Chord Melody Tunes To Transcribe

**Double 07** · 02-14-2010, 11:27 AM

Hi I'm new here and this is my first post. I hope this hasn't been asked before. I'm looking for suggestions of guitar chord melody ballads that sound good and would be good to transcribe on guitar. Any suggestions? The song title, artist, and album information would be helpful so I can find them.

I've been lurking here a while and this seems like a great jazz forum that's free from the pretentiousness I've seen on others.

**derek** · 02-15-2010, 12:13 PM

As you say, ballads seem to work best for chord melody. Here are some of the ones I routinely arrange with students, and have in my own set list.

All The Things You Are
Autumn Leaves
Beautiful Love
Body & Soul
Days Of Wine And Roses
Don't Get Around Much
Georgia
How High The Moon
Ipanema
Satin Doll
Tenderly

**Drumbler** · 02-15-2010, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by derek

As you say, ballads seem to work best for chord melody. Here are some of the ones I routinely arrange with students, and have in my own set list.

All The Things You Are
Autumn Leaves
Beautiful Love
Body & Soul
Days Of Wine And Roses
Don't Get Around Much
Georgia
How High The Moon
Ipanema
Satin Doll
Tenderly

All good ones.

**artcore** · 02-15-2010, 05:50 PM

How do you remember them, I've asked that question before, I learn them
and forget them..I'm reading a little better now, that helps...

**derek** · 02-15-2010, 06:38 PM

For me at first, it was rote memorization of arrangements, which really isn't jazz. After that, I was taught to learn the melody and changes in a number of places on the neck. By doing this, you can play it differently each time thru and for each chorus.

It just comes with time. I wouldn't propose to know for sure if it is better to learn a bunch of arrangements, or to take one tune and learn it all over the neck, and then apply that to each new tune learned. I did the former, but I am guessing the latter is the better way.

**Drumbler** · 02-16-2010, 11:40 AM

Derek,

I think you're correct about the second method being better.

It's a painstaking process.

**artcore** · 02-16-2010, 11:42 AM

I've come to the conclusion that I really don't care if its called Jazz or not.
That seems to be a hang up people get into..If it sounds good it is good...
For sure we use a lot of jazzy cords and progressions, but if you don't
improvise is it jazz?..and does it matter?.....

**derek** · 02-16-2010, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by artcore

I've come to the conclusion that I really don't care if its called Jazz or not.
That seems to be a hang up people get into..If it sounds good it is good...
For sure we use a lot of jazzy cords and progressions, but if you don't
improvise is it jazz?..and does it matter?.....

It matters to me for a couple of reasons. First, I get bored playing the same arrangements over and over. Second, my solo work informs my ensemble work, so the chops (both chordal and lines) I am developing playing CM transfers to my comping and soloing in a group.

However, not everyone wants to do that. There is much to be said for being content with just being able to play arrangements of these tunes with jazzy chords. The ability to do that automatically puts one in a pretty high percentile of players, as the world is full of players who can't play a tune all the way thru, but can play you all the cool riffs and licks of dozens of tunes.

**artcore** · 02-16-2010, 02:03 PM

Yeah, I see your point...I also get bored with a set arrangement...but a beautiful arrangement is something special..its all good...

**Malcatraz** · 02-16-2010, 02:21 PM

Yep, I also agree with you Derek & I also have the same problem Artcore - I'll work for a while on an arrangement & then get distracted by something (riff, tune, transcription) I've seen in a magazine or something I hear & try to nut that out. Then I'll come back to the CM arrangement I've been working on & say 'now, where was I?'

I don't want to be destined to be one of those guys who knows a bunch of riffs & not many tunes all the way through. I know its all about time & temperance but do you guys have any tips? Do you plan out what you are going to work on? I think I need to limit my distractions (obviously!) - any ideas?

**Drumbler** · 02-16-2010, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by artcore

but if you don't
improvise is it jazz?

No, it is not.

If you don't believe me ask Mr. Marsalis.

**FatJeff** · 02-16-2010, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by derek

As you say, ballads seem to work best for chord melody. Here are some of the ones I routinely arrange with students, and have in my own set list.

All The Things You Are
Autumn Leaves
Beautiful Love
Body & Soul
Days Of Wine And Roses
Don't Get Around Much
Georgia
How High The Moon
Ipanema
Satin Doll
Tenderly

Don't forget "Misty". :-)

**derek** · 02-16-2010, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by FatJeff

Don't forget "Misty". :-)

How could I forget? Also, the much maligned "Feelings". Just listening to Lenny Breau last night, and he goes thru a couple of choruses of Feelings, then morphs into Here's That Rainy Day for a couple of choruses, and then finishes out with a beautiful version of It Could Happen To You. Man, I just love Lenny. What a tragedy.

**derek** · 02-16-2010, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by Malcatraz

Yep, I also agree with you Derek & I also have the same problem Artcore - I'll work for a while on an arrangement & then get distracted by something (riff, tune, transcription) I've seen in a magazine or something I hear & try to nut that out. Then I'll come back to the CM arrangement I've been working on & say 'now, where was I?'

I don't want to be destined to be one of those guys who knows a bunch of riffs & not many tunes all the way through. I know its all about time & temperance but do you guys have any tips? Do you plan out what you are going to work on? I think I need to limit my distractions (obviously!) - any ideas?

For me, it is self discipline and a gig. I have to slot a certain amount of time to arranging/working out a new tune, and keeping my rep up. The other great motivator is having a regular gig. Nothing like knowing you have to fill X amount of time by yourself to get you off your ass and get some tunes down.

I have been playing the same weekly restaurant gig for quite a while now, not because I need the $, but because I need to pay dues and it motivates me to not stay static. I am always looking for ways to spice up what I am doing, and listen to others on how they treated tunes I am playing.

My goal is to be a very lousy version of Joe Pass and Lenny Breau's bastard child.

**Drumbler** · 02-16-2010, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by derek

My goal is to be a very lousy version of Joe Pass

Even that is commendable.

**Double 07** · 02-16-2010, 04:29 PM

Thanks for that Info it was helpful

I was actually looking for suggestions of specific recordings from well known players that I could listen to to get more ideas though. May have to search previous threads?

**derek** · 02-16-2010, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by Double 07

Thanks for that Info it was helpful

I was actually looking for suggestions of specific recordings from well known players that I could listen to to get more ideas though. May have to search previous threads?

There is a thread here that asks what albums had chord melody on them. The posts that follow are a collection of some "must haves", like JP's Virtuoso series, and Johnny Smith's Moonlight In Vermont. Good luck

**artcore** · 02-16-2010, 06:22 PM

Malcatraz, I think you will find remembering your own arrangement a bit easier then someones else arrangement...Get the melody down, don't get
hung up on every cord..get the voice leading thing going and you can add a walking base now and then...I have a bad tendency to pick apart
every cord and try for perfection...Check out Ted Greene's wedding video.
He is a special case, of course, but he jumps around, stops and starts..
Nobody was paying much attention anyway...If it was easy, everybody would do it...The other thing I've found is the more you work on this stuff the easier it gets...You may still forget your nice arrangement, but you will find that looking at the music, you will be able to pick most of it up fairly quickly..That comes with time..be patient..

**Malcatraz** · 02-17-2010, 08:02 AM

Hey guys - thanks for all the tips - all top ideas that I need to incorporate. Loved the Joe Pass/Lenny Breau's bastard child line, Derek. I too would be happy to end up an unwanted back stairs sprog from that rich coupling! I can dream I guess.

I think a gig may be a way of for me at the moment though. To paraphrase Spike Milligan, if I played my guitar for paying customers right now I'd have to leave with my head held high & my feet held higher because I'd be thrown out! But, that is a goal I can work towards & simulate with friends & family.

Thanks for the Ted Greene tip, Artcore, I'll check it out. Everything else said by both you venerable gentleman is absolutely true. Time, discipline, melody & movement. Time to get to work!

Cheers & thanks again

Mal

**Jazz Playa** · 02-27-2010, 01:10 AM

I love music.

**Double 07** · 02-27-2010, 01:13 AM

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm always on the lookout for meaningful inspiration. Truth is most of what I hear out there from players is rather mediocre. There are only a handful of players that do things that I would consider special. I try real hard to separate my playing from anything mediocre, which ultimately means different from what most do. Its definitely the long way around but ultimately much more gratifying to me.