 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: stevensfo
Date: 2005-06-20 16:57
Hi,
I've heard the expression 'Fake book' quite a few times recently. Could you explain what it is please? I have a vague idea, but I've probably misunderstood - as usual. ;-)
Steve
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Author: Bob A
Date: 2005-06-20 17:54
Here's two:
1. Just Standards Real Book--Bb edition fakebook. Warner Bros Pubs. $39.95
2. The Ultimate Jazz Fakebook Bb edition. Hal Leonard Pubs, $39.95
Check that unmentionable auction site for a used copy or maybe even Amazon.com.
Bob A
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2005-06-20 18:20
There are any number of "real" or "fake" books available. Some are legitimate (like the two mentioned above - my group has two complete copies of all of the books from the Hal Leonard series (two each of Bb treble, Eb treble, C treble, and C bass clef (for the trombone players of the world).
What they give you is the melody line to a given tune, plus the chords (in BbM7 style notation) with the words running along under the line. Also included are intros and tags for most of the tunes.
But, there are many different versions of these 'documents', and not all of them are easy to come by. Aside from the copyright issues involved, the irregular distribution of the "real" books is a major stumbling block should you want everyone in a combo setting to be playing from the same page. By sticking with the Leonard or the Warner Brothers versions, you will be both "legit" and you will be able to get all of the books in the series.
However, the "legitimate" fake books are (to put it mildly) somewhat lame. And, there have even been a number of the tunes rearranged into weird (non-standard) keys, apparently so as to minimize the number of ledger lines, the better to fit more music on a page. My cracker-jack lead female vocalist hated them for that reason alone, but you can always transpose if need be.
For learning the melody lines, any book will do (as long as you can read the clef). For playing with others, you need to use the book pitched for your instrument (English and French horn players need not apply), learn how to improvise both a melody line (embellishing the melodic line written as you go along) plus harmony (not as hard as it might seem, once you've had a little practice).
The piano player works from the C treble, the bass and guitar players work from the same, the drummer "fakes it" based upon the known melodic line and some pretty standard conventions, and the vocalist refers to the words as needed (but not while performing). The "color" instruments (trumpet, sax, clarinet, flute and trombone) either take solo choruses, or play a melodic fill. Occasionally, there will be call to do a "duet" with a vocalist (like what we do with How High The Moon...bari sax and female vocalist, where the bari echoes what the vocalist does while scat singing).
When we do combo stuff, there's a pre-gig meeting, during which the general outline of what's going to happen is discussed. Most of the time, the piano player does a countermelody behind a color instrument or vocalist during the first verse and chorus, then solo verses and choruses are traded off through the group before there's a finish that, while not "big", does build to some sort of climax.
Having good rhythm players (piano, bass, drums and sometimes guitar) is the vital requirement to making it all work well. That's why they are the base combo instrumentation. You can get by with a substandard drummer (but it's not fun), and you can do without a guitar; bass and piano are essential, however, and they need to know what they're doing from the get-go.
Most folks doing this sort of work prefer tenor sax, but when we do it we have a minimum of three doubles for the reed players, just to add variety. Sometimes an instrument might only get used once in a night (flute is a good example here), but throwing that in breaks up the monotony of the "combo sound"
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
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