Here’s a seemly short, 5 bar transcription I did for a student who really liked the sound of this Ray Charles Intro. It goes by fast, but is full of many learning points and really sheds a light on Charles’ genius.

Two things I really appreciate from this transcription: One is the change in the rhythm and feel between the two runs of 32nd notes (in measure 2 and 3). The opening is slightly more strict and rigid, being composed of 16th, dotted and regular 8ths and a quarter note. Additionally, the timing is vague and hard to grasp for the listener.  It’s like walking into the middle of a conversation not knowing what’s been said and feeling a little lost and out of place.

But thankfully, Mr. Charles’ is quick to fill us in, to get us “in the know,” by providing a steady (and soulful) run of triplets in the first two beats of measure three. He then restates the exact same run of 32nd notes, to help clarify a little bit:

Even though it goes by so fast, musically speaking, he’s sort of teased us with a secret in measures 1 and 2, and then in measure 3 he’s indulging the listener in the juicy details using context and timing.

The second thing I really enjoy in this short transcription is the last 2 bars:

What’s great about this are the harmonic progressions and the rhythmic creativity he uses. We start with a chord on the tonic (Ab) and progress: Ab7 → Ab dim → Db min →Ab. This is a simple progression that has been used many times before (and after), but what makes it great is the rhythmic patterns that he puts on it. The big changes between the chords happen right before the 3rd beat of measure 4 and the 1st beat of measure 5. This, in effect, gently rocks the music back down, and helps settle and set the stage for the rest of the song.

In all, a short transcription, but by digging into it, one can really see and hear how intelligent and creative Mr Charles was! Also, lots of fun to play!

Here’s a printable .pdf and a YouTube recording. Enjoy!