The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    As per the title really.

    All the tunes Kong Knows at the moment are medium pace standards. But he fancies a go at a slow tune.

    If he is to learn one what would it be? What is the autumn leaves of slow tunes?

    Thanks!

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  3. #2

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    I don't know about the Autumn Leaves of ballads, but All the Things You Are of ballads is Body and Soul.

    Sent from my SM-A536W using Tapatalk

  4. #3

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    Do one of the "my" tunes--My foolish heart, my one and only love, my ideal...

  5. #4

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    FWIW, ballad comes from a French verb that means "walking" (usually at a leisurely pace). Indeed, the ballades that I just checked (even Reggiani's rendition of Villon's famous poem la ballade des pendus isn't exactly slow...

  6. #5

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    Blue In Green.



    By the way, not a lot of people know about this.

    Last edited by ragman1; 12-29-2022 at 08:17 PM.

  7. #6

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    Thad Jones' "A Child Is Born" is a beautiful ballad in waltz time.

    Here's the original:


    Here's Bill Evans, Ray Brown & Philly Joe Jones and Kenny Burrell:

  8. #7

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    Yesterdays, and I say this for three reasons.

    1. Wes Montgomery Trio did it
    2. Counterpoint in the melody
    3. It's simple enough to learn in a day

  9. #8

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    I like "Tenderly".

    Frank Vignola does a nice breakdown of it on his youtube channel. Even Santo and Johnny did a nice version with the steel guitar. Might even have to learn that myself one of these days.

  10. #9

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    Angel Eyes
    You Don’t Know What Love Is
    Darn That Dream

  11. #10

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    Misty

    I've also been working on "what are you doing new years eve".

  12. #11

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    When Sunny Gets Blue. Someone else mentioned Body and Soul; The "b" section for both of these songs is similar.


  13. #12

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    “Spring can really hang you up the most” is one of my favorites. Here’s Kenny Burrell’s take on it:


    Johnny Smith also has a lovely version, but not available on YT.

    For vocals, check out Betty Carter:


  14. #13

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    King Kong -

    So which one have you gone for? We need to know!

  15. #14

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    There are a lot of good ballads. I first break them down between sparse melodies and more linear melodies depending on how I want to play. My favorite sparse ballad is Solitude cuz that's my life. :P

    After sparse melodies and dense melodies there's also the class of ballads with hella chords where u died like Darn that dream.


  16. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by ragman1
    King Kong -

    So which one have you gone for? We need to know!
    I've not yet, life has been hectic recently, lots of problems coming to a head all at the same time.
    Although I've found time to post a load of crap on this forum last few days but anyway.....

    Angling towards Misty, but I was hoping to see more commonality in the ideas, e.g. ' you should learn X, it's the most called ballad at jams'.

  17. #16

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    Misty is a nice one and is common.

  18. #17

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    .

  19. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by KingKong
    life has been hectic recently, lots of problems
    Ah, well, you definitely don't want another one... like how to get round a really s-l-o-w ballad :-)

    Things can only get better

  20. #19

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    Ballads:
    - slow enough that you get to craft your lines and phrases in expressive ways that are different than the soloing up tempo
    - slow enough harmonic tempo that you can easily hear/find additional chords and series of chords
    - nice for developing your stand alone or chord melody style playing
    - similar to practicing an up tempo tune slowly, except you get to perform it that way, too
    - many ballads have greater complexity, offering an abundance of things to explore and learn
    - tend to sound beautiful, encouragement/motivation

    1936 There Is No Greater Love
    1937 My Funny Valentine
    1946 Angel Eyes
    1953 My One And Only Love
    1967 Wave
    1972 Let's Stay Together - for when your ear is jazzed out, switch to Al Green for a break

  21. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by KingKong
    I've not yet, life has been hectic recently, lots of problems coming to a head all at the same time.
    Although I've found time to post a load of crap on this forum last few days but anyway.....

    Angling towards Misty, but I was hoping to see more commonality in the ideas, e.g. ' you should learn X, it's the most called ballad at jams'.
    Misty is a favorite of mine. So many ways it could be done. I gravitate toward a bluesy version, but that' because I love Wes and am not really that good at Jazz (yet).

  22. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by AaronMColeman
    Misty is a favorite of mine. So many ways it could be done. I gravitate toward a bluesy version, but that' because I love Wes and am not really that good at Jazz (yet).
    It's been done to death though.

    How about "Ebb Tide"? Same three opening notes, different melody after that. I prefer it to Misty and am always disappointed when I hear those three notes and it's Misty again.

  23. #22

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    Quote Originally Posted by KingKong
    As per the title really.

    All the tunes Kong Knows at the moment are medium pace standards. But he fancies a go at a slow tune.

    If he is to learn one what would it be? What is the autumn leaves of slow tunes?

    Thanks!

    How about the greatest jazz ballad of all?

    Round Midnight….but in the guitar friendly key of E. Barry Galbraith did it in this key. It i is in his book. Frank Vignola too. PM me and I will send you some sheet music and the TAB if you need it.

  24. #23

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    Slow is Isaac Hayes doing "Walk On By."

    Last edited by Greentone; 01-11-2023 at 05:32 PM.

  25. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by DawgBone
    It's been done to death though.

    How about "Ebb Tide"? Same three opening notes, different melody after that. I prefer it to Misty and am always disappointed when I hear those three notes and it's Misty again.
    There's done to death because it's a great song and there's "wonderwall". I think Misty is more of the first. Ebb Tide is a great tune as well.

  26. #25

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    Quick question: How slow is slow?