Just Composed a Great Piece THAT I CAN'T PLAY!!!

[Enviroguy]

I took the contemporary praise song "Blessed be the Name" that is also played a lot on Christian radio stations and tried a few composition tricks I've learned by reading up on jazz theory. To describe what I've done without knowing the correct terminology (which I don't know), I have the soprano sax responding to the melody phrases but the sax begins in the middle of the measures, inverts the melody somewhat, raises it up or down by fifths or thirds and then glues it all together with 1/8th note jazz scales using some of those alternate keys signatures that fit with the major key of the tune but sound really cool and complex. At least is does for church music.

When I compose stuff like this, I kind of get in to "the zone" where I don't even realize what I am writing. I just write, cut, paste and listen over and over again on the computer until I have something that pleases the right side of my brain.

My result on these is usually pretty good. I don't know what I'm doing, but the right side of my brain does good composition. And this time, the piece sounds awesome on the computer. It may actually be my best composition work to date. I was also able to get the overall tune into Ab Major (Bb for sop.) so my wife could sing it. And this produced a range on sop. from C1 to D3.

Well, I can play every note. BUT I CAN'T GET THE TIMING TO STICK INTO MY HEAD. Obviously, I don't have true jazz timing. I listen, I count and the more I play it, the more I have a tendency to play the phases more in line with the melody timing. I just can’t get my brain to take hold of it. I hear stuff like this in smooth jazz all the time. But why can't I time phases like that consistently?

I need help or I will have to shelve this composition. And I was hoping to play it Sunday as a special. Please let me know how to learn and remember jazz style phrasing. :?

[saxmanjack]

If you can't play it, maybe its just too complex. Try going back over the entire composition and find a way to simplify. You might just end up with something that makes more musical sense and sounds even better.

Or just listen to it over and over 'til you can 'hear' it...

[Pete Thomas]

Can you post some soundclips?

I often do this when composing on the computer, in some ways cutting and pasting and a bit of trial and error can be great because you come up with stuff you wouldn't otherwise write, but it can go against what your brain is used to doing.

I don't think it's a fault with your jazz phrasing, but saxmanjack is right, of course you will get it eventually.

Can you play it when you read it off a part, or is it just when you try to do it in your head?

[hakukani]

I can't play most of the stuff I've written, either because it's not for sax (like keyboard etc.), or it's technically too hard (wrote it for someone that's a better player than me).

[BOPITY FUNK]

This reminds me of an article I read years ago about Count Basie. The great man was no great reader --if at all--but he could look at a chart / arrangement, newly presented to him and say without hesitation if it was" too busy", if that was the case, the the Hefti's and Nestico's had to severely edit said chart until it met with approval; the point is, Basie was never wrong about this. Self editing can be difficult but remember you probably have in one over complicated piece enough material and ideas for many more future compositions ;dont throw all your eggs in one basket.
Regards BF

[Milano]

I compose with my keyboard, play some chords and a pre-melody. Then, I write it down on my computer, but keep the melody simple. Then I grab the sax and make a loop of what I've written, play it over and over. Then, I add what the melody suggests to me. If I want to get into more complicated stuff, I try to focus on things that I'm practicing right at that moment. The moment of writing for somebody else has not arrived yet.