The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #26

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    Quote Originally Posted by lawson-stone
    So I'm wondering, do we just play the solo notated in the book? He says to improvise, but I thought the idea was to learn how, and being told "just improvise" seems confusing when we are given a closely notated example. Could you clarify what you actually do? Play the solo until you're comfortable with it, then start varying?

    Sorry to be so dense!
    Here's how I view the notated solos: you know how when you write a course syllabus the reading schedule includes both the required readings for that day's lecture as well as additional readings for those students who are super keen on the subject...? The notated solos are like those additional readings; they aren't really assigned, per se - they're just there to show you how someone of HR's caliber might play through the exercises.

    The Superchops program is, in essence, about structure, not content. You have to bring the content you want to the system. For me, the last time I did it, I was only concerned with playing through the changes smoothly without too many flubs - I was strictly focussed on technique. So I just followed HR's harmony guides above the bar lines and played the relevant major or minor (or dominant) scales for those bars. This time around, I'm focusing on trying to get a handle on stringing together arpeggios all over the neck and being able to start from different chord tones depending on where I am on the neck. This has always been a bit of a deficit in my playing, so I thought I'd focus on that this time around (while also working on my picking speed and precision - which definitely will start to happen by Week 10 or so).

    I'm actually planning on doing Superchops a third time soon after we've finished this round - I'll try to tackle both the notated chord changes and the notated solos then. I feel I owe that much to Howard Roberts in order to truly see what he intended the book to be.

    -Travis

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  3. #27

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    Quote Originally Posted by wzpgsr
    Yep, that’ll nail ya! That’s why I started using basic three-note shell voicings.
    Good idea, and you can always come back to the exercise and develop the chord chops as well. It might be a good idea to devote a few minutes to practicing awkward changes; this course should be about getting out of old habits, in my opinion.

  4. #28

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    One day down for me also. Still trying to get my sea legs.

    I've got a templete in my DAW, Reaper. Drums, guitar, guitar, keyboard, vocal tracks. I have a very efficient setup for recording the daily chord progression at whatever that days tempo is. I'm using an EZdrummer groove instead of a metronome, more fun that way. I also have a keyboard track and a vocal track setup in case I ever want to use those (keyboard to record the days chords for variety and I want to figure out voicings as I'm learning keyboard and vocals if I want to record singing the solos, HR does suggest trying to sing over these chords).

    For chords, I just used voicings that are easy to play., Joe Pass or Mickey Baker style chords for the most part, and I'm happy with that. Joe has said that he favors the easier to play grips. The big stretches are too hard for me and my hands. Haven't memorized the progression yet, it's a bit hard to read some of the chord symbols as that chart is pretty cluttered in places.

    Today I was thinking I'll be concentrating on picking technique.

    I also like the idea of after the assignment to keep playing some more over the progression but forget about all the rules. Like a reward for completing that days assignment.

    On thing I'm not sure of... straight eighths or swing eighths?

    He does write, " "Nothing" but steady eighth notes." But "steady" could refer to straight eighth notes or swing eighth notes I would thing. I did straight eighth notes.

  5. #29

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    I'm thinking I might not be able to do this. At the expectation of 50 minutes a day for 6 days, in my crazy life that's about all the time I have for music anyhow. I don't think I can spend the next 20 weeks doing nothing else.

    I might try to nibble on it a bit each day, but I can't make it the dominant project at this time.

  6. #30

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    Well the initial chord progression sounds lovely,. Can I improvise over it though. Yikes


    Sent from my Redmi Note 7 using Tapatalk

  7. #31

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    Here's a .mp3 file of Exercise 1A at 52 BPM that I exported from iReal Pro. If you have a transcription app (there are tons of free ones available), you can speed it up or slow it down to your preferred tempo.

    -Travis
    Attached Files Attached Files

  8. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by lawson-stone
    I'm thinking I might not be able to do this. At the expectation of 50 minutes a day for 6 days, in my crazy life that's about all the time I have for music anyhow. I don't think I can spend the next 20 weeks doing nothing else.

    I might try to nibble on it a bit each day, but I can't make it the dominant project at this time.
    Admittedly, 50 minutes a day is a significant time commitment to one program. I've managed to get it down to around 35-40 minutes, as I don't bother recording the chord progression daily - I just use the iReal Pro file set to the appropriate tempo.

    If you can, it still might be worth it to just devote 20 minutes a day - 10 minutes to record the changes; 10 minutes to play over them. Heck, if you use the included sound file, you could cut it down to 10 minutes a day and still get some of the Howard Roberts Super Chops mojo.

    I can continue to upload these sound files if people find them helpful - let me know, as it can be a bit of a chore to export and convert the file for uploading, and I'd rather not do it if no one wants the files. If they are helpful, however, then it's my pleasure to continue to provide them on a weekly basis.

    -Travis

  9. #33

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    Quote Originally Posted by Socraticaster
    Here's a .mp3 file of Exercise 1A at 52 BPM that I exported from iReal Pro. If you have a transcription app (there are tons of free ones available), you can speed it up or slow it down to your preferred tempo.

    -Travis
    Thanks really appreciate it

    Sent from my Redmi Note 7 using Tapatalk

  10. #34

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    Quote Originally Posted by Socraticaster
    Admittedly, 50 minutes a day is a significant time commitment to one program. I've managed to get it down to around 35-40 minutes, as I don't bother recording the chord progression daily - I just use the iReal Pro file set to the appropriate tempo.

    If you can, it still might be worth it to just devote 20 minutes a day - 10 minutes to record the changes; 10 minutes to play over them. Heck, if you use the included sound file, you could cut it down to 10 minutes a day and still get some of the Howard Roberts Super Chops mojo.

    I can continue to upload these sound files if people find them helpful - let me know, as it can be a bit of a chore to export and convert the file for uploading, and I'd rather not do it if no one wants the files. If they are helpful, however, then it's my pleasure to continue to provide them on a weekly basis.

    -Travis
    I have iReal Pro and downloaded the playlist, so that sounds like a doable plan.

    Are we uploading clips of our own improvisation on the changes?

  11. #35

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    I'm in. A bit late but I'll try to catch up.

  12. #36

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    i found this article on the web -pretty nice, although seems to be playing a different chord progression to what is in the book for 1A exercise.
    I guess its not so much the progression as how you improvise over it?

    Supercharge Your Improv Chops in Just 20 Weeks | GuitarPlayer

    i really like the chord progression in the book, and starting at 60BPM is fine for me - what is going to be hard for me is Playing uninterrupted, eighth notes over the entire recording - now thats what has go me confused !!!

    andy

  13. #37

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    Quote Originally Posted by Irishmuso
    I'm in. A bit late but I'll try to catch up.
    No worries - you only missed Day 1.

  14. #38

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    Quote Originally Posted by lawson-stone
    Are we uploading clips of our own improvisation on the changes?
    I wasn't planning on it, as I consider myself a mediocre player on my best days. However, I can see the benefit of doing so, both for the sake of self-awareness, and to inspire others.

    So, I've decided to resist to urge to indulge in more self-deprecating public assessments and just post a 1 minute section from today's SuperChops session:



    Any constructive criticism, guidance, or advice is, as always, welcome.

    -Travis

  15. #39

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    Travis, my internet is slow so I wasn't able to stream your video yet. I'll check it out later.

    I'd like to periodically post, it helps my motivation to actual create something and documents the process. So here is 1-A today at 60bpm with a BIAB backing track. I cut the video at about a minute or so, so as not to torture you all too much.

    Last edited by fep; 07-07-2021 at 05:07 PM.

  16. #40

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    Day 4 down at 56 bpm. Not much to report. Playing through the changes doesn't present a challenge at this tempo, but I do find myself tending to favor certain shapes and areas of the neck, so I'm going to concentrate on trying to break those habits going forward. I can't really say I'm making music per se, as the constant 8th notes make melodic playing a bit of a challenge, so I'm also going to try to focus on getting a bit more melody going on as I play. I think humming along might be helpful; it's not something I've ever really tried, but I've heard many people recommend it.

    I really like how this program exposes weaknesses and deficits while providing a solid foundation to work through them.

    -Travis

  17. #41

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    I was thinking the same thing, it's hard to make the exercise sound musical. I think mostly it's the constant eighth notes, really takes me out of my comfort zone.

  18. #42

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    Sorry I haven't posted in a couple of days. I went through 1B today at a leisurely 62 bpm. It was interesting - and a nice change - to play those changes in a different key. For some reason, the progression in Db led me to play very different ideas than I was playing when it was in Bb. I don't pretend to understand why that is. A fun experience, though.

    -Travis

  19. #43

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    Travis, I think playing differently for this different key is just the nature of the guitar. Imo, that's a good thing.

    I'm still on board. I am reminded why I never made it very far on this course. It doesn't start with an easy progression. Also, I feel handcuffed with the constant and nothing but picked eighth notes, reminds me of this:


  20. #44
    Hi, I have been studying this book for some time. Although not in the beginning, if not inappropriate, I would like to participate and share my experience in practice. After this Lesson 6, I will review the lessons starting with the first one, when I will be more in line with the current one.

  21. #45

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    Quote Originally Posted by mauriciopcsouza
    Hi, I have been studying this book for some time. Although not in the beginning, if not inappropriate, I would like to participate and share my experience in practice. After this Lesson 6, I will review the lessons starting with the first one, when I will be more in line with the current one.
    Sounds great. Welcome aboard!

    -Travis

  22. #46

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    I've really been enjoying this second run-through of the book - I think it helps that I just recently finished going through it a couple of months back. The format and approach of the book are still fresh in my mind so I'm free to just explore ideas while I play. I usually wait until the third 10 minute session to start trying to do more interesting things that challenge me. I end up with quite a few 'crash and burns' but it's a learning experience nonetheless. Yesterday, for instance, I went one chorus playing nothing but 8th-note octaves (playing those well has always been a weakness of mine - maybe this will help) and another chorus trying to play as many altered scale arpeggios as possible to see where and how they fit vis-a-vis tension/resolution. That will take a lot more work, as I mostly sounded like crap for that chorus.

  23. #47

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    Quote Originally Posted by Socraticaster
    I've really been enjoying this second run-through of the book - I think it helps that I just recently finished going through it a couple of months back. The format and approach of the book are still fresh in my mind so I'm free to just explore ideas while I play. I usually wait until the third 10 minute session to start trying to do more interesting things that challenge me. I end up with quite a few 'crash and burns' but it's a learning experience nonetheless. Yesterday, for instance, I went one chorus playing nothing but 8th-note octaves (playing those well has always been a weakness of mine - maybe this will help) and another chorus trying to play as many altered scale arpeggios as possible to see where and how they fit vis-a-vis tension/resolution. That will take a lot more work, as I mostly sounded like crap for that chorus.
    Playing octaves is something I seldom do, that would be a challenge over this progression.

    I have gravitated to a few things playing over the progression. Speaking over the one in Db (Db, I'm thinking that is the hardest key for me, I see something like Cb13 and my brain skips a beat, if that was written B13 no problem)

    The Db13b9 lydian dominant same as G7 altered scale, Eb#11 lydian dominant or diminished scale, Bb+7(-9) which nowadays is notated Bb7#5b9 altered scale, D7#9 diminished. I also find I like whole tone or diminished over all the altered dominants, they may run a foul of a chord tone here and there but still I like them.

    The 13th chords, I've got something that's easy and I like... You play over a major 7 chord a whole step down, emphasizing the chord tones.

    Measure 12 Eb13 for instance. This grip x.x.11.10.9.8 Dbmaj7 Db F Ab C those notes related to Eb13 are the 7th 9th 11th 13th. That's pretty cool and easy to do.

  24. #48
    Last lesson, now revisions from the beginning. I couldn't play eighth triplets this time, so did the 8th single mostly. Hope can make it in the review. In the measures of the blues scale, I felt that mixolydian sounds good. I found the contrast better than C minor flavour of the blues scale.


  25. #49

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    Quote Originally Posted by mauriciopcsouza
    Last lesson, now revisions from the beginning. I couldn't play eighth triplets this time, so did the 8th single mostly. Hope can make it in the review. In the measures of the blues scale, I felt that mixolydian sounds good. I found the contrast better than C minor flavour of the blues scale.

    You've got it down, nice tempo, not missing a note. The altered dominant lines sound real good.

  26. #50

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    I thought I should spend some times writing some lines I like (as Travis has mentioned).

    This line, mm 3-5 on page 25, is a grip I've been using for the ii V(alt) I (or i) progression. I like the way it moves from an 11th or 13th sound to a 7b9 sound. Note I'm often (most of the time) visualizing chord grips when I'm playing single note solos. This progression appears a lot (and in different keys over this song).
    Attached Images Attached Images Howard Roberts SuperChops - Summer 2021 Group-superchops-pg-25-lick-jpg