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Joined: Mar 2009
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I am interested in learning to scat and mentioned I saw some books on the topic to my voice teacher who comes from a more classical type of singing though she can do standards. When I told her about the books she said "oh you can't learn to scat from a book - it's something you just have inside you."
I don't think I agree with this statement. While I do agree you probably have to have a good sense of rhythm and time I don't see why you couldn't pick it up from a book. To me this is like saying "if you don't have perfect pitch you can't do music!"
What do you guys think? Thanks!
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Joined: Feb 2007
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The old "nature vs. nurture" argument. Scat singing is really, to me, just using the human voice to imitate solos that are normally done on other instruments. Read the books if you wish, but practice singing along with scat singers. Or, sing notes thinking like a sax player (or trumpet player, or ......). Practice makes anything better. Yes, if you have innate talent you can take it further, but there is nothing to say you can't successfully learn to scat and sound good at it.
Kevin
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I don't know, either way. I do know that two of the best practitioners of scat were Ella Fitzgerald and Mel Torme. I would listen to their work, and try to emulate and then develop your own style from there . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scat_singingGood luck! Gary
I'm blessed watching God do what He does best. I've had a few rough years, and I'm still not back to where I want to be, but I'm on the way and things are looking far better now than what they were!
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You may learn certain formulas from books. But doing it well will come from practice. It's like improvising on a song.
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You are correct not to agree with that teacher's statement.
Scat singing of jazz is exactly the same process as an instrument player must go through in order to improvise a solo -- Study of Music Theory, Swing Feel, Chord Progressions, Modes and Scales, plus what is perhaps the most important part of the equation, which is to Transcribe, Transcribe, Transcribe the scat solos of those singers whose work really appeals to you. By "Transcribe" I don't necessarily mean writing it out on paper either, instead, listen to the recording many times over many days until you have the scat solo inside you and can successfully sing it note-for-note, phrase-for-phrase and embellishment-for-embellishment with the original. Then pick another and do it all over again. Etc.
On top of that, don't limit your transcribing to just vocal scat examples, either. Do the same with instrumental solos, be able to sing or whistle or whatever right along with those solos that really grab you. This takes a certain amount of "inundation" with the target recordings on your part. Well worth the time spent.
Ella is an excellent starting (and finishing!) point. Ella could play a mean piano in her own right, BTW, but did not consider herself a pro pianist. Many singers can hold their own at the keyboard, the piano being a wonderful "number line" where all the notes are laid out in front of you. Helps in understanding that theory part, but not all that necessary to wow your audience. Try the transcription of existing scat solos trick. That is the fastest way to get there I know, the rote memorization will satisfy quickly, the fact that you "quote" a famous solo will be appreciated by other musicians and after a while of that you will find that you have your own "pallette" of tricks that you can use in other songs and progressions. LISTEN TO LOTS OF JAZZ AND SWING whenever you can during this period.
--Mac
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Thanks Mac especially for the great answer and all. I really like Ella and The "sassy one" Sarah Vaughn. You've given me a great road map.
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Check out some Mark Murphy as well. I don't think there is a better singer out there.
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Add King Pleasure and Eddie Jefferson to the list. Later, Ray
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Eddie Jefferson is a great example of how much music the singers knew.
He not only created lyrics to Bird tunes, he scatted some of Bird's solos note for note.
I'll see that Eddie J. and up you one Lambert, Hendricks and Ross...
--Mac
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