Solo guitar inspiration needed

[elinfoot]

Hi,

My guitar teacher recently suggested learning a jazz solo piece , maybe something like a martin taylor type of thing. I've not listened to much in the way of jazz solo guitar. Can anyone recommend me a tune or perhaps some players to check out ?

[Drumbler]

Originally Posted by elinfoot

Hi,

My guitar teacher recently suggested learning a jazz solo piece , maybe something like a martin taylor type of thing. I've not listened to much in the way of jazz solo guitar. Can anyone recommend me a tune or perhaps some players to check out ?

See my recent thread just under this one to get some ideas.

[thenoviceguitarist]

There are so many great players to choose from, but Ted Greene and Joe Pass are two my favorites. Listen to Ted Greene, and if you like his approach, there is a memorial website (www.tedgreene.com) They have generously posted tons of his lesson materials, along with commentaries from his students. Definitely worth checking it out. As far as technique goes, I highly recommend the Tuck Andress DVD. A lot of DVDs seem to be more like artist performances, making it difficult to take away much as student. But Tuck Andress really breaks it down in that video!

[Banksia]

But if this is his first jazz solo piece, I think Ted Greene and Tuck Andress are a bit ambitious/potentially frustrating. I don't know what level you're at elinfoot, so if you aren't too advanced, try Matt Warnock's site MattWarnock - Resources Maybe "Days of Wine and Roses" or "What's New"

[jeffstritt]

If you are just looking for inspiration...

1. Joe Pass, Virtuoso
2. Lenny Breau, Live at Bourbon Street (It is a duo with a bass player but you'll get the idea)
3. George Van Eps, Mellow Guitar

[riofebdinan12]

I think Ted Greene and Tuck Andress are a bit ambitious/potentially frustrating.

[joe b]

I like Jeff Arnold's arrangements. They are do-able for me and sound good. One possible place to start: "Georgia On My Mind" in his All-Time Standards book:

Amazon.com: Jazz Ballads (Guitar Solo) (9781423405870): Jeff Arnold: Books

Amazon.com: All-Time Standards (Guitar Solo) (9781423405894): Jeff Arnold, Hal Leonard Corp.: Books

[Bill C]

Barry Galbraith Guitar Solos Book/CD Set - arranged by Barry Galbraith; Compiled by Jim Lichens - 99902BCD | Mel Bay Publications, Inc.

there are two volumes, vol 2 available as an eBook too

[mr. beaumont]

Originally Posted by Bill C

Barry Galbraith Guitar Solos Book/CD Set - arranged by Barry Galbraith; Compiled by Jim Lichens - 99902BCD | Mel Bay Publications, Inc.

there are two volumes, vol 2 available as an eBook too

Gotta +1 this.

There's a lot of players out there who's fretboard gymnastics are good for about 10 minutes or so--I put Tuck and Martin Taylor in this category...it's the musical equivalent of magic..."yeah, that is my card...how about that...uh...can I go now?"

Then you have Joe Pass, who you have to appreciate, but my ears still get tired...I like Joe a lot more with someone else (as long as it isn't Niels Pedersen, but that's a thread for another day)

Then you have players like Van Eps and Galbraith who make you realize the beautiful little orchestra the guitar is...you don't have to be flashy in solo playing--the guitar's an interesting sounding enough instrument to listen to without all that. The Galbraith books are beautiful little volumes--worth every penny.

[elinfoot]

Hi all,
Thanks for your replies. Ihad a look at some Ted greene stuff and he did a version of you can't take that away from me from his album solo guitar

Ted Greene – Solo Guitar

So far this ones standing standing out. I wouldn't mind a go at it

[Banksia]

Have you got a chart or a CM to work off?

[elinfoot]

Hi Banksia,
I've just checked my real book and I don't (which is off putting). My guitar teacher has some pretty amazing ears and could probably figure it out but I thought it'd be in there. Does it have another name ? (like black orpheous/mana de carnival/day in the life of a fool)

[mr. beaumont]

Hmmm...It's called "They Can't take that away from me."

I know I have a chart somewhere...I wanna say it's in the Sher "Standards" Real Book.

I can't remember if it's in any of the Hal Leonard Real Books.

Keep in mind Ted tuned down for a lot of his arrangements--anywhere from a half step to a perfect fifth!

[Banksia]

http://www.hansruedi-jordi.ch/chords...20Fakebook.pdf

It's there but there is also a very handy site called FakeBook Index, which tells you which Fake and Real books a tune can be found in.

The Fake Book Index - Results

[mr. beaumont]

Very useful site, Banksia, thanks!

[Banksia]

Yes MrB it certainly is but I started a thread about it recently and only got a couple of views. I don't think people understood what it was.

[mr. beaumont]

I'll admit, I missed that one too--what did you entitle the thread?

Ah, spotted it. I don't remember seeing it. I wonder if folks thought it was going to be a question as opposed to an answer?

[Banksia]

I'll go back and change the title to "How to find a song in your 20 Fakebooks without having to read them all!"

[mr. beaumont]

LOL.

I'll post in the thread a few times to make sure it doesn't get buried.

[Dad3353]

Originally Posted by Banksia

...I started a thread about it recently and only got a couple of views...

Good evening, Banksia...
Darned shame; it's a great boon to those that have it bookmarked. Thanks for posting it; I'll give it a 'bump' now and again, if that will help those that didn't see it at the time...

[hot ford coupe]

Originally Posted by jeffstritt

If you are just looking for inspiration...

1. Joe Pass, Virtuoso
2. Lenny Breau, Live at Bourbon Street (It is a duo with a bass player but you'll get the idea)
3. George Van Eps, Mellow Guitar

Definitely Van Eps. He's not doing many crazy extensions which may pollute your ears a bit if you're not advanced. In other words, you'll really be able to hear some of the harmonies better. His 3 volume book set is also very good.

[matt.guitarteacher]

Originally Posted by Banksia

I'll go back and change the title to "How to find a song in your 20 Fakebooks without having to read them all!"

:-)

I reference it pretty often too. Thanks for posting.

[elinfoot]

I'll check out Van Eps, cheers hot ford coupe

[SteveCarter]

Originally Posted by elinfoot

Hi,

My guitar teacher recently suggested learning a jazz solo piece , maybe something like a martin taylor type of thing. I've not listened to much in the way of jazz solo guitar. Can anyone recommend me a tune or perhaps some players to check out ?

You might want to check out some of my solo guitar sound clips. My approach is pretty basic and might be something you could relate to.
Check this page:
http://frogstoryrecords.com/

Also, some sample tracks from my solo CD:
http://frogstoryrecords.com/

Then look at some of the lessons on my lessons page:
http://frogstoryrecords.com/

I think you'll be able to see how, for some tunes, I started with my comping part and added the melody, as, for example, on "Skating in Central Park."

I hope this provides some inspiration.

Steve

[elinfoot]

Hi Steve,
I had a look at your site and the lessons page looks particularly useful. Cheers

Eric

[markf]

Originally Posted by Banksia

I'll go back and change the title to "How to find a song in your 20 Fakebooks without having to read them all!"

[msr13]

Check out Eric Skye. Lots of great solo youtube entrees. I also get inspired by Steve Greene. Jim Hall has a marvelous album of solo guitar called Dedications and Inspirations. And, Jimmy Bruno's Solo is pretty awesome. Wolfgang Muthspiel also has a phenomenal solo album called Solo.

[Carpal55]

First, pick tunes you like. I started learning the old standards and over and over again lost interest because it just wasn't what I wanted to hear or play. I remembered seeing Ahmad Jamal once in the 70s and he played Suicide Is Painless in a way I just loved, so I got the chords and just worked off those. By fingerpicking I could get through it in decent form just using those. The I took the Cm and just played 3 inversions of it and that sounded OK too. As I experimented I improvised more and finally liked the results. Did similar with Nefertiti and a few others and it's working well for me. Working now on A Remark You Made but finding it tough to vary from the Weather Report version much, especially Jaco's parts....And although he's daunting I find Tuck's version of Louie Louie kind of liberating!

[bass2man]

Hi elinfoot:

I used Robert Conti's "Chord Melody Assembly Line" book to find out how to play CM style...He is really a chord per melody note type player. Essentially, the book shows you how to develop the melody line up on the top of strings and then create the harmony underneath starting with very basic chords harmonizing the major scale with all the melody notes on top and adds inversions, Drop2, Drop 3 and some substitution chords/ideas for various diatonic and non-diatonic melody notes.

Its not that hard once you get the hang of it...I learned about 20 tunes out of the real book like this...the more you do it the easier it becomes...and it really forces you to learn a lot of chords.

Definitely not Martin Taylor, Joe Pass, Van Eps..but a good start maybe to get into CM..

[matt.guitarteacher]

Originally Posted by bass2man

Hi elinfoot:

I used Robert Conti's "Chord Melody Assembly Line" book to find out how to play CM style...

+1

This really got me started pretty quickly when I was really struggling for a while on my own with chord melody. Good practical stuff.