Starting Chord Melody

[chicagobutcher]

Hi there. So here's my story. I used to play tenor and know a good deal about jazz theory and harmony. I have long since changed careers but recently started learning guitar. I love playing music again and really want to learn chord melody. I have a pretty good grasp of scales and can play basic major, minor, and dominant chords, plus a few altered chords.
l'm looking for some advice on how to begin approaching chord melody. I know there's know quick and easy trick to sound like Joe Pass, and I know enough from my years of playing to know that books and methods only help so much, so I figured I'd ask some players how to get started. It's strange having the vocabulary but not knowing how to speak the language.
All advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Chicagobutcher

[jmstritt]

The most important thing is to not overcomplicate anything. Start by learning the melody, then add the bass notes to follow the changes. Once you have the melody and bass, there are plenty of chord, "Shells," that you can add to provide color and actually outline the harmony of the tune. Start with an easy tune!

[mr. beaumont]

Yep, jmstritt's advice is spot on.

I'd add that going through the process of doing a few will really teach you a lot...your first few might not be any good, but the process is sooo beneficial.

Also, listen to how players handle solo playing and chord melody with a rhythm section...there's some carry overs, but there's a lot of differences too.

Also, learning just one song in a few different keys will likely give you enough voicings to stay busy with for a year...as a whole, I like to use simple voicings for the most part, and harmonize a few notes during the head with something a little more "impressive" sounding...balancing simple "guitaristic" voicings with close-voiced piano like voicings makes the latter category sound that much more impressive.

[chicagobutcher]

mr. beaumont, jmstritt-
Thanks for the advice! I will get to work. Any suggestions for "an easy tune" to get started with? I was thinking a standard like Autumn Leaves...

[mr. beaumont]

Autumn Leaves is a fine start.

Actually, I did a whole video on how I went about arranging that one...I'll link to it later (work firewall blocks youtube) but you can search for it on youtube...my user name there is jeffreymatz...I'm playing a Grande Bouche Gypsy Jazz guitar in the vid...

[VersatileJazzGuitarist]

"All The Things You Are" is also good for a start.

Go very, very slow. Work out little pieces and repeat them until smooth. Then stitch it all together.

Like most things, you'll improve with practice.

[jmstritt]

Autumn Leaves, and ATTYA are good tunes to start with, Just Friends is another good one.

[jmstritt]

Which tune you start with really isn't as important as the fact that you start in the first place. What I mean by that is, when you do this you are going to be learning a lot and getting a better understanding of the fretboard, harmony, and chord subs. The fact that you are doing that is more important than which tune you happen to be learning! :-)

Cherokee is another one that lays out pretty easy on guitar as well.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Originally Posted by jmstritt

Cherokee is another one that lays out pretty easy on guitar as well.

What do you do for the bridge?

[Gramps]

There was a nice, fairly easy version of Stella By Starlight on this site at one time. It's probably still here if you look.

Here is the link.

http://www.jazzguitar.be/stella-by-starlight.html

[jmstritt]

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

What do you do for the bridge?

Well when I first started working on CMs I just did block chords with the melody note on top. Starting with a min9 chord, and then moved that phrase down with the changes.

Since then I have gotten a little more hip with the voice leading, added more alterations on the V7s, and added someshort minor ii Vs to anticipate the ii of the next ii V I. That sort of helps to fill up some space.

Without adding those minor ii Vs I find that it sounds really dry unless you are playing with a rhythm section.

[coolvinny]

Misty; Georgia On My Mind

[hallpass]

There's a book (and DVD now) by Robert Conti called the Chord Melody Assembly Line. It's a great start and gets you playing some basic chord melody fairly quickly.

I'm by no means very good at chord melody, but the book gave me a good start after struggling with it myself.

[Banksia]

Originally Posted by Gramps

There was a nice, fairly easy version of Stella By Starlight on this site at one time. It's probably still here if you look.

This one possibly:

[DedroCepue]

Once you have the melody and bass

[MortenFaerestrand]

Originally Posted by chicagobutcher

l'm looking for some advice on how to begin approaching chord melody. I know there's know quick and easy trick to sound like Joe Pass, and I know enough from my years of playing to know that books and methods only help so much, so I figured I'd ask some players how to get started.

I did a viedo lesson on the subject, maybe that will give some insight to you it's here: Chord Melody Made Easy | Mortens Lessons

(sorry about the cheesy blog-style title, but hey, it could be worse, I could have called it "5 chord shapes that will make you sound like Joe Pass instantly"! haha)

[chicagobutcher]

Originally Posted by MortenFaerestrand

I did a viedo lesson on the subject, maybe that will give some insight to you it's here: Chord Melody Made Easy | Mortens Lessons

(sorry about the cheesy blog-style title, but hey, it could be worse, I could have called it "5 chord shapes that will make you sound like Joe Pass instantly"! haha)

Thanks! Great site. I really enjoy and appreciate your teaching style.

[derek]

Learn the melody in a couple of places (at least), then find the chord of the moment close to it. Put'em together. That is cm at the most basic. Throw in walking basslines, lead lines, chordal lines, and other embellishments, and you are on your way. Good luck