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Gospel Instruments => Gospel Guitar => Topic started by: docjohn on May 30, 2010, 06:50:17 AM

Title: George Benson
Post by: docjohn on May 30, 2010, 06:50:17 AM
always one of my favs!!! I was checking out his live version of "Shadow of your smile".Anybody have any transcripts? Rec any ? I saw Hal Leonard has a few books,I play keys-but would like to catch where he is coming from.

Any ideas fam?
Title: Re: George Benson
Post by: uriahsmusic on May 30, 2010, 08:29:35 PM
...are you saying that you want to play it on keys....or you are a keyboard player that wants to play this on guitar?......cuz if it's the later...you picked a doozy to start off with!
Title: Re: George Benson
Post by: Fenix on May 31, 2010, 12:55:02 AM
Ugh! Wish I was at that level where I could attempt a GB song. The only one that I have attempted is his version of "Breezin".
Title: Re: George Benson
Post by: docjohn on May 31, 2010, 08:07:16 AM
play it on keys;I've NOT heard ANYbody-even Jimmy Smith play this song on keys that moves me the way GB does.I was listening to Oscar P,Geo Shearing,Errol G piano clips on u-tube-even these cats can't touch GB.

It sounds like some very fast linear runs and arpeggios;listen close -the opening lines;the band is NOT "with" Geo,but by about 6 th bar-syncs up.It sounds like jimmy S (maybe McDuff on organ).

Again,the sincerest form of flattery is to copy/learn/assimilate;lowly keys man-would like to learn from GB.

Ideally-what I'm hearing in my head-is a big woody bass sound(a la Shearing,Peterson),nice brush ballad drums,some electric piano/benson chords guitar,some nice B3 on top.

am I asking a lot?

Title: Re: George Benson
Post by: Fenix on May 31, 2010, 10:47:04 AM
Are you asking a lot? To me, yes! :)

Honestly I can't even begin to imagine how you would translate Benson's runs to piano. He uses some very fast linear lines and a lot of chromatic runs (so I have noticed).

I'm not saying it can't be done, I just need to know how. :)
Title: Re: George Benson
Post by: jlynnb1 on May 31, 2010, 11:04:19 AM
Are you asking a lot? To me, yes! :)

Honestly I can't even begin to imagine how you would translate Benson's runs to piano. He uses some very fast linear lines and a lot of chromatic runs (so I have noticed).

I'm not saying it can't be done, I just need to know how. :)

i would think a good pianist would easily transcribe any guitarists lines to the piano. the piano is much easier to execute difficult passages on if you know what you are doing. i have a friend who was classically trained from childhood, can play anything....but loves to play worship/pop/rock music and has a great ear and feel for it (unlike many trained musicians). He makes it look effortless, and can listen to almost any run/lick once or twice and bang it out like he's the one who wrote it.
Title: Re: George Benson
Post by: JayP5150 on May 31, 2010, 02:57:59 PM
I was thinking the same way regarding chromaticism being easier on keys-no string skipping!

That's actually what messes me up on piano, to me it seems like everything is so atetched out, which seems to be exactly the opposite complaint that keys players have about guitar lol. Good times.
Title: Re: George Benson
Post by: jlynnb1 on June 01, 2010, 10:26:01 AM
yeah the tricky part would be the inflections that we use...slides, bends, etc....but the actual notes wouldn't be hard.