Notation or ABC for Minor Swing

[PhilGE]

Anyone have standard notation or ABC format of Minor Swing? I have a few TEF versions, but they sound a bit awkward to my ears.

-Phil

Did you try the tab on this site. It seems alot simpler then the normal version though. It took me like 20 mins to learn that whole version.

[PhilGE]

Thanks for the tip!
-Phil

[Mark Normand]

I would like to bring up this old thread for some help on Minor Swing in Dm.
I'm not as versed in theory and/or scales as I would like, doing what time permits, so be gentle.. Play mostly basic BG, but exploring swing now.

Found the tab here where the very basic melody is obvious. And I can do the chords and swing along with various mp3 tracks, etc.
Now when it comes time to improv, is it correct, in the most basic form, to play notes around the pentatonic scales of each chord, as they progess thru? Or does one particular scale "fit" better?

For instance, on EMD, in Em, I was told just improv with all/most notes in the G scale, and that will mostly work. And it did, my ear picked that up right away, having great fun with it.

Again, sorry for the noob question, but I just need a point in the right direction here. I know my ear will hear it hopefully, but I can't seem to get there.

Thx much,
Mark

[Jean-Pierre WOOS]

" Minor Swing in Dm"... I know David Grisman plays this tune in D, but for all Gypsies guitar players, it's in Am...

Avoid pentatonic scale and blue notes when you're playing gypsy tunes.

Try tu use on Am : Am melodic scale
on Dm: D dorian scale
on E7 A harmonic minor scale(descending)

Mix those scales with arpegio's

[Gutbucket]

Does any one know what key Django and Stephan did it in? Was it Am.?

[Mark Normand]

Thx Jeepee, appreciate your response. Will try some of that shortly.

I think Django's was Am. Check youtube, saw vids there. It's getting to be the first place I look lately.

The group I play with is exploring new ground, lots of Grisman tunes coming, one guy knows 'em all. I'm all bluegrass, this is new for sure. Barkley's Bug and Bow Wow next.

[TomTyrrell]

Django did it in Am, Dawg in Dm.

[Pete Martin]

More than scales, try to get the sound of each note vs each chord. For example, play an Am chord. Sing each note in the chromatic scale:

A Bb B C C# D D# E F F# G G# A

Sing each note long enough to clearly hear how each note sounds against the chord. Make a note of each sound, what you like about it and what you dislike about it. If you do not like the sound, go 1/2 step higher or lower. Do you like the sound now? If yes, use this clash/resolve sound to add interest to your solos.

Repeat the above for each chord in every tune you learn. Before long you will not think in terms of scales, but individual note sounds and multiple note sounds.

Best of luck.

[Don Stiernberg]

Yeah Pete!

Well said. Pertains to any tune, any style.

Thank you.

[Gerry Tenney]

Sing each note long enough to clearly hear how each note sounds against the chord. [QUOTE]

Great idea. Thank you. I never thought of this or had anybody suggest it, in all my years of playing. Perhaps I missed something along the way. I do like to sing along with my solos though.
Gerry Tenney

[Doug Hoople]

If you're learning Minor Swing in order to go and jam, you'll find that there will be confusion stemming from whether to use the Dawg version or the Django version. #

You'll want to learn both. Stephane Grappelli played both, having been talked into the Dawg version by David Grisman while they toured. And, as a mandolin player jamming among Dawg aficionados, you'll find yourself in jams where Dawg's version has more currency. But when you jam among gypsy jazz generalists, they won't know any version other than Django's.

So, learn the Django version in A minor and D minor. And learn the Dawg version in D minor. #Once you've done all that, you should be all set!

[Simon DS]

Anyone know where to find Django tab? Is it copyrighted? Must be 100 years now, or nearly.

[des]

Do a Google search for “the Django Fakebook”. The music is out of copyright and published free online by the University of Chicago. It’s a goldmine of tunes. Standard Notation not Tab.

You can find the tab for Minor Swing on this very Mandolin Café site too - look for “Tab edit files” under the “Learn / Listen” heading at the top of the page.

[Bren]

I have a book, "Django Reinhardt Anthology" ©1984 Jewel Publishing, Django Reinhardt Anthology: Transcribed and Edited by Mike Peters which has a notation of the theme and Django's solo in the Nov 25th, 1937 recording of "Minor Swing" - in Am.

It appears to match the recording in this YT:
https://youtu.be/gcE1avXFJb4

Given the uncomplicated 5ths standard mandolin tuning, moving it to Dm is jus a case of moving across the fretboard from A string to D string, same shapes but less need for going up the dusty end.

Book seems to be still available on Amazon - I dare say interest has only increased since it was first published.

Out of belated interest, I looked up the author.
Here is a YT of Mike Peters playing with Bob Wilber's band "Bechet Legacy" in 1984, around the time the book was published. - his first solo is at about 6:58
https://youtu.be/HlcKCD2c7ZM

[Simon DS]

Thanks for the reminder. I actually already had the book in a notation stockpile!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/2lrpfx45n6...ebook.pdf?dl=0

[Mark Gunter]

You can find it under Fake Books in the library at my website, and download it

[Mandolin Cafe]

And floating around this site for years as well, along with another PDF fake book. Here.

[Simon DS]

Nice site Marc and resources!
Love this book http://www.markgunter.net/library/Pe...ash=46#page=41
-a book of chords for popular OldTime tunes.
That would be great as a viola accompaniment fake book for beginner or young fiddlers, I really like that drone/hurdy gurdy sound, and that on-the-beat driving rhythm -like Bruce Molsky for example.

I’m not that concerned about the .abc now though, after all these years I’ve learned to read notation (badly).
-and the Original Poster is now 17 years older!

TAB is just much easier for showing fretboard moves in jazz playing.