Scott Henderson Discussion

[Chickentonight]

Hi!

I know this is more about playing but nothing forbids me not to try asking...

Having looked at some of you solo transcriptions I've noticed that you very rarely use quintuplets and septuplets. Instead there are almost only triplets and straight notes.

The question is are these transcriptions 100% correct? I find it hard believe that anyone can change between triplets and straight notes at very fast tempos so accurately and never go "outside of time" between strong beats. One which comes to mind is "Stella by infra.." Absolutely great solo, but very hard to play in tempo due to the very complex rhytmic phrasing.

Thanks for everything.

[Scott Henderson]

I have some improvising ideas with 5, 7, and 9 notes which sound cool in 4/4 if not overdone. I never really "studied" it, but sometimes it just happens when I'm playing around with rhythms. Scofield made a 7 note phrase kinda famous during the time he was playing with Miles. I learned it and discovered a lot of different intervals to use it with.

These aren't the kind of ideas I associate with playing fast, so if you're asking me if some of the fast stuff I play has been rhythmically worked out, definitely not. If it's not 8ths, 16ths, or triplets, then I'm just playing rubato as fast as I can. Holdsworth made that kind of playing famous on guitar, but most sax players do it - it's probably easier for them!

[Chickentonight]

Thanks.

I had very hard time hearing those notated triplet and 16th differences when they alternate at very fast tempos. Good to know not get desperate with their accuracy, but just concentrate on the feel more and getting back to exact time on the right moments. Good feel is more important than mathematical accuracy, otherwise computers playing music would sound better than humans.