transcription

Transcription set for It Takes Three is now available at http://www.bluesharmonica.com/it_takes_three_transcriptions ($20) for those interested in learning the songs on the album. Harmonica TAB and standard music notation provided and includes all solos, harmonica harmonies and charts for songs with harmonica horn lines. Link to download PDF transcriptions are sent within 24 hours. The CD will release on 5/2, but here are four songs available now for your viewing pleasure...

It Takes Three by David Barrett, Gary Smith and Aki Kumar
https://youtu.be/dHhzq2AN99s continue reading...

I'm home rehabbing my knee and doing a lot of transcription work and I thought you would be interested in being a fly on the wall and see the transcription process. This is the last chorus of Gary Smith's “Alviso Rock,” a song from "It Takes Three." I turned on the screen capture and here it is: https://youtu.be/gOhmazFjP4U (make sure to click on the YouTube link below and watch it in full-screen mode). continue reading...

I've now added what I feel are two important elements to a basic hand transcription... bar lines and chord changes.

By placing a vertical line after the last note of a measure (which in turn is before the first note of the new measure) you're helping to give a basic visual reference of where you are in time. Though you're not providing standard rhythm notation, which would show you exactly where you are in time, this is a good intermediary step when playing by ear. continue reading...

I hope you enjoyed the challenge of the first part of our transcription process. Here are the answers to Friday's questions...

1) Harmonica Key: A

2) Key you and the band are playing in: E

3) Where he starts in time: The 2" is on the "and" of 4, with the 2 draw on the downbeat of the next bar. So, he's playing a 1/2 beat pickup to Bar 1. continue reading...

The first step in the process is to figure out the key of harmonica used. Here are a few common methods. We'll assume that what's being played is in the common 2nd Position for now.

1) Pick up each harmonica in your collection and play the 2 draw until you find the harmonica that matches the best. In 2nd Position the 2 draw is your home base... the key of the song (If the song is in the key of G, the 2 draw on your C Harmonica is G). continue reading...

I realized that I just jumped into transcribing tips and that it would be a good idea to define what transcribing is in detail for everyone. Transcribing is simply listening to what someone else has played on recording and writing down what they did. In its most basic form you write down the hole numbers that they played (blows, draws and bends) and any treatments such as tongue blocking techniques or articulations they used. continue reading...