| LearnJazzPiano.com archives: Real Books | |
| kevinbrazil -- 05/01/2004, 14:26:04 -- #4035 | |
| Hi I am a jazz piano beginner, learing by the ABRSM new jazz syllabus. I was recommended to get a real book to learn some standars which will enable me to play with a group, as well as practice, learn chord changes etc. What one should I buy??? I don't have a clue! Preferably it should be available in the Uk and Ireland. Also what is the difference between a real book and a fake book? Oh ,this site is THE BEST!!! It is a real help to me. Thanks Caoimhín | |
| PeaceFroggy -- 05/01/2004, 18:57:06 -- #4037 | |
| Hi Caoimhin, You will probably find from the responses that this is a very controversial topic among jazz musicians. For a start, there really is no difference between a "real" book and a "fake" book. The Real Book was published some time ago by a bunch of university students, and it was called The Real Book because they said it was more professional and accurate than other fake books around at the time. This is still up for debate today. Some people say the changes are "improvements", other people call them "mistakes." They were also illegal, because the composers didn't receive any money in royalties for the pieces published in them. It seems every jazz musician had a copy, but you had to find out through the jazz circles which music stores sold them, and it was a strictly "under the counter" exercise. Now however, there is a new three-volume series called The New Real Books. They don't contain quite the same pieces as the original real books, but they are 100% legal. While they are said to be more accurate than the original version, this can also lead to problems because in jam sessions when some members are playing from the RB and some from the NRB. Undisputably though, the NRB has a nicer and easier to understand layout. There seems to be a kind of nostalgia for the RB still around, but I think it's day has passed really and the NRB will be a better investment. I imagine you can find the NRB series in any music store, they certainly always have copies available in mine. | |
| Mike -- 05/02/2004, 01:38:17 -- #4041 | |
| where I live (Boston, Massachusetts, Usa area) The 1st Real book is mandatory. This is the book everyone brings to gigs. And if you do not have that book you are not going to survive trying to work around here. It has been that way for at least the last 20 years and is still that way. Everybody is always talking about all the other great books, but that is the one you are expected to have. It is the same way at Bercklee College of Music in Boston. Even though the book is illegal and is not mentioned on any classes book list it is absolutely THE required book of the College. So I dont know what it is like where you live, but if you live somewhere far from me you might want to consult the working musicians there as to what book they bring to gigs. As for the mistakes in the Real Book.... Yes they are many.... like it or not everyone for years has just played them quite merrily along. They are not such radical mistakes that the tunes become unrecognizable. | |
| zcott -- 05/02/2004, 04:26:07 -- #4045 | |
| It mostly depends on what kind of stuff you want to play. There's a Standards Real Book, which is (as you might have guessed) full of standards, and really useful for improving your knowledge of standards. There's also a fusion realbook, if you're into fusion tunes. But like Mike said, getting the first real book is always a good idea. If you can afford it after a while, get a couple more. Owning a few realbooks is imperative for every jazz musician! | |
| Peteboypete -- 05/02/2004, 09:06:58 -- #4047 | |
| Somebody posted this a few months ago. You can download the three old Real Books, plus one called Jazz LTD. It's a very handy thing to have: http://www-user.tu-chemnitz.de/~adams/realbook/ | |
| zcott -- 05/02/2004, 09:27:21 -- #4049 | |
| I have a lot of the realbooks in PDF format now......I'm almost considering buying a cheap laptop to bring to gigs. :P | |
| Peteboypete -- 05/02/2004, 12:17:21 -- #4056 | |
| Have you seen the ads for those new digital music stands with an LCD screen? So you could have all your lead sheets with you at all times. | |
| Bert -- 05/02/2004, 13:23:53 -- #4060 | |
| Tell us more. I just did googled it and found none. | |
| kevinbrazil -- 05/02/2004, 14:03:45 -- #4064 | |
| Thank ye all very much. Unfortunatley there is a definite dearth of Jazz musicians where I come from,Ireland, (if there are any other Irish users, let us know!), so I can;t really ask them what real books they have. But thanks anyway! Since I am pretty much learnin this on my own, I have a few more questions...sorry if im a bit of a bother! Where can I find an explanation of all the 12-bar blues chords? Eg; what exactly does the I-IV-V mean, and how do you work it out in each key? What keys are the most common? In the extremely limited pieces I have, it seems to be F and C. Thanks all V.much, or as we say in Éire, go raibh míle maith agaibh! Caoimhín | |
| zcott -- 05/02/2004, 14:04:54 -- #4065 | |
| Harry Connick Jr uses them with his band. Check out this link: http://www.harryconnickjr.com/connick/pbuild/linkbuilder.cfm?selection=dn9.9.9 | |
| Peteboypete -- 05/02/2004, 14:15:45 -- #4066 | |
| Here's the new product: http://www.freehandsystems.com/accessories.html | |
| 7 -- 05/02/2004, 22:13:30 -- #4073 | |
| Kevinbrazil asks: "Where can I find an explanation of all the 12-bar blues chords? Eg; what exactly does the I-IV-V mean, and how do you work it out in each key?" Here is the most typical 12-bar Blues progression: | I | IV | I | I | | IV | IV | I | I | | V | IV | I | I V | "I" is the roman numeral for 1. It refers to the chord built off the first degree of whatever scale you're working in (aka the "tonic"). "IV" is the roman numeral for 4. It refers to the chord built off the fourth degree of whatever scale you're working in (aka the subdominant). "V" is the roman numeral for 5. It refers to the chord built off the fifth degree of whatever scale you're working in (aka the dominant). Example in the key of C ( C D E F G A B ): "I" = C "IV" = F "V" = G Example in the key of B ( B C# D# E F# G# A# ): "I" = B "IV" = E "V" = F# This is some pretty basic stuff, I reccommend that you learn some theory. There are many good online sources listed here: http://www.JeffreeBrent.com/LINKS/theory.html7 | |
| ClassicCase -- 05/03/2004, 00:36:59 -- #4074 | |
| You can grab the Real Books (1-3) using KazaaLite or Emule, there are also other interesting books there like the "Latin Real Book" if I remember the title correctly, that Jazz LTD one, a Classical Real Book, and the New Real Books 1-3. Oh yeah, there's even a Bill Evans one available there... ah my memory's not too well, but you can get them there. | |
| kevinbrazil -- 05/03/2004, 04:37:29 -- #4078 | |
| thanks again! Caoimhín | |
| Rick -- 05/03/2004, 04:45:45 -- #4080 | |
| Do you know Linley Hamilton Caoimhin? | |
| smg -- 05/03/2004, 08:03:00 -- #4087 | |
| Also nialkinsella...... | |
| 7 -- 05/03/2004, 08:06:14 -- #4088 | |
| The link above should have been: http://www.JeffreeBrent.com/LINKS/theory.html 7 Sorry! | |
| smg -- 05/03/2004, 09:05:45 -- #4096 | |
| Here's something I found in my in-box today- Hello smg, this is Phil, I'm the creator of the real book charts site and I have what I hope to be some exciting news for you. I've added a new java applet to the site that allows you to play the harmony of the tune that you're viewing in the key that you have selected. The applet only appears when you have selected a key for the song and does not appear when the figured bass notation of the chart is shown. Currently, playback is just a piano voicing the chords with the ability to change the tempo of the playback. I'll be working on ways of providing a full backing track i.e. drums and bass in the weeks ahead. Your feedback will be very helpful in determining what works well and what doesn't, so don't be shy. As a registered user of the site you have access to the message board and you can leave your comments there or you can contact me directly at siteadmin@4me4.us. Thanks, Phil | |
| 7 -- 05/03/2004, 12:40:28 -- #4109 | |
| kewl | |
| zcott -- 05/04/2004, 16:06:07 -- #4135 | |
| Hey, I know Linley Hamilton. I had a conversation about him tonight. He's quite the trumpeter, but yet not everyone loves him..... | |
| ClassicCase -- 05/14/2004, 02:52:18 -- #4298 | |
| For those who somehow can't get a real copy of Mark Levine's The Jazz Piano Book, it's already available via emule. Enjoy reading=) | |
| Rick -- 05/14/2004, 08:47:50 -- #4307 | |
| please explain Zcott! | |
| Rick -- 05/20/2004, 15:27:01 -- #4478 | |
| yo, Zcott, still wondering what you meant about Linley... | |
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