The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    Hello All,

    Welcome to the Solo Guitar Arranging Group! This is song thread #8, Emily, which was a runner-up of a recent poll of song suggestions for the group to work on.

    Players of all levels and abilities are welcome to participate here. Please join us!

    Also, if you'd like to post arrangements of our prior songs, please do so on those song threads and keep them alive:

    #1 Days of Wine and Roses
    #2 Here's That Rainy Day
    #3 Tenderly
    #4 Shadow of your Smile
    #5 Moon River
    #6 Stella by Starlight
    #7 Laura

    The idea is to start a different song thread periodically and encourage everyone to post a video or recording of how they would play/arrange that particular tune for solo guitar (i.e. with no other accompaniment).

    Group Guidelines

    Here are general guidelines for the group.

    1. All levels of players are strongly encouraged to participate, from beginners on up. We hope the group may even be rewarded occasionally, if not often, with contributions by seasoned pros and prominent guitarists. However, no matter your skill level you are strongly encouraged to join in. If you are open to hearing constructive comments and suggestions from the group, please indicate so in your post (e.g. indicate "c&c welcome" in the title of your post).

    2. The arrangement can be easy and simple, or elaborate and complex, or simply playing it on the fly. It’s all about each person’s own interpretation and approach.

    3. After posting the arrangement, each person is encouraged to also post (in a video, on a recording or in writing) their approach to the song, or to specific parts of the song. This explanatory content can be in as much or as little detail as desired (or none at all). If the person is seeking specific help from the group this is a good place to ask for it.

    4. Written notations of the arrangement are certainly not expected. Each person can decide how to handle any such requests from the group.

    5. Future song selections and frequency will be made based on suggestions received and what appears to be a consensus. I’ll try and post a lead sheet for each song selection if that would be helpful. Of course, people can still play the song in any key (or keys) they choose.

    6. Encouragement to each person for their contributions are encouraged. Unless the performer indicates a willingness to hear criticisms (see #1 above), participants should not offer criticisms of individual performances. Advice should only be offered if the person specifically asks for it. Even then resist criticizing anything to do with the interpretation or "artsy" side of the performance and comment on techniques and tips instead (for example playing a particular passage or suggesting chord embellishments, etc.)

    7. Participation in group discussions is encouraged for all, even if a person does not want to personally post their own arrangements at present for whatever reason.

    Goals of Group

    1. To encourage each other to become better solo guitar players and to share knowledge and skills in a friendly and helpful setting. If we individually work up an arrangement and then bring it to the group, it will be invaluable to see how people handled the song or specific parts of the song. We will all enhance our guitar skills and vocabulary. New ideas or approaches would even be useful to the most advanced players.

    2. To increase our repertoire of solo guitar songs.

    3. To build confidence in playing for others, sharing our skills and in recording ourselves.

    Since there is a new thread for each song, there is no time pressure to keep up with the group. People can post to each song thread when they’re ready to.

    As discussed above, there are separate thread for our prior songs. If you want to post a video or recording of one of those, it’s never too late. Please do so in those threads and help keep them going!

    I've attached a lead sheet of Emily if it would be helpful.

    We hope everyone will join in and participate however you choose.

    Attached Images Attached Images

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    Turned out to be quite a challenge to get a half-way clean take of this, between the distractions and interruptions from playing in the park, and my knowing this tune a lot less well than I thought I did. Anyway, the best I could do today, but at least I got one on the board, unlike Sweden ...



    John

  4. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by John A.
    Turned out to be quite a challenge to get a half-way clean take of this, between the distractions and interruptions from playing in the park, and my knowing this tune a lot less well than I thought I did. Anyway, the best I could do today, but at least I got one on the board, unlike Sweden ...



    John
    Good job breaking the ice for us. Emily is a beast.

    I especially like what you're doing 1:30-2:06... Good stuff!

    I always like your tone on these.

    Sent from my SM-J727P using Tapatalk

  5. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by matt.guitarteacher
    Good job breaking the ice for us. Emily is a beast.

    I especially like what you're doing 1:30-2:06... Good stuff!

    I always like your tone on these.

    Sent from my SM-J727P using Tapatalk
    Thanks a lot, Matt. I've actually played this tune quite a bit in groups, but found it to be a tough nut to crack solo. Don't think I'm quite there yet, but I figured might as well get the ball rolling.

    John

  6. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by John A.
    Turned out to be quite a challenge to get a half-way clean take of this, between the distractions and interruptions from playing in the park, and my knowing this tune a lot less well than I thought I did. Anyway, the best I could do today, but at least I got one on the board, unlike Sweden ...



    John

    Yeah John that was great. Loved your tone and the arrangement...and the setting!! How cool to post a video from the park. Very enjoyable!!.

  7. #6

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    i haven’t started yet, but i’m surprised you guys think it’s a tough one. You don’t think the last two were hrder? this one seems so much simpler to me. Now i’m a little nervous to get started haha

  8. #7

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    I'm able to be quick on the draw with this one as Emily is a favorite of mine so I've played it quite a bit!



  9. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by PaulW10
    I'm able to be quick on the draw with this one as Emily is a favorite of mine so I've played it quite a bit!
    Nice arrangement and playing! Clean and great expression. The Mrs. and I both thought it was pretty.

  10. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by joe2758
    i haven’t started yet, but i’m surprised you guys think it’s a tough one. You don’t think the last two were hrder? this one seems so much simpler to me. Now i’m a little nervous to get started haha
    I was listening to Evans and other pianists last night at tempo, but I listened to Frank this morning . Much better now...

    Sent from my SM-J727P using Tapatalk

  11. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by joe2758
    i haven’t started yet, but i’m surprised you guys think it’s a tough one. You don’t think the last two were hrder? this one seems so much simpler to me. Now i’m a little nervous to get started haha
    I found it a bit tricky to harmonize the melody all the way through and resorted to single line bits here and there. Then while soloing, all could really think of was single line interspersed with chord hits (as opposed to more fully harmonizing my lines), plus a bit of block chords. Also, I usually like to go outside a bit, but nothing I tried really fit (maybe because I was sitting outside already ...) I'm not quite sure why, but stuff just wasn't coming to me as easily as it has with other the other tunes so far. That, and I haven't tried solo arrangements of many tunes in 3. I hadn't thought of it as a hard tune before (based on playing it in group contexts and practicing soloing against backing tracks), but life is full of surprises.

    John

  12. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by PaulW10
    I'm able to be quick on the draw with this one as Emily is a favorite of mine so I've played it quite a bit!


    Nice one Paul. That flows really well and the voicings sound great.

    John

  13. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by KirkP
    Nice arrangement and playing! Clean and great expression. The Mrs. and I both thought it was pretty.

    Quote Originally Posted by John A.
    Nice one Paul. That flows really well and the voicings sound great.

    John

    Thanks Kirk and John. Your comments really make my day! Thank you to Mrs. Kirk too!!!

  14. #13

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    Hey everyone, I don't post much but i've started really working on solo playing more in the last 6 months and I really need to record myself more (which I hate doing!)

    I like jazz because I like to improvise and I never felt I could improvise in a solo setting but its coming along in the last 6 months. I started playing this today and I'm maybe I'll post a version after a month to see how it evolved (I've played this song before but only in a group setting)

    Forewarned, there are some sloppy parts and not so good parts (esp the ending) but I like the overall sound (Tele tuned down whole step)

    I still need to check out the other versions!


  15. #14

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    Hi dear jazz friends
    I was asked to make a version on Emily by a friend. A tune I didn´t know.
    So I had the sheets on the screen . Thats why Im staring a bit (lol)
    Cheers Uffe

  16. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Uffe Steen

    Hi dear jazz friends
    I was asked to make a version on Emily by a friend. A tune I didn´t know.
    So I had the sheets on the screen . Thats why Im staring a bit (lol)
    Cheers Uffe
    That was great.

    John

  17. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Uffe Steen

    Hi dear jazz friends
    I was asked to make a version on Emily by a friend. A tune I didn´t know.
    So I had the sheets on the screen . Thats why Im staring a bit (lol)
    Cheers Uffe
    That was very nice and enjoyable to watch!

  18. #17

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    After spending a week with the tune, its now memorized so I made another self-indulgent take on it.

    Can't seem to get every part the way I want it every time I play it but its definitely constructive to record myself.

    I enjoyed the other versions on this thread.


  19. #18

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    You guy's are embarrassing me.

  20. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by edh
    You guy's are embarrassing me.
    what you mean man?

  21. #20

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    Anybody else got one cooking, or are we ready for the next tune?

    John

  22. #21

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    i was hoping to try it this weekend, but no need to wait for me. I'll probably always be behind since I can't really practice during the week much. or on the weekend. *sigh*

  23. #22

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  24. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by joe2758
    That's really cool, Joe. I love what the stuff you're doing with inner voices and contrary motion.

    John

  25. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by joe2758
    i was hoping to try it this weekend, but no need to wait for me. I'll probably always be behind since I can't really practice during the week much. or on the weekend. *sigh*
    Very nice ideas, Joe
    Sounds good

  26. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by joe2758
    Really nice Joe. How do you come up with all those harmonies and lines? Very impressive.