How to pick chords for a melody?

[momotor]

Hi all,
I gotta admit my knowledge of music theory is quite limited. I have pieced together a medley based on various tunes but I have a hard time coming up with chords for the melody (see attached). From what I understand, this melody starts in the key of E. Not sure if there's any modulation later on. If not, can I just play I-vi-ii-V or ii-V ii-V over and over? I would like to use some chord progressions that is easy to solo over. What is the guideline for picking chords?

Thanks,
Ken

[Drumbler]

A basic place to start is look at the key signature of the song.

Then use chords from that key with the melody note on the high E or B string.

For example, in your tune, which is in the key of E per your key signature (four sharps), the chords in the key are:

E-F#m-G#m-A-B7-C#m-D#dim

Your first 3 notes in the first bar are E,E,F# so...E-E-F#m could be your chords or C#m-C#m-G#m11 or...etc.

Read up on chord substitution.

You will often use inversions of chords so that you can place the melody note on top (the high E or B string).

Look for key changes in the song, particularly when you encounter notes not in the original key of the tune.

Play a chord with melody note on top with the first note in a bar. This generally (not always) works. You can play the rest of the notes in the bar with single notes. Expand from there. Experiment.

There are different approaches to soloing over your chords. One method is the Tonal Center method whereby you divide the song into sections which are all in the same key so you can solo in that key over those chords. This might be a two or four bar section for example. Or you could improvise using the melody and making change to it. There are other ways.

Perhaps if you have certain sections that are stumping you, tell us.

[Drumbler]

When I made the above post I was thinking chord melody but the same ideas basically apply.

[JonR]

Hi all,
I gotta admit my knowledge of music theory is quite limited. I have pieced together a medley based on various tunes but I have a hard time coming up with chords for the melody (see attached). From what I understand, this melody starts in the key of E. Not sure if there's any modulation later on. If not, can I just play I-vi-ii-V or ii-V ii-V over and over? I would like to use some chord progressions that is easy to solo over. What is the guideline for picking chords?

Thanks,
Ken

The simple thing (always best to start with the simple thing ) is to use chords that contain the notes in the melody - or at least the main notes (longer notes, notes on the beat, accented notes). Passing notes (short or on weak beats) can be ignored. And use triads to begin with.

So, the first 4 bars contain these notes (passing notes in brackets):
1: E E (F#)
2: G# E G# E
3: C# C# (D#)
4: E C# E C#

Overall, those notes imply the E major scale, so the obvious thing in bar 1 is to start with the tonic chord.
Bar 2 could also be the tonic chord, seeing as both notes are in it. But those notes are also both in C#m, if you feel like changing chord for this bar.
Bar 3's C# could be in A, C#m or F#m. If you're using C#m in the previous bar, you probably don't want to use it again in this bar. So either A or F#m would do.
Bar 4's notes are both in A or C#m, so either would do.

OK, that's stage 1. If that all sounds OK, no need to change anything. However, because this is JAZZ.... ... triads are kindergarten stuff! You want diatonic 7ths at least. And course that opens up other harmonisation options.
Eg, E and G# now occur in Amaj7, as well as in E and C#m. E and C# occur in F#m7, as well as in A and C#m.
And even a beginner in jazz will probably spot the chord sequence that's implied in these 4 bars: E-C#m(7)-F#m7-B7, or I-vi-ii-V. Bar 4 doesn't fit B7 - neither note is in B7 - but you can make it B9sus4 (F#m7/B) which contains both notes, and still functions as a V7 chord. (Of course, that's if you want to turn it into a jazz cliche sequence, of course....)

You don't have to go too far down this road before you realise that any note can be harmonised by any chord - pretty much. Jazz likes surprise harmonies too, so often the wackier the better. Try F#7 to B13sus4 for those first 2 bars... (not really very wacky at all, in fact).

Your B section is a little trickier. Using the same principle as above:

Bar 5 (and 7, 13, 15): E C# A
Bar 6 (and 8, 14, 16): A A# C# (D) E
Bars 9, 11 (17, 19): F# (F)
Bars 10, 12 (18): F# (G G#) A (G# G) - I presume this bar is supposed to be quarter note triplets? They should be notated with two square brackets, not six 3s.

OK, Bar 5 (etc) spells out an A major arpeggio, but could also be F#m7. But I'd guess A is better, as this section could represent a modulation to the IV (A).
Bar 6 is interesting because the A# - although short - doesn't sound like a passing note to me, seeing as it jumps to C#. There has to be some reason why it's not B, which (disregarding any harmony) would be more logical between A and C#. It's on beat 2 too, not between beats.
My instinct would be to use F#7 - so that A# and C# are chord tones, with the opening A natural as a bluesy b3; although (unless you think it's too fussy) it could be F#m on beat 1 and F# on beat 2.
But then the D natural - right on beat 3 - doesn't work with F#7 (except maybe as a #5, but that causes all kinds of other issues). A little theory knowledge suggests Bm7 here. Bm7 is the ii chord in (our new key of) a major, and F#7 is its secondary dominant. The Es in the last part of the bar are not incompatible with Bm7 (being the 11th), but if you were OK with one chord on every beat, you could have the very functional F#m(or A) - F#7 - B#m7 - E7, returning you to the A in bar 7.
In short - if these chord choices bemuse you, maybe you need to be really sure about your melody in bar 6 - because it does necessarily throw up all these problems. (My jazz ears tell me you could use Bbmaj7#11 for the whole of bar 6, as a cute chromatic chord; the A# becomes Bb, the A is the maj7, the D the 3rd, the E the #11, and the C# a bluesy chromatic approach to D.)

Bar 8 could actually be F#7#5 all the way, going to Bm7 for the F#s in bar 9.
In bar 10 the significant notes are F# and A, the others all being passing notes. So you could stay as Bm7, or maybe go to B7, or F#m7.
Back to Bm7 for bar 11 ... this is where you need to develop a sense of chord connections and functions, where they're leading to (back to an A major arp in bar 13) ... meaning you need some kind of E7 in bar 12; given the strong A note it needs to be E9sus, but could be Bm7-E7sus 2 beats each.

I don't care to go any further, but to underline the main issues:

1. Be really sure of your melody first: every single note. It should feel singable, and hang together well. It will probably imply a key or keys (major or minor), but chromatic passing notes are acceptable.

2. Harmonise the melody as chord tones, as far as possible. (Making them into upper extensions - eg that B13sus for bar 2 instead of C#m - can make it sound jazzier, but don't go overboard: the chords shouldn't distract from the melody. You can be too clever...)
If you hit a wall with a particular melodic phrase, only consider changing the melody if you're not totally happy with that part - maybe a melodic tweak at that point might help the whole thing flow better. But if the melody really does sound good, you don't want to tweak it, there WILL be some chord option that will support it; you just might need to do a bit more searching - or just make up some transition chord to get to the next one. (Just because you've never seen a chord like that doesn't mean it can't - and doesn't - exist...)

3. Consider chord function. Chords need to lead sensibly and logically from one to another, as well as support the melody. That doesn't mean you always have to use cheesy old circle-of-5ths progressions (eg vi-ii-V-I); jazz offers all kinds of substitutions and chromatic transitions which work equally well, if not better. (This is where an apparently made-up chord can turn out to be an obscure functional substitute - remember, if it sounds good, someone else will almost certainly have used it before, and it will also be in some theory book somewhere. Not that you need to care about the latter...)

[teok]

I was writing songs well before I knew any theory. I knew a bunch of chords, but no idea how they function or were constructed. The process was mainly trial and error humming the melody and taking educated guesses strumming chords until I zeroed in on chords that sounded good under the melody to my ear. Over time I got much better and faster at putting together chords and melody by ear. It can be done by ear.

[JonR]

I was writing songs well before I knew any theory. I knew a bunch of chords, but no idea how they function or were constructed. The process was mainly trial and error humming the melody and taking educated guesses strumming chords until I zeroed in on chords that sounded good under the melody to my ear. Over time I got much better and faster at putting together chords and melody by ear. It can be done by ear.

Absolutely! That's how most songwriters work, regardless of how much theory they know.

I hope I didn't suggest that one has to work through conscious application of theory rules! That was all about looking at songs after the event, and recognising the formulas they use. But one's ear knows all that stuff anyway. The aural language of music, its grammar, is embedded in our brains thanks to all the music we've heard in our lives (even more so if we've played that music ourselves). So one can - indeed should - let the ear guide us when writing. The formulas are only there if the ear gets lost or stuck at any point.

[momotor]

Thanks everyone who replied! Your inputs are all very useful and I learned a lot. I actually tried to come up with some chords myself before reading the replies. Please see the attached (too lazy to type after bar#28 as #29 is the same as #5 and so on). I want to minimize chord changes. Ideally the composition would be modal, i.e, like Grant Green's version of My Favorite Thing which only has Em7 and F#m7.

I am using extended chord (is this the proper terminology?) to cover as many notes as possible while minimizing chord changes. For example, I consider using the same F#m9 (F# A C# E G#) for the first 4 bars. And for bar#21-24, I use a F9#5 (F A C# D# G) to cover all those notes.

Do you guys think this is the right approach?

BTW, I'm using TuxGuitar, which is a good piece of free software, to write my TAB/Chords. However, the notations don't always match what are commonly used for some reason. What do you guys usually use?

[jster]

It seems you have a melody in E major. It begins on E and it ends on E. Usually you want to establish that tonic. Emaj doesn't have to be the first chord, but it should show up pretty quickly. Typically, for songs in E major, your first chords would be something like E or B - E or F#m - B - E. There are other possibilities, but four bars of F#min9 is not one of them. Jon's suggestion for the first four bars is easy to solo over.

Also, more generally, while yes you generally want your main melody notes to be chord tones, don't feel that you have to have six and seven note chords because you have a complicated melody. In other words you generally don't want all your melody notes to be chord tones. The little and not so little tensions that appear make things interesting. So, you have a 6 in the melody. Try a chord with a 6 in it and try one without. The one without will make that melody note stand out more. Sometimes you want that.

Lastly, since you posted this thread, they added a composition section. You can put future questions there where you will find really nice guys ready to help.

[JonR]

Thanks everyone who replied! Your inputs are all very useful and I learned a lot. I actually tried to come up with some chords myself before reading the replies. Please see the attached (too lazy to type after bar#28 as #29 is the same as #5 and so on). I want to minimize chord changes. Ideally the composition would be modal, i.e, like Grant Green's version of My Favorite Thing which only has Em7 and F#m7.

I am using extended chord (is this the proper terminology?) to cover as many notes as possible while minimizing chord changes. For example, I consider using the same F#m9 (F# A C# E G#) for the first 4 bars. And for bar#21-24, I use a F9#5 (F A C# D# G) to cover all those notes.

Do you guys think this is the right approach?

BTW, I'm using TuxGuitar, which is a good piece of free software, to write my TAB/Chords. However, the notations don't always match what are commonly used for some reason. What do you guys usually use?

It seems to me like you're trying to handle some quite complicated jazz ideas with little experience. The approach is largely OK, IMO, it's some of the details I'm not sure about.
I was going to agree with jster that it would be better to begin with simpler chords, but it seems to me you're going more for a modal approach than a functional one - IOW, a sequence where there is no particular key, and no need for the chords to relate to one another in any leading or resolving way (no "cadences"). As such, it's working well enough: your chords only need to support the melody and they mostly do that.
If there's a problem with it, I'd say it's in the melody itself. I don't find that A# in bars 6 and 8 very convincing, and the chord you've chosen there doesn't support it either. Change the note for B and it would fine - but if you really want that A# note, I think you may need to look for a better chord. (Did you try what I suggested above?)

The F9#5 chord, btw, should really have an Eb, not a D#. But it's a wholetone chord (fitting the wholetone melody), so it's not that much of an issue. But maybe (given that you're in a kind of E major ballpark ) B9b5 would be better. It's really the same chord, because any harmonisation from that wholetone scale (F G A B C# D#/Eb) is essentially the same chord. The F bass does make a nice link with the previous F#m chord, but then it doesn't go to A very well (if that matters ).
The Amaj7 in bars 26-27 doesn't fit the melody well. The G and F in bar 26 are seriously dissonant against the chord; and you have that strange A# again in bar 27. The F natural in bar 28 is a little odd against the B7, but a less critical dissonance (can work as a #11).
Those are the bits that don't work for me. It may just be my ears - maybe yours are more advanced than mine - but you need to be really sure you like the sound of those bars (melody primarily, but also chord and melody together). This is definitely not Grant Green territory; he wasn't this avant garde!

I do agree with jster that you may get better advice on the composition board.
Also try http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/forum...y-and-Analysis - where (no offence to present readers) you get a few more jazz heavyweights (but still friendly).

[jster]

it seems to me you're going more for a modal approach than a functional one

We know he wants something simple to solo over. I thought that was his main motivation. You're tricky Jon. I recommend your functional harmonization but now you you've washed your hands of it!

[JonR]

We know he wants something simple to solo over. I thought that was his main motivation. You're tricky Jon. I recommend your functional harmonization but now you you've washed your hands of it!

Hehe....
I was assuming he primarily wanted chords to go with his melody, although - you're right - I forgot he also wanted chords "easy to solo over".
I think the latter goal has been achieved, at least because the chords don't change too quickly (and they're extended enough to make note/scale choice pretty obvious).

I did think the melody suggested functional moves here and there, but there's no reason why that's a better solution than non-functional changes - as long as they support the melody (which is where it doesn't entirely work, IMO).

[vhollund]

"Blue in green" by miles Davis is a good lesson.
Check out how each note relates to the root of each (type of) chord

[momotor]

Thanks again. I hope I could keep that A# instead of changing to B (which was in the original melody that my arranged medley is based on) because I kinda like that the "exotic" sound of the A# (or Bb?) in bar#6 and #27. I'm not sure if I am using it correctly but I learned about the dom 7b9b13 chord and the related mixolydian b9b13 scale from classes. That's the kind of "exotic" sound (middle eastern-ish?) I was going after. A7b9b13 would be A C# E G Bb D F, right? Maybe I could use that instead of the A11 (A C# E G B D) I originally put in my chart?

[JonR]

Thanks again. I hope I could keep that A# instead of changing to B (which was in the original melody that my arranged medley is based on) because I kinda like that the "exotic" sound of the A# (or Bb?) in bar#6 and #27. I'm not sure if I am using it correctly but I learned about the dom 7b9b13 chord and the related mixolydian b9b13 scale from classes. That's the kind of "exotic" sound (middle eastern-ish?) I was going after. A7b9b13 would be A C# E G Bb D F, right?

Not quite. That makes sense logically, but the 11th (D) would not normally be included- or would likely be raised to D#, especially if used as a chord tone.

"7b9b13" is usually shorthand for the "altered" scale, which - from A - would be A Bb C C# D#(Eb) F G. IOW, the scale has no perfect 5th, and the "b13" is acting as a #5.
But this doesn't fit the whole bar, because of the D-E in the 2nd half. My guess would be the original tune moved from A7b9 to D or Dm on beat 3.
So - what is the original tune this phrase comes from, and what chords accompanied it there? Why not use those chords?

Then again, for an "exotic" sound, the scale you suggest (D harmonic minor, A phrygian dominant) might be just the thing! (Just adjust the A# in your melody to Bb...)

[momotor]

Thanks to all the replies I think I have the whole piece figured out except for bar 25-28.

Bar 25 has no accidental and I could assume it's in the key of E major. So maybe Emaj7?
Bar 26 has G F F# E and I have no idea. According to my Sid Jacobs improv book, this could be a solo line over Fm7 even though I don't know why.
I will treat Bar 27 like Bar 10 because of that 5th mode of D harmonic minor
Bar 28 is like bar 26 half-step down.
And I go back to Amaj7 in Bar 29 just like bar 5.

I'd appreciate your help again on these 4.

[vhollund]

Is it possible you write the chords in the file with the melody ?

[momotor]

Is it possible you write the chords in the file with the melody ?

Yes. I took me a while but I finally figured it out in TuxGuitar. Please see attached.

[vhollund]

Some good ideas but maybe à little too theoretical, like you forget to use your ears.
Here's my take on the chords , trying to solve your choices to work better musically.


ll E C#m7 l F#m7 E l A l Bsus9 :l 2. Bsus9 Gm ll

l A l A7susb9 l A l F#7#5 l
l Bm F#7#5l Gm l C#m11 F#7#5 l Bm F#7#5 l
l A l A7susb9 l A l F#7#5 l
l Bm F#7#5l Gm l C#m11 F#7#5 l Gm F#7#5 l

l B9+#11 l % l % l % l
l G l Gm/Bb l F#7#5 l Bm Bb l

etc.

Hope it sheds some light


...

NB! If you consider working with other musicians suggesting chords/notes/structure, it is called co-composing.
Don't forget to put the names of your (future) co-composers in the credits.

[JonR]

Thanks to all the replies I think I have the whole piece figured out except for bar 25-28.

Bar 25 has no accidental and I could assume it's in the key of E major. So maybe Emaj7?

Look at the notes, not the key: A B C# D#. The accents (beats 1 and 3) fall on A and C# - particularly A on beat 1, which is an "avoid note" on Emaj7. Emaj7 is therefore one of the least likely chords to fit well there. (It might just work if the A was a suspension, resolving down to G#, but it isn't).
The strong A and C# suggests a chord containing those 2 notes, at least. A or F#m, most obviously, or maybe B9. (All 4 notes are in B9! )

Bar 26 has G F F# E and I have no idea. According to my Sid Jacobs improv book, this could be a solo line over Fm7 even though I don't know why.

Me neither. The first two notes, yes, but not the last two.
If you want one chord for the whole bar, go for the notes on beats 1 and 3: G and F#. That suggests Gmaj7 - or at least a plain G to begin with, then F F# and E can be logical embellishments.

Or why not use two chords? That opens up more possibilities. The shape of the melody (whole descent repeated a half-step down) also suggests two chords are needed. Eg, G7 (for G and F) and F#7 for F# and E. F#m7 would also work for the last half of the bar.
There would be many other options too. Eg, Bb13 would fit G-F, and follow on nicely from a B9 in the previous bar. A13 naturally follows (for F#-E), but may not lead well to the next bar...

I will treat Bar 27 like Bar 10 because of that 5th mode of D harmonic minor

OK. You mean A7(b9), yes?
I've noticed a Bb chord would also work well in this bar. Although the accented notes are A and C#, they resolve upwards to Bb and D, chord tones on Bb major. In contrast with the idea of the A note on the Emaj7 chord, it's much more acceptable to accent half-steps below chord tones (at least if they resolve upwards) than half-steps above (even if they resolve down)

Bar 28 is like bar 26 half-step down.

Right. So same chords (whatever you choose for 26) a half-step down.

And I go back to Amaj7 in Bar 29 just like bar 5.

Plain A major or A6 might be better, because the long A melody note will fight the G# in the chord. (Normally melody notes go higher than chord tones, and a root A above a maj7 is not a good sound.)

These are not hard and fast rules remember! Just general guidelines to common practices. You can do something different if you really like the sound, but you have to be sure you really like the sound - not just go for something because you think it "ought" to fit.

[vhollund]

Not sure if there's any modulation later on.

The song modulates to a "Dm" tonality after the intro in E major
So the signature becomes one b

[JonR]

The song modulates to a "Dm" tonality after the intro in E major
So the signature becomes one b

Not sure I agree.
There's a definite D harmonic minor vibe at the start of the second section (bars 5-8 and again in 13-16), but the F# is a very strong presence in bars 9-12 and 17-20. D harmonic major?
21-24 have a strong wholetone content (still assuming the E key sig, of course - the occasional naturals confirm that).
Bars 25-28 could be various things (lots of chromatics however you see it).
29-36 is same as 5-12.

I still want to know the original tune that inspired this melody....

[vhollund]

Hello Jon

Have you tried to play the melody with the chords/modifications i suggested
I'd like to hear your opinion of the choices

I hear/see the F#7#5 Bm11 and the Asusb9b13 as as G minor melodic related stuff

The B7#11 i hear it as C#(13#11)/B (in melody) I don't see it if there's another/any tonality attached there
Some of these choices seems partly blind ...which can be both good or bad.

The biggest stylistic weakness, is the simple A triad on an A chord imo.
Seems like a strange choice if one is going for a more suspensed /modal sound the rest of the time
Maybe a Gm in the second half of the bar , and some instrumental respons to the melody ? idono

[JonR]

Hello Jon

Have you tried to play the melody with the chords/modifications i suggested
I'd like to hear your opinion of the choices

I hadn't, but I have now...

Bars 1-4; fine. (It occurs to me that ||:C#m7 F#m7 |B13sus E7 |A |B9sus :|| would also work nicely.)
Bars 5-7: I agree with you about the weakness of a plain A here, but maybe such simplicity is a nice contrast with the density elsewhere?
Bar 6. OK (you don't need the b13 tho)
Bar 8. F7#5? You mean F#7#5, yes? (seeing as you call it that below)
Bar 9. Yep.
Bar 10. Gm doesn't make much sense on the face of it, but yes it sounds good. Not so sure about the move to...
Bar 11. C#m11? Works with the tune, but coming from Gm, IMO C#m11b5 works better, IMO, and makes a conventional ii for the approaching Bm. Again, F#7#5 I presume?
Bar 12. Yes (F#7#5, yes?)
(Bars 13-20 as bars 5-12)
Bars 21-4. I love that C#(13#11)/B chord (in its own right)! - but the melody conflicts significantly: namely the strong A and G naturals. To me, these 4 bars are solid wholetone, which means any chord from the A wholetone scale - not a melodic minor harmonisation, however juicy it might sound on its own.
Bar 25: G, OK.
Bar 26: I'd go for C#m7b5 in last half of this bar. Follows Gm (as before) and leads into F#7 well.
Bar 27: F#7#5 yes (no typo this time )
Bar 28: Bm Bb, yes.

I hear/see the F#7#5 Bm11 and the Asusb9b13 as as G minor melodic related stuff

G minor? Bm11?
I can see F#7#5 and Asusb9(b13) in relation to G melodic minor, but only just. The melody on the Asusb9 bar has an C#, so seems to me it belongs more to D minor.

The B7#11 i hear it as C#(13#11)/B (in melody) I don't see it if there's another/any tonality attached there

Some confusion here (me or you ) I didn't attach a B7#11 to the bars you labelled C#(13#11)/B. I saw those as wholetone, agreeing with the OP about his F9#5 (or B9b5, same thing).

[vhollund]

Very concise and detailed reflections, thanks.

To keep the copy pasting of quotes down I'll respond the ones that matter the most.
(the rest you can more or less assume that i agree with)

G minor? Bm11?
I can see F#7#5 and Asusb9(b13) in relation to G melodic minor, but only just. The melody on the Asusb9 bar has an C#, so seems to me it belongs more to D minor.

I don't mean G melodic minor as tonality, but as a common harmonic element both in D major and D minor, and a good way to pivote(?) between major and minor, and a good way to prepare A7sus(b9)
The b13 needn't be mentioned in the chord symbol i agree. It is present in the melody, but that's not the type of the chord i wanted to suggest.

No ofcourse, Bm11 is not from G melodic, minor but from B minor (d major), and i see it as a modulation to Bm , (parralel key).

Bar 10. Gm doesn't make much sense on the face of it, but yes it sounds good. Not so sure about the move to...

It is a good transition chord preparing for D minor
(G minor melodic is a common basis for both , A7susb9 and F#7alt)

My main objective as i saw it, was to make choices for a harmony that not only softens the corners locally, but makes for a more coherent song and melody as a whole.

Bar 11. C#m11? Works with the tune, but coming from Gm, IMO C#m11b5 works better, IMO, and makes a conventional ii for the approaching Bm.

Yes C#m11 is a creative choice , since the song starts in E major (g#) and the "modal interchange/modulation thing" already going on. I think it adds a nice little modern colour.
Note that the Melody is still the 11th (f#) and therefore in focus !
Btw. I think first time I saw that choice, was in Robben Fords version of I Put A Spell On You. Very cool sound, check it out if you get a chance.

Bars 21-4. I love that C#(13#11)/B chord (in its own right)! - but the melody conflicts significantly: namely the strong A and G naturals. To me, these 4 bars are solid wholetone, which means any chord from the A wholetone scale - not a melodic minor harmonisation, however juicy it might sound on its own.

Actually I totally agree with that, (Although A whole tone ...with B in the bass? ).
I think the best option is to simply write : B wholetone
Completely acceptable and impossible to misunderstand.

(F#7#5, yes?)

Sorry 'bout that.
I've had some problems when editing mistakes, especially on android, where the mistakes I corrected 1st edit reverts on a 2nd edit. (?)

Bars 5-7: I agree with you about the weakness of a plain A here, but maybe such simplicity is a nice contrast with the density elsewhere?

I think it just sounds dull. Maybe just an Asus arpeggio instead or a Bb instead of an A in the melody, could be enough to shine a little bit... idono
It's kind of the "main catch frase". I tried to fit other chords with it but... Its the melody itself... it just doesn't work that well being so plain.

[momotor]

I still want to know the original tune that inspired this melody....

Unfortunately those were old tunes from my elementary school days years ago and I don't have the sheet music anymore. I just wrote it from memory and made some changes for "jazziness"

Thanks again. And I'm working on a chord-melody arrangement and I'm sure more questions will come up. It seems to me that I need to shift some parts (like that A in Bar 6) up an octave to move the top-note to the 1st or 2nd string. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to play a drop-2/drop-3 chord with it.