Hi all,

I would like to start transcribing jazz/blues music but unfortunately I cannot play by ear. I have done some transcriptions of really basic solos (i.e. few chords) from the ABRSM Jazz grades but this is simply through trial and error (hitting all the notes in the relevant octive until I come to the right one!) - what do you think of this method?

I'm particually into boogie music but I can't find any decent tunes which aren't complicated (e.g. John Blohm, Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons etc). Have you got any suggestions where I can start - simple but decent boogie woogie tunes?

Thanks

There are some books called Fast Forward, which have CD's they have a boogie woogie book. Also, there is a guy called Willie Mayette who has a web page called Jazz Edge, and a site called jazzpianolessons.com which has some boogie woogie sections. He's really good. You can join for free for 3 days, and then there's a monthly fee of about $30 I think and you can look at all the lessons. He has a sale on a jazz gospel section for about $10 a month which I'm taking. So he has some online videos and print outs and you can pick and choose, since its free for 3 days you should take a peak. I just signed up again for the 3 free days, and I think I'll sign up for the month sessions. You can pick and buy DVDs but for me that's too expense. Also there is a site called ( I think) learn jazz piano, offered by Scott Raney, with lots and lots of free lessons on there, including voicings, and bass lines.