GiantSteps.shtml | Updated: 02-Jul-2009 - 12:08
Here are some links regarding John Coltrane and Giant Steps
John Coltrane was a big
fan of the ukulele and wrote this song on the ukulele. This is great song to play on the uke. OK - maybe he wasn't a fan and wrote it on uke but this is a cool song to attempt on the uke.
This is not a song typically associated with the ukulele. And, all the reason to play it. It definitely gets a reaction from fellow musicians familiar with the song.
Chord wise it is really not that hard to play. It is a bear to solo over - and I'm still working on that one.
Here is my take arranged for low "G" C tuning.
If you run out of frets on a smaller size ukulele for the Eb6/9 in measure 15 then lower it one octave to 0 0 1 1. Even measures 14 and 15 can be played one octave lower and still sound fine.
FREE PDF download, 2 pages, Updated: 10/11/2007
FILE: GiantSteps(uke-TAB).pdf ( 40 KB )
You will need Adobe Reader to view your PDF file.
Here is a solo uke recording done in GarageBand using the James Hill G-String tenor.
MP3 - Here is a MP3 recording of Giant Steps for reference.
For more on home recording check out my recording page on CurtSheller.com.
How I Learned the Chords... Learning these more advanced "jazz" chords doesn't take some mythical secret knowledge. All it takes is knowing how chords are created. I learned them over many years using the information I ultimately put down in my book A Guide to Advanced Chords for Ukulele. Study how to make any chord you will ever need to play using the tried and true chord formulas that the jazz pros use. They are all in this book.
Commonly referred to as “jazz” chords. A Guide to Advanced Ukulele Chords provides detailed information on voicing 4-part chords.
Beyond learning open and barre chords, most ukulele players struggle with advanced chords. Commonly called “jazz” chords, these more sophisticated voicings find a wide use in all forms of music.
$19.95 -
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Exploring “Jazz” Chords takes the core chords from A Guide to Advanced Chords for Ukulele and shows their use over a variety of common chord progressions based on songs from the standard jazz repertoire.
Print Book & PDF: $17.95 -
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PDF only: $10.77 -
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You'll need a copy of Adobe®: Acrobat® reader (version 3.0 or higher) to view or print the PDF file. If you don't already have a copy, or if you have an older version, you can get the latest reader for free from Adobe.
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Curt Sheller is the author of over 30 books on guitar, ukulele and music. A jazz
guitarist and educator with over 40 years playing experience and 20 years
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