The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    Recently I've reached a plateau regarding to the practice of chords! Normally I write down the name of the chord, then the notes in contains and then I grap the guitar and try to find the many different ways of playing it. But I'm interested in knowing how some of you experienced guys practice your chord vocabulary, or if you just practice tunes.
    I have also used the charts in Al Di Meola's book, where he presents 10 forms of each chord, but I find that approach very boring.

    So, I need some inspiration, help, guidance or whatever

    What are your suggestions?

  2.  

    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    My knowledge of chords expanded vastly when I started arranging chord-melody solos. You'll learn all the inversions, and various voicings and substitutions, and how a chord works in context with the melody and subsequently within the tune.

    So ... in general, I practice chords within tunes, especially chord-melody arrangements. I find that if I don't find an immediate application for a newly learned chord, then it doesn't stick. One of the cool things about chord-melody is that you are not really learning new chords, but arranging new and old chords/voicings to work with the melody.

  4. #3

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    okay, cool.... can you recommend any books about how learn chord-melody solos?

  5. #4

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    Any real book, fake book, song book works. Find a tune you like, and cobble together something. I know that doesn't sound like great advice, but you'll learn so much by just sitting down and doing it. Start with Autumn Leaves or Satin Doll or something bluesy like Chitlins Con Carne or Watermelon Man.

    Or you could do it with songs like When The Saints Go Marching In, Amazing Grace, Row Row Row Your Boat, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (those gospel and nursery rhyme songs don't have too many chords, but they are a blast to mess with imo).

    Too many of the methods are just compilations of the author's arrangements and they don't really get you thinking for yourself. Whereas if you sit down with a tune and try to figure out how to string a series of chords together that fit with the melody on top .. well, that'll turn on plenty of lights.

    I'm assuming that you already read music (this can all be done by ear as well). After doing several of these on your own, you'll be able to eventually open any song book and create arrangements on the fly.
    Last edited by Stackabones; 06-29-2008 at 02:30 PM.

  6. #5

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    Anytime I learn a new chord/scale/arp/lick, etc, I employ the same practice device. I use the circle of 4ths, and using a 6th and 5th string position, I work around the circle with it in every key.

    So, I typically start on the 6th string C (8th fret), then 5th string F (8th fret), 6th string Bb (6th fret), 5th string Eb (6th fret), Ab, Db, Gb. At this point, I turn back up the neck and start with the B on 6th string (7th fret), 5th string E (7th fret), A, D, G, winding up on 5th string C.

    This gets me doing the new chord or scale, etc, in every key and most positions on the neck. I find that by doing this, I am not key dependent at all.

    Building new chords/voices is another question. Gaining more vocabulary for me consists of running across a new chord, then building maj7, min7, dom7, half dim shapes from it. I then practice it as described above, and as a chord scale in every key. Based on the way it is spelled or stacked, I find it on another string set, and do the same. Sometimes you can get the same spelling on 2 string sets, sometimes on 3. Hope all this makes sense, and answers what you were asking.
    Last edited by derek; 06-29-2008 at 02:37 PM. Reason: typo

  7. #6

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    yeah it does. Right now I also run a chord progression through the circle of fifths, so I'm not really key dependent. But I used to play rock, and specific chord-practice has never been a part of my routines.
    I think I'll get a fake book then and start working! It's not the function of the chords that frustrates me, it's more how to practice everything in every key most effectively.

  8. #7

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    Hi, C.A.JO.!
    Yes, trying to be a good chord improviser can be difficult without a teacher. I'm trying it in 2 ways: First one, I wrote in a paper all the intervals of the scales I use. They are the natural scale, melodic minor, harmonic minor, diminished, whole tone...You have to know which scales you prefer to use, of course! And memorize all their intervals.
    Second one, when I was younger I used to improvise not only simply melodically but also with diads of all kinds (when I was at home, of course) everywhere in a scale. At that time I used the pentatonic, blues and natural scales because they where the only ones I used when playing in a group.

    Nowadays I'm working on triads and it's working fine! I'm looking forward to the next step; that is 4 string chords.
    I believe that joining these 2 ways I will make it.

    I hope I gave you a good advice!

  9. #8

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    Another advice, C.A.GO; If you buy a chord book analyze every chord. I did it with mine and found some mistakes. Sometimes it was one single note, sometime the indicated frets were wrong or sometime the whole chord didn't have to do anything with the root and the rest of its intervals indicated.

    You may think it's a bad book but with it I also made the exercise to write them down correctly!

    Take care!

  10. #9
    Well, I practice like this: I take a set of 4 strings and I play a chord voicing (eg a drop 2). Then I move each note to the next note in the chord. I do this with all 4 chord tones, in all 6 strings and in all 12 keys. Then I modify the voicing to alter its type (eg maj7 to dom7) and do the same. You can also compare voicings in different sets of strings that are the same. Once you have all chord types down, you can practice the harmonized scale in the same set of strings, in the same position (eg 1st inversion). Another good idea is to take any min7 or m7b5 voicing and play a II V I using common notes and voice leading. You can come up with lots of interesting stuff. But, for god's shake, don't practise like this for more than 30 minutes, or you will get extremely burned out!

  11. #10

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    Here's an exercise that helped me out a lot. Pick a standard, preferablay one with longer chord duration...at least 1 chord per bar, like ATTYA.

    Set the metronome REAAAALLY SLOOOOWWWW. Now, start on the first chord, and for every quarter note, play the next inversion of that chord. If that proves too tricky, try half notes. When the next chord changes, switch to a voicing for that chord which is closest to where you are, and then proceed playing inversions for that chord, etc...

    If you haven't done this type of thing before, it can be really tough, but it's really helpful. I usually stick to one set of strings to not complicate things more than I have too.

  12. #11

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    Nice suggestion Ewit. I'm having a lot of fun with this.

  13. #12

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    never though of doing that ewit for learning chords. can't wait to get out of work and try it.

  14. #13

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    Yeah, the great thing about this exercise is that, not only are you learning voicings, you're also learning a tune really well, and it gets you moving around the fretboard. This really opened up comping and chord-soloing for me.

  15. #14

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    Another excercise that helps is to play ii-V-I's ,or other pattern, in all the chord sets, inversions and keys. (chord sets would be those voiced on a particular group of string, 6 ,4,3,2 or 5,4,3,2 for example)

    The way you do this is , find the inversion of Dmi7 that is played on strings 6/4/3/2 that is closest to the nut,

    Dmi7 = A,F,C,D
    G7 = G,F,B,D
    Cma7 = G,E,B,C

    Step 2 becomes find the next inversion on the same strings and do the same

    Dmi7 = C,A,D,F (6/4/3/2)
    G7 = B,G,D,F **
    Cma7 = B,G,C,E **

    Notice the common tones

    Next up

    Dm7 = D,C,F,A
    G7 = d.B,F,G
    Cma7 = C,B,E,G

    Last one

    Dm7 = F,D,A,C
    G7 = F,D,G,B
    Cma7= E,C,G,B

    This helps your ears as well since your practicing useful patterns.

    I, vi,ii,V,I is another good one and so is I,IV,vii,iii,vi,ii,V,I.

    Following this idea, yous hould also harmoize the major scale, same principal. Pick a set of strings, a key and an inversion and play it up the neck following the scale.

    So in Fma using root position chords on strings 6,4,3,2 you get

    F,E,A,C 1ST fret
    G,Bb,F,D 3rd
    A,G,C,E 5th
    Bb,A,D,F 6th
    C,Bb,E,G 8th
    D,C,F,A 10th
    E,D,G,Bb 12th
    F,E,A,C 13th

    then use a different inversion

    and as Ernsesto say start slow. That really is the key
    Last edited by JohnW400; 06-30-2008 at 01:13 PM.

  16. #15

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    Hi, people!

    I would like to ask JohnW400, Ewit and ornithologist and whoever else wants to say his/her opinion if my method to learn how to improvise chords is good enough or not.
    It's a self thought method. I had to think it up myself since I have no teacher nor book teaching a way on how to do it.

    Thanks a lot!

  17. #16

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    Hi Claudi,

    If I read your post correctly it seems like you've done a lot of work. I agree with your method. I think iot's a good idea to learn the intervals of all the scale systems as well as the triads and 7th chords.

    I think you've done a lot of good work. I would like to see your chord improv. Maybe you could do one, write it out and post it.

    Some things I also use in improvising with chords are compound intervals such as

    2nd's (CDE)
    4ths, (CFBE)
    5ths, (CGDA)
    7ths. (CBA)

    But especially the 4ths which is quartal harmony.

    Another tool that you may already know is to take a group of notes and just run them diatonically through the scale.

    For example GCDB on strings 4321. This is a voicing Bill Evans uses all the time (listen to "The Two Lonely People"). If you move this through the scale you get

    GCDB
    ADEC
    BEFD
    CFGE
    DGAF
    EABG
    FBCA
    GCDB

    What's nice about these types of chord is that there is no clear Root -3 -5 - 7 relationship ,it's implied so each of these works for a few different sounds. But any three or four notes will work and you can run them throught any scale system. other examples CEF, or GAD. They're good for handling scale wise movements without allways resorting to the same standard drop 2 voicings or making every other chord a V7 like Wes does. Just another tool to keep it interesting.

  18. #17

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    Hi, JohnW400!

    Thanks for your aproval of my method. Now I know I'm not in the wrong way to learn improvise chords.
    All I said didn't take me just one day to work it out. I had to think and think many weeks until I got to the conclusion that this was the best way I had to use. I know there are some other methods, of course, but this is the one that makes me feel more comfortable and that assures me I will be able to improvise all along the fretboard.
    I tried the cicle of fifths and thirds but i think it's somewhat limited to my taste, though I find it very useful, too.

    I'm not yet a good chord improviser since I still have to improvise them slowly and still don't think which are the best groups of chords. This will take a lot of time I believe but maybe I could write something if you want it.
    The good thing is that I master all the scales I know very well and the bad thing is that I still have to learn some chord shapes. I don't like to know just one single chord position but at lest 3 or 4, you know?

    I have just printed your compound intervals and the group of notes and run them diatonically. Possibly I can do it but I still don't think of techniques of any kind. Thanks for your ideas. Be sure I'll put them into practise.

    Any other opinions will be welcome. Sure they'll help me and many others!

    Take care!

  19. #18
    Hey Claudi,
    I find your method really interesting and effective. It helps you to understand the fretboard better. However I feel that the best way to master something is to approach it in many different ways.

  20. #19

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    Claudi,

    One more thing I can recommend is to get the book "Joe Pass Chord Solos". It's a collection of 5 or 6 tunes that are the solo part only, what Joe improvised. The chord solo he does in Misty is an eye opener. He also has a couple of blues numbers plus Day of Wine and Roses and Whatch What happens.

    It is excellent for learning how to improvise using chords. I still 'borrow' riffs from that book.

  21. #20

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    I ordered the Joe Pass book. Got it in the mail yesterday. The second I got home I spent two hours working through the first page of Misty. It's slow going because it's pretty difficult stuff, but I'm keeping a notebook of new shapes and new ways to use old shapes and I've got over a page full of stuff from just the first 8 measures of the first tune. It's a great book.

    My suggestion for practicing just about anything is to set limits for yourself when you practice. An example, when dealing with the chords, is what ewit said about playing a different chord on each beat. Another great idea that I use is to just pick a position on the neck and try to play through an entire standard without moving your hand more than a fret or two in either direction. Just play through a song three or four times using a different section of the guitar each time. The chord melody suggestion is a great one too. That'll help you more than you know. Also after you arrange a chord melody (if you're feeling bold) try to arrange it in a different key. That'll force you to learn the relationships the chords have to eachother and it'll make you find the chords in a different area of the neck. That can be really challenging when you're trying to find the melody note too. Pretty often you'll wind up with a totally different arrangement.

  22. #21

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    Hi, folks!
    Ornithologist, I agree with you.
    John I already achieved 2 Joe Pass' instructional vids. He talks about a lot of chords and chord-melody. I think they're great stuff.

    DMatthew this is a very good exercice.

    Take care!

  23. #22

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    One thing you can do is everytime you learn a new voicing, move each note up the scale. If you do this with every voicing you can find you will be more fluent with the guitar and develop a more specific chord vocabulary.

  24. #23

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    Hi, perhapsguitar1234.
    What do you mean by move each note up the scale? I still haven't worked on voicings so I don't know exactly how it works. I only can make an idea of what it is.

  25. #24

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    perhapsguitar... do you mean raise each note and find all your chords based on that particular voicing - for example...

    Cmaj7

    x
    5
    4
    5
    3
    x

    C7

    x
    5
    3
    5
    3
    x

    Cm/maj7

    x
    4
    4
    5
    3
    x

    etc. I don't know if that's what you mean, but that can be a good thing to try out when you learn a new chord shape.

  26. #25

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    Some great general advice here. All these methods are valid. Keeping a standard within a 2 fret space is especially good for forcing you to learn new chords and you'll find you're voice leading is stronger. I improvised some voice leading on the soundclips page. Take a peak if it's of interest.