I need help with terminology & everything else.

[Random Robot]

I'm trying to learn "My Favorite Things" from this. http://www.saxuet.qc.ca/TheSaxyPage/...e%20Things.jpg
I've been taking lessons for about a year and a half but this is my 1st go a really trying to learn to play jazz from any type of sheet music.

So I've got some questions-
1. What is this called? A lead sheet or chord chart or what?

2. What all am I supposed to be playing on this? I'm up to the 1st repeat playing chords and melody. I know how to play all the chords of the song and can play them in different spots on the neck using inversions but how important is it to play full chords?

3. Do I only need to worry about the chords 1st or is a better idea to learn the melody with the chords?

4. What is it called when I'm playing chords and melody at the same time?

5. What is comping exactly?

6. What's the best way to learn from a sheet like this?

Please let me know if there is anything else I should be looking at when using sheet music like this.

Thanks for you're help. I appreciate everyones time and hopefully I can contribute some answeres someday instead of always asking the questions.

[fep]

1. What is this called? A lead sheet or chord chart or what?

It's a lead sheet.

2. What all am I supposed to be playing on this? I'm up to the 1st repeat playing chords and melody. I know how to play all the chords of the song and can play them in different spots on the neck using inversions but how important is it to play full chords?

If you're playing chords and melody at the same time then you are playing what we refer to as a 'chord melody'. Which is what you might want to do when you are playing solo or when playing with an ensemble of just guitar bass and drums.

If some one else is playing the melody (like a sax player) then you usually wouldn't play the melody.

You don't always have to play the full chords. Experiment, if your ear says it works then it works.

3. Do I only need to worry about the chords 1st or is a better idea to learn the melody with the chords?

It's really up to you. At first you're trying to get the song in your ear so you should know the melody and the chords. You don't have to play both the melody and the chords at the same time although it's great if you can. You can sing the melody and play the chords, this is another good way to learn the song.

5. What is comping exactly?

The root word of comping is accompaniment... which is what comping is. You're playing the accompaniment for someone else playing the melody or a solo.

6. What's the best way to learn from a sheet like this?

This depends on your level as a guitarist.

At a minimum you should learn the melody and the chords.

Next would be to learn the melody and chords in other positions.

More advanced things you can do would include,

learning a 'chord melody',

soloing over the chord progression (having a backing track for this is good practice but it's also good to solo without a backing track),

learning scales and arpeggios for all the chords in various positions

transposing the song to a different key and doing all of the above in a different key

Coming up with different approaches for comping... like fingerpicking, various rhythm patterns, Freddy Green style, various chord voicings, chord alterartions, chord substitutions etc.

I'll give it a pop.

1. What is this called? A lead sheet or chord chart or what? Lead sheet, although I normally call them 'charts' (not to confuse the matter).

2. What all am I supposed to be playing on this? I try to learn the harmony and the melody as thoroughly as possible. Memorization will help you during your improv. Internalize the tune and get off the chart as quickly as you can. This might require a lot of repetition.


I'm up to the 1st repeat playing chords and melody. I know how to play all the chords of the song and can play them in different spots on the neck using inversions but how important is it to play full chords? Depends on whether you are backing a singer or playing in a combo w/ a pianist, for example. You might want to limit your voicings if you are playing with a bassist/pianist or you may need to use fuller voicings if you are backing a singer in a duo.


3. Do I only need to worry about the chords 1st or is a better idea to learn the melody with the chords? I generally learn the chords first but there are no rules. Ultimately you will learn them both.

4. What is it called when I'm playing chords and melody at the same time? Chord melody. Check out Ted Greene for TONS of stuff on this style. He is widely and rightfully considered one of the best of all time at this discipline.

5. What is comping exactly? Comping is short for 'accompaniment'. You are simply accompanying the melody or the soloist. There are lots of great books on comping.

6. What's the best way to learn from a sheet like this? No best way since we all learn differently. I actually try to NOT use sheet music and learn from recordings, but I did and do use charts. Ultimately you need to be able to see the melody and harmony all of the guitar. This comes from knowing the harmony and melody inside and out and knowing lots of voicings. It takes time and patience. Concepts like voice-leading, chord subs, etc come into play during this process. One thing that works for me to is to sing the melody over and over again, either while I am playing or while I am away from the instrument. It strengthens the ear/hands connection.

[fep]

One more very important thing...

Listen to the masters play the song. It's great for ideas and inspiration:

YouTube Video

[Random Robot]

Thanks guys, big help. At least now I can talk to my instructor and not have a language barrier. At the time I'm mostly playing solo so I'm going to just keep on plucking away at chord melody. I was thinking that it'd help me to learn it this way so I can get my chord voicings in the right spot to reach the melody in the range I hear it in. Is it ok to play off the melody a little bit? The reason I ask is that the song goes to Emaj7 in 4th line down, I really like the sound of the 7th (D#) instead of the 1. I didn't write the song but how much choice do I have in note selection of the melody? The chords I use are pretty much fair game (sort of) why note the melody? Can I do some sort of chord melody improve?
Thanks

How is it ok to play off the melody a little bit?

You can do whatever you want, including playing w/ the phrasing of the melody, fragmenting it, inverting it, etc. It is your version of the song. Use your musical imagination.

I didn't write the song but how much choice do I have in note selection of the melody?

In playing the melody of the tune? I guess as much as you want, although you vary it enough and it will no longer be the melody of the song (right?). You can be very literal or very free. My approach is to honor the melody. I respect writers and try to get close to their intent. You can wring plenty of emotion out of a 'simple' melody.

The chords I use are pretty much fair game (sort of) why note the melody?

Are you talking about voicings or chord subs? Either way, yes.

Can I do some sort of chord melody improve?

Yes. Ted Green improv'd many of his arrangement, for example. Just a warning that this is a highly involved skill. You have to know the melody in lots of place, lots of voicings, lots of connecting ideas, etc. There are literally a zillion things you can do and zillions of approaches to playing chord melody.

[Random Robot]

Good enough. I like jazz, it's full of knowlegde but not a lot of rules.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Originally Posted by Random Robot

Good enough. I like jazz, it's full of knowlegde but not a lot of rules.

So true. A lot of posts here ask "what's the rule?", "can I do this?", "what happens if I do this?"... In the end you have to listen and trust your ears. And I still haven't seen these legendary jazz police...

[jeffstritt]

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

And I still haven't seen these legendary jazz police...

The jazz police are a myth created by rock players who are too lazy to learn their instrument. You don't hear Steve Lukather or Eric Johnson complaining about the jazz police...

[Silence]

I'd say to learn it in a couple of other keys once you are comfortable with how it is written. Learning to play/phrase it differently after you have become comfortable with how you are currently working on it will give you more ways to look at it as well.

Being able to sing the melody and play it on other parts of the guitar neck will really help too.