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

[Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Jun 13, 2014, at 9:43 AM, Slim Heilpern wrote:

> 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.

Not meaning to horn in here Slim, but you're right. We do the tune almost every Sunday at the club. I think I use a G chromatic and play it in F. (which will give you concert C). 
A big misconception is that if a chromatic is tuned in C, a tune IN C will be easy. Not true. It depends on the layout of the notes. The biggest stumbling block for a chromatic is breath switching. Breath switching is the enemy, slide work is the friend. 
Example: One would think that Sweet Ga Brown (an F tune) would be easiest played on an F tuned chromatic. (like C on a C) Actually..it's easiest on a C. More fluid. And you can add a lot of piccolinos. Body & Soul? slide in (Db), makes the first bridge easy. Ghost Riders? (Ebminor), allows frills. And yada yada.  

I ran into this back in the late 50s, when my C chromatic was lost with the Andrea Doria and I replaced it at a music store. But when I got home, they had given me a G by mistake. I had to re-learn everything on a G. They wouldn't take the G back. That was the start of my using other keyed chromatics. Which I now use to get around on difficult tunes, while STILL staying in the key the tunes were written in..in the first place. The main reason why I have to do this is that singers are always changing the keys and I can't re learn tunes on the spot. I play by rote..not by ear.  

At the risk of conjuring up the: 'Do everything on a C chromatic' police, I have a chart I did in 1959 over on slidemeister which shows all 12 keys a chromatic could be built in and the key one would be in when playing any of all 12 keys.   
> 
> 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).

Yes, I used to skip that E. Not a big deal. But some tunes have critical notes that can't be skipped (or changed). And to do so lessens the tune. For instance: I was listening to a well known player who was doing a tune and in one spot he used a natural note that should have been a flat. It stuck out like a sore thumb. At least it did with me. 
> 
> 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.

Again, I agree. The much touted corner switching is something you only use when ALL else fails. I rarely hear it done convincingly. 

smo-joe (who once told Ellington: "Take the A train IRT, it's the quickest way to Sugar Hill in Haarlem". Yes, he is the most unforgettable character you will ever meet. 
> 
> 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.
>> 		 	   		  
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