How many choruses does Coltrane take on Giant Steps?

Number of Solo Choruses: 10 (16-measure) solo choruses played by Coltrane.

Was Giant Steps improvised?

As with other compositions, Coltrane brought “Giant Steps” to the studio without rehearsal. An analysis of Coltrane’s solo reveals that he worked out melodic patterns over the changes in advance, which he deployed during his recorded improvisation.

Did Coltrane play Giant Steps live?

Ironically, while “Giant Steps” has been recorded a countless number of times since the original version, Coltrane never recorded it again and does not seem to have ever played it with his own working group; at least no live version of Giat Steps from him has ever surfaced.

What is special about Giant Steps?

All the notes and chords in the tune come from these three keys. Plenty of jazz tunes use multiple keys. But “Giant Steps” is unusual because its three keys are as harmonically distant from each other as possible, and because the tune jumps between them constantly, never settling on any one for more than a bar or two.

How many hours a day did John Coltrane practice when he was creating giant steps?

Coltrane practiced obsessively, ’25 hours a day’. While on tour, a fellow hotel guest complained about the noise. Coltrane simply removed the saxophone from his mouth and carried on playing in silence. He would practice a single note for hours on end and fall asleep with the horn at his side.

Why is Giant Steps hard?

It’s tough for two reasons: The chord progressions are played fast, and they’re in three keys. “Giant Steps” is so challenging that Tommy Flanagan, the pianist on the original recording, could barely get through his solo before Coltrane took over.

How fast is giant steps?

Giant Steps is played at 148 Beats Per Minute (Allegro), or 37 Measures/Bars Per Minute.

Why giant steps is hard?

How often does giant steps change key?

“Although ‘Giant Steps’ has 26 chords, there are only 10 key changes, and those 10 key changes involve just three keys – B, G and Eb. Using the dominant’s pentatonic scale of each key centre means you basically have to learn three pentatonic scales to improvise over the tune – F#, D and Bb.