Klarinet Archive - Posting 000998.txt from 2000/07

From: Spikus Spiegelus <jnohe@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] RE: Mimicking players (was Learning practices)
Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2000 13:03:06 -0400

On Fri, 28 Jul 2000, Neil Leupold wrote:

> in their own interpretations. In the cases where the alterations have
> been extens- ive, i.e.; adding entirely new music to the original at
> the whim of the performer, in the name of improvisatory tradition or
> personal expression or whatever, are these alterations copyrighted?

Let me add the disclaimer that anything I say should be taken as hearsay
and usually with a 40 lb bag of salt.

I seriously think that if someone brought copyright infringement against
you, you could at least claim that nearly every jazz player has the exact
same suit pending against them, and maybe force the plaintiff (or the
court or whatever) to see the ludicrousness of this.

If you seriously take that particular improvisitory lick, learn it, and
use it yourself, spontaneously, and improvisitorily (that's a fun word to
say...if it IS a word...), then you are absolutely no different than any
serious jazz player or jazz student. From what I'm told by our jazz
professors here, one of the greatest tools to learn to improvise (once
you're past the scales stage) is simply transcription! You listen to
players, transcribe their improv solos, and then learn to play them, so
that their licks can be added to your own repertoire of useable licks.
(And if you're really good, you learn the licks in all 12 keys so that you
can use them anywhere...heck, I have a hard enough time thinking of places
to fit them into tunes that ARE in the original key!)

According to said profs here, this is just a standard method that many
jazz musicians over the years (if not all of them) have used to learn and
understand jazz, as well as to supplement their 'catalogue of licks'.
>From what I'm reading, what you are doing with the Mozart really isn't all
that different.

But as I said, just my opinion. *shrug*

J. Shouryu Nohe
http://web.nmsu.edu/~jnohe
Professor of SCSM102, New Mexico State Univ.
"Never put passion before principle. Even when win, you lose."
-Miyagi-san, KKpt.II

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org