Scott Henderson Discussion

[Gianluigi Rossi]

Hi Scott,
I have all your instructional DVD and books and I really like your way of teaching, so I would like to suggest you 2 ideas.
The first one is about transcribing. Every great jazz fusion player (you in the first place) says that transcribing is maybe the most important thing to do in order to become a better musician, no matter the instrument you play.
I try to transcribe as much as I can, horns or piano players most of the time, but sometimes I find is difficult to really take a lick or an idea and make it part of your vocabulary or I listen to something I really like and then it doesn’t have the same musical result if played on guitar.
So have you ever thought about making an instructional DVD or book about transcribing? I mean starting for example from a Charlie Parker, Michael Brecker or Coltrane solo how to identify an idea, how to practice with it, how to learn to connect short ideas in a longer one (maybe write or “compose” is the first step?) etc.

Another teaching idea could be a DVD or book that shows how to use the chords on your book “jazz guitar chords system”. For example you could show how to you harmonize a couple of standards or a jazz blues using the voicings that are in your book.

What do you think about?
Thanks a lot.
Gianluigi

[Scott Henderson]

Those are great ideas for a video. Now if I could only find someone to pay me for making it… I haven't made a video since the ones I made over 20 years ago, because no one is paying advances for instructional videos anymore, probably because the market was so flooded with them during the 80's and 90's that fans lost interest. Making a video is a lot of work which I'm not willing to do unless I'm paid a good price up front, and that concept seems to be a thing of the past.

[dizzy]

[quote="Scott Henderson"]Those are great ideas for a video. Now if I could only find someone to pay me for making it… I haven't made a video since the ones I made over 20 years ago, because no one is paying advances for instructional videos anymore, probably because the market was so flooded with them during the 80's and 90's that fans lost interest. Making a video is a lot of work which I'm not willing to do unless I'm paid a good price up front, and that concept seems to be a thing of the past.[/quote]

Maybe it would work to sell advanced copies. Like I would send 20.00 bucks if you had the project in the works and probably a lot of people would. If you got 500 people to send the 20.00 bucks you could make the video and then send the copies out after it was made---I trust that you wouldn't pull a Bernie Madolf scam LOL

[Scott Henderson]

What you're describing is the same as Kickstarter and similar companies, which is where I might end up when it comes time for the next album. My label has been ripped off by Internet theft to the point where they can't afford the budget I need to do a record. Recording is more important to me than a teaching video so if I'm able to generate enough money for a new album, maybe I'll take doing a video seriously.

[Gianluigi Rossi]

It's true, there are a lot of video and books out there but most of them are useless. I also think that many people would be interested in the above subject explained by you. Maybe GIT press could be interested in this project?
Gianluigi

[Scott Henderson]

GIT doesn't pay advances. Sorry guys, until I figure out how I'm going to finance the next album, making another teaching video is pretty far down on the list.

I will say this - transcribing isn't rocket science. Most of the problem comes from impatience. I simply pick out a couple notes at a time until I have it, no matter how long it takes. I never learn ideas longer than eight notes. After I learn it, I practice playing it with different rhythms, and learn how to play into it from something I already know. Then I continue to play when it's over, so it doesn't sound like a lick that always ends the same way. After about a week of practice, it eventually sounds like a natural part of my playing. If you spend a year or so learning a broad vocabulary of ideas, it's not that difficult to string them together, or use them in between your own improvised phrases.

There, I just saved you 30 bucks for a DVD.

The other teaching idea, how to use the chords in my book, is another easy lesson. Take a standard and learn how to play the melody with chords under each note. That's just a practice idea, since it's usually impossible to play a chord under each note in tempo. To make it musical, decide which notes to play without a chord, and you don't always need to play full voicings - remember that just one or two notes under the melody can sound great.

OK, I feel like at I'm at MI. I need to watch an episode of Breaking Bad to counteract this.

[barik01]

[Scott Henderson]

Ha ha. My chemistry teacher would get a laugh since he usually gave me F's.
For me a live album would cost about the same as a studio album. Paying the musicians and engineer is the most expensive part.

Jammit isn't going to happen as long as I'm on a label - they're not happy with the percentage Jammit gives. I agree, what they're offering isn't worth all the work we'd have to do in the studio. I think it works better for artists who sell a mega amount of records.

The videos didn't happen because the guy with the money cancelled for personal reasons. He may still want to do it at a later date.

[Gianluigi Rossi]

Hi Scott,
thanks a lot for your advice!!
Anyway I hope you’ll find the way to make other instructional books or videos because watching you play and teach it’s a never ending way of learnig.
Thanks again
Gianluigi

[barik01]

[Stratus]

You know what I would pay for? A dvd or like a series of short videos to download of you showing some of your signature licks with a short explanation when it's good to use them and when it isn't. There are some licks on your records that are played way too fast or too "whammy-bary" for me to get by ear, but sound really cool.
There is (or was) a short video on youtube where you showed two licks that I liked and that are now part of my vocabulary, and it would be cool to get more of that kind of stuff.
I think it wouldn't be too expensive to make. Just a camera, the sound doesn't need to be record-perfect, one or two licks explained and post it on the website to download for a couple bucks.

[Scott Henderson]

All the DVD ideas are good and I appreciate the input, but I teach two days a week at MI, and also offer video lessons from my website - that's enough for me. Unless someone offers some serious advance money, I won't be doing more teaching projects.

I remember the gig in Dresden and I'm sure the promoter lost money. Actually the touring is going really well - I've worked more in the last few years than ever, and the venues are usually full and sometimes sold out. Gigs like Dresden are often the fault of promoters who don't advertise enough. If we drive into a city and don't see any posters, it's a bad sign. Most promoters are smart and know it's all about advertising properly, but in this economy I'm sure it's harder for them to part with their money than it used to be.

[MarkVI]

I think kickstarter would be a great way to fund your next album, especially since you have a good fan base spread out over the world. I've seen numerous local bands in Seattle have success raising what they needed. Mike Moreno did it once too. The main tricky thing to figure out though is probably the backer rewards, but for music projects it's pretty much a given that X dollars pledged equates to a copy of the album, either digital or physical.

Anyway, I know I'd fund it if it ever happens!

[countandduke]

"The other teaching idea, how to use the chords in my book, is another easy lesson. Take a standard and learn how to play the melody with chords under each note. That's just a practice idea, since it's usually impossible to play a chord under each note in tempo. To make it musical, decide which notes to play without a chord, and you don't always need to play full voicings - remember that just one or two notes under the melody can sound great."

Hey Scott, so are you saying to use a chord voicing where the top note is the melody note and also corresponds to the correct harmony? Not sure if I phrased that question properly...

Thanks Man.

Chris

[Scott Henderson]

Yes that's correct. The best way to learn chords is in the context of a song. The study of voicings is complex and can get tedious and very overwhelming. Using new voicings in a song gives you much more gratification for your work.