Time, I loved the light and playful virtuosity of your Leafy Tune. And your Breath was cool and reserved until the end, when I was left waiting to exhale. Bravo to both!

Everyone, thanks for your kind comments. So far, I seem to be so far from where I'd like to be in 525,600 minutes. Then again, it's the journey, not the destination. And currently, I'm journeying through a blue lullabye to a joyful sea.

See you on the other side.

Very nice TF!
Those 2 were perfect. I like the long lines in "don't hold your breath". Very nicely played, too. I wouldn't change a thing!

Thanks everyone. I've also been spending some time on utoob watching some voice lesson videos, trying to learn how to breathe properly and how to expand my range. I'm also tempted to ask Norman if he gives language lessons.
That's awesome.

Thanks Time, I'm working to breathe, expand, and hit notes as well.

This is neither a lesson or, technically speaking, language. In fact, I had to wait until my wife went for her morning constitutional before I muttered the following into my computer, lest she think I was a bit... touched.

So, here goes nuttin', I'm about to go...

Struttin'

Ditto !

Time
Did you feel that doing the long line in the Solo Pattern helped you in composing the long lines ?
Composing seems to come naturally/quickly to you.

Wow Norm ! If your morning starts off like this, how is your night going to end. This is AWESOME and you will get so many downloads on Boxnet that I expect Boxnet to slow down during the day.
Can't wait to hear your next song.

Yeah Knotty that was a really great place you chose to put your big sus chord. I hadn't thought of using the sus in my arrangements. I've been careful to include the 3 so as to characterise the chord.
But after listening to and looking at your arrangement, I'm going to be using sus chords. Do you find sus chords work best in the 2nd part of a measure which is in dominant ?

Cus,

A simple way to use sus chords is to replace the 2 of a 2-5 by a 5sus.
Or transform any 5 by a 5sus.
Optionally, you can resolve the 5sus to the 5.

The sus chords don't always work because of the melody though.

... and the gold medal goes to .... Norm!!!

(i moved onto learning perhaps, may come back to moose later. much prefer this. the drummer sounds more like a drummer and less like a drug-crazed fan banging on the door to get in...)

Norman: Goodness Gracious! Take that to an open mic night. It is fantastic.

Cus: Oh yes.

a new composition, based on all of me

http://www.box.net/shared/0eclf3s9f7f07g0g84sa
http://www.box.net/shared/arn3qzamn6atubfck64c

i prerecorded the chords and played melody with lh, so chords are a bit tinny.

Very nice Ten. And your title is funnier than my title
I like the way the second phrase answers the first phrase using the same rhythm. The third phrase takes that idea and develops it further and is answered by a long, satisfying answer to everything that comes before. For me, the last eight bars are very appealing both harmonically and melodically. Super job ten.

Hi 10
I like it, I think it's your best composition. Very funny title too, there will soon be a ban on all surgical analogies, I blame Dave for starting the trend.
And as Time said, the long lines are nice. I especially like your melody over the A doms.
It will be worthwhile learning to play your composition with live LH chords.

Isn't All of Me a great standard. One of my favourite solos is Sarah Vaughan's.

Thanks very much Knotty.
I didn't know that a min chord could be replaced with a sus.

How about I keep the maj/min 3rds in my progressions when I learn the changes for improv, but I apply sus chords when I do arrangements ?

thanks for the compliments. i also like it. especially the last 3 lines, which feel to me like they've always been there. composing lines after a bit of improv felt v different. just you gety a chance to think about where you're going, and to plan how you want to get there. if there's a question and answer, the answer came first.

i also think singing along with charlie has made a difference, especially for longer lines.

custard, have you done any composing lately?

i over played at the weekend and was in pain until yesterday. it really had felt fine so i clearly didn't allow enough recovery time. i'm completely banning rh typing and general piano. guitar is allowed, as are occasional rh chords. i've done some lh tunes to rh chords (sounds weird). need to accept rh wont be playing quavers for a while. feels better today, but i need to give it lots of time.

Yeah, the circle is cool isn't it. Composing helps improv and improv helps composing.
A few weeks ago I composed over Lesson 7 Topsy changes, but I haven't practised it and I know I will keep on changing it. So I haven't posted it.
Last night I composed ascending lines short, ascending lines long, descending lines short, and descending lines long for my new progression which is F maj in 3 scales. Tonight I will compose the snake.

I'm very sorry to hear of your pain. You must really miss the piano.

10,
Fantastic composition.
I hope your wrist heals fast and for good.

I'll see you after the hurricane!
++

I think Dave and you will be kinda distracted during your Skype lesson on Sunday.

Sounds a bit like Jeopardy.

I greatly enjoyed your composition as well -- a gentle soft-shoe. The comments regarding the interplay between improv and composition reminded me a bit of what I learned in theatrical improv: Accept all invitations (i.e. go with the flow), and improv will look scripted. Be there (i.e. experience the present moment), and what's scripted will look like improv.

In the meantime, Ten, I wish you a swift and steady recovery.

And thanks everyone for your compliments as well. Next time may be The Last Time.

i look forward to hearing your composition, custard!

thanks for the good wishes, all, i send them straight to my radial nerve.

knotty, and dave, hang on to your hats!

norm, honey babe, i mean its the *very* last time!

i'm getting right into perhaps. i can sing with him, but if i switch the recording off its a lot to remember

well, here's my situation this weekend, pals. My wife Hari has just been diagnosed with endometrial cancer, and she is having her surgery this coming Monday morning at 6 AM way uptown. If we are lucky (decent chance), she will be be ok just with the operation and it will all be over. Meanwhile we have to get to the hospital tomorrow(6 miles away)in the middle of the storm of the century!

Blessings and keep swingin, play some good lines for me til we meet again:)

Dave Frank

my goodness, best wishes to you both and i hope all goes well.

I hope all goes well Dave. Tomorrow should still be before the storm.
It should get us in DC in the middle of the night Sat-Sun. Planned to hit NYC mid day Sun.

Dave
Lots of love and prayers for you and Hari.

xx
cus

Very sorry to hear this Dave. You'll be in our thoughts.

Blessings to you and Hari, Dave. I'll hold you both in the light.

Thnx for the heads up, I'll pack my sunglasses and tanning lotion:)

here's hoping dave and hari are ok.

i arranged somewhere over the rainbow today.

http://www.box.net/shared/lzcn84oqvb6vc6i8srrl
http://www.box.net/shared/d00oydx8dpfri76d95e1
http://www.box.net/shared/vdj7btr0s4g0jbq233qu

http://www.box.net/shared/ql94l4r268vi1blodoyt

obviously i still need to learn it, but would appreciate comments before i go too far into it.

tia

Hey 10,
You're on the right track.
You picked a tough first tune, but I agree that this exercise is hard with tunes that you don't know.
It just is a pretty long tune so it might take a long time. But if you're up for it.

hi knotty, thanks. it's a tune I know, I just need to learn my arrangement better. I recorded again today, this is a little less hesitant, also I added a bit at the end:

http://www.box.net/shared/iop7d4h10j3sp8gq981r

I can't imagine doing a tune I don't know well (as in, most jazz standards). Seems a bit self-indulgent, but I'm really buoyed up by the fact that I can do this. Never knew i could. I'm thinking of doing Summertime next. the sub-plot is I feel this need to know all the cliched numbers so I could to a cocktail gig, if one were to come up. Mad, I know.