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A Killer 12-Key Workout Using

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TOPICS Coltrane’s “Countdown” Transcription
By Kenny Brooks / Best Saxophone Tips and Techniques, Special Feature / Jazz Improvisation,
Ask a Saxophone Practicing, Resources, Saxophone Lessons, Saxophone Technique, Transcriptions INCLUDED WITH SIGNUP: FREE 3-part audio
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Editor’s Note: Below is a powerful exercise shared by renowned sax
Practicing professional Kenny Brooks. Thanks to the great saxophonist, David
Recording Valdez for putting us in touch with Kenny to get Kenny’s permission to
include it here on the site.
Reeds

Resources As a means of using amazing improvisational material to improve my

Saxophone Brand ability to move around the horn swiftly and smoothly, I transcribed the
Overviews alternate take of John Coltrane’s seminal recording of the tune,
Saxophone Lessons “Countdown” and put it into 12 keys descending.
Saxophone Parts
The first chorus of my exercise is in the original key. I then descend a

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A Killer 12-Key Workout Using Coltrane's "Countdown" Transcription » Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever. 5/15/19, 6(55 AM

Saxophone Technique half step for each following chorus. Note the 13th chorus is also in the
original key. On chorus 8, I move down a half step and also up an
Tone Production
octave in order to accommodate range.
Transcriptions

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In this way, one is made to play all of Trane’s shapes all over the horn
and in all different keys. Of course, as is always the case some of the
keys “lay” better than others, and this is part of the point of the
exercise – the point being that one gets to face up to uncomfortable
keys and shapes and tries to make every transposition sound evenly
smooth.

Trane had obviously worked out the shapes and the ways of moving
through the keys, and it is noteworthy how inside the changes this solo
actually is. There are very few notes or harmonies outside the given
chord changes.

In my study of this solo, I tried to identify those few places where he

played a note, or several notes outside the changes.

Some examples:

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On the final bar of most of the choruses, he plays some version of

a Cmin(MAJ 7) over the B7, which means often playing the note C
(b9 on B7) and G (#5 over B7).
On the first bar of the chorus he sometimes plays C# (5 over F#-)

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A Killer 12-Key Workout Using Coltrane's "Countdown" Transcription » Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever. 5/15/19, 6(55 AM

and sometimes C (b5 implying a half diminished sound).

In the 8th bar of the 3rd chorus he plays a G# – the #4 over Dmaj.

In bar 15 of chorus 10 he plays an Eb on beat 2 and an E on beat 4.

Frequently on the Abmaj on the 3rd bar of a chorus he will play
Ab-A-C implying a sort of A min perhaps, but that one is a mystery
to me and it is played several times.

Aside from a couple of other moments, those are the only deviations
from his incredibly strict adherence to the chord changes. this solo
naturally extends itself to an etude in 12 keys.

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VERSIONS OF THE EXERCISE:

Countdown – Original Version in 1 Key

Countdown – Transposing Every Chorus

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John Coltrane Countdown (Alternate Take)

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A Killer 12-Key Workout Using Coltrane's "Countdown" Transcription » Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever. 5/15/19, 6(55 AM

Intro to Saxophone
Overtones Part 3 –
Exercises
This article is the third in
Improve your Sax a three-part series. If Are you really listening?
Playing – with Flute you haven't done so Do these 6 Things to Be
Exercises! already, I suggest you Sure.
check out part one and

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Kenny Brooks
Kenny Brooks was inspired to play reed instruments from the age
of 9. He grew up the SF Bay Area and studied saxophone with Hal
Stein. Brooks went to the New England Conservatory (BM 1988),
studying with George Garzone. Early career work included the
Eddie Marshall band, Charlie Hunter band and his own project Alphabet Soup. In 2000
he joined the Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir and his band RatDog. Brooks toured for 10
years with the rock legend. In 2007 he moved to NYC and can be heard at venues
around town like Smalls, 55 Bar, Rockwood Music Hall and others. Kenny Brooks is a
D’Addario artist.

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2 Comments

REPLY
Jay Rodriguez
OCTOBER 23, 2017 @ 7:46 AM

Excellent resource for all musicians . !

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A Killer 12-Key Workout Using Coltrane's "Countdown" Transcription » Best. Saxophone. Website. Ever. 5/15/19, 6(55 AM

REPLY
Eddy Bourjolly
APRIL 2, 2019 @ 10:45 AM

As a guitarist I use Coltrane solos as a means of staying in shape

technically and harmonically. I am currently learning the original
countdown solo and was not aware of the alternate take. Wow!!!
sounds even crazier. What a treat! Thanks for sharing.

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