Practicing Chords from the Real Book

[Ashlee]

Hello everyone!

Okay so I was getting tired of practicing chords to nothing and in no context. SO I got a copy of the real book (5th edition) from someone I know, and there are literally HUNDREDS of songs in that book that I can practicing comping to and just playing the chords in some sort of context. (yay!!!)

My question is this:

Is there some type of backingtrack or something for these books? It would be nice if I could actually play it to the music so that I can get a better idea of what it all sounds like together.

Or am I supposed to look up that particular song, and try and find the version that's in the real book and play along with that??

Any suggestions?

Thanks! You guys are awesome! This forum has been an answer to my prayers!

[JohnW400]

I think Band in a Box has something. However The RB usually has the source of the recording

Back when I got my first RB (1976) I started tracking down some of the albums cited. That got to be a bit expensive on a working college students salary.

Now a days theres You Tube where you can find a lot , if not most of the songs in the book. Here's some tunes to check out that I *think*match your level of playing (based on your posts)

Afternoon in Paris
Blusette
Tune Up
Central Park West
In your own Sweet Way (Breubeck Version)
Ceora

These are good to start with as they are full of two five ones and in different keys so you get a bit of a workout.

[docbop]

To really work on your chord voicings play the tunes and make the top voice of the chord the melody. Most guitarist know their chords from low strings, but not the high voice.

[Paul Kinnear]

There is an app for the I phone called iReal Pro.

This alows a number of real books to be accessed and the chord charts to be viewed on screen. Keys can be changed as well as charts edited or new charts created. I am told the previous update will play the backup tracks.
I have a droid which currently does not play tracks but updates are expected.

There are also cds available for use with the real books.

[Ashlee]

Another Question...

In that real book link. It shows the chords in a way that you can play them in any key, (e.g. Imin7 etc)

My question is what does it mean when it says "I69" (the 69 are written smaller almost like an exponent, but i can't figure out how to type it like that.

Like i get if it says I7 or something, but I'm not familiar with this 69? Any ideas?

[Sredna]

Thats probably a major 6/9 chord. It's spelled 1-3-5-6-9. A C 6/9 chord thus contains the notes C-E-G-A-D.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

The 9/6 chord is a common variation on a major seventh chord. Instead of the notes 1 3 5 7 it is built from the notes 1 3 5 6 9.

So C9/6 is C E G A D. If that's too many notes to grab at once you can drop the 5, or even the 1, if there's a bass player:

C9/6: x32233 or x3223x

You can also have minor 9/6 chords:

Cmin9/6 x31233 or x3123x

[Ashlee]

One more question...

Is there a certain time when this 6/9 chord will sound good to replace the maj7 chord or pretty much anytime i see a maj7 chord i can replace it with a 6/9 chord?

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

I sometimes mix and match Maj7, Maj6, 6/9 chords just for something to do, but the classic reason to play a Maj6 or a 6/9 is when the root is in the melody, because the root will clash with the major seventh note. Compare and contrast:

G6: xx2433
GMaj7: xx4433
G6/9: x22233

Of course, with good voice leading, there's nothing wrong with playing the root over the major seventh, but it is unstable.

[derek]

For free RB backing tracks, you can always got to the late Ralph Patt's site here. Good luck.

Ralph Patt's Jazz Web Page

[Reg]

I use maj.6/9 chords almost all the time instead of maj.7th, unless theres a melody conflict, usually just change lead note of voicing. Maj.7th chords almost always sound out of tune because of the 7th and how guitar players voice them... The hipper part is... it leaves a little room for stretching the harmonic feel. Not so much with min. chords, the 6th is too defining, do usually use maj.9th way too much. best Reg

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Must be something wrong with me, because I love minor 9/6 chords. This one cheats and uses two open strings:

Amin9/6: x09570

[backliner]

Hal Leonard DOES make play-a-long CD series for the sixth edition and book II of The Real Book.
They don't play the heads, it's just a rhythm section track. They expect you to read the heads apparently.
Nothing for book III yet except an interactive computor CD that is not "play along" but opens the charts on your screen.

[Reg]

Were guitarist... there's lots of stuff wrong with all of us... I dig min. 6/9 chords, I just always hear MM when I play them... Reg

[Ashlee]

For free RB backing tracks, you can always got to the late Ralph Patt's site here. Good luck.

Ralph Patt's Jazz Web Page

Wow, i'm super late, but thanks!

[ubiguitar]

I sometimes mix and match Maj7, Maj6, 6/9 chords just for something to do, but the classic reason to play a Maj6 or a 6/9 is when the root is in the melody, because the root will clash with the major seventh note. Compare and contrast:

G6: xx2433
GMaj7: xx4433
G6/9: x22233

Of course, with good voice leading, there's nothing wrong with playing the root over the major seventh, but it is unstable.

This is usually known as b9 rule. Normally, only dominant chords support an explicit b9 interval without loosing their clear function.
In tonic chords b9 is really a problem and must be avoided as possible.
On the other hand keep in mind that in different types of music as modal jazz b9 could be desiderable (consider a dorian chord that has major 6 and minor 7).

[Switcherooney]

Do any of you guys substitute the occasional fakebook chord because you can't bear the one that is suggested?

I mean some of them seem so off that I can't make them sound right in any inversion.

I resort to digging around till I find something I can live with. And it's usually not even close to the one in the book.

Am I alone in this?

[ksjazzguitar]

Do any of you guys substitute the occasional fakebook chord because you can't bear the one that is suggested?

Yes, all the time.

I mean some of them seem so off that I can't make them sound right in any inversion.

Well, at that point I'd do some research. Find out if it is a mistake. If it is not a mistake, I'd want to understand why it is there. If the composer (presumable a better musician than me) can make it work, then I want to know how.

But I do subs all the time. Sometimes I even reharm. As long as it sounds good, then who cares. The only thing that I hate is when people overly simplify changes, making them less interesting. Barring that, go for it.

But I also think that it's good to learn the "real" changes. There are some songs that I've changed some chords around for a chord melody and then I hear it that way, which causes problems when I try to play it with others.

Peace,
Kevin

[StraightNoChaser]

Personally I've never learned anything from a fake book or lead sheet (jazz or otherwise)that I haven't altered in some way.Surely fake books are for handing you the main idea of what is going on for the melody line to take place,and then to arrange and improvise over in your own 'style' with the knowledge that you have learned.
In any case you have to put your own mark on a tune otherwise you don't learn or progress.

[Stackabones]

Yeah, I change 'em all the time, which is not much of a problem in solo sets. If you play with others and are the leader, just give them your changes (or stick to the Real Book). If you aren't the leader, you'll probably play the Real Book changes.

[wizard3739]

I always think of the Real Book changes as "suggestions" but the real changes come from what I hear when I am playing the song.

wiz

[mr. beaumont]

I always think of the Real Book changes as "suggestions" but the real changes come from what I hear when I am playing the song.

wiz

Exactly, and exactly what everyone's said so far, really.

It's a guide, not an ultimatum.

[MarkRhodes]

>>>>>It's a guide, not an ultimatum.<<<<

Well said. I suspect I'm more 'anal' about the changes than most here because I don't have years of playing jazz under my belt. It still takes me awhile to memorize a set of changes and it's only after I have them down cold that I feel comfortable experimenting with them, putting some of 'me' in there. In short, my "Summertime" has a lot more 'me' in it than my "All The Things You Are," which isn't yet second nature.

[monk]

For the most part, the sheet music business has always been aimed at the amateur musician with a few exceptions.

Sheet music piano arrangements were produced with the idea that the person who was buying it was an intermediate player who wanted to sit at the piano in the parlor and have a playable (read easy) arrangement of a popular tune.

Profession musicians have always tinkered with chord changes as far back as the 20s and 30s. George Van Eps spoke of getting "The Ray" from Benny Goodman when he got too playful with the changes during his time with the Goodman band.

Sheet music and fakebooks should be taken as guidelines and augmented with a lot of listening to recordings and personal experimentation.

Regards,
monk

[kris]

It is better to take chords from orginal recordings...I think