Do You Hear What I Hear?

Steve Raybine:

Blog #39;

Do You Hear What I Hear?

To coin a popular phrase from a holiday song, "Do you hear what I hear," is also a relevant question from a music theory perspective. I have been asked numerous times by my jazz improvisation students how I am able to sing my improvisations while soloing on the vibes. I tell them that I hear the music I'm singing and am able to instantaneously recreate it on my instrument.

When I was a younger and in the early phase of my improvisational studies, being able to simultaneously sing and play an improvisation on my vibraphone was a completely foreign experience to me. However, the summer before my senior year in high school, I attended the famous Berkelee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. During one of our group drumset lessons with the esteemed drummer and educator, Alan Dawson, he introduced the concept of 'singing' your drumset solo while playing it. Over the years, I applied that philosophy to my vibe soloing and today I tell my students, "If you can say it (or sing it), you should be able to play it."

Utilizing your 'natural' instrument (your voice) as the melodic centerpiece when executing an instrumental improvisation is no easy feat. When I do this, I'm essentially 'scat-singing' (vocal interpretation of a jazz solo) an improvised solo as I play it on my vibes. Learning to scat sing is a rather lengthy process as you take vocal syllables (vocables) and creatively manipulate them rhythmically and melodically with a variety of jazz articulations (legato; staccato; accent; heavy jazz accent) over the prevailing song structure. Assimilating the style of the pieces (swing; latin; funk; etc.) is absolutely essential in becoming a skilled "scatologist." 'Scatting' instrumental solos became popular during the Bebop Era of jazz in the 1940's by jazz practitioners such as alto saxophonist, Charlie 'Bird' Parker and trumpeter, John Birks 'Dizzy' Gillespie. I can't overemphasize the importance of listening and analyzing skilled jazz instrumentalists' and vocalists' solos, as this will greatly accelerate your understanding of jazz phrasing and interpretation.

Music students often spend a great deal of time developing their aural skills--the ability to hear pitches; intervals; chords; etc. Some people are blessed with perfect pitch or refined absolute pitch, which makes the analytical listening experience much easier for them. However, with practice and training, it is certainly possible to develop a more musically-refined 'ear.' If you desire to hear and perform music on a more profound level, you will need to receive training in sightsinging (solfege) and other ear-training exercises.

Copyright 2007 Steve Raybine

All Rights Reserved

http://www.steveraybine.com/




http://www.myspace.com/steveraybine




http://www.facebook.com/pages/Steve-Raybine/56070941106/



http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/raybine3




http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Steve+Raybine&search_type=&aq=f




http://www.smoothjazz.eu/index2.php?artist=85




http://www.sonicbids.com/SteveRaybine




http://www.radioindy.com/bands/7188/