Brad Mehldau Transcription Pdf Viewer
Whilst at music college I started a mad project in order to learn a bit more about playing in 7/4 - transcribing the trio of Brad Mehldau, Larry Grenadier and Jorge Rossy on ‘All The Things You Are’ from Art of the Trio vol.
Brad Mehldau:Various Transcripts Song Recording 1.Alfie(solo) Live In Tokyo 2.Bewitched The Art Of The Trio Vol. 3 3.Blame It On My Youth The Art Of The Trio Vol.1 4.The Days Of Wine And Roses(with M Turner) In This World 5.Dedicated To You(with P Bernstein) Heart’s Content 6.Exit Music The Art Of The Trio Vol.4 7.Georgia On my Mind(with C Lloyd) The Water Is Wide 8.Moon River The Art Of The TrioVol.2 9.Paranoid Android Largo 10.Still Crazy After All These Years Anything Goes 11. Young And Foolish(with M Brecker) American Dreams Comments.
Download the complete 15-page guitar transcription/arrangement! Examples include both a video time and transcription bar reference. Chord symbols indicate to the standard song form throughout. Comment/like/share and follow me on /! Ex 1 Adaptation of pianistic performance for the guitar generally involves reduced chord voicings.
This example highlights 9 useful shapes which accurately distil elements of Mehldau’s harmonic vocabulary. Be sure to examine each in the context of the main, which contains a range of additional chord types. Ex 2 – 0:42 / Bar 45 Mehldau frequently employs melodic variation/counterpoint within what could otherwise be considered ’block’ voicings (grey). Note this chord’s arrangement across non-adjacent strings, necessitating a fingerstyle or hybrid picking right-hand technique.
The extract closes with a series of double stops (blue), which we will see engaged as a halfway house between melody and harmony throughout examples to follow. Ex 3 – 1:55 / Bar 121 Expanding upon the principles of Example 2, here we see further use of double stops (grey) followed by a more extensive ‘call and response’ double stop/melody counterpoint (blue). Even 8th notes in the context of a swing rhythm section feel (green) create subtle rhythmic tension. This technique, previously discussed in relation to, is referenced again at Example 8. Ex 4 – 3:31 / Bar 225 A variation on the theme of ‘call and response’ established at Example 3, this passage removes counterpoint whilst maintaining the clear implication of separate lower and upper voices (grey and blue respectively). ‘Unguitaristic’ parallel double stops may require some extra technical attention.
Switching harmony to the lower voice, Mehldau interjects a series of propulsive voicings between a rising melodic motif (green). Ex 5 – 2:38 / Bar 168 Maintaining a generally consistent melody to double stop structure (grey), Mehldau creates interest through variation and displacement, eventually reversing the motif’s emphasis (blue). Again such use of double stops is fairly unconventional in the context of guitar performance but absolutely realistic with appropriate arrangement and practice. Ex 6 – 3:38 / Bar 232 Example 6 develops the previous extract’s double stop legato technique (grey) to include a further dyad (blue). Although initial harmonies are viable as single guitar chord shapes, the section progresses to include a variety of unusual slide and hammer-on solutions (green and red). Ex 7 – 1:17 / Bar 121 A short passage of motivic development featuring organic variation upon a well defined and thus memorable original phrase (grey).
Chords punctuate the melodic line (blue) and are eventually adapted to reflect aspects of the motif’s rhythmic content (green). Mehldau features such development throughout the main so be sure to download and study in context. For more on this topic check out my free lesson ‘‘. Ex 8 – 1:48 / Bar 114 A further illustration of even 8th notes in the context of swing feel accompaniment, as introduced at Example 3. Ex 9 – 2:08 / Bar 135 Example 9 combines 3 triplet phrases (grey) separated by supporting chords (blue), as per Example 7.
Phrase 1 begins with an implied Db7 structure before resolving via a Blues-tingled E Mixolydian line to A major 7. Note an intentionally ‘loose’ time feel across bars 2 and 3. Phrase 2 references the arpeggio structure employed at the outset of Phrase 1, continuing the idea across a wider range. Mehldau cites a further recurring rhythmic effect, creating tension with slight hesitation before resolving to D major.
Brad Mehldau Tour
Notice subsequent comping is included as counterpoint to a sustained melody note. Phrase 3 takes the form of a snaking, often chromatic minor II-V-I descent.
Observe a chromatic approach to the 3rd of G7 (A# to B), similar to Mehldau’s resolution to A major during Phrase 1 (C to C#). A concluding sustained chord provides counterpoint to an active upper voice, as previously seen at Example 2. Ex 10 – 2:53 / Bar 183 A final triplet line containing one of Mehldau’s most recognisable vocabulary items (blue). Beginning with a clear minor II-V-I (grey), Mehldau moves to a strong polyrhythmic motif at line 2 (blue), implying groupings of 2 over the established triplet subdivision. The 3 iterations of this idea see it contract, extend and modulate to imply G major, D minor and G minor. Combined harmonic and rhythmic ambiguity create significant tension, which is resolved at line 3 when Mehldau substitutes A major in place of A7#9 (green) before reverting to the expected harmony, Gb/Ab (red), albeit anticipated.
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