I took off a small phrase from a Chet solo today over just friends. This was a good period for Chet, he had gotten out of jail and although was still learning to play on fake teeth an addict he had gotten his health playing together well enough to express his genius level melodic improvising. I often turn to Chet when I feel I’m over playing and need to get closer to my voice. This method of transcribing is how I’ve done it for years now – just taking off phrases I like from any player and learning to sing and play the line after a bit of analysis. This is a nice line where I think he’s playing a I VI7 ii-7 V7 over the last 4 bars of Just Friends. Although Chet plays completely by ear his lines always outlining a very specific harmonic sound or chord.
Here is a PDF of the line for C, Bb and Eb instruments. Singing this very slowly until it’s easy to get each pitch in tune will really help you internalize the line understand it more or less the way Chet does.
My method is to sing along to the slowed down version until I can sing it acapella and in tune. After that I play it on my horn and last I play it over a play along and/or put it through the 12 keys. I may never come back to the line again but that is my process, which I enjoy and which, overtime, seems to be moving me in a good direction musically.
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