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Topic: Wayne Shorter's Footprints - how to voice chords |
Paul Seager
From:
Augsburg, Germany
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Posted 18 Dec 2018 3:02 am |
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Hi there. I haven't been playing too much steel recently, not least due to an injury (golfers elbow - never played golf in my life!). Anyway, I had Shorter's classic, 'Footprints' running in my head and thought to try it on steel.
Depending on which publication you use, the four chords near the end of the sequence vary. I have taken this image from an Aebersold book. I've also seen the B7+9 written as an F#11. Either way, the chords are not steel friendly! I'm looking for tips as to how to voice these on an A6, 8 string tuning (1=E, 8=F#).
 [/img]
I know how to voice a basic diminished using a two fret, three string slant but it just doesn't sound that great, even keeping it simple and descend chromatically.
Thanks
\ paul |
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David M Brown
From:
California, USA
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Posted 18 Dec 2018 4:47 am
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https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/comping-chords-chord-progressions/4044-footprints-changes.html
"F#-7b5 F7b5 E7#9 A7#9 are the correct Wayne Shorter changes to the tune. I lifted them off Miles Smiles. Also if you read "Footprints" the book recently published about Wayne which he collaborated on, he offered his handwritten lead sheet to the artwork of the album... those are the changes."
https://www.amazon.com/Footprints-Life-Work-Wayne-Shorter/dp/1585424684
So there's a sub for the B7+9 and/or F#11, the F7b5, which completes the descending chromatic line from F#-F-E roots.
The Sher book has this:
Note the F13 #11 - the #11 is like the 5b.
http://peterspitzer.blogspot.com/2012/07/those-footprints-changes.html
This is a great analysis of versions of the tune.
"I had been under the impression that Wayne contributed lead sheets to the Aebersold playalong, as well as to the "Footprints" chart in the Sher New Real Book. While all very similar, these charts (bio, Aebersold, Sher) are not identical. Other print sources show some very different versions of the harmony for these two measures."
I hope this helps you pick the chords for your arrangement. |
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Paul Seager
From:
Augsburg, Germany
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Posted 18 Dec 2018 5:32 am
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Thanks, yes this does help because those chords are easier to suggest on a steel and when I'm playing upright in my jazz-trio, those are pretty much what we play.
I chose the Aebersold version because I've read elsewhere in the series that they obtain the sheets from the original publishers.
I started messing around with this on steel last night and obviously in a band, one can divide the harmony a bit but alone I struggled!
\paul |
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David M Brown
From:
California, USA
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Posted 18 Dec 2018 6:42 am
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| Paul Seager wrote: |
Thanks, yes this does help because those chords are easier to suggest on a steel and when I'm playing upright in my jazz-trio, those are pretty much what we play.
I chose the Aebersold version because I've read elsewhere in the series that they obtain the sheets from the original publishers.
I started messing around with this on steel last night and obviously in a band, one can divide the harmony a bit but alone I struggled!
\paul |
I'm glad it helps. this tune is a bit interesting as even the composer has provided slight variants along the way. |
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Jesse Pearson
From:
San Diego , CA
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Posted 18 Dec 2018 8:40 am
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David, thanks for posting the link for the "Footprints" analysis. I totally enjoyed reading that with my morning coffee. I've played that song on alto sax and guitar many times. Loved the part about manipulating the music DNA and getting rid of the bar lines. That's one of those aha moments when you realize that is a common practice approach to create tension.
I have given up on playing modern jazz on steel myself because I find it too frustrating to play in tune and sound good with any speed like I can on other instruments. I can't say I've heard anyone doing it on non-pedal to where I thought it was in tune enough to be cool. But that's just me. I did go through my own personal journey trying to make it work at one time which taught me a lot about the steel.
As far as chords that are possible on steel, chord partials and inversions cover a lot of ground. Like F#min7-5 is Amin6 (same notes, just inverted)..Diz used to do that a lot. |
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David M Brown
From:
California, USA
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Posted 18 Dec 2018 8:58 am
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| Jesse Pearson wrote: |
David, thanks for posting the link for the "Footprints" analysis. I totally enjoyed reading that with my morning coffee. I've played that song on alto sax and guitar many times. Loved the part about manipulating the music DNA and getting rid of the bar lines. That's one of those aha moments when you realize that is a common practice approach to create tension.
I have given up on playing modern jazz on steel myself because I find it too frustrating to play in tune and sound good with any speed like I can on other instruments.. |
I'm glad you liked that article too.
As for modern jazz lap steel, well, most of what I loved about steel was Hawaiian music, Western Swing, and Indian filmi music.
I have played jazz guitar, bass, mandolin and tenor banjo for decades, all styles of jazz.
I'm happy to play bop on the guitar - and save the steel for what I like it for.
BTW, I respect and admire all you guys playing full jazz CHORDS on steel - mostly I play it as a melodic instrument in jazz more like a sax or clarinet. Yeah, i'll hit chords and dyads but it's the melodic thing I like best.
Look at all the various tunings folks use to play modern jazz steel!
I guess if I am going to play bop, gimme my regular "Spanish" guitar. |
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