Avoid These 3 Transcribing Mistakes
You’ve probably heard all about the benefits of transcribing solos. It’s the oldest improvisation lesson in the book.
I’d also choose it as my “desert island” practice tool. Why? Because transcribing is essentially imitating, which is exactly how babies learn to speak. Music is a language, too, and we should treat it as such.
Now, whether you’re new to transcribing or an experienced vet, be sure to watch out for the three most common pitfalls that I see crop up again and again with the majority of musicians I teach:
Mistake #1: Hunting for notes
Transcribing is not a guessing game. You should try to figure out the notes prior to playing them on your instrument. To relate it back to language: Think before you speak.
Yes, this may take longer than “fishing” around on your instrument until you match pitch, but by doing the work upfront and in your head, you’ll strengthen your ears, fortify your theory knowledge, and become a much better improviser. After all, improvising is really just transcribing that which you hear in your head and immediately playing it on your instrument.
Mistake #2: Ignoring the chord
Transcribing is a great way to build and expand your vocabulary. But if you don’t bother to learn the chord changes to the solo you’re working on, you won’t be able to deconstruct why and how the lines sound so good. We, as improvisers, are not in the business of simply sitting in chairs. We need to know how to build them, too. (Hopefully that analogy makes sense!)
Mistake #3: Focusing only on the “what”
I already mentioned the importance of imitating, but I want to clarify that I’m not just talking about playing back the pitches and rhythms, i.e. “the what” of a solo.
You need to also imitate “the how,” i.e. the way in which the solo is played.
Focusing on “the how” yields the greatest benefits of transcribing, yet so many musicians just play through the notes as they normally would without the slightest “nod” to the sound, feel, or phrasing of the original performance.
In fact, it is the importance of “the how” that lead me to upgrade my lick-pack, Licks for Days, by including audio recordings of all the licks played on a real instrument as opposed to a lifeless MIDI playback.
Here’s the link if you’d like to learn more:
https://go.jeffschneidermusic.com/licks-for-days
Jeff
P.S. If you already have Licks for Days, you'll receive the upgrade free of charge. One of the perks of buying my stuff is that you never have to pay to get new versions of products you already own.