Just the melody.

[mr. beaumont]

I am so far thrilled with where this thread has gone, because it has brought out sooooo much guilt in people who are realizing they haven't spent enough time really learning how to play a melody.

And before you get pissed off at the truth, understand I started this thread because I am one of those people.

A few weeks ago, I went downtown with my family to go to a museum of illusions. It was awesome. But my biggest takeaway of the night was a busker I heard on a busy street corner in downtown Chicago...he was playing "Sweet Home Chicago" on tenor sax...and was playing only the melody...over and over. And just fucking wailing. And people were loving it.

We're jazz guitar players here...we can do a lot of cool shit other guitar players could never dream of. But there's something to being able to deliver a melody too.

I guess im realizing the melody isn't just 32 bars to "get through."

[AllanAllen]

Preach it Jeff

[pamosmusic]

I am so far thrilled with where this thread has gone, because it has brought out sooooo much guilt in people who are realizing they haven't spent enough time really learning how to play a melody.

And before you get pissed off at the truth, understand I started this thread because I am one of those people.

A few weeks ago, I went downtown with my family to go to a museum of illusions. It was fucking awesome. But my biggest takeaway of the night was a busker I heard on a busy street corner in downtown Chicago...he was playing "Sweet Home Chicago" on tenor sax...and was playing only the melody...over and over. And just fucking wailing. And people were loving it.

We're jazz guitar players here...we can do a lot of cool shit other guitar players could never dream of. But there's something to being able to deliver a melody too.

I guess im realizing the melody isn't just 32 bars to "get through."

but do you reaaallly think thirty minutes is necessary?

[AllanAllen]

Surely as Jazz guitarists we can play something close enough to get through 32 bars with less than 30 minutes. It’s not like Peter Bernstein or Jimmy Bruno will be there.

It’s not like any of the foundational shedding is what actually matters, one day if we keep a thread off topic long enough, we can find the one wild trick to unlock the fretboard.

[guitarvegas]

Miles Davis, Four....tomorrow. I'm gonna get lost, but this will be a fun challenge!

[Question]

Willow Weep for Me

Intro, 1 chorus, and a short vamp at the end.

I avoided ever playing two notes together, no chords, no double stops; it was harder than I expected.

Upon hearing other's videos without playback, I realized that there is no reference to the pulse.
In other words I can't tell how they are phrasing relative to the beat.

I wanted to avoid using a playback and a metronome was too boring, so I played a track myself on drums to make it a bit more interesting for me to play along with.

I spent my required 30 minutes of practice time recording a decent complete drum take! (Does that count?)

[digger]

Let's try and again and see if I can get it right this time :-)

I'd normally play a few chords in with this melody, as well as some "fills" in the gaps, or off the longer notes, but this time I've adhered to the single note remit, and also just kept to the melody.

Cheers
Derek

[ragman1]

Very nice. Swung along beautifully and no backing track. That's the way to do it!

[kris]

In my opinion, it is better to play melodies with a metronome, drums or backing track.

[pamosmusic]

I’m on my last day of Mean to Me today. Started checking out Just Squeeze Me last night.

Changes are super simple.

A section is a turnaround and then a turnaround to ii for a ii V I. B section is the Satin Doll bridge. In this case it’s in Eb … killer intro too that would work for anything that starts on I … Db13 … B13 Bb13.

I started working on Mean to Me because I’ve had some tunes off of Pure Desmond that I love but haven’t learned or learned well enough in the past. I already know Everything I Love but will probably go over that one again. But after Squeeze Me, I’ll probably do I’m Old Fashioned

[bediles]

I’m on my last day of Mean to Me today. Started checking out Just Squeeze Me last night.

Changes are super simple.

A section is a turnaround and then a turnaround to ii for a ii V I. B section is the Satin Doll bridge. In this case it’s in Eb … killer intro too that would work for anything that starts on I … Db13 … B13 Bb13.

I started working on Mean to Me because I’ve had some tunes off of Pure Desmond that I love but haven’t learned or learned well enough in the past. I already know Everything I Love but will probably go over that one again. But after Squeeze Me, I’ll probably do I’m Old Fashioned

Ed quotes The Sidewinder and I won't dance in the comp.

[pamosmusic]

Ed quotes The Sidewinder and I won't dance in the comp.

He's the hippest.

[lawson-stone]

Willow Weep for Me

Intro, 1 chorus, and a short vamp at the end.

I avoided ever playing two notes together, no chords, no double stops; it was harder than I expected.

Upon hearing other's videos without playback, I realized that there is no reference to the pulse.
In other words I can't tell how they are phrasing relative to the beat.

I wanted to avoid using a playback and a metronome was too boring, so I played a track myself on drums to make it a bit more interesting for me to play along with.

I spent my required 30 minutes of practice time recording a decent complete drum take! (does that count?)

Crazy question: Looking at the items on the shelf in the background... have you spent time in East Africa?

[Question]

Hi Lawson, I have been to East Africa, but the reason for the Kalimba, Sansula and the Ocarina on the shelf is that I am a film composer, so I have lots of instruments that I use for various purposes and colors.

In the next video I will be sure to put my accordion and mouth harp in the background to fuel further speculation!

[AllanAllen]

In this case it’s in Eb … killer intro too that would work for anything that starts on I … Db13 … B13 Bb13.

You think that grip is 6xx466, then sliding down for B and Bb? I like that Bb in the bass over Db13, but I don't think it's the straight Bbm 6x6666 grip.

[AllanAllen]

Willow Weep for Me

Intro, 1 chorus, and a short vamp at the end.

I avoided ever playing two notes together, no chords, no double stops; it was harder than I expected.

Upon hearing other's videos without playback, I realized that there is no reference to the pulse.
In other words I can't tell how they are phrasing relative to the beat.

I wanted to avoid using a playback and a metronome was too boring, so I played a track myself on drums to make it a bit more interesting for me to play along with.

I spent my required 30 minutes of practice time recording a decent complete drum take! (does that count?)

This is like Joe Bonamossa playing willow weep for me. Which is to say ,it sounds like you already know it inside and out. Very cool.

[pamosmusic]

You think that grip is 6xx466, then sliding down for B and Bb? I like that Bb in the bass over Db13, but I don't think it's the straight Bbm 6x6666 grip.

the Db13 needs B natural (Cb) …

x x 9 10 11 x

and moving that down in parallel.

So I think he’s hitting that low Bb and then jumping up to that voicing.

could also be

x x x 4 6 6

[guitarvegas]

Jeff, I did my homework assignment. I am playing with the Mile's Quartet. I need it, so I can hear it. It certainly helps me to understand. Mile's is my guide.
I know this is not strictly "the plain melody". I think this is called playing inside the melody, right?
Also with the mid piano section, I felt it appropriate to just chomp some chords (so I broke that rule).

Anyway, it's video this time.....so you can see all my mistakes too....

Four.mp4 - Google Drive

Click the link above, please.

Also, you may notice that I adapted a new way to hold my guitar. I swear this really makes a difference.

[mr. beaumont]

Finally back with These Foolish Things...tried to see if I could keep time with no backing, kind of a challenge at a slow tempo with lots of space in the melody. I enjoyed myself

[pamosmusic]

Jeff, I did my homework assignment. I am playing with the Mile's Quartet. I need it, so I can hear it. It certainly helps me to understand. Mile's is my guide.
I know this is not strictly "the plain melody". I think this is called playing inside the melody, right?
Also with the mid piano section, I felt it appropriate to just chomp some chords (so I broke that rule).

Anyway, it's video this time.....so you can see all my mistakes too....

Four.mp4 - Google Drive

Click the link above, please.

You can't do this without knowing the melody. That's a thing, full stop. You need to learn the melody

On a more nuanced level, this is what we might call "a jazz standard" as opposed to a pop standard, or american songbook standard. It's a term we use to differentiate songs that were written by jazz composers to be performed in a jazz setting. Paradoxically that often means that the tunes should be played as written. The rhythmic hits etc indicate that you have to make the the thing work with the band.

On both fronts -- knowing the melody, and knowing enough about the music to know when and how much interpretation is appropriate -- there are no shortcuts. Can't fake experience. Do the boring work and learn it.

[Mick-7]

Hi Lawson, I have been to East Africa, but the reason for the Kalimba, Sansula and the Ocarina on the shelf is that I am a film composer, so I have lots of instruments that I use for various purposes and colors.

In the next video I will be sure to put my accordion and mouth harp in the background to fuel further speculation!

Mr. B. neglected to mention an important auxiliary rule for this exercise, to whit: "Any instruments you show in the background must be used in your backing track." So we will expect your next rendition to have a backing track of kalimba or mouthharp, etc. - but please, not the accordian!

[AllanAllen]

the Db13 needs B natural (Cb) …

x x 9 10 11 x

and moving that down in parallel.

So I think he’s hitting that low Bb and then jumping up to that voicing.

could also be

x x x 4 6 6

That’s in the grip, 4th fret on the G string.

6xx466

13th, 7th, 3rd, 13th. It sounds cool to hit that and go to Bb13 as the vanilla 6x678x.

[mr. beaumont]

Jeff, I did my homework assignment. I am playing with the Mile's Quartet. I need it, so I can hear it. It certainly helps me to understand. Mile's is my guide.
I know this is not strictly "the plain melody". I think this is called playing inside the melody, right?
Also with the mid piano section, I felt it appropriate to just chomp some chords (so I broke that rule).

Anyway, it's video this time.....so you can see all my mistakes too....

Four.mp4 - Google Drive

Click the link above, please.

Also, you may notice that I adapted a new way to hold my guitar. I swear this really makes a difference.

Yeah, not to pile on, but just learn the tune first.

[guitarvegas]

Yeah, not to pile on, but just learn the tune first.

Why is it so hard to restrain oneself from playing too much, especially with be-bop?

[pamosmusic]

Why is it so hard to restrain oneself from playing too much, especially with be-bop?

the human condition