I'm Beginning to See the Light.

Dimension · #1 02-01-2011, 08:41 PM

Well, this is my first post on this forum. I'm really glad I came across it.

Anyway, I've just learned a chord melody for I'm Beginning to see the Light. I've started to try to attempt to improvise over the changes and I'm kind of stuck. Would anyone out there have any insight into what to play over the changes? I feel like I'm missing something with this tune.

Any help would be really appreciated!

Thank You!

ksjazzguitar · #2 02-01-2011, 10:41 PM

First of all, which changes are you using. I know of at least three different ways to play the A section.

And specifically what is hanging you up? Is it the soloing in general or just in the context of a CM?

Peace,
Kevin

Dimension · #3 02-01-2011, 11:36 PM

Thanks for your response. A section is Gmaj6 Cm6 Gmaj6 E7 A7 D7 Bbm7 Eb7 etc. I guess I could play G major, C dorian, G major, then through the cycle, then in Ab or just arpegiate the chords, I find it impossible to keep up with all the changes. Probably just more practice... I'm also not sure where that Cm6 is coming from either.

B Section is no problem. And yeah, it's the soloing and that Cm6.

ksjazzguitar · #4 02-02-2011, 12:35 AM

OK,

That Cm6 can also be a C7.

Yeah, I'm not really a scalar thinker (I prefer to focus on the chord tones), but if I were I'd be thinking C Dorian there. You can also just do C mel min so fewer notes are changing. If you think of it as C7, then it's just C lyd dom.

The Cm6 is just a minor iv, a very common reharm. We can call it a "borrowed chord" - borrowed from the related key of Gm. Some call it "modal mixture" or "modal interchange" - pretty much the same thing. The important thing is to hear that Eb pulling down to the D in the next chord.

Yeah, keeping up with changes can be tough. Perhaps focus on fewer notes and target important ones, like the Eb on the Cm6. I might just try to bring out the E-Eb-D line.

If you have trouble playing switching between those two chords, then just play a vamp of G6 to Cm6, four bars each. Get used to it so that you can make melodies flow over it. When you get used to it, do the progression with 2 bars each. Then one bar and finally 2 beats. You'll find that you ideas need to get more compact and malleable as you go.

Hope that this helps.

Peace,
Kevin

Dimension · #5 02-03-2011, 12:41 PM

Hey, thanks for your help. I took suggestions and those have helped. This tune is a bit of a step up from some other things I've been playing. I'm already making some good progress though.

Thanks again!

ksjazzguitar · #6 02-03-2011, 10:19 PM

Cool,

Yeah, it's good to have little mile stones like that. I remember how I beamed with pride the first time that I nailed "All the Things You Are" all those years ago, or the first time I managed a 3 hour solo gig without repeating myself. It's so hard to feel your progress sometimes that it's good to see something that marks your progress. Give yourself a pat on the back - another step forward in your lifelong journey.

Rock on. (Or swing on, as the case may be.)

Peace,
Kevin

Dad3353 · #7 02-04-2011, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ksjazzguitar

...If you have trouble playing switching between those two chords, then just play a vamp of G6 to Cm6, four bars each. Get used to it so that you can make melodies flow over it. When you get used to it, do the progression with 2 bars each. Then one bar and finally 2 beats...

Good evening, Kevin...
Thank you for this (and the rest of the posts...); very good advice, helpful to (old...) beginners like me, and I'm sure, others.
Good job, lad.