You'll Hear It: Full Album Deep Dives with Jazz Musicians - How to Hear the Harmony

Episode Date: June 28, 2019

We end the week with another SpeakPipe; this time, it's a request for tips on hearing harmony. Wanna send a SpeakPipe of your own? Just go to https://youllhearit.com/podcast-contact/.Be one of the first 20 people to leave us a rating or review at https://www.youllhearit.com/sticker and you can score a FREE You'll Hear It sticker.Today's episode is sponsored by Soundslice. Soundslice is a web-based music-learning software that is a hybrid audio player and notation viewer that syncs music notation with real audio. To find out more about them, visit www.soundslice.com/transcribe. And check out our Slice of Emotion In Motion (the You'll Hear It Jingle)!Let us know what you think by leaving a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review, or head over to our YouTube channel and leave a comment for this episode.Interested in more jazz advice? Go here to browse our catalog of jazz lessons and courses available for purchase.Follow us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram at:https://www.facebook.com/heyopenstudiohttps://twitter.com/heyopenstudiohttps://www.instagram.com/heyopenstudio See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hey, Pete. Hey, ma'am. Scale of 1 to 10. How hungry are you right now? 11. I'm Adam Maness. And I'm Peter Martin. You're listening to the you'll hear a podcast.

Daily Jazz advice coming at you in a very hangary way. Oh, man. Pete's hungry. No, I'm not hungry. I'm hungry. We're starting this podcast at 1.40 p.m. Yes. Central Standard Time.

Yes. This is right around the time where you're splitting for lunch. Usually. Yeah. And you know what? I think I'm going to be okay, though, actually. Because I had a very, I want to just plug my own very nutritional. vegan protein shake that I had this morning.

The problem is I had it at like 645 a. And you think that's going to hold you until we're done recording these podcasts. I'm thinking about it. I might need you to hold me just to finish these podcasts. I will not. And it's Friday too. So it's hump day. So that's another problem.

That's not what hump day means, man. Come on, you know that. We've talked about it in a while. I got confused again. Well, if you don't want to be confused about transcriptions, check out SoundSlice. How'd you like that segue? That was very good.

Our sponsor. Getting to be a pro here. Our lovely sponsor. sponsor SoundSlic, check it out. Go to soundslice.com slash transcribe. It's the greatest transcribing tool on the interwebs. It's something that we hear at Open Studio, use every single day. We love it. We're so proud to have them as our sponsor and just check it out. It's got an amazing community where you can check out other people's transcriptions, but it has a notation software built into this great browser-based system where you can sync the notation to the video and you can do it

all yourself, and it's incredible. Yeah, absolutely. I second all that. All right. So, So today we're talking about, at least we're talking about this until you go crazy from hunger. But not good. We're talking about how to hear the harmony of a speak pipe. Yes. From Daniel. All right. Hey, Peter and Adam.

It's Dan coming to you from Weehawken, a place of Baroness Nika and where a monk lived at the end of his life. Love it here. And I wondered, I'm always thinking about listening and how to use listening to improve my own playing. And I'm good at listening to melodies and finding those in the people. but I always have trouble listening to harmonies and trying to, for example, find what a pianist is doing with a given voicing, you know, whether it's Bud Powell or Barry Harris or somebody where, you know, they're doing something harmonically interesting and I can't pick out the individual notes. So I wondered if you had any thoughts on strategies for using listening to improve your own harmonies. Thanks a lot, guys, seven stars. Nice. That's a great question, Daniel. Thanks. Wehawkin, man. I only know Weehocken as that, you know, when you come out of the tunnel on your way over to the airport, and then you circle this really cool, like, Little League baseball field that's like right there by the tunnel and it just has a big sign. It's talking about going to Jersey. Wee Hawking. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Nice. I have to check that out. Cool. Yeah, thanks, Daniel. First of all, love your name. One of my sons is named Daniel, big fan of the name.

I think that, look, you're talking about listening, so you're always. in our book, you're already on the right path, right? Because we're always like number one listen and for a reason because it improves so many different aspects of your musicianship. Now, what you're doing in terms of kind of breaking it down with melodies and harmonies and saying it's easier for you, Daniel, to hear and to develop your listening around melodies and harmonies, that's like very normal. That's pretty much everybody.

And because it's an individual note that's moving along horizontal. So if we start thinking about, you know, vertical versus horizontal and then building up in terms of what our harmonic ability to hear, I think you might want to go, you know, Bud Powell and Monk and Barry Harris, those guys are amazing and countless others. But you might want to start even a little bit more basic in terms of building up. And I would say really some kind of pop tunes, some simple pop harmony, triatic kind of movement, that sort of thing. And remember when you're learning harmony, it isn't just the vertical because harmony becomes. interesting when it moves horizontally and you know we could look at it as chord progressions

in terms of the form moving along voicings that a pianist would do two-handed one-handed or whatever else and then also just melodic things that imply harmony I mean that's a very important part about it too so they're all connected actually I took off our headphones too quickly because I think we could probably use

the key station on this but yeah I agree like getting down to out of the out of the sort of, um, out of the weeds of harmony and being able to hear it in context really helps. I like that you said, you know,

start simply with, with some simple triad things, but you can get these sounds in your ears a lot easier. I, when I'm listening for harmony, oftentimes I'm not at this point picking out individual notes at all. Yeah. I can hear the shape of things.

You can hear these larger intervals in between. I know there's a difference between this and this. Right. Just by the, I can hear that cluster in the middle. That inner harmony. That's right. Yeah.

And then just like you said, you know, the context, if I hear this, I know that's a major chord in an inversion. And then if I hear that, I know how those sounds happen in context because I've just paid attention and heard that so many times. But isn't it also because you're hearing the horizontal, the melodic movement between those voices. It's not just about hearing the individual chords. I'm hearing that top note. And this is maybe where a good place to start. but start at the outer notes. We've talked about this before.

So when you hear this, right, I can hear that low note, and I can hear that. 10th. I know that's a major chord in that second inversion. And then when I hear this, I know what that bass note is,

and I know that has to be a major 7 chord. Yeah. Because it still has that E on top. Yeah, maybe. And I think this is an important thing, too. I don't know how you feel about this, but when I started kind of trying to really learn to be able to hear different harmonies

and I think still the way that I think about it because I don't have perfect pitch so I'm hearing like a lot of times I can identify the notes though not from that sort of perfect pitch I know what that is but just because I kind of remember it but I still am thinking like the way you first said

it in terms of like the third and then the major seventh and not thinking about what key even if I'm playing it I guess I'm kind of thinking it a little more if I'm playing it but definitely if I'm hearing it I'm trying to identify the functionality of what's happening

either in a vertical or horizontal way. Yeah. And not worrying about hearing what key it is. And that can really help as you start to like apply what you learn about what, say, jazz pianists that you're listening to, things that you're transcribing or whatever, applying them to your playing because then you can start to use them potentially in all the different keys a lot earlier than if you're stuck in hearing it just in one key. We talk about this a lot and I think it's important and that's good.

If you can get fast and comfortable with the way things are numbered, you know, if I think of this as the one, right and I think of that as the third of the one. Oh, we're going to the four and that seventh now is a major seventh. Like, so I don't even have to think like, oh, this is C major triad, F major seven. Right. That's exactly what you were kind of implying. And then beyond that too, you can start recognizing the shapes of things. So I know very strongly that when that third's on top, it sounds a lot different.

You know, I know that's a trance. triad because you can hear the difference. Yeah. So I would say Daniel, another step into this is to get familiar with inversions on the piano. And start basic. You know, start with three-note triads. Well, the triads are always two notes, but I mean as opposed to diminished four-note chords starting with three and then go to four. But I think that hearing, yeah, all the different inversions and then really focusing in on how the intervals stack up.

Because that's what this is. Harmony is always combinations of intervals. And that's where there's a big connection with melody because melody is always a stringing together of intervals. You know, and so this really goes back to two, make sure you know all your intervals. A lot of people kind of like, oh, I know all those.

But do you really know, like, can you be tested and identify that and go beyond the octave too? You know, because like we just had that example where we're going up to the 10th, you know, minor, 10th, major. Be able to hear all that. Yeah. And I mean, at first you're kind of having to think about it. You're kind of having to sing.

That's fine because you eventually want to get to it when you hear it. It's just like, but to me it's more important to be able to hear like major 10th than C to E. You know what I mean? Even though now, you know, I know that that's what that is. Well, just being able to identify any combination of these. Yeah. Being able to hear chords that are open as opposed to close. Here's a C major triad in an open.

Here's closed. Being able to hear just those, the spread of those. And you can quiz yourself. We always talk about it's easier to have someone else a quiz or have an app to it. but, you know, if you build this up kind of methodically in terms of triads first in just root position and then the inversions and then open them up beyond the octave as you just were doing. Right. And then always switching keys around. So you might do like a couple of days of just the inversions of the triad in a closed position.

But go through all the keys so that you're kind of agnostic to hearing it just one way. In the key so that you can hear the shape itself. And, you know, another thing I like about these triads is like we have this triad here. But then if I hear it in context. Yeah. You know what I mean? I can hear that sound super easy and I know the difference between this and it's like that's plating right there.

Oh no, that's not playing. You know what I mean? So this is a C major triad on top of a B flat root and shell or a G triad or an E minor. I can hear the difference of those pretty clearly and no. Yeah. Yeah. And I think it really all, I mean even when you get the triads and then you know you get it augmented and diminished and being able to hear the differences and then how they

start to work together and once you've heard of enough and can identify them even the combinations or the layering of them you can hear but it still goes back to intervals yeah you know i mean because it's just two intervals put together three notes two intervals so that basic interval training you want to really make sure you know it and review it and come back to that because that's always going to be the foundation even as you get to the more advanced um kind of upper extensions and being able to hear those yeah if you have like um i don't know Oh, we're going to move the key station. Where's our lazy Susan, Andrew?

Come on, come on, Andrew. Like, I was just thinking, you know, that's a C-7 flat 9-sharp 11, but there's a convenience of that triad. That G-flat triad. Yeah, which is going to be there sometimes, sometimes it's not, or sometimes it's going to be like, so that's a C-13 sharp 11, but it actually still is that, oh, no, that's not a triad,

but it's like three notes that you know the intervals of it. And, yeah, we're not advocating here this sort of Frank Manteoth putting triads on top of, you know, shells. Hey, I am. Well, not really. It doesn't matter. No, no, it doesn't have to be. But it's a nice thing.

It's just about recognizing that sound. Well, and I think the reason that a lot of times they do work these kind of, you know, embedded triads either at the top or in the middle or whatever is that it's such a, and it doesn't have to be major triad. And it certainly doesn't have to be, you know, root position. But it's such a basic foundation that we have as listeners, that the ear training we already have built in in terms of. the foundations of this music. So it's, um, when you put them in an unexpected places,

we like the listener. It was like, wow, I like the sound of that. It sounded like springtime or happier or whatever. That's fine. But for us, it's like I like the sound of that. I hear that second inversion triad that's right in there. Like that's what we have to know. Like we know that it's kind of like, oh, I love that building. It's great. I'm, I don't have no idea why it's not falling down, but it's really cool. Whereas the engineer, the architect is like, I can tell you exactly why it's, it's cancelievered and blah blah blah on this angle. Well, so then this goes into another, the next level of this is the architect is like, oh, and it's this angle, whatever.

You know, it's this style or this whatever. And so I would say, Daniel, the next level of this is actually to transcribe some comping, some people doing harmonic things. And being able to recognize, just like anything else in music, comping and building chords on the piano or guitar has cliches and has things that everybody does. So what? So at this point, you know, you and I can recognize these voicings without thinking about them at all. Just understand the shape.

I can guess what you're going to do next. Or something like that, you know, or something like this. You know? Minor 9. We all know what that is. That, I know that shape by itself. I know that shape. You know, tons of shapes I understand, I recognize immediately.

Patterns. They're harmonic patterns. I don't have to. You know what I mean. I mean. I mean. I know what that is. Elton John.

But like or you know drop two. That I don't understand. But you can hear it. George Shearing. Play me anything. I'll just tell you the first person that pops in my head. Frank Matt Tooth. He was popped in my head because you just mentioned him.

So what? Yeah, kind of. Oh, sorry. Yeah, close enough. But no, the idea that there are not, I was going to, I almost said, standard shapes, but there are just common shapes that several generations of jazz pianists have played, you know, or even like down to Bud Powell. I don't have to think about that.

I know that shape. So when you get to know these kind of cliches, these kind of common voicings, it becomes actually super easy to hear the harmony because you're like, oh. Oh, and sing them. Sing them. Yeah, when you could sing each note, sure. Yeah, do that as you're going. Because, like, I was just thinking about you playing that.

D-D-da. No, the pile on the left hand, D-da. Major 7 to the major 6. Yes, I hear that and I'm like, Major 7, major 6. I'm not thinking B-E or E-D or whatever. Right, right, right.

And I also think about like how it feels in my hands when I hear that played once you know it. That's how you start to connect it. Yeah, exactly. That's how you start to connect it. So, you know, essentially, Daniel, with all of this, if we're going from kind of the entry point into the sort of advanced level,

start with just being able to hear intervals and not just, you know, in a casual way. Be very familiar. Intimate. Intimate with all the intervals in all, you know, in all combinations. And then build up from that to triads, being able to hear them in all the inversions.

Seventh chords in inversions, all different kinds. Really, really helps block chords, spread, open voicings. And remember, like, when you start to hear a seventh chord or a ninth chord, that's just a triad plus an, other interval. I mean, this is always

stacks of intervals. So hear those intervals and that's, yeah, exactly. You know their thirds. It's just like major, third, minor, third, which kind is it? And then from there, you know, transcribe some comping, transcribe some harmonic things that pianists have done and understand some of those common things. Pick something that you love that you

are like, what is that sound? Understand what that is and then start recognizing it in other players. We nailed it, man. We nailed it. We are masters of rhythm, melody, and harmony. Yes. Good. Well, today's episode, as it has been all month, is brought to you by SoundSlice. Go to SoundSlice.com.

Love me some soundslice. You can transcribe some harmony over there. Heck yeah, you can. They are not monophonic there. They are polyphonic. It's a polyphonic system. You can slow it down without losing pitch and really get that to be able to pick out those intervals. Absolutely. And then you can see some other people that have transcribed some stuff and use that as a foundation to build up your ears. It's a great tool. We love it. Oh, also check out this user tune. What is it this week? It is. this is the tough one

Coquavic is that correct Andrew he doesn't know but he wrote it out K-A-Q-A-V-I-K actually heard this is very lovely by Levan McAilin I just screwed it out all up

this is hard to read man sorry Coquovic by Levan McAilin that's probably wrong but enjoy this on the way out and do we have anything do we have an ultimate tip on Harmony we've been falling off for our ultimate tips

I feel like our Oh, you have a panicked look on your face. Oh, well, I kind of mentioned it before, but I really believe in this as the ultimate tip, and we should have mentioned it more. Sing. Sing when you are practicing. And I mean, certainly for interval training, but we think about singing melodies, but you're going to be singing the harmony.

Like, that is such a shortcut to being able to hear stuff. Don't worry about how your voice sounds or whatever. If you can sing it, you can hear it. It really is a huge...