Stepping on Chord Tones

Switcherooney · #1 12-11-2010, 07:49 PM

Hi everyone,

I have a question about chord-melody. I was learning a tune the other day and realized as I was hitting the melody notes I was playing them on the strings that were assigned to the tones of the chord I was holding.

So I was "stepping" on the roots & 5s, but more concerning to me was that I was also doing it to the 3s, 7s, alts, and extensions.

Am I being anal worrying about this and it's just unavoidable with chord-melody guitar? It doesn't sound "wrong", but am I screwing up the harmony? Is my ear filling in the notes I've stepped on?

Guess that was more than "a" question. Sorry for that.

Thanks for any opinoins

ksjazzguitar · #2 12-11-2010, 09:13 PM

I'm not sure what you mean by "stepping on chord tones."

If you mean that playing the melody on that string . If replaces a chord tone, then I'm not sure how you are voicing your chords. I usually put the melody on the top 2 strings and bass on the bottom 2 so I have two strings to get guide tones. Of course, it's much more loose than that, but you get the idea.

I really wouldn't worry about getting the 5th. I get it sometimes, but I don't worry about it usually, except maybe in a m7b5 or if I want it altered. Also, the ear can "remember" chord tones that were played earlier in the measure.

Can you give a few bars of example? I'm still not clear what the problem is.

Peace,
Kevin

Switcherooney · #3 12-12-2010, 07:36 PM

Right, I'm replacing guide tones sometimes when I add melody notes, because I'm using the string the guide tone is on.

I play inversions frequently, so the voicing is not always roots on the bottom, guides in the middle, and melody on top. I may improvise too.

I'm just wondering if replacing the guides with melody notes is a big deal, and messes up the harmony.

mr. beaumont · #4 12-12-2010, 08:40 PM

Then put the guide tone on another string?

I'm also confused as to why this is a problem.

ksjazzguitar · #5 12-12-2010, 08:42 PM

Hmmm,

I find that I can usually get them in there. I've got 6 strings and I need to get 3 notes of the chord (I usually don't worry about the 5th) and the melody. If I have to temporarily block a 3rd (and for some reason couldn't get it anywhere else) I just try to get it on another beat - your ear with "remember" it, even retroactively. Just let your ear be the guide.

Peace,
Kevin

Switcherooney · #6 12-12-2010, 09:47 PM

Okay, thanks for the advice guys.

Ha ha, I'm not the sharpest tool in the woodshed, so please forgive my dopey questions

And thanks for answering.

hot ford coupe · #7 12-12-2010, 11:21 PM

It's definitely not a dopey question. The only dopey question is the one you don't ask. If you get the answer you're looking for, then it's not dopey anymore.

BigDaddyLoveHandles · #8 12-13-2010, 08:28 AM

I once thought that I knew "all the chords" then I looked in Ted Greene's Chord Chemistry.

mr. beaumont · #9 12-13-2010, 01:54 PM

Just wanted to re-itterate--definitely no dumb questions.

When I do solo performance/chord melody, I'm usually limiting myself to four notes on chords...then the bottom doesn't fall completely out for single note lines. The fifth is definitely the first note to go--however, I'm not conciously saying "drop the fifth," my ears pretty much take care of that for me.

usually, my ears need the third and seventh (or at least one of em) to "hear" the chord--although context differs from hearing the chord in a vacuum...does that make sense?

ksjazzguitar · #10 12-13-2010, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Just wanted to re-iterte--definitely no dumb questions.

+1

Whatever I have learned has come from asking "dumb" questions.

Peace,
Kevin

Switcherooney · #11 12-13-2010, 07:36 PM

Thanks Hot Ford and the rest of you guys for not making me feel as dumb as you could

Yeah mr. b, I found an arrangement of 'Misty' on the web by Marc-A Seguin and it's almost all 4 note chords, a lot of them I'd never seen before. When I went through it I was pretty amazed at how easy it was to find the melody and not stomp on the harmony. And the basses were right there to - easy to walk.

Kevin, I could see from that arragement what you meant about my choice of chord voicing. The proper voicing makes a huge difference. The basses and melody notes were all there right under my fingers.

Boy, I need to do some homework. I'm going to pick up Ted Green's 'Chord Chemistry'. Thanks for the tip BigDaddy