lololol!!! You guys are crazy! Kenny G is one thing but don't be putting down Celine, she is awesome! Now whenever I see Kenny G all I can think of is that one South Park episode with his character on there. Too funny!!!

It's amazing how ANY thread here can so quickly become amusing and fun and at the same time keep an internal sub-thread that sometimes can remain more serious.
I often find myself navigating in these sub-threads, not because I lack a sense of humour (or maybe I lack a little, yes) but mainly because humour in a foreign language is the last thing one can aspire to master. And I am not there yet.
So down to my sub-thread on melody writing by ear, I want to thank Dennis for his comprehensive post and his practical technique description.
I can memorize a melody quickly, I get my training from singing and the first thing there is to know the melody (POP or any type) by heart.
From there I can play it on the flute, but mainly on a trial and error basis, which is somewhat boring, but possible. It is also easy to find what the starting note is and then construct the melody from this note. That is not the most difficult part for me. Now flute cannot play chords of course and so for the accompaniment one must use a keyboard.
What I lack is the harmony knowledge to figure the chords that match the bass line and the melody at the same time. Also the bass line is not as evident as the melody normally is.
I think this is something one must study and learn, there is no other way except for having an inborn talent for it.
Recently I have been struggling to add the right hand chords for the basso continuo of a Haendel Sonata; though I had the figured basso in written and the rules to understand the figure bass coding (which are rather simple), I had to give up, at least for a while. (I needed the time for my practise).

"I think this is something one must study and learn, there is no other way except for having an inborn talent for it."

Jose,
The art of writing down the music starts with easy things. It doesn't necessarily involve a comprehensive theory background but that can help. It does involve a bit of familiarity with your instrument and the tonality (or the scale)of the piece. I think that some people don't fret over whether they are properly trained and they just try. I was told that among the Louisiana jazz musicians [like Louis (Satchmo) Armstrong] players really didn't learn to read music at all. They just picked up their horn and learned to do it. Even Ian Andersen from Jethro Tull didn't take any lessons on flute before going out on stage and turning out well over 7 million copies of their most famous 2nd album.

AS you mentioned, if one were interested and had the time, they should start with trying to write down some melodies. As a hint, generally the song melody will most often end with the tonic note and it may very well start with the tonic as well after the initial pickup note. If you know the tonic, the key signature is a big help. If you can write down the melody than you statrt listening to the underlying stuff. I would say that you try to pay attention to the action on a horizontal level (Harmony) and not vertical(Chords). Try something like a 4 part choir. Write down the Soprano line. Then the Alto, Tenor and then Bass. You can play these things on flute but they may need to be taken up an octave or two.

Some basic concepts to pay attention to while listening to music are

the meter. 2 beats, 3 beats?

The mode. Major? Minor?

The instruments being used.

Things like that help us to pay attention to what's going on while we are just playing our instruments. It is always a good idea to pay attention to the keyboard part while we are playing a sonata or solo. Especially in pieces like the Handel Sonatas because the keyboard may very well have a more important line that our flute at times. What I mean is that the piano is not always the accompaniment to a solo flute. It can be a trio between the flute, right hand , and the left hand.

First off...Kenny G is a big inspiration to me...Even if it ruins what anyone could ever think of me. His music got me back into playing when I never thought I would play any of m instruments again. Secondly, I really like his version. I'd rather listen to his than Celine's. Thirdly...the piece is in copyright until 100 years from the death of the composer from what I understand about copyright laws. Sorry all!

Dennis, I wouldn't be sorry about expressing your opinion.

Dennis, that totally changes the way I look at you now. lololol!!!

Once again this is something that we disagree on because I would much rather hear Celine. Nothing against Kenny at all, he is a great musician.

Thanks Bilbo. No doubt that the ability to learn an instrument and play it without studying music or following a standard learning curve should be considered an inborn talent. One I have not been gifted with, sadly.
Louis Armstrong is generally considered to be one of the highest examples and his music and improvisations were sublime.
There is a story, probably urban-legend type, telling that before his coming to trumpet, he was a singer (i.e a tenor) and his voice broke as a result of a performing accident. I could not find any reference to this myth, but it would suggest he had some music theory background.
I have changed music school starting this year; In September-October I will be at a new and better place and I hope this will inspire me to undertake some much needed theory learning.

One of the problems with the Haendel Sonatas was the difficulty I had to match the chords to the different voices, very often contrapunctual.

The harpsichord sound in the few Sonatas records I have is not the easiest to understand for the chords being played and it did not help me, as I have very little practise with keyboards in general for the trial and error method. (I believe keyboards are not for me...). And all the process was so much time consuming and discouraging that I decided I would rather not consume my scarce time on it and instead use it on my practise, as the auditions was coming close.
This may change this year, as I still keep a keen interest in this subject.

Apart from the sonatas, my teacher told me we will prepare the Siciliana from G. Faure, among lots of other things. She considers that I have reached the level to begin the first year of middle grade (I guess she is being a little complacent, but it helps and it's OK).

I love that piece and I have ordered the full score from Amazon. I plan to write down the full orchestra with Finale even if I have to enter each note one by one and I will play the Flute solo with it!.
Just the idea of doing it thrills me so much...

Going back to the My Heart will go on, I could get a copy of the song as one of my fellow singer colleague studied it in class, but I would like to explain kaayee that for me, just the searching for a wanted song or work, the ordering it through Internet and then waiting for its arrival is part of the thrill. But it could be a pleasure not for young people, I understand that. But just wanted to share.
Sorry I think I am too verbose these days.

Hi Folks,

Louis Armstong began is music as a Cornet player.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Armstrong

He sang occasionally during a performance but was not noted for a beautiful voice. As a matter of fact when I was young, I always felt that his voice was sort of a handicap that the tonal quality should be ignored. He sounded as if he chain-smoked cigars. The phrasing and vocal improvising on the other hand should be enjoyed. In the hit tune "A wonderful world", the juxtaposition of his rough voice to the beautiful melody and the thematic material make the tune more powerful in it's message. This helps us to see the beauty in things that we generally overlook. In the wiki article, it said that he began singing after he did damage to his lips from bad technique on the tpt.-which he later corrected.

As for the Kenneth Gorelick comment. I feel that Kenny G has a certain amount of talent on the sop. sax for producing a decent tone quaity but generally the concept that I get about his playing is that he has made a name for himself performing seemingly endless improvs on slow ballads. This example being quite typical:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1rHEJX3w68

Aside from the fact that I find the depiction of the children in the above vid. somewhat disturbing, I find his music decent but uneventful. That being said, he has made a name for himself and a lot of money with his style. Now I believe that Horner's theme song from the Titanic movie is a good example of the type of love ballad that Mr. "G" would gravitate towards. Music that touches the heart in such a manner is a good seller. Without meaning to sound like a slam, I would expect too that his recordings could be sold for a good profit in the relaxation section of Walmarts and CD shops. (Sounds of the surf, Celtic dreams, Whale songs/new age mix, S.W. Native American flute -synthesized in an echo chamber...) I don't begrudge someone for being inspired to become a musician by this type of performing but I hope that they have already branched out and heard others that perform more varied improvs such as Satchmo, Byrd, Trane, Dizzy and the likes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO1uMjz3n3w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkvCDCOGzGc

I apologize ahead of time if these opinions offend anyone. It can sometimes seem very easy to do so without even meaning to.

I agree hat the use of images of nude young children in a tube to promote a ballad and a player is more than objectionable.
Not only that these images have nothing to do with the title and the spirit of the song, but these days of instant information and the possibility of sharing and distributing anything to anyone has taken the subject of paedophilia to the front pages,as everybody knows. This happens every day, at least here in Europe.
The images are probably not related to this big social problem, but the infancy should be protected by any means, even through disproportional reactions if you allow me to.

The appearance in TV of children is very regulated here and I find this should be enforced in all the media, even in Internet, were it possible...

I really liked the video and that is my favorite piece Kenny G has played. It starts off with two innocent children being natural. I though it was very sweet and I didn't find anything offending or wrong with it. You could say that Kenny G is a bit like Galway with doing ballads and such in which we have all grown to love. Well.. most of us I am sure.

<Added>

You should hear Dennis play this piece on Sax, it is gorgeous! I love listening to it.

I agree that for us, the video is beautiful and that intrinsically there is nothing wrong or -even less-, anything offending with it.

The problem is that there are so many sick people out there that have made paedo a burning problem, (with help of the present spread of internet). The media should refrain (i.e it must do so it by law in Europe) in using this kind of images. No matter how innocent they may be for normal people.

We have suffered a wave of very young children kidnapping in the south of Europe in the last weeks and right now I feel too much aware and worried about this problem.

I wish everybody in this brave new world could look at those images with the same innocence we do. Unfortunately, it is not the case.

I apologise for being too much realistic and off-thread. I promise I leave the issue here...

Yes, understandable. I forget about all the sickos in the world at times.

I have branched out and heard other improv styles, and to tell the truth...i really dislike them. The old jazz improv...while being "on the spot"..really lack the melodical intricacies due to the fact that jazz/blues scales can *really* use any note for the complex chords. There is something to be said for making your melody sound great, and keeping to the rules of harmony (which I truly don't believe happens in the older jazz style). I think that Kenny really plans out what his flourishes will be before recording. They are different when played live, though. He uses different solo sections based on the original studio recording. There just aren't the variety of chords available to pop music that the jazz musicians used. It wouldn't be pop, obviously. And, thanks Kate...I do actually love that recording I made...I loved that sax, too! Too bad it was stolen. I do wish that I had a better computer program back then for thebackground, though. Maybe I will get a new sop. sax instead of a picc this fall. HMM!!

-Dennis

<Added>

P.S...Kate,

can you rip that track from the CD and send it to me? I think my cd is in storage. I don't have it on my iTunes..thanks!

I appreciate your study of this Dennis.

I've talked with a few and I respect that there are different tastes and syles to be appreciated. I was told that Kenny G does more of a pop style which really isn't jazz and the he probably is not improvising as a good jazz player might but is preparing his embellishments ahead of time. This would make his style more pop and As far as I hear, similar to the style that is being used on certain types of music that American Idol contestants may use. So, his music may be geared towards and appreciated more by a certain demographic audience while others would shun it.

That is extremely true Bilbo. There are times when there is still an appreciation of certain genres of music, yet unfortunately the people that lived during those eras are leaving us, and times are changing. I get the most satisfaction out of redoing pop songs that bring back good memories of childhood, or certain experiences in my life. I grew up listening to 80's music because of my mom...I LOVE 80's music...it's so hokey that it's amazing. Speaking of 80's music...Kenny G's Songbird holds a special place in my heart...but Forever in Love was the one that started it all for me...way back in 1992...I laid on my couch ready to fall asleep. I had a splinted and slung jammed finger that was painful...and that song just made the pain go away...that's my affinity for the music. Bad experiences that create great circumstances. I asked my band director who played this song called "Forever in Love", and he told me not to listen to him any more. Needless to say, I didn't follow his instructions. LOL!

-Dennis