Scott Henderson Discussion

[jcshirke]

Hey Scott,

You always stress rhythm and phrasing as being the keys to great playing--even more so than note choice. You also (in your videos, at least) urge people to practice along to some kind of rhythm track(s).

I happened to be watching a NAMM video where you were playing to some tracks on your Macbook. What do you use to create your backing tracks? Any tips/suggestions? I'd like to have a full arsenal of tracks to play over in different keys, using different progressions, etc.

Band in A Box is a great option, I realize. But I was curious to get more details about what you use and how you created them. It looked like you were scrolling through a pretty big list of files in that NAMM video I saw.

Thanks,

Jeff

[Scott Henderson]

I make my own backing tracks in Digital Performer. They're mostly just bass & drums, but there are a few, like the Jaco tune Liberty City, where I went nuts and copied the horn arrangement just for fun. I enter the notes with an Oxygen 8 mini-keyboard.

I make backing tracks because the rhythmic feels in Band In A Box and iReal are so incredibly lame - but I use iReal at school if a student wants to play a tune I don't have.

I have a lot of tracks because I've been doing this for over 20 years - back when Digital Performer was just a midi program. The swing tunes are very easy because I can just change the bass notes and save as a new tune.

[jcshirke]

Thanks, Scott.

I've got all the tools I need to make backing tracks then. I suppose I just need to make sure they don't suck.

Band in A Box: I think the "Real Tracks" (is that what it's called?) feature is supposed to help address the lame rhythms, but I haven't used them yet. I'm adding it to the long list of things I need to do to get my act together.

Btw, we talked for a little bit after the show at Reggie's Friday night in Chicago. I'm the guy who brought my wife out to the show on our 21st anniversary. Lucky gal, right?? Actually, she had a really good time. And she lets me buy all the gear I want. Sign me up for a 22nd year...

Thanks again,
Jeff

[magicaldog]

[jcshirke]

I'd definitely grab a bunch.

[Scott Henderson]

That's a good idea - I guess I'd have to save them as standard midi files, since not everyone has Digital Performer. The down side is that people who don't have software with a standardized drum kit orchestration might not hear what I hear. Also, more complicated tunes with keyboards or horns would have to be re-programmed with sounds. Or, I could record them as audio and list the tempos - people could just throw them into a DAW and loop them.

[jcshirke]

Thanks for considering it. I think it'd be a really great practice tool.

Cheers,
Jeff

[magicaldog]

[Scott Henderson]

Oh yeah, I didn't think about the file size or keys. Plus it's a much bigger hassle to covert to audio. Please remind me mid-November and I'll put together a bunch of standard midi files.

[countandduke]

So what I'm hearing is that Scott, you use "ireal" in a pinch to just get the basic chord changes going and then use that program to demonstrate how to improvise through those set(s) of changes?

I think myself and others are trying to find simple and affordable solutions do that we can play/practice improvising with more interesting things than a metronome or drum machine. I'd LOVE to thrown down bass drums and keyboards myself on a digital recorder but it's just not possible...

I've looked at "ireal" and it looks pretty decent. You mentioned "Digital Performer" and as much as I want to ask about that, I need to do some quick research first to come up with intelligent questions.

Can you quickly describe your home practice studio. You come home and want to jam on a particular standard let's say. What program are you pulling up on your laptop? Are you using your Hot Rod Deluxe or using headphones with a pod?

I too have used Band in a Box and found it too "sterile"...

Thanks for all your insight!!!

I just love listening to you and what you do...
Best,
Chris

[Scott Henderson]

I only use iReal if I don't have the song as one of my home made tracks. It's not that much better than Band In A Box.

Midi recording isn't very expensive if you already own a computer. I don't know about PC's, but every Mac has a Roland Sound Canvas synth built in to the QuickTime app, and there are free midi programs which can access it. All you need is a small keyboard to enter notes, like the M-Audio Oxygen 8 ($100).

For what you want to do, Digital Performer is overkill - it does midi, but also audio. I've done 7 albums with DP. It costs about $1500 - a lot of money considering there are midi programs out there for free.

My practice/ composing studio is a Mac, Digital Performer, an Oxygen 8 keyboard, a cheap Korg M1 synth, an even cheaper midi interface (MOTU Fast Lane, $70), a Yamaha QY-100 which I use for drums, and a Korg Pandora for guitar. I listen to everything on my studio monitors - I'm not crazy about headphones. If you want to enter guitar into the computer, you need an audio interface - mine is an expensive Apogee because I use it for albums, but M-Audio makes one for $99 which is fine for composing and practicing.

[magicaldog]

[hipfreejazz]

Here's a reminder...

[Scott Henderson]

Hmmm... I probably shouldn't have promised that since I just got off the road and need a vacation before I start writing, but here's what I'll do. Email me and I'll send you one Digital Performer file converted to a standard midi file - if it works and you're able to use it, I'll make a bunch of them and sell them from my website - we're talking 5 or 10 bucks for all of them. I think I have around 40.

[dizzy]

I'd buy them too Scott.