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Bit of a dilemma. I much prefer listening to jazz combos versus solo jazz guitar, but it's looking unlikely I'll ever get beyond the stage of playing along to backing tracks to actually performing with a real band. Which makes me wonder if I should devote at least some time to learning chord melody playing. With my previous brief attempts in that direction I discovered just how hard it can be, and I'm a bit loathe to let slip my hard-earned amateurish single-note soloing/improv skills
. Here's an arrangement I made a few years ago of Waltz For Debby. I never did practice it enough to smooth out the rough edges. Art any rate, if I do decide to spend more time on chord melody, I suspect I need to start with a simpler tune
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11-21-2025 05:42 AM
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I'm not so sure practising solo jazz guitar would involve letting slip of your hard-earned single note soloing skills, Cliff. The two can definitely be combined. And I have found chordal playing to definitely strengthen the fretting hand which indirectly helps with legato skills, and it improves knowledge of the fretboard.
Anyway, I enjoyed your arrangement.
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As an intermediary at best, I feel that even my rudimentary forays into chord melody have been time well spent: First of all it's just nice to play the tune with a proper arrangement. Secondly, I learn a lot having to find chords and bass lines that fit the melody note. Learned a lot about voice leading as well. Playing harmony under the melody is a nice way to get inside it and work it into my ears, so to speak.
So my advice is that even if you wont become another Pass or Grasso (I certainly wont!) it's a good way to learn
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Thanks both - I appreciate the thoughts.
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You and I as amateurs have the advantage of being able to do whatever the hell we want. "Which makes me wonder if I should devote at least some time to learning chord melody playing." Do you want to? There's really no "should" about it. I have settled into this mind set and it's really freeing. Embrace what benefits there are of being an amateur.
edit: this advice only pertains to people who are certain they will always be strictly amateurs
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Nice job.
In my experience working on alternating single notes with chord stabs or chord passages is a great way to work on tunes. You kind of work on single notes and chord-melody at the same time this way. It also helps your time since you have to pause your lines and put stabs in different parts of the bar. You can work this way without an accompaniment or just with a metronome. Sometimes it sounds better if I use a play along just with a drum and maybe bass. The down side of the play along is you can get too reliant on it to figure out where you are in the form.
Originally Posted by CliffR
Which makes me wonder if I should devote at least some time to learning chord melody playing. With my previous brief attempts in that direction I discovered just how hard it can be, and I'm a bit loathe to let slip my hard-earned amateurish single-note soloing/improv skills.
Chord passages and lines can also inform each other. You can play a single note line and in the next chorus harmonize it with a chord passage or play a chord passage and outline that passage with single notes in the next chorus etc.
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Dude, just walk your ass to the jazz jam down the street and get it over with.
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I think I misread this, because it seems like what you really actually want is to play with a real band. In that case, what Allan said
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There have been a few threads on this tune: https://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/search.php?searchid=3470616
Plus it is easier to play this tune with a band, harmony can be sparser. Originally Posted by joe2758
If I was just learning to do chord melodies, this tune would not be on my To Do list, too much going both in it both harmonically and rhythmically and it will sound mediocre if you don't get both right. Actually, that's true of any Bill Evans tune, don't think he wrote any easy ones.
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lol Originally Posted by AllanAllen
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Huh. I assumed you *were* just learning.... Originally Posted by Mick-7
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Mostly relearning since I joined this forum, I was "just" learning over 50 years ago, mostly self taught but attended workshops by Joe Pass, Howard Roberts, Barney Kessel, et. al. Then my life got really complicated, had a near death experience, stopped playing completely for many years. Never played much solo guitar though. Originally Posted by CliffR
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I’m sorry to hear that , Mick. Originally Posted by Mick-7
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Thank you but it all worked out, just a strange unexpected detour, which I learned a lot from, made me a better person if not a better musician.
Too bad I was such a beginner when I met all those jazz guitar giants, couldn't absorb much of what they taught, but still they were great experiences for which I am thankful.
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Realy nice effort Cliff. Like your tone. I'm on the same dillema. Started lessons last year (first time in my life) And man, suddenly music feels like quantummechanics. So a lot to learn and a lot to unlearn. But what the heck, it enriches MY life. So do as you wish. This week it's chordmelody and maybe next week you want to explore paganini. it's entirely up to you.
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Best of luck on your journey Rolf! Originally Posted by Rolf Field
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I just posted a thing about playing Amazing Grace harmonies...you picked a toughy. There's a lot of good stuff in what you're playing.
Anyway, maybe try a simple melody harmonization?
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Debby does sit pretty well on guitar. I need to get my rendition back in rotation.
Cliff, I think you're on to something nice here. Stay with this tune a bit.
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Thanks guys!
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