Just the melody.

[Mick-7]

You have to learn to keep the time and add flexibility and phrasing.

My timing is fine, I find the metronome distracting. When I adhere to it's strict time, my phrasing sounds more mechanical. I do not have this problem with backing tracks or live drummers. I bought a Singular Sound Beat Buddy unit recently, haven't used it yet, I bet it will be much better than the metronome.

[kris]

My timing is fine, I find the metronome distracting. When I adhere to it's strict time, my phrasing sounds more mechanical. I do not have this problem with backing tracks or live drummers. I bought a Singular Sound Beat Buddy unit recently, haven't used it yet, I bet it will be much better than the metronome.

Singular Sound Beat Buddy -loops with metronome precision...:-)

[Al Haig]

My timing is fine, I find the metronome distracting. When I adhere to its strict time, my phrasing sounds more mechanical. I do not have this problem with backing tracks or live drummers. I bought a Singular Sound Beat Buddy unit recently, haven't used it yet, I bet it will be much better than the metronome.

I didn't say your timing wasn't fine. Time feel isn't only keeping the pulse, it's keeping the pulse while using flexibility and phrasing for expression on top of that. So the metronome is a fundamental exercise for working this, it doesn't prevent you from doing it.

[kris]

[Ukena]

I decided to use this thread as an impetus to learn tunes that are popular, but for one reason or another I never felt inspired to learn.

Here's Autumn in New York, which is an unusual tune. It starts in a major key and ends in a minor, and has some strange (to me) melodic wanderings, which took me longer than usual to internalize.

[benhatchins]

Love it! Music is such a big part of my daily routine—it's my constant inspiration and keeps me motivated, especially when I'm doing chores around the house. There’s just something about putting on a great playlist and letting the rhythm carry you through the cleaning session. Just today, I had this one song on repeat while tidying up, and with the help of my shark vacuum, the whole house looks spotless now. It actually turned into a pretty fun and productive afternoon

[ragman1]

This is a bit of fun with Footprints. All the treble sounds produce a bit of hiss but we'll survive.

The interesting thing about the solo is that it doesn't seem to suit the tune. But after the solos when the tune is repeated it slips back as though it belonged. Strange.

The other thing is that I've used the F#m7b5 turnaround rather than the D7/Db7 one. But I've played it as though it were the D7/Db7 using A mel and Ab mel and it works. The Ab mel, of course, is G7alt and resolves nicely back into Cm.

[ragman1]

Boo hoo, no one wants to do it. Here's one they keep talking about elsewhere.

[GuyBoden]

I had another try at a slow Cherokee last week at Trefor Owen's Jazz Guitar club.

I'm on the left with the red guitar, playing Cherokee with the immensely talented local player Andy Hulme.

Jazz Guitar is my hobby.

[Adam C.]

Hey, a bit late to the party!
I got really inspired reading the "original instructions" and linstening to all the recordings. Such great sunds and phrasing.

Here's my take on Isfahan. Man, what a challenge! Sticking just to single notes, makes you really obsessed. You can hear all the mistakes and sounds that changes every stroke.

[Mick-7]

Hey, a bit late to the party!
I got really inspired reading the "original instructions" and listening to all the recordings. Such great sounds and phrasing.

Here's my take on Isfahan. Man, what a challenge! Sticking just to single notes, makes you really obsessed. You can hear all the mistakes and sounds that changes every stroke.

I've never played this tune. I would not normally want to to play "just the melody" of an Ellington tune since the harmony is usually key to its character, especially if it's a ballad like this tune.

Joe Henderson makes it work playing it more up tempo with just a bass player, that would be the pace I'd play it at in single notes, it needs to swing... maybe I'll give it a whirl.

[ragman1]

Here's another one they keep talking about somewhere else, although it might have dried up now.

[lawson-stone]

Here's another one they keep talking about somewhere else, although it might have dried up now.

That's such a pretty melody and the acoustic guitar makes it especially tender. I posted this way back in January but it was on a day when I posted several and most everyone was actually caught up in discussing "Take Five" so it kind of got lost in the shuffle. I really enjoy playing this tune.

[ragman1]

Well, I am having fun with this thread. Probably we're awaiting the return of Mr. Beaumont but I expect we can carry on till he's available.

I wanted to find another tune and found this one. It's an old show tune by Jerome Kern from 1939 called 'All The Things You Are'. You might have heard of it. But not to worry if you haven't.

I thought one day it could be put in a time capsule labelled 'Classic ragman circa 2025', ragman being well known as a person who thought he could play jazz but couldn't. Who knows what might become of it?

Enjoy.

[Question]

I posted the complete version of this video in the "Play Alongs" thread from Adam C. if anyone are interested in hearing the whole recording.

I was hoping to encourage others to record something with Adam's play along tracks.

Anyway here is Sam Rivers' Beatrice.

[GuyBoden]

Here's one I want to do, 'Fall' by Wayne Shorter. It's beloved of those jazzers who like lots of interesting sounds and challenging harmonies. It's probably meant to represent that time when summer leaves magically change to their autumn colors.

Nice, Medieval Folk Jazz?

[James W]

Mostly just the melody...

Should learn it up an octave next.

[Mick-7]

Mostly just the melody... Should learn it up an octave next.

Thanks for sharing, it seemed like you were more occupied with your right hand than your left? It's the reverse for most guitarists.

We had an entire (very long) thread on this tune: Bebop heads: Donna Lee

[James W]

Thanks for sharing, it seemed like you were more occupied with your right hand than your left? It's the reverse for most guitarists.

Interesting. I might just start a thread about this.

I've been playing fingerstyle for over 14 months now but alternating I and M for Donna Lee is still a bit of a challenge. Hopefully I'll get it up to where I can play it comfortably at 200 BPM.

We had an entire (very long) thread on this tune: Bebop heads: Donna Lee

I'd forgotten about this thread, thanks.

[pamosmusic]

Interesting. I might just start a thread about this.

DO IT

one of my guitar teachers had a saying I steal just about daily.

Amateurs always think about their left hand. Pros always think about their right.

Ive been working on some PDFs on some of this stuff that I like working on.

[James W]

DO IT

one of my guitar teachers had a saying I steal just about daily.

Amateurs always think about their left hand. Pros always think about their right.

Ive been working on some PDFs on some of this stuff that I like working on.

Done.

[lawson-stone]

Hey Folks
I was wondering... a nice complement to the "Just the Melody" thread could be something like "Embellish the Melody," i.e. we intentional try to play the melody with as much melodic (not chordal) embellishment and ornamentation as possible. Explore the possibilities for interpreting melodies, maybe even to the breaking point? I always heard that "Embellishment is the Mother of Improvisation" and that might be something fun to try?

[Mick-7]

Hey Folks, I was wondering... a nice complement to the "Just the Melody" thread could be something like "Embellish the Melody," i.e. we intentional try to play the melody with as much melodic (not chordal) embellishment and ornamentation as possible. Explore the possibilities for interpreting melodies, maybe even to the breaking point? I always heard that "Embellishment is the Mother of Improvisation" and that might be something fun to try?

I've been wanting to follow up on your suggestion, so here's a shot at it....

I found this to be a hard melody to improvise on because it's fairly simple, and frankly, I'm not sure what the bridge melody is, everyone I've heard plays it differently. I play the written melody just once at the start and the rest is improv on it.

In Your Own Sweet Way @Box.com