Re: [Harp-L] "Take the A Train" Question

[Slim Heilpern <slim@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Bob, 

Have you heard anyone who plays it smoothly and accurately up to tempo on a solo tuned C chromatic? I've heard plenty of people play it, but you can usually hear them struggling, which sounds bad.

It's really hard on our instrument. If I had a good reason to play it (and I don't, so I haven't put in the time), I'd probably just skip the high E on the fast run in bar 6 (could just repeat the C before it). The rest of the head shouldn't cause you any problems (at least not with enough practice).

Also, as for corner switching, unless you're really great at it it may be tripping you up more than it helps. Except for one high E in bar 6, you shouldn't need it.

Just my 2 cents.... 

- Slim.

On Jun 12, 2014, at 4:42 AM, robert wrote:

> There was a discussion here a while back about playing the head of "Take the A Train."
> Anyway, I have been struggling for quite some time to play this darn thing fluidly and make it swing...I've tried corner switching and I've tried pucker, and I've tried mixing the two; I continue to practice all those but I seem to be stuck and I'm not happy with the way I play it. Anybody have any suggestions?
> WVa Bob
> P.S. I've moved it through all 12 keys and it's  easier to play it in certain other keys, but one needs to be able to play it in the key it was written in, C.
>