By Jason Shadrick
For many musicians the idea of “transcribing” something can be intimidating. When I first started studying jazz seriously in college, I found the idea of writing something out that you learned off a recording a seemingly impossible task. My jazz director at the time gave me a great method for starting to develop the skills to get the most you can out of transcribing. The first solo I transcribed was (like many aspiring jazz musicians) Miles’ solo on “So What”.
My biggest difficulty in transcribing was developing a process that worked for me. I talked to many people about this and it seemed like everyone had a different method. Corey Christiansen, for example, just used a CD player and didn’t slow down the tempo at all. One of my professors in college used software programs such as Transcribe and the Amazing Slow Downer. Here is how I would approach transcribing an improvised jazz solo.
Break It Down
The first step in my process when I am beginning a transcription is to make a general outline of what I am going to transcribe. Is it an improvised solo? Are there sections that repeat? For this step, I write a quick list of what I know about the piece. Things such as chord progression, instrumentation, time signature and key signature will help you learn the most you can.
Once I get a general idea of the basic elements of the piece, I start to prepare the manuscript. I count the number of measures and write in the chord progression, (if I know it). When I begin to learn a particular phrase, I first focus on the rhythm. I do use programs such as the ones listed above to slow down the tempo without changing the pitch.
I take the first phrase and listen to it a few times and then begin to sketch out the rhythm. At this stage I am not as concerned with the pitches. Notating rhythm in itself is a particular skill that takes some effort. For some tunes, tempo plays a big part of this. On faster tempos, I would write the rhythms in half time and then adjust them on the final step of the transcription process.
On medium or slow tempo tunes, I would write them out as played. Most of these tunes fit nicely in 4 or 8 bar phrases. I don’t try and write out the whole solo rhythmically first. Go through 4 or 8 measures and then move onto the next step. Take your time.
After I feel the rhythm is accurate for a particular phrase, then I move to the notes. Focus on the lowest and highest note of the phrase and work from there. That will give you a range to help get the other notes worked out. If you think the phrases sounds more inside, start with chord tones and extensions and go from there. To me this is the most tedious part of the transcription process.
Now What?
Once I go through the process of writing out each phrase, I go over the solo as a whole to see if there are any obvious errors. Every time I transcribe a solo, it is amazing how much I learn just going through it. Many times I will look at a phrase I covered earlier on and think “How did I mess that up?”.
Take the solo and start to extract your favorite licks. I keep a notebook of staff paper (or a Sibelius file on my computer) and keep track of the phrases I want to really internalize. Then I take apart each one and look at what is the essence of the lick. Is it based on an arpeggio? Are there any unusual picking techniques? Where does it start in the measure? How is it resolved?
I then take the lick and play it in a few different positions and in other octaves. This helps with not only learning licks all over the neck, but also gives you options for different ways to articulate the phrase.
Here is an example of how I did this with a Grant Green solo.
Grant Green Solo on “Cool Blues”
This is a very tedious process, but in the end it will be worth it. Transcribing will aid with vocabulary, ear training, reading music, rhythmic feel and awareness and much more.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 1:45PM 
