You've got to dig it to dig it, you dig?

Jakub Gatěk

Exposition

You've got to dig it to dig it, you dig? (2025)

Jakub Gatěk

open exposition

About this exposition

Main subject: Jazz trumpet Name of research supervisor: Loes Rusch Title of research: You gotta dig it to dig it, you dig? Research question: How to apply Monk’s improvisational style on trumpet playing? What are the improvisation concepts behind his playing? As a trumpet player, there are several challenges when it comes to adapting a piano player’s improvisational language. This research explores selected works from Thelonious Monk in order to increase the improvisational strategies in trumpet improvisation by acknowledging and tackling some of the challenges. Through transcription and analysis, it identifies seven strategies that can be used as an improvisational tool: 1. How to work with an interesting phrase, 2. Using voicings as material, 3. Target notes, 4. Rhythmic diversification, 5. Anchor points, 6. How to translate Monk’s second intervals, 7. Usage of free space. These strategies are used to develop exercises by using compositional, motivic, and rhythmic techniques to emphasize creativity when approaching Monk’s language as a trumpet player on any level, from beginner to advanced. This research is addressed to all trumpet players that are interested in creative approach to improvisational language, as well as those who would like to find inspiration in how to translate a different instrument’s language to their own instrument group. Jakub Gatěk comes from a town called Přerov in Czechia. He started to play a trumpet at the ago of 11, becoming a member of a local brass band for eight years shortly after. Jakub got his associate degree in Prague where he studied at the Jaroslav Ježek Conservatory under the leadership of some of the best Prague based musicians. Afterwards, he moved to study a BA jazz program at JAMU in Brno where he also got the great opportunity to go for Erasmus at KC, to which he later applied for MA jazz trumpet.

type	research exposition
keywords	jazz, Thelonious Monk, trumpet, creativity
date	05/03/2025
published	14/07/2025
last modified	14/07/2025
status	limited publication
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	CC BY-NC-ND
language	English
url	https://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/3209005/3452789
published in	KC Research Portal
portal issue	3. Internal publication

Copyrights

name	Figure 1: "Little Rootie Tootie" - bar 28 - 31
copyright	Jakub Gatek
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name	Figure 2: "Little Rootie Tootie" - bar 32 - 35
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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name	Figure 3: "Little Rootie Tootie" - bar 36 - 39
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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name	Figure 4: "Little Rootie Tootie" - bar 40 - 43
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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name	Figure 5: "Little Rootie Tootie" - bars 44 - 47
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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name	Figure 6: "Little Rootie Tootie" - bars 48 - 51
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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name	Figure 7: "Little Rootie Tootie" - bars 52 - 59
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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name	Figure 8: "Little Rootie Tootie" - bars 60 - 67
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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name	Figure 9: "Little Rootie Tootie" - bars 68 - 71
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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name	Figure 10: "Little Rootie Tootie" - bars 74 - 75
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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name	Figure 11: "Straight, No Chaser" - bars 1 - 4
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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name	Figure 12: "Straight, No Chaser" - bars 42 - 49
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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name	Figure 13: "Straight, No Chaser" - bars 50 - 53
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name	Figure 14: "Straight, No Chaser" - bars 54 - 57
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name	Figure 15: "Straight, No Chaser" - bars 62 - 69
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name	Figure 15: "Straight, No Chaser" - bars 70 - 73
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name	Figure 16: "Straight, No Chaser" - bars 74 - 77
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name	Figure 17: "Straight, No Chaser" - bars 78 - 81
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name	Figure 18: "Straight, No Chaser" - bars 82 - 85
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name	Figure 19: "Straight, No Chaser" - 86 - 93
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name	Figure 20: "Straight, No Chaser" - bars 94 - 97
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Figure 23: "Straight, No Chaser" - bars 106 - 109
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name	Figure 24: "Straight, No Chaser" - bars 118 - 121
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usages	picture

name	Figure 26: "Straight, No Chaser" - bars 130 - 133
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usages	picture

name	Figure 29: "Rhythm-A-Ning" - 1 - 4
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name	Figure 30: "Rhythm-A-Ning" - bars 5 - 8
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name	Figure 31: "Rhythm-A-Ning" - bars 9 - 16
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name	Figure 32: "Rhythm-A-Ning" - bars 17 - 24
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name	Figure 34: "Rhythm-A-Ning" - bars 41 - 48
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usages	picture

name	Figure 33: "Rhyhtm-A-Ning" - bars 25 - 32
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name	Figure 35: "Rhythm-A-Ning" - bars 49 - 56
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name	Figure 36: "Rhythm-A-Ning" - bars 57 - 64
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name	Figure 37: 'Round About Midnight" - bars 1 - 2
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usages	picture

name	Figure 39: "'Round About Midnight" - bars 7 - 10
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usages	picture

name	Figure 40: "'Round About Midnight" - bars 11 - 14
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usages	picture

name	Figure 41: "'Round About Midnight" - bars 15 - 18
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Figure 42: "'Round About Midnight" - bars 23 - 26
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Figure 43: "'Round About Midnight" - bars 27 - 30
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Figure 45: "'Round About Midnight" - bars 35 - 38
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Figure 46: "'Round About Midnight" - bars 39 - 42
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Figure 48: "'Round About Midnight" - bars 47 - 50
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Figure 49: "'Round About Midnight" - bars 51 - 54
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Figure 50: "'Round About Midnight" - bars 55 - 58
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usages	picture

name	Figure 51: "'Round About Midnight" - bars 59 - 62
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usages	picture

name	Figure 52: "'Round About Midnight" - bars 63 - 66
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Figure 26: Straight, No Chaser - Bars 134 - 141
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usages	picture

name	Straight, No Chaser - Bars 142 - 145
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Figure 36 - 'Round About Midnight - bars 3 - 6
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usages	picture

name	Figure 42: 'Round About Midnight - bars 31 - 34
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Figure 45: 'Round About Midnight - Bars 43 - 46
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Straight, No Chaser - Bars 98 - 101
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Straight, No Chaser - bars 102 - 105 (1)
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usages	picture

name	Straight, No Chaser - bars 122 - 129 (1)
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usages	picture

name	Figure 53 - Monk research notes - bars 1 - 2
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usages	picture

name	Basic shape 1
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Monk research notes - Bars 9 - 11
copyright	Figure 53: Bars 9 - 11.
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usages	picture

name	Basic shape 2
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Monk research notes - Bars 21 - 23
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Basic shape 3
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Monk research notes - Bars 33 - 35
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Basic shape 4
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Monk research notes - Bars 45 - 47
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Groupings of 3
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Monk research notes - Bars 48 - 50
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Groupings of 5
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Monk research notes - Bars 51 - 53
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Grouping of 7
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usages	audio

name	Figure 60: Demonstrative use of Exercise no. 1.
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Practical use of Shape 3 over All the Things You Are
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Monk research notes - Bars 76 - 83
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Practical use - voicing over All the Things
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Monk research notes - Bars 84 - 87
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usages	picture

name	Voicing - motive transposition
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usages	audio

name	Monk research notes - Bars 88 - 91
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Voicing - permutation
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usages	audio

name	Figure 65: Usage of Exercise no. 2 over "All the Things You Are".
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Practical use - voicing transposed + permutated over All the Things You Are
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usages	audio

name	Figure 66: Skipping notes.
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Practice reel - voicing displacement over more octaves
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Figure 67: Octave jumps.
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Practical use of octave displaced voicings over All the Things You Are
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Figure 68: Large intervallic leaps in combination with groupings.
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Figure 69: Exercise no. 2 - rhythmic displacement.
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Practical use of octave + rhythmic displacement of a voicings over a Bb Blues
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Monk research notes - Bars 92 - 95
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Figure 70: Basic example.
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Target notes - Monk's excerpt
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Figure 71: Individual melodic cells.
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Target notes - basic cells
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	FIgure 72: Individual melodic cells - basic development.
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Target notes - basic development
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	FIgure 73: Adding notes from the top and the bottom.
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Practice of target notes development - chromatics
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Figure 74: Adding notes from the top and the bottom example over 12-bar blues.
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Figure 75: Whole - tone scale and permutations.
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Practice of target notes over WT scale
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Practice of target notes over WT scale - permutation 1
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Practice of target notes over WT scale - permutation 2
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Monk research notes - Bars 173 - 176
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	picture

name	Practice reel - Two Target Notes 2
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	audio

name	Monk research notes - Bar 184
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Rhythm exercise 1
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Figure 78: Pattern applied over C Major scale.
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Rhythm exercise - scale
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Figure 79: Augmentation of the original idea.
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Rhythmic exercise - augmentation
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Figure 80: Permutation example.
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Rhythmic exercise 5 - permutation
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Figure 81: Example of practical use.
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Rhythm exercise 6 - permutation > practical use
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Monk research notes - Bars 191 - 193
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usages	picture

name	Anchor points - basic shape
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Figure 83: Anchor points used over "All the Things You Are".
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Practical use of Anchor points over All the Things You Are
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Figure 84: Example of anchor points used in practice.
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Practical use of Anchor points over Bb Blues
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usages	audio

name	Figure 85: Rhythmic augmentation of anchor points.
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Anchor points - augmentation
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Octave displaced voicings in conjunction with groupings of 7
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Adding notes from the bottom and the top over Bb blues
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Attachment 3 - Rhythm-A-Ning - Full Score - Own Transcription
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	pdf

name	Monk research notes - Bars 3 - 8
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	picture

name	Basic shape 1 - inversion
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Basic shape 1 - retrograde
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Basic shape 1 - retrograde inversion
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usages	audio

name	Monk research notes - Full Score
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usages	pdf

name	Monk research notes - Bars 12 - 20
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usages	picture

name	Shape 2 - inversion
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Shape 2 - retrograde
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usages	audio

name	Shape 2 - retrograde inversion
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Monk research notes - Bars 24 - 32
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usages	picture

name	Shape 3 - inversion
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usages	audio

name	Shape 3 - retrograde
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usages	audio

name	Shape 3 - retrograde inversion
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usages	audio

name	Monk research noted - Bars 36 - 44
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usages	picture

name	Shape 4 - inversion
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usages	audio

name	Shape 4 - retrograde
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usages	audio

name	Shape 4 - retrograde inversion
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Monk research notes - 53 - 67 - Written example of using groupings of 3 over a Bb blues as a riff-based improvisation
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usages	picture

name	Practice reel - in practice use of "shapes"
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usages	audio

name	Practice reel - voicing permutation + transposed over All the Things You Are
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Practice reel - voicing displacement over more octaves
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Practice reel - octave displacement over All the Things You Are 1
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Practice reel - octave displacement over All the Things You Are 2
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Practice reel - octave displacement over All the Things You Are 3
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Practice reel - octave displacement over All the Things You Are 4
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Practice reel - voicing > octave + rhythmic displacement 1
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Practice reel - voicing > octave + rhythmic displacement 2
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Practice reel - voicing > octave + rhythmic displacement 3
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Practice reel - target notes 1
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Practice reel - target notes 2
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Practice reel - target notes 3
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Practice reel - target notes 4
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio, audio

name	Practice reel - target notes > WT scale
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Practice reel - target notes > WT scale 2
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Practice reel - Two Target Notes
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio, audio

name	Practice reel - Anchor points over All the Things You Are
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	audio

name	Practice reel - usage of anchor points over Bb Blues
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	audio

name	Little Rootie Tootie - Full Score
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	pdf

name	'Round About Midnight - Full Score
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	pdf

name	Written example of using groupings of 3 over a Bb blues as a riff-based improvisation
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	audio

name	Practice reel - octave displaced voicings in conjunction with groupings of 7 - 1
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
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usages	audio

name	Practice reel - octave displaced voicings in conjunction with groupings of 7 - 2
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	audio

name	Practice reel - octave displaced voicings in conjunction with groupings of 7 - 3
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	audio

name	Practice reel - octave displaced voicings in conjunction with groupings of 7 - 4
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	audio

name	Practice reel - octave displaced voicings in conjunction with groupings of 7 - 5
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	audio

name	Practice reel - octave displaced voicings in conjunction with groupings of 7 - 6
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	audio

name	Practice reel - octave displaced voicings in conjunction with groupings of 7 - 7
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	audio

name	Practice reel - adding notes from top and bottom over Bb blues - 1
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	audio

name	Practice reel - adding notes from top and bottom over Bb blues - 2
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	audio

name	Practice reel - adding notes from top and bottom over Bb blues - 3
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	audio

name	Practice reel - adding notes from top and bottom over Bb blues - 4
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	audio

name	Practice reel - adding notes from top and bottom over Bb blues - 5
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	audio

name	Practice reel - adding notes from top and bottom over Bb blues - 6
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	audio

name	Practice reel - adding notes from top and bottom over Bb blues - 7
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	audio

name	Practice reel - adding notes from top and bottom over Bb blues - 8
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	audio

name	Straight, No Chaser - Full Score
copyright	Jakub Gatěk
license	All rights reserved
usages	pdf

comments: 1 (last entry by Loes Rusch - 04/03/2025 at 21:59)

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