vicsant Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 Some of the standards that we are familiar with come with an intro melody that sometimes runs for about 8 to 12 bars...before the main chorus. What is this intro section called? And why do most fake books omit this section? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aidan Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 Um, the verse? Many of those standards actually began life in musical theatre, where the short, one-off verse was kind of a dramatic cue point into the main tune or chorus. I assume it developed out of the standard construction in classical opera where recitative precedes an aria. Most singers omit the verse when performing standards (Ella Fitzgerald is perhaps the most notable exception in her "Songbook" series). Or do you mean something else? In which case, can you cite specific examples? Studio: Yamaha P515 | Yamaha Tyros 5 | Yamaha HX1 | Moog Sub 37 Road: Yamaha YC88 | Nord Electro 5D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Ferris Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 Exactly has Aidan said, it's called the verse. https://soundcloud.com/dave-ferris 2005 NY Steinway D Yamaha AvantGrand N3X, P-515 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicsant Posted October 7, 2010 Author Share Posted October 7, 2010 Um, the verse? Many of those standards actually began life in musical theatre, where the short, one-off verse was kind of a dramatic cue point into the main tune or chorus. I assume it developed out of the standard construction in classical opera where recitative precedes an aria. Most singers omit the verse when performing standards (Ella Fitzgerald is perhaps the most notable exception in her "Songbook" series). Or do you mean something else? In which case, can you cite specific examples? Ah ok...so that intro section is called the verse, and the main tune is called the chorus. That's why in most books on improv, they would indicate solo on the "chorus" , x times. Unlike in pop music, we have sections called the verse, chorus and bridge. So a pop tune with an AABACB pattern would be verse, verse, chorus, verse, bridge, chorus... Did I get it right?.... So in jazz standards, why do most fake books omit the verse, and just notate the chorus. Many times, the verse melody is really beautiful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SK Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 There are some great verses out there. The verse usually happens once, whereas the body of the song is repeated for solos, etc., which, I assume, is why verses were dropped from most standards. Anyone ever hear the verse to the old standard "It Could Happen To You"? CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/stevekessler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Ferris Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 . Anyone ever hear the verse to the old standard "It Could Happen To You"? Yep. One singer I work with does it. There is an advantage to working with singers --sometimes. I would never hear these things on my own. Another great verse is on "As Time Goes By". Totally different character and sets up the tune beautifully. https://soundcloud.com/dave-ferris 2005 NY Steinway D Yamaha AvantGrand N3X, P-515 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SK Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 There is an advantage to working with singers --sometimes. I would never hear these things on my own.I knew they were good for something... :grin: (kidding!) That's true - the only reason I know any verses is from the more knowledgable singers I've worked with. CD: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/stevekessler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobadohshe Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 A lot of great singers do the verses. I have a great album of Bill Charlap playing and his mom Sandy Stewart singing, and she does the verses to all the standards they sing. Man, they really give the tune some context and set the thing up. Kawai C-60 Grand Piano : Hammond A-100 : Hammond SK2 : Yamaha CP4 : Yamaha Montage 7 : Moog Sub 37 My latest album: Funky organ, huge horn section https://bobbycressey.bandcamp.com/album/cali-native Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicsant Posted October 7, 2010 Author Share Posted October 7, 2010 Can anyone recommend a fake book where the verses are included? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malpaugh Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 Can anyone recommend a fake book where the verses are included? The Just Standards Real Book published by Warner Bros. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adan Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 The Standards Real Book, by Sher Music. Also, if you leave the world of fake books, you'll find many books with verses included. Most verses are very nice bits of music all in themselves, not to mention setting up the tune nicely. But if you have to learn them (because you haven't been hearing them your whole life), that means devoting significant data storage space in your brain for sections that are probably as long as the chorus but that you won't be soloing over. It's not very practical for the average instrumental jazz cat. Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro Home: Vintage Vibe 64 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonglow Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 There are some great verses out there. The verse usually happens once, whereas the body of the song is repeated for solos, etc., which, I assume, is why verses were dropped from most standards. Anyone ever hear the verse to the old standard "It Could Happen To You"? This also occurs on the song......"Moonglow." "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floyd Tatum Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 It's interesting how terminology changes. In the Tin Pan Alley Broadway tunes, as Adan said, you have a Verse, done once at the beginning of the tune, followed by the Refrain, which is a term you don't hear any more. Refrain is what jazzers also call a 'chorus' (as in 'take a couple of choruses'). It would contain the body of the tune - A sections, and bridge (if the tune has a bridge). Nowadays in pop music, verse and chorus mean something else. Verse is approximately equivalent to 'A Section', and Chorus means a section that contains the hook. Different concept. As Adan mentioned, verse (the old meaning) comes from the theatre - it would be a section that sets up the tune in terms of the plot, and is a transition from spoken narrative to song. The tune Stardust has a well-known verse. And it's a beaut, too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormfront Posted October 7, 2010 Share Posted October 7, 2010 The most notable one I know is from Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer: "You know dasher and dancer and prancer and vixen ......." "all generalizations are false" ~Mark Twain Kurzweil K2000, ME-1 and (2)PC3, Casio PX-350 AND PX-360, EV sXa 360 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vicsant Posted October 7, 2010 Author Share Posted October 7, 2010 Can we come up with a short list of famous standards which have verses that we normally don't hear? Tony Bennet and Frank Sinatra usually also sang the verse section of standards..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonglow Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 The most notable one I know is from Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer: "You know dasher and dancer and prancer and vixen ......." "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonksDream Posted October 9, 2010 Share Posted October 9, 2010 Can we come up with a short list of famous standards which have verses that we normally don't hear? Tony Bennet and Frank Sinatra usually also sang the verse section of standards..... "Since I Fell For You" When you give love and never get love, You'd better let love depart, I know it's so and still I know, I can't get you out'a my heart. Yoooo-ooo-ooo-oooou made me leave my happy home..." "Lush Life" is a great example of a tune where you always hear the verse. Instrumentation is meaningless - a song either stands on its own merit, or it requires bells and whistles to cover its lack of adequacy, much less quality. - kanker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Zeger Posted October 9, 2010 Share Posted October 9, 2010 Can we come up with a short list of famous standards which have verses that we normally don't hear? "When all the world is a hopeless jumble And the raindrops tumble all around, Heaven opens a magic lane. When all the clouds darken up the skyway, There's a rainbow highway to be found Leading from your window pane To a place behind the sun, Just a step beyond the rain... Somewhere over the rainbow..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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