Paul Toal Posted August 25, 2019 Share Posted August 25, 2019 I have an idea for a challenge. Why don't we pick a piece at random from The Great Gig Book (Blue book), and everyone has a month to play around with it and come up with their own arrangement and in whatever style they like. How much people improvise is up to them and their ability. It will give students a chance to practice improv on a piece they don't know, or even just practice some scale progressions. After a week people can upload their videos to show where they got to, or even their progress throughout the week. What do people think? Trying to find a piece that doesn't have too many difficult chords to start. After a couple of false starts, i'm going to attempt "Our Day Will Come", page 205. If you do fancy participating, I suggest you use the hashtag #paultoalchallenge 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted August 28, 2019 Share Posted August 28, 2019 A great idea, I'd definitely be in board because that's something I really want to learn and develop! I need to complete some more courses to get the necessary skills first though 😁 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny May Posted August 29, 2019 Share Posted August 29, 2019 Love the idea Paul! I’ll participate in this one 👍 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ido B Posted August 29, 2019 Share Posted August 29, 2019 Cool idea, Paul! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Novak Posted August 29, 2019 Share Posted August 29, 2019 What is the blue book? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris W Posted August 30, 2019 Share Posted August 30, 2019 What a great idea this is for a challenge - something quite outside my comfort zone as well! Maybe I will try this challenge after completing the “Ode to Joy” one first. Hope it goes well! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Toal Posted August 30, 2019 Author Share Posted August 30, 2019 @Brian N - It's a fake book. Just search Google for "the great blue gig book". You can find it free to download the PDF from a number of places. Alternatively, here is a link: https://www.academia.edu/25056202/The_Great_Gig_Book_Blue_Book_ 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Toal Posted August 30, 2019 Author Share Posted August 30, 2019 Thanks for the feedback everyone. I'm not going to post it immediately as there are a couple of other challenges going on and I don't want to swamp people. I'll give it 2-3 weeks then add it to the FB members page. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Novak Posted August 30, 2019 Share Posted August 30, 2019 Thanks for the info Paul!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maeva L Posted September 4, 2019 Share Posted September 4, 2019 I love the idea ! It's something I have begun to work on, and that I really want to improve. I'm still very slow, so one per week, it will be tough. But I look forward to it! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Toal Posted September 6, 2019 Author Share Posted September 6, 2019 I think 1 a week might be a bit ambitious as well, but I'll see how I get on. I'm going to start working on the piece above tonight hopefully 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Toal Posted September 9, 2019 Author Share Posted September 9, 2019 It seems that Jonny and Maeve have set the ball rolling with my challenge by posting some amazing videos. I have changed a couple of ideas around the challenge. I think one piece a week was WAY TOO ambitious. I think one a month is more realistic. Also, i've changed my starting piece to "Our Day will Come" (p.205). I hope you all join in and post a video in the FB page. BTW: You don't have to do that piece. I just thought it would be interesting to see different people's takes on the same piece. Oh and don't forget the hashtag. Enjoy your playing 🙂 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny May Posted September 9, 2019 Share Posted September 9, 2019 Nice! I'll jump in with Our Day Will Come 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Novak Posted September 9, 2019 Share Posted September 9, 2019 I’m loving this challenge! Such fantastic material. I’ve got a couple picked out, I just posted My Romance, trying to find something a little up tempo that I can handle. I’ve picked a couple more to work on, this is helping me grow my repertoire. Awesomeness! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry H Posted September 12, 2019 Share Posted September 12, 2019 Just love that gig book. We have a house full of visitors right now so no time for playing but I’m right with you with this one. Boy it’s my kind of music and a great way for a beginner to become familiar with the chords. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Toal Posted September 12, 2019 Author Share Posted September 12, 2019 I agree @Terry H, although unless you are very familiar with jazz chords, I found I was looking for a piece with simpler chords to start with, then i'll build up to the more difficult progressions and chord variations. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael W Posted September 13, 2019 Share Posted September 13, 2019 This sounds like a fun challenge, I'll take a stab at it once I've looked through the book. Question: Any suggestions for 1-3 video lessons to watch to help with this challenge? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Toal Posted September 13, 2019 Author Share Posted September 13, 2019 @Michael W try going through The Way You Look At Me lessons 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Toal Posted September 13, 2019 Author Share Posted September 13, 2019 For me, i'm come the realisation that my improv has no structure to it. I'm still going to play around with Our Day Will Come, but I need to find time to go through The Way You Look At Me course and get the approach right, rather than banging around in the dark 🙂 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Novak Posted September 14, 2019 Share Posted September 14, 2019 You are making good progress, for sure, Paul. I watch all your videos, making good strides. Improv is the polar opposite of how most of us learned, from the Page. Baby steps is the key, and repetition of what sounds good to You. You are definitely moving forward , but not in a straight line, which is perfect! Keep at it. Rock On!! 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane S Posted October 12, 2019 Share Posted October 12, 2019 On 8/29/2019 at 3:25 PM, Brian Novak said: What is the blue book? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane S Posted October 12, 2019 Share Posted October 12, 2019 Hi Brian, I was looking through the older posts, did you ever find out what the Blue Book is? only I was wanting to know as well! Many thanks in advance if you can put my mind at rest...... have I missed something? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Toal Posted October 13, 2019 Author Share Posted October 13, 2019 22 hours ago, Jane S said: Hi Brian, I was looking through the older posts, did you ever find out what the Blue Book is? only I was wanting to know as well! Many thanks in advance if you can put my mind at rest...... have I missed something? Hi Jane, I put a link to it earlier in this thread in reply to Brian's query on 31st Aug. Alternatively, just Google "fake book blue book" and you'll find it. Thanks, Paul 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian SIMIAN Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 I just downloaded the blue book, on this occasion we add to our repertoire pieces that we do not know what I think is very good I'm in 😀 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny May Posted November 14, 2019 Share Posted November 14, 2019 How's this challenge going so far @Paul Toal? I wanted to mention that we are in production for the Lead Sheet 7th Harmony Course, the first jazz foundations course that focuses on how to develop lead sheets using each harmonic concept we teach at PWJ (7th chords, shells, guide tones, rootless voicings, block chords, etc). I think this will help you and the other members doing this challenge. The course will likely be published this month (November) or in December. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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