assessment at university, all keyboard students had to play a Prelude and Fugue from Bach's Well Tempered Clavier. They evidently saw the learning of a Prelude and Fugue set as an essential grounding

J.S. Bach is probably the king of counterpoint - the 'Ricercare' from the Musical Offering which reaches a staggering six-part counterpoint is proof of this! On any 'two-handed' instrument learning, let alone arranging, works of Bach is highly benificial for independance of the hands

Quite a few tapping instrumentalists have arranged Bach's music. Spanish Stick player Guillermo Cides recorded a Bach album