Go for Russ, lets hear it.

Tony

Russ we might lose some friends on this, and all we are trying to do is to encourage forum friends to make an effort to better their knowledge.

You know what, not everyone will be able to play like Wynton Kelly, Bill Evans and a few others even if they could practice for a thousand years. However, everyone could learn chord theory and the correct chords if they would make the effort. There is no excuse with all of the help that can be found on the internet.

Please spare me all of the "Elvis" made $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ using maybe 4 or 5 possibly 6 chords on a few of his songs. Russ and I are talking about serious musician ship not just making money. Lots of people make tons of money stealing. Ever heard of Madoff?

To me playing for 3 years or more and only playing 3 chord tunes, (even worst playing for 20 years and only knowing 6 chord tunes is more pathetic) would be the equivalent of Joe Montana, Drew Brees, Elway, Favre, Peyton, and Tom Brady knowing just 6 plays. Think about it for a minute. I bet they couldn’t make the money old “Elvis” made using 6 plays.


All we are asking is please don't post a song that you know nothing about the chord structure!! Do what you know you can do. Missing one chord and not being perfect is not what we’re talking about either. No one is perfect. However, come on now. Seriously "All The Things You Are" with 6 even 7 or 8 chords is not gonna cut it.

Russ and I aren’t great musicians but we do make a strong effort to play the correct chords. Please make the same effort is all we ask. Like Russ said, “for the benefit of all the ones that participate here on the forum, and are interested in learning music in general, especially the right chords.

Using the right chords has nothing to do with entertainment and making $$$$$$$$, but chord theory is 99% of what music and musician-ship is all about.

Actually Russ IS a great musician, and you're not bad either Boo.
The reason I listen to posts here is NOT to see how good someone is, or if they are missing chords. I listen to hear what the various arrangers sound like when used as I use them.
I'm afraid these kinds of posts will prevent too many people from showing me what their keyboards sound like.
I don't post songs here to show you guys how many chords I know. If I post one it's generally because someone asks how that PA3X, or whatever board I currently have, sounds. I get plenty of (usually positive) feedback from my live audiences, five nights a week, year after year.
Now, come on down Boo, and I'll show you how to dumb yourself down enough to play old Hank songs.
DonM

90% of the time people listen & are just trying to be nice or don't say anything at all avoiding banning.....but what gets me is when they outright say great job when OBVIOUSLY it stinks, better off just keeping quiet.Or better yet post their own version to show how it could be improved upon for all to learn from.

Brickboo is 100% correct, of course. I myself am often guilty of taking 'chordal shortcuts' if 1) I don't know the tune very well, or 2) if it's a very simple tune (some tunes sound downright weird if you try to use jazz changes and transitions, etc).

One of the problems with performances on this particular board is that arrangers don't lend themselves very well to precise chord changes. If there are three changes in a measure, an arranger is just not going to play them all. It's what you get for letting a computer make the musical decisions for you. I sent Russ a copy of 'Round Midnight (Thelonius Monk) a while back; not great but I'd sure like to hear someone try it on an arranger keyboard (in style mode). First of all, it would be interesting just to see how many of Monk's chords (all common, standard jazz chords, btw) the arranger would even recognize.

I'm sure you've all met people who didn't realize they were dumb. Well substitute talentless for dumb and you should be able to recognize their counterparts in the music world. Of course, as long as you keep going 'GREAT JOB', they'll NEVER know, right? Anyway, I suppose feelings are more important than truth, and civility trumps honest, constructive criticism.

BTW, Russ is so correct in pointing out that we tend to base our responses (or lack, thereof) on the popularity of the musical poster (ie. 'whoops, can't tell ol' whats-his-name how bad he is, he's such a nice guy and besides, he's helped me out a couple of times). OTOH, 'if you can't say anything good, don't say anything' works too.

Here is a link for those who wish to progress beyond triads in C. After you learn HOW to play them, then you just need to learn WHEN to play them.

http://www.apassion4jazz.net/jazz_chords.html

BTW, Russ couldn't fake a clunker if he wanted to. Muscle memory would kick in and those beautiful chords would sneak out anyway .

Peace and Love,

chas

My good friend Boo is doing what I do sometimes...venting on our plight as "jazzers".

In our reality, we spend years working on intricate structures and lead lines only to wake up one day and realize that we have played ourselves out of a job.

We end up somewhere in the stratosphere playing things that the general public not only does not recognize but does not like. In our minds, we don't have a choice

The options are to "dumb down" (in our opinions) and get paid to play crap (in our opinions) or STARVE.

We see some little 20 year old who knows two or three chords wiggling his (or, preferably,"her") ass and singing with an autotune making major jack.

I get mad and a little jealous.

We KNOW the deal, and we struggle along, frustrated ole "dudes" that we are.

Sometimes, as happened here, we "lose it a little" and "spout off".

For anyone I offended, I'm genuinely sorry. And To Boo,
I completely understand.

It'd be GREAT to play together sometime.

And gentleman Don, you don't have to take a back seat to anyone. If you've "dumned down", you've dumned down like a fox! You've got it together...just the right combination of musicianship and entertaining ability to get a little of what you deserve.

Be well, all!


Russ

Donny, my point EXACTLY, said in a lot fewer words.

R.

Damn, Chas, I know why you don't post often, but I really miss the straight-forward, well thought out and beautifully written opinions.

As a group, we've gotten a little "soft" lately. There's nothing wrong with politeness (a year or so ago, we went FAR, FAR in the OTHER direction; sometimes writing hurtful things that served no useful purpose), but that politeness should not preclude sincere opinions and critiques which result in progress for the participants.

Chas was very successful in his working career. He deserved the rewards he got. But, If you listen to one of his tasty grooves, it's evident that, adjusting for pay scales, of course, he could have easily claimed a spot as a top revered
cool jazz master. When I "grow up" I want to be just like him LOL!


Play on, all,


Russ

Don, you're absolutely right about wanting to hear a sound or a style. I'm not trying to discourage posting recordings. I think it's great.

I think a musician, entertainer etc should do what he's comfortable with. Just don't post what you don't know. A musical post should not be practicing, or experimenting with an intricate tune using 3 chords. It's not beneficial or educational for anyone or for any reason. Is this request unreasonable? Please upload your recordings and play what you know.

DNJ I agree with you also. I don't hear anything to complain about on your recorded postings or the CD you sent me. However like Uncle Dave friend, you can't carry a tune in a bucket, but you sure can croon and swing!!!

DonM I always enjoy your renditions too. I'll hear a lick you play and wish I was down there so you could show it to me. I would figure out a way to play it on my sax as a jazz lick. Like I said before, You play better guitar on the keyboard than 95% of the guitar players accompanying the vocalist making the big $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ on TV today.

There was a group on one of the morning shows last week. The hosts on the show marveled about the entertainer, the song etc. and the damn guitar wasn't even in tune with itself. How disgusting and embrassing. I couldn't believe it.

For sure we don't have to listen to out of tune keyboards. Just imagine wrong chords or not the proper chords an an out of tune keyboard. I'm going to have nightmares tonight over this statement I just made.

This post is a request. It's not meant to offend or embarrass anyone what-so-ever.

Do your own thing but use the right chords. Pleeeeeeeese???