Just the melody.

[Mick-7]

Been working on this one for a day or two … this is the original key (Eb, per the Paul Desmond recording, iReal has it in F). I’ve been playing it in positions in the key of C today.

This post by Peter is the answer to the question, "why should we practice playing the melody for 30 minutes?" Because there are a practically unlimited number of ways you could play and phrase it, that's why.

[mr. beaumont]

I decided to spend some time with Beatrice today, good suggestion Mick.

I was feeling like Grant Green a bit, playing so many single notes with a bright tone...then I found this kind of funky organ backing track...serendipity. Rivers, from what I could gather, never played this one the same way twice. I tried to interpret in a way that suited the backing and my Grant Green mood.

Decided to go with 2 octaves here, as it's a short form. Love this tune. Gonna play it all day.

[Mick-7]

Yes, surely 'Bye Bye Blackbird' is so easy, I grabbed my guitar pressed record and started playing. But, no, plenty of Clams.

Pretty sure those are not single notes you're playing.

That road can lead to 3rds, 6ths - even, God forbid, triads!

I decided to spend some time with Beatrice today, good suggestion Mick.

As I suggested, I consider using a backing track for this exercise to be a crutch but you started the thread so....

Sam Rivers was a musical genius, saw him live once, blew my mind. His solo albums (no sideman) are remarkable.

[mr. beaumont]

Why would a track be a crutch though?

We seem to want to put a lot of parameters on this...I say whatever gets people playing. I'm sure I'll do a bunch with and without backing.

[Mick-7]

Why would a track be a crutch though?

We seem to want to put a lot of parameters on this...I say whatever gets people playing. I'm sure I'll do a bunch with and without backing.

It sets the tone of what you play: provides a set harmony, rhythm, tempo. Kind of like painting a scene on a canvas that already has a background painted on it.

[GuyBoden]

Pretty sure those are not single notes you're playing.

That road can lead to 3rds, 6ths - even, God forbid, triads!

Yes, I've been trying to play claw-hammer style simultaneous intervals, 6ths are good to my ears.

Later today, I played the 'Bye Bye Blackbird' melody for over 30mins, so hopefully I'll be forgiven.

[rpjazzguitar]

For me, the issue is being able to sing it. I don't need the guitar in my hands for that. So, when I have to learn a new song, I put the recording on a loop and I exercise while listening to it repeatedly. I'm more likely to have a problem playing the melody accurately than interpreting it.

30 minutes of playing the same melody is typically well beyond my attention span. I reserve that kind of repetition for when I have to solo on something that I can't feel. Examples: first time I ever had to solo in 7/4. I spent hours listening to Tombo in 7/4. Soloing on Prato Feito (Metheny played the solo on the composer's album - Toninho Horta) - tricky harmony.

[lawson-stone]

Call me a straw boss but I'd say no backing track allowed to set your rhythm and tempo. I'm packing my bags and going to Rubato, I hear the weather is fine there this time of year.



One can improvise on the melody of a song without knowing its chord changes, in fact it's harder to do that well.

Well the OP already defined the project, however loosely, and included his own post with backing. So I think we're clear to use backing tracks. I'm' amazed that such a simple project has generated so much compulsive over-thinking.

Just post the damn melodies, guys.

[mr. beaumont]

It sets the tone of what you play: provides a set harmony, rhythm, tempo. Kind of like painting a scene on a canvas that already has a background painted on it.

But just because I posted a recording with a backing track doesn't mean I practiced it that way?

Y'all seem to want to think about this a lot. Just play! Track or not, completely unimportant.

As for the attention span thing, that's one reason I'm doing it. So easy for me to go off in 20 directions.

My half hour with Beatrice today was spent playing it unplugged on my 575, on the couch. It was actually probably 20 minutes, made pizza dough, played it another 10 while the dough hydrated, kneaded, played about 5 more minutes through before recording.

It's about slowing the whole thing down for me. Next tune I do (gonna do Foolish Things) I'm actually going to try to do multiple days of 30 minutes before recording. Cuz why not?

Slowing down processes is something I talk about ALL THE DAMN TIME in my art class. Need to follow my own preaching.

[pamosmusic]

I'm' amazed that such a simple project has generated so much compulsive over-thinking.

But this is the thing I do best ….

[PMB]

But this is the thing I do best ….

[pamosmusic]

Another day with Mean to Me … in G and D today, various positions and pairs of strings.

[ragman1]

pizza

Now you're talking! WHAT FLAVOR?

[Christian Miller]

You need to know the melody to improvise... and what about 12-bar blues?
Do blues melodies inspire improvisation?
I'm not sure about that.
I heard a lot of improvisation in the form of jazz blues. The solos were just very good.
They would probably fit any blues tune.
Or maybe the chord changes are more important than the melody?
What I mean here is the art of improvisation.

Depends on the tune.


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[Christian Miller]

One can improvise on the melody of a song without knowing its chord changes, in fact it's harder to do that well.

Also depends on the tune - easier for Lady be Good than Giant Steps


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[Christian Miller]

But just because I posted a recording with a backing track doesn't mean I practiced it that way?

Y'all seem to want to think about this a lot. Just play! Track or not, completely unimportant.

As for the attention span thing, that's one reason I'm doing it. So easy for me to go off in 20 directions.

My half hour with Beatrice today was spent playing it unplugged on my 575, on the couch. It was actually probably 20 minutes, made pizza dough, played it another 10 while the dough hydrated, kneaded, played about 5 more minutes through before recording.

It's about slowing the whole thing down for me. Next tune I do (gonna do Foolish Things) I'm actually going to try to do multiple days of 30 minutes before recording. Cuz why not?

Slowing down processes is something I talk about ALL THE DAMN TIME in my art class. Need to follow my own preaching.

Bruv is that a Silver Sky you are playing in your vids - I don’t think it’s a Fender?


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[kris]

Depends on the tune.


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Of course.
There are also jazz tunes that have the same chord changes and different melodies... often played at similar tempos.
Then, I think, the most important thing are the chord changes.
I guess these chord changes motivate composers to create new melodies.

[supersoul]

I guess these chord changes motivate composers to create new melodies.

Copyright law motivates people to create new melodies to existing chord changes!

[mr. beaumont]

Bruv is that a Silver Sky you are playing in your vids - I don’t think it’s a Fender?


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It's actually an inexpensive Ibanez AZES40. It's pretty cool! I wanted something with a whammy bar and these got great reviews.

[Christian Miller]

It's actually an inexpensive Ibanez AZES40. It's pretty cool! I wanted something with a whammy bar and these got great reviews.

Phew, I thought you’d gone over to the dark side.


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[supersoul]

Ornette (and a little bit of Don Cherry)'s Lonely Woman.

[digger]

Thought I'd join in for once, with one of the more modern songs I play...

[pamosmusic]

Of course.
There are also jazz tunes that have the same chord changes and different melodies... often played at similar tempos.
Then, I think, the most important thing are the chord changes.
I guess these chord changes motivate composers to create new melodies.

Wouldnt the melodies be more important in that case?

Like it’s important to know that you’re playing How High the Moon and not Ornithology or whatever?

For what it’s worth, I don’t think anyone needs to be constantly referencing the melody or anything. Just that there’s real value in remembering that you’re playing a song that is related to other songs, and not just playing an abstract set of chord changes.

[kris]

Wouldnt the melodies be more important in that case?

Like it’s important to know that you’re playing How High the Moon and not Ornithology or whatever?

For what it’s worth, I don’t think anyone needs to be constantly referencing the melody or anything. Just that there’s real value in remembering that you’re playing a song that is related to other songs, and not just playing an abstract set of chord changes.

This is your point of view.
See, this is my composition and the inspiration was "abstract set of chord changes" from Blue Bossa...:

[pamosmusic]

This is your point of view.
See, this is my composition and the inspiration was "abstract set of chord changes" from Blue Bossa...:

Well yeah I’m not sure why it would be any one else’s point of view.

And also contrafacts are cool. But I’m just saying that the existence of multiple melodies on the same set of changes would imply that the melody is the thing that sets a tune apart.

Knowing the melody really really well is really important. As is knowing the other melodies you might be in dialogue with.

I was not aware this was controversial.