To recap our most recent chapter, we touched base on several issues that confront the aspiring transcriber. I spoke about bracing yourself for the tough task ahead, whether to tackle all or part of a particular project, the practical tools that are required for the job, and finally offered a brief summary of the actual process of listening, humming, then imitating what you're trying to learn. We'll spend this final discourse on how to decipher chord progressions, plus I'll outline some fundamental guidelines on the subject of notation. All set?

The Bass Line Always Rules!

I've expressed my feelings about playing bass many a time in the past, as well as stressing the importance of a bass part from the compositional point of view. Well, guess what? The understanding of what the bass is doing in a transcribing scenario is absolutely critical to your chance of success in breaking down a chord progression, because the bass part holds the singular most important clue: the "root" of the chord.

Nine out of ten times, if the bass is on a C note, the chord in question is a C chord (or A for A, F for F, etc). Learning the root of the chord is priceless information, because it now allows your mind to join in the "detective" hunt.

More Chordal "Clues"

Once you've determined the root by dissecting the bass, there are three remaining clues. First up is the melody, and by that I mean either the highest voice that you can detect on a chordal instrument (guitar/piano), or the melody of the song itself. When you put the bass clue together with the melody clue, the picture really starts to shape up. For instance, you may arrive at a C chord with a G melody, or an A chord with a C melody, etc. Since chords are generally constructed of three to four tones, at this point you might have half the information that you need! With every new piece of the puzzle that you gather, the job becomes increasingly easier.

Next up is the "personality" of the chord in question. Your choices are two: major or minor. Add either the major 3rd (E in a C chord) or minor 3rd (Eb in a C chord) to what you already have (assuming that the melody isn't the 3rd) and take your best shot. It shouldn't require much practice for you to be able to distinguish the difference. Now the final clue to search for I sometimes call the "flavor" of the chord. Is it a 7th? A 6th? A 9th? You might not even need this clue if the music is fairly simple in nature. If not, be prepared to utilize the pieces that you've already collected with some trial and error until you find the answer. In time, your ear will relate to what it's heard before, and this entire deductive process will be very quick.

Notation? The "Nickel" Tour

Don't even consider picking up your pencil until you can play what you're going to attempt to notate. And by the way, use a pencil (not a pen) with an "industrial strength" eraser. Accept the fact that you're going to make a lot of mistakes until you get good at this. I sure did!

Do you think that notation is difficult? Let me tell you why it won't be. Besides the obvious fact that everything you do amounts to accumulated time and experience (i.e. "been there - done that"), the truth of the matter is that the most challenging aspect of accurate notation is rhythmic interpretation, an area that is certainly not infinite in the least. Believe me, once you've experienced an 8th note followed by a pair of 16ths even a few times, it becomes old news. But if you never allow yourself to experience it at all, notation can remain a mystical science for your entire career. Tips? Sure.

Since a lot of your mistakes will stem from inaccurately gauging the value of pitches, write only the heads of the notes under lightly penciled vertical "hash" marks that represent the beats of a given measure. Refrain from adding flags, stems, and beams until you can verify your judgment later. If I encounter a three-note group as I described above (an 8th note followed by a pair of 16ths), I'll pencil in a small "8" next to the note that I believe to be the eighth. When I return to my transcription "shorthand" later, logic tells me where the stems and beams go.

My Biggest Secret?

You know, my students and colleagues see all that I've transcribed, and think that I have a great ear. I disagree. To be honest, I've never felt that way. But I'll tell you what I do have. A lot of determination and a curious, logical mind. That combination can take you a long, long way. Good luck!