Round Midnight

[mandrian]

Hi,

I've been fascinated by Monk's Round Midnight for some time and am attempting to learn it, using Wes Montgomery's version of the tune as my basis.

I'm always surprised that there seem few mandolin versions of it. Mike Marshall's on Gator Music is the only I've found and I don't really like it that much.

Is anyone aware of any versions that have been recorded that might help me in my attempts to learn it.

Thanks

[Jim Garber]

Go right to the source...



I used to just play it from the barebones version in the Real Book. What are you looking for exactly? This is probably one of the most challenging pieces around to interpret.

[mandrian]

Jim,

Thanks that video was very inspiring!

I'm not a great player, but I always try to learn tunes that I have loved over the years rather than ones that might be easier. That might be a mistake in terms of the end result, but I seldom get bored in my attempts to learn to play them.

I'm using Capo software to slow down and learn the Wes Montgomery version as best I can and have notation for his version from the web, but the reason for my message was just see if anyone else was playing the tune and whether there were any mandolin versions out there, that I could get to listen to. I was just so surprised when I went looking there seemed to be nothing there mandolin wise.

Thanks again.

[Jim Garber]

I am sure that I have heard quite a few versions of Monk playing his masterpiece and he almost never played it the same way twice. it is also not in real mando-friendly keys but that should not stop you. I wonder if WM (not WSM!) transposed it for guitar or not.

[mandrian]

Jim,

The notation I'm using has six flats so I'm presuming it might be in E flat minor. I believe that is probably the same as the Monk original. Here is where I found the Wes Montgomery version.

http://www.wesmontgomery.com/transcr...ndMidnight.pdf

It does not seem too mandolin unfriendly to play so far. I just learn it in whatever key the version I'm listening to is written in. I've not really got the skills to transcribe it.

[Janos]

Don Stiernberg did a mandolin version on the album 'Angel Eyes' with John Carlini.

[Jim Garber]

Jim,

The notation I'm using has six flats so I'm presuming it might be in E flat minor. I believe that is probably the same as the Monk original. Here is where I found the Wes Montgomery version.

http://www.wesmontgomery.com/transcr...ndMidnight.pdf

It does not seem too mandolin unfriendly to play so far. I just learn it in whatever key the version I'm listening to is written in. I've not really got the skills to transcribe it.

The main mandolin unfriendly part looks like the chords later on in the piece. This transcription would be fine to learn if you just wanted to duplicate WM's rendition on the mandolin -- a pretty monumental task IMHO.

Yes the tune is in the same as the original key. I would think a bare-bones fakebook style version would work better, like this one.

[mandrian]

Hi,

I think I'll go with the Wes transcription and then simplify it when the going gets too difficult. At least it's a ballad so it's not at too difficult a speed.

Liked the Don Stiernberg version. Very tasteful and lovely guitar accompaniment from John Carlini.


Thanks for the help and encouragement

[Tom Cherubini]

Ever think of doing Mandrian's version??

[mandrian]

No. Not got the talent to do that. To my mind, that would be like non-talented song writers that want praise for writing uninspiring originals, when there are so many fantastic songs already out there that they would be better attempting.

Everyone to their own, I suppose.

[homermando]

Here is"Round Midnite" on a tenor banjo. This guy is amazing! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NOwgeYFLfQ

[Jim Garber]

I know Eddy Davis who is a prominent tenor player in NY, usually seen in Woody Allen's band and other dixieland and trad jaz venues. Great stuff and I like that it is a chord-melody arrangement. Any idea of whether he transposed it to another key? Of course, I sort of wish he played is on tenor guitar instead of banjo. it could use some nice sustain.

[mandroid]

I've not really got the skills to transcribe it.

My KISS method is on paper ,Column A is the key its in, spelled as is, 1234567, in a row
Column B is the key you want , and its flats sharps spelling 1234567 side by side with the 1st.

I have Page protectors on some photocopies , grease pencil works fine
on top of the plastic sleeves .. Its erasable , just rub it off the plastic.

[Jim Garber]

I just learn it in whatever key the version I'm listening to is written in. I've not really got the skills to transcribe it.

I think you mean transpose not transcribe. Transpose is to change the key. Transcribe is just to notate the music as played.

[Randy Smith]

Wonderful version of this tune on Turtle Island String Quartet's *A Love Supreme: The Legacy of John Coltrane*.