"Airmail Special"
Charlie Christian Solo(Also known as “Good Enough To Keep”)
Other Charlie solos:
“Seven Come Eleven”
“Rose Room”
“Blues in B”
PDF TAB/Score of Intro, Solo
20 Audio & Backing Tracks
• 'Digital Audio' Style, full band-minus-guitar in
5 different speeds:
100, 140, 170, 200 and 232 (full speed) beats per minute
• 'MIDI' Style:
Solo Only: 100, 140, 170, 200, 232 bpm
Intro ('Head') Only: 100, 140, 170, 200, 232 bpm
Full band (plus guitar): 100, 140, 170, 200, 232 bpm
Interesting/Useful Info:
•Written by Charlie, Benny Goodman and sax player, Jimmy Mundy. Recorded March 13, 1941.
• The song features a C diminished 7 chord for 4 bars, which then steps down chromatically (Bº7, Bbº7, Aº7). After that are to dominant 9 chords (Ab9, G9).
• There are major arpeggios and diminished arpeggios.
• Diminished arpeggios are just a string of minor thirds (1.5 step intervals).
• Charlie added a few fast hammer-on/pull-off trills in this solo.
• Original tempo is about 232 beats per minute. The Bonus Package contains several backing tracks at different speeds to practice with.
• I divided the solo into 7 sections, or 'phrases.'
• Phrase 5 is a long, descending chromatic line with a few notes reiterated.
• "Phrase 6" is the fastest/hardest in the tune. After you learn the notes, put a metronome on very slow and play along with it. Then slowly increase speed. If my fingering feels awkward, try it a different way. Good luck!
• As always, try to sing along with all the phrases as you're learning them!