The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #26

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    I would add, at the risk of belaboring the point, that many times when I do see chords on a staff, I'm actually reading a piano chart. Often the word piano is crossed out and "guitar" is penciled in at the top.

    To go just a bit further -- those voicings are written for piano and may not be playable on guitar. So, it's not like you can study them from a guitar book and recognize them at a glance, the way you might a C major triad. Of course, if you kept working at it, you'd get better.

    But, there's another consideration. What if you nailed all of them? All you would be adding to the band is a little texture to what the pianist is already playing - because the pianist is looking at the same chart.

    If you make an unplayable grip playable somehow and use that, you may be adding texture in a positive sense, or you may be making the chords the audience hears more muddy. You also increase the probability of error in the timing of punches. Sounds great when the band is tight, but a guitarist, struggling to read staffs full of notes is at risk for lagging and creating flams.

    I have seen very few charts written specifically for guitar with chords on staffs.

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #27
    As the OP I have my answer. The two resources mentioned early on we're just what I was looking for.

    As to why I want it? I believe it will speed up leaning new pieces for solo guitar, for classical guitar, and chord melody arrangements.

    I don't believe I ever said I wanted it so I could comp in the rhythm section of a swing band. I suppose a carpenter evaluates all tools on how well they drive nails. I agree that if playing in a piano quartet was my goal I may not need this skill. But not everybody's "real world" is the same.


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  4. #28

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    Quote Originally Posted by rpjazzguitar
    I have seen very few charts written specifically for guitar with chords on staffs.
    I've seen a quite a few, actually, both playable and unplayable. Often transcriptions, or chords written out because the composer didn't know how to name them (no really.)

  5. #29

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    I have a strong background in reading classical music in standard notation. I also create transcriptions of standards where I vacillate between very simple lead sheets with a melody staff and a chordal accompaniment staff more or less explicitly notated. So sometimes I write the harmony staff in whole or half note chord notation (intending that the performer interpret this as he or she wishes) and sometimes in explicit rhythmic detail. But the most important thing is simplicity in notation and accurate communication of the harmonic details. To that end I am going more towards the simplicity of a lead sheet with melody and chord annotation (Dm7b5) rather than explicit notation. In a very important way the most significant info is communicated by the chord notation (Dm7b5) in conjunction with the fret board fret position (eg, fifth fret for that Dm7b5). In other words , the chord notation (Dm7b5) in conjunction with the fret position is the simplest way to communicate the harmonic progression, imo.

    One of the annoying things with a book I used to use of Joe Pass' chordal playing was the density of the notation without proper fret position indication. Often when I write out chord voicings, I will purposely write a three or four note voicing to keep it simple for reading purposes. When I transcribe even the most complicated chord melody playing, the most important thing for me to note actually is the melody (which I know can be played in different positions) and the actual fret position employed by the artist I am transcribing. If I know where he is on the fret board in any measure, I know how the actual chord is fingered in that position. And this in turn is critical in terms of voice leading. In addition it must be said that sometimes the actual fingering used by a particular guitarist may not be what I would chose. So one must be flexible.

    Chord notation for guitarists is eminently readable, but the knowledgeable player will use his or her own sense of voice leading to communicate the song. Especially true in the context of improvisation.

    But in any case, to develop good reading skills as regards guitar chord notation, one need to become comfortable reading notation. It is true that the more you work in that vein, the faster your skills mature and the easier it is. For a good reader of guitar music it is immediately clear whether the notation is actually for guitar or for piano. Quite different.