Soloing Over 'Star Trek'

[snyprrr]

The Original Star Trek Theme even had lyrics!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT0w-_Eh1dQ

It's a great little jazzy number. As you can hear, it expands the third phrase, starts over, and then continues on like the TV Theme. So, basically, it's one long progression.

I'm curious how you would break down these chords to solo over. In the key of C:

The intro is a C chord with a little Db Major Triad in the second measure (with C still in the bass). Then:

C 6/9                       Ab13                        C 6/9                       Eb9+5 (same as Eb9#5???)

g1 f2 e-d-c-b-bflat                              aflat- g1 g2 f-e-d-c-b


Db                              C#9-  C#13+11              Eb 6/9                     G7#9-  G7#5

aflat1-a1   b-c#-d-e-f#-g-a  bflat2                      bflat1   c-d-eb-f-g-aflat-bflat b


Repeat the first line, then:


Db                              C#9-  C#13+11                Dm7                   G7                     C

aflat1- a1   b-c#-d-e/f/e-g  bflat2-a2  g             a1                             d                c2





waddaya think?

[Parsifal]

The Original Star Trek Theme even had lyrics!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT0w-_Eh1dQ

It's a great little jazzy number. As you can hear, it expands the third phrase, starts over, and then continues on like the TV Theme. So, basically, it's one long progression.

I'm curious how you would break down these chords to solo over. In the key of C:

The intro is a C chord with a little Db Major Triad in the second measure (with C still in the bass). Then:

C 6/9                       Ab13                        C 6/9                       Eb9+5 (same as Eb9#5???)

g1 f2 e-d-c-b-bflat                              aflat- g1 g2 f-e-d-c-b


Db                              C#9-  C#13+11              Eb 6/9                     G7#9-  G7#5

aflat1-a1   b-c#-d-e-f#-g-a  bflat2                      bflat1   c-d-eb-f-g-aflat-bflat b


Repeat the first line, then:


Db                              C#9-  C#13+11                Dm7                   G7                     C

aflat1- a1   b-c#-d-e/f/e-g  bflat2-a2  g             a1                             d                c2





waddaya think?

Actually Gene Roddenberry made up lyrics after the fact so that he could list himself as co-writer of the song and collect half of the royalties.  After that the composer of the theme quit the show.

[snyprrr]

Actually Gene Roddenberry made up lyrics after the fact so that he could list himself as co-writer of the song and collect half of the royalties.  After that the composer of the theme quit the show.

Yes, and they are some cheezy lyrics!!


soooo, half diminished scale??

[Szykneij]

Wow! Sounds like the Star Wars Cantina wedding band. You don't hear theremin playing like that these days! The vocalist seemed to have some pitch problems. Unusual, as most of Shatner's love interests on Star Trek were never flat.

[Karl Henning]

waddaya think?

I think that here:

Db                              C#9-  C#13+11              Eb 6/9                     G7#9-  G7#5

aflat1-a1   b-c#-d-e-f#-g-a  bflat2                      bflat1   c-d-eb-f-g-aflat-bflat b

That first A-flat ought instead to be a B-flat.

[jochanaan]

You're in a jazz band that actually plays this?  The "trad." bands I jam with won't touch such things, and the more progressive ones don't do TV themes at all...

[Bogey]

For the millionth and one time, I still believe that some of Karl's music would be first rate for movies and other themes....what say you, John.

[Karl Henning]

(* blush *)

[snyprrr]

I think that here:

That first A-flat ought instead to be a B-flat.

yes, Bb,... sorry, haha!!!

You're in a jazz band that actually plays this?  The "trad." bands I jam with won't touch such things, and the more progressive ones don't do TV themes at all...

Actually, we do play a lot of 'themes'. I don't know why anyone would poo-poo this chord progression- it's quite a theoretical miss-mash, no? I still haven't begun to try to solo over the main progression: currently, we stretch out on the C-C# vamp in the beginning.

Still, I'd love to flow through those chords soloing...

We just started playing 'I Dream of Jeannie', quite a fun little... what is it?, a samba?

TV THEMES are great in my book!

We also do 'Jaws', 'Peanuts', a spy/cops medley ('Spiderman'-'Batman'-'Perry Mason'... ALL KINDS of stuff), 'Munsters'... you name it, we either play it or I can tell you why we don't play it. 'Pink Panther'...

We also just picked up 'Sing Sing Sing', the old Benny Goodman number (actually, by the Latin guy with a 'P' in his name??).  oh, Louis Prima

[Brahmsian]

Snyprrr, weren't you the one suggesting a few years back (if memory serves me correctly), that the Star Trek theme reminded you of the theme of Beethoven's String Quartet, Op. 18/3, opening movement? 

[Karl Henning]

. . . We also do 'Jaws', 'Peanuts', a spy/cops medley ('Spiderman'-'Batman'-'Perry Mason'... ALL KINDS of stuff), 'Munsters'... you name it, we either play it or I can tell you why we don't play it.

Get Smart . . . ?

[jochanaan]

For the millionth and one time, I still believe that some of Karl's music would be first rate for movies and other themes....what say you, John.

Yep.

[jochanaan]

...it's quite a theoretical miss-mash, no?

So say the conservatives.  Others might call it "bold."

I still haven't begun to try to solo over the main progression: currently, we stretch out on the C-C# vamp in the beginning.

Still, I'd love to flow through those chords soloing...

The chords come slow enough that it wouldn't be that hard.  Which instrument do you play?

We also just picked up 'Sing Sing Sing', the old Benny Goodman number (actually, by the Latin guy with a 'P' in his name??).  oh, Louis Prima

Oh yeah!  Love that one!  I've done it in concert bands a few times, but I'd love to jam on it!  Not that I play clarinet anywhere near the Goodman level...although it might be interesting on oboe or flute...