On Feb 14, 2011, at 12:45 PM, Michael Greensill wrote:

> It's always interesting to see other peoples ideal of the perfect 'look'  for 
> chords. There must be as many ideals as there are jazz musicians.
> 
> I like Chuck's example (which are Bill Duncans right?) a lot except 
> for......there's alway an except....the alterations. e.g. When I hand write 
> chords I would never put the b or # sign at the bottom of the root, I would 
> always put it near the top.

I'm sure this placement is controllable (globally) in Bill's font.  I  don't 
mind this look in a printed font, though I'd be likely to write it by hand the 
way you describe.

> Also, as in the case of the F#, I see the alteration as a smaller size than 
> the root.

Yes, and that is the way I used to write them by hand too.
> 
> My font size for roots is now 18...I'm getting old. But here's something 
> that's happening to me lately...I've started doing the bass and drum parts by 
> hand again. A couple of months ago at a rehearsal I was handing out some 
> older charts to go over and the bass player let out an audible sigh when I 
> handed him a handwritten part on proper size paper. "Ahhhh", he said, "this I 
> can relax and read."

I am the bass player for most of my music, and I don't let me complain.  I just 
fix what I don't like.

> I'd love to hear about others personal foibles when it comes to chords. I 
> won't even talk about the dreaded triangles.

I use them (and like them a lot).  They help when you need F min. Maj 7.  Bill 
Evans used a European 7 (with the strike-through that distinguishes it from a 
European 1 that looks too much like our 7) for a Major 7 and a normal American 
7 for a minor, dominant or diminished 7.  I got used to it quickly and it saved 
a lot of horizontal space.  It was his personal system - absolutely 
non-standard, yet I never had any trouble with it, and I suspect bass players 
in his trio that followed me didn't either.

I do believe consistency within a system is essential.

Chuck





Chuck Israels
1310 NW Naito Parkway #807
Portland, OR 97209-3162
phone: (503) 926-7952
cell phone: (360) 201-3434
www.chuckisraels.com


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