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Piano Board => Repertoire => Topic started by: holgovsky on February 27, 2012, 06:29:09 PM

Title: Transcribing solos by black jazz pianists
Post by: holgovsky on February 27, 2012, 06:29:09 PM
Has anyone transcribed a solo by a black jazz pianist and found that they cannot be played because your fingers are not of sufficient length?? I know this may sound politically incorrect but black people tend to have larger hands and longer fingers.

I'm working on some McCoy Tyner solos and found that I cannot play some of the parts! Any way to get around that?
Title: Re: Transcribing solos by black jazz pianists
Post by: j_menz on February 27, 2012, 10:56:43 PM
I know this may sound politically incorrect but black people tend to have larger hands and longer fingers.

Not only politically incorrect, but factually incorrect.

Jazz uses a lot of tenths. I have a set of transcriptions of Gershwin playing, and I suspect you would find the same difficulties.
Title: Re: Transcribing solos by black jazz pianists
Post by: fftransform on February 28, 2012, 06:08:33 AM
A non-retarded way of phrasing this question would be: "I have hands that aren't big enough to play what I want to play.  Is there a way to bend reality around my whim?"

Ok, it's still retarded.  But at least it's less racially motivated.
Title: Re: Transcribing solos by black jazz pianists
Post by: ahinton on February 28, 2012, 09:07:43 PM
A non-retarded way of phrasing this question would be: "I have hands that aren't big enough to play what I want to play.  Is there a way to bend reality around my whim?"

Ok, it's still retarded.  But at least it's less racially motivated.
Quite so.

Best,

Alistair
Title: Re: Transcribing solos by black jazz pianists
Post by: j_menz on February 28, 2012, 11:32:23 PM
Is there a way to bend reality around my whim?

Retarded maybe, but haven't we all asked this at some time? :-[
Title: Re: Transcribing solos by black jazz pianists
Post by: Bob on February 29, 2012, 02:53:30 AM
The "R word" is also politically incorrect.
Title: Re: Transcribing solos by black jazz pianists
Post by: j_menz on February 29, 2012, 04:28:30 AM
The "R word" is also politically incorrect.


Republican ???   ::)
Title: Re: Transcribing solos by black jazz pianists
Post by: jmanpno on March 01, 2012, 12:19:23 AM
Oh dear me!  Must we have the proverbial stick up our asses about such things?  I imagine that many of we fagboibottoms would enjoy that!  So the OP is a little daft, what's it to you?

The fact of the matter is if the span is too great, you simply can't do it... If you have some other issues we can sort them out on a case by case basis.... 

BTW one of the most wierdly handed people I've ever heard of is Afrikaan for what it's worth.
Title: Re: Transcribing solos by black jazz pianists
Post by: fftransform on March 01, 2012, 03:57:42 AM
Oh dear me!  Must we have the proverbial stick up our asses about such things?  I imagine that many of we fagboibottoms would enjoy that!  So the OP is a little daft, what's it to you?

Oh my: in your opinion, some other people have been being a bit daft.  What's it to you?

Also, what is a fagboibottom?  I assume it's some extremely off-brand and undesirable variant of homosexual, as opposed to a homosexual in general.
Title: Re: Transcribing solos by black jazz pianists
Post by: ajspiano on March 01, 2012, 05:00:53 AM
Not only politically incorrect, but factually incorrect.

Jazz uses a lot of tenths. I have a set of transcriptions of Gershwin playing, and I suspect you would find the same difficulties.

fair point - but I don't really see how its politically incorrect. Its not as if the statement was derogatory, and popular culture around the world will eventually once again face the fact that generalizations about the physical appearance of racial groups can be made and be accurate...  without the need for it to offend anybody..
Title: Re: Transcribing solos by black jazz pianists
Post by: j_menz on March 01, 2012, 05:53:05 AM
fair point - but I don't really see how its politically incorrect. Its not as if the statement was derogatory, and popular culture around the world will eventually once again face the fact that generalizations about the physical appearance of racial groups can be made and be accurate...  without the need for it to offend anybody..

Generalisations should only be made (on any basis) if they are accurate; this one isn't. I merely point this out.

On the other part of the original question, perhaps you could offer some suggestions re those 10ths in jazz basses. I find them awkward, though not impossible; don't have much experience with jazz though and would welcome advice on what options are acceptable (reconfiguring the chords or rolling them, for example)
Title: Re: Transcribing solos by black jazz pianists
Post by: jmanpno on March 01, 2012, 10:22:26 PM
By fagboibottom I simply meant  a homosexual who enjoys being in the receiving position more commonly called the bottom... We were talking about sticks up are bums, weren't we!  Sounds like fun.  Bring it on!