This is why I started "Riffin' on 'Dards". It's slang for riffing (soloing) on standards (jazz repertoire).
The one-time-through the piece, one minute long requirement I set for these made for some interesting tempos for long form and short form tunes. Todays piece is St. Thomas - a short form piece. Especially fun was dealing with a slow tempo of 64bpm on a tune most noted for being up-tempo (fast).
This gave me time to play each four measure phrase in a different key (all majors). Four phrases: first in E; second in Eb; third in A; fourth I wanted in F# but started with an A chord so I made the second chord a F#, then I wanted to somehow bring it back to C so I reharmonized it to end on the five (G); then to the down-beat of the top to end on a nice C altered chord.
Another "riffon" restriction is to solo and not play the melody. I break that rule for the first time today. The reharmonization of the piece is the soloing component. It seemed all too natural to have the written melody and re-harmonization juxtaposed.
The one-time-through the piece, one minute long requirement I set for these made for some interesting tempos for long form and short form tunes. Todays piece is St. Thomas - a short form piece. Especially fun was dealing with a slow tempo of 64bpm on a tune most noted for being up-tempo (fast).
This gave me time to play each four measure phrase in a different key (all majors). Four phrases: first in E; second in Eb; third in A; fourth I wanted in F# but started with an A chord so I made the second chord a F#, then I wanted to somehow bring it back to C so I reharmonized it to end on the five (G); then to the down-beat of the top to end on a nice C altered chord.
Another "riffon" restriction is to solo and not play the melody. I break that rule for the first time today. The reharmonization of the piece is the soloing component. It seemed all too natural to have the written melody and re-harmonization juxtaposed.