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Another point is, you don't have to harmonize every melody note inside a bar with a different voicing of the same chord.
Observe that if the melody note is not a chord tone, it will belong to the dominant (secondary or primary) or the related diminished of the chord. You can use these as passing chords instead of using an extended version of the chord. (Say if the chord is A minor, melody note D can be harmonized as Ab diminished instead of using an A min11 voicing).
If the melody note is chromatic, parallel voicing of the chord can be used and resolved parallel from above or below to the next chord tone.
Non-chord tones can also be harmonized with other diatonic chords without disturbing the harmonic function (especially if the note occurs on a weak beat).
You can also use model interchange chords as passing chords (to create inner moving lines) or substitutes to add interest.Last edited by Tal_175; 04-25-2021 at 01:06 PM.
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04-25-2021 07:08 AM
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if you can play with others all this will go much faster, more so the smaller the group " pauln
Fastest approach to learning. Period!
Play live . . . Marinero
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Originally Posted by Tal_175
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Originally Posted by rpjazzguitar
Say if the chord in the moment is A minor 7 and melody notes are F E. You can play Bb minor 7 over F ( with F on top) and an identically voiced , parallel A minor 7 over E.
Of course you can also use the same idea from below: D# E can be harmonized using identically voiced G# minor 7 A minor 7 with a parallel move.
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Originally Posted by vsaumarez
1. Find songs that you really like (as you're going to be spending a lot of time with them) and obtain lead sheets. You'll likely need to raise the melody line an octave, but not always.
2. Put each song in a key that keeps the high and low notes of the melody at frets that make sense for you and sound good. If needed use sotware to do the transpositions and try the keys to pick the best.
3. Start working the melody and incorporate the indicated chord voicings on the lead sheet to the extent you can. Have a chord reference guide nearby if you need it.
4. Try and play each piece as a performance piece and work on memorizing each tune. Go as far as you can and only refer to the lead sheet when you get stuck.
5. Keep working this on as many songs as possible. You will suddenly find the various chord forms falling under your fingers and your own style will start to emerge. You will find you are learning by doing and deriving a lot of enjoyment from the process.
6. As you get more comfortable with the basics, incorporate tips you learn from as many sources as you can to continue to improve. For example, there are great tips from some of the excellent posts in this thread, or materials from the masters mentioned. For example you likely saw that Jake Reichbart posted an excellent video lesson in this sub-forum about using secondary dominants. There is so much you can learn to expand your knowledge and refine your playing. I'm always amazed at how much satisfaction the guitar can deliver.
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Here's another idea for chord melody which I think is helpful.
Find the absolutely perfect chord for each situation. Great players can spend surprising amounts of time looking for exactly the right voicing for a chord. One view is that you find it and play it, no matter how hard it is. Remember how hard it was to play an F chord the first time you tried? Think of it like that.
Chuck Wayne approached chord melody by harmonizing every melody note with a separate 4 note chord. Then, when soloing he tried to play on every one of those chords.
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Originally Posted by pauln
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Thanks to everyone for all the great contributions.
Just a polite reminder to some posters that the purpose of the post isn't asking how to play chord melody. It is asking how players are going about learning how to play chord melody. What they find useful and what they don't. Where things could be improved. What do players want that isn't being provided currently.
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Ok so you're doing some marketing research?
Then we need folks who are in the (beginning stages of the) learning process to answer here...
The answer to your last question is a book/video/course/magic pill that you go through once and *bam* you got it down.
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Originally Posted by Dave70
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Originally Posted by vsaumarez
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Originally Posted by vsaumarez
Last edited by Tal_175; 04-26-2021 at 07:59 PM.
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Originally Posted by vsaumarez
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The Berklee course does indeed have a performance aspect to it, lol. They all do!
It's an online version of the master class format:
- students play - not the teach. It's not a concert.
- everybody gets to hear their fellow student's performances
- everybody gets to see/hear "the masters" feedback (but not grade)
The challenging part is that the weekly assignments are exposed at midnight on Friday night, and the uploaded video performance is due the next Sunday night by 10:00 p.m. ET. A couple of assignments allow multiple weeks prep in this particular course, which is good, critical even.
And there is lesson material to last. If you know your guitar, and you have fundamental chord knowledge (at least a few voicings for all chord qualities) you'll be good to go. You will likely find that PRESSURE enables you to do things you thought not possible for you.
In hindsight, it was easy theoretically speaking (i already knew theory though, TBH). It was the work and performance aspect of playing CM that busted everyone's butt.
Oh - if I recall, out of twelve weeks there are precisely two arrangements from the instructor, and they're very nice. The rest are yours. :0
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Originally Posted by vsaumarez
The main ingredients for the "glue" are probably: Time Spent + Musical Skill + The Will
Time Spent meaning putting in the work, like Mr. B said earlier. You gotta do it, it may be slow and frustrating at first but gets easier if you keep at it.
Musical Skill meaning your chops and knowledge, talent whatever...
And The Will meaning you're not going to give up.
Probably no way to guarantee success to anyone just because they buy something, it's up to the player to make it happen.
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Originally Posted by Donplaysguitar
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Originally Posted by Tal_175
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Originally Posted by vsaumarez
"I can play chord melody (CM), and I can solo over the form... but I can't seem to solo between phrases of my own chord melody playing."
"I can solo over the form or comp over the form, but I can't manage to comp for myself while soloing ."
I would view these as "integration problems" basically. Anyway, seems to be a common complaint /frustration. I DON'T think it's unrelated to "basic phrasing" issues which a lot of guitarists have.
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Originally Posted by vsaumarez
These 12 week courses are like any other semester course (except they're not 16 weeks). They cover what they cover for as long as they cover it. There are prerequisites and as with all courses of study there is a path afterwards as well. If you want to sign up for the degree plan you'll have 9 more semesters to play chord melody and can play as much as you want.
The thing is, with this course you will emerge on the other side being able to play about 10 chord melody performances, albeit a bit rough in spots. Can you show me another 12 week period where you'll be able to say the same? (i.e. it's not self-paced)
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Absolutely the most important part should be, but never is, playing something that is musical. Before you worry about incredible harmony and voicings, you should internalize the tempo, then learn how to use the tempo with the most basic voicings you can come up with. Learn how to make music and use emotion to make great music. The coolest chords, with the longest stretch mean absolutely nothing if you can't make music with them.
Once you do that, record it then actually listen to it with a critical ear. Chances are that it sounds a lot worse than you think. Don't ask people for opinions, because they will tell you it sounds great.
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Originally Posted by matt.guitarteacher
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What I am looking for is Music.
I am trying to transcribe and learn Bobby Broom's home made youtube chord melody videos. Amazing what with some triads, and three note cluster chords Bobby Broom creates
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Chord melody is a nice way to enjoy playing guitar on my own.
The past 30 years the guitar was me playing in a band. If there was no band. there was no guitar. After a brake I wanted to pick up making music, but without a band. Just on my own. And chord melody is a great way to enjoy this and to challenge myself.
My playlist is growing.
Henriksen Blu 6 w/ gig bag
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