Solo Jazz Guitar Technique - comping for yourself etc..

[alltunes]

This is the style I'm most interested in...when you just play a tune; play some melody, play some leads punctuate with some chord stabs even add some more traditional "chord melody" passages here and there. The Davy Mooney video below is the style I'm talking about. He explains his methodology starting at around 7:25 and he has some great tips. I like his comment to have a guide tone line in mind, dynamics to make it come alive etc... Bill Frisell is another master at self accompaniment. And Joe Pass of course. I realize that this involves a lot of trial and error and endless playing and experimenting (which is why it appeals to me). Anyway anybody have any insights, tips and or resources to share regarding this style?

[AllanAllen]

I would say start with blues tunes. Comin' Home Baby, Dig Dis, Moanin, Sidewinder, All Blues. These all have a strong call and response feel. Which is what you'll expand upon.

It was really hard working out Autumn Leaves and All of Me, then I did the bluesy ones above and it went from mental exercise to playing music.

[deacon Mark]

I come from the Joe Pass school and really it is all about knowing the melody of the tune perfect. I add chords at the same time but keep it simple at first. When in doubt or getting into trouble go back to the basic stock block-chord melody. Then in the turnaround especially if the note hangs as they do then work a chord sequence and keep note on top but move chord. Sometimes you can simply break up a section and do a walking bass accompanied sequence.

If you take a tune like Bernies Tune. The B section is simply the rhythm changes so you can blow a bit and almost forget the melody, yet you will still hear. Another thing is you really have to use hybrid picking, fingers and pick, then be able to go to fingers only. For myself if my nails are in great shape, I the sound better and much more productive. Resist the urge to make a complicated arrangement until you know the tune so well that you are completely bored to death. Once I get to that point then the mind opens up because it is bored and wants a challenge. I hope that made some sense.

Think of arps, as you play the tune and always think about moving 1/2 step up and down. It makes smoother transition. Finally, sometimes I simply keep the bass note thumping for pulse like on Cherokee.

[James W]

These books may be of interest/use - Martin Taylor Beyond Chord Melody: Master Jazz Guitar Chord Melody with Virtuoso Martin Taylor MBE (Learn How to Play Jazz Guitar) : Taylor, Martin, Alexander, Joseph: Amazon.co.uk: Books

Martin Taylor Walking Bass For Jazz Guitar: Learn to Masterfully Combine Jazz Chords with Walking Basslines (Learn How to Play Jazz Guitar) : Taylor, Martin, Alexander, Joseph, Pettingale, Tim: Amazon.co.uk: Books

(You can get these two books as part of a combined book which also features Martin Taylor's book on single-line soloing).

I have worked my way through some of Beyond Chord Melody, and it is useful - also, through practising the exercises it contains, it'll strengthen your fingerstyle technique. I admit, I haven't yet got round to applying the information to my own arrangements. It's not a harmony textbook, but rather deals with fretboard knowledge and organisation, and how that interacts with musical texture - he's quite keen to get you to play for example tenths with different fingerings so as to enable you to play different things between the notes that form the tenth. Can give you some recommendations regarding harmony books for solo guitar if you like...

[Jimmy Smith]

Yeah beautiful performance. This is also what I'm focusing on. What he said. It's melody, chord, and bass. Isolate them and work on them 1 at a time. Then work on combining them in performance. Do you know how to create adequate to interesting parts out of each? I can break each down for you if you're interested in my post. Not going to type a novel otherwise. Also you have to get it worked into your facility so you can execute everything in time or it won't be effective. Looping simple chord progressions/exercises helps with this like 2 / 5 / 1 / 3 6. Or even a single chord.

[Guitlifer]

This is the style I'm most interested in...when you just play a tune; play some melody, play some leads punctuate with some chord stabs even add some more traditional "chord melody" passages here and there. I realize that this involves a lot of trial and error and endless playing and experimenting (which is why it appeals to me). Anyway anybody have any insights, tips, resources....

I'm heading down this rabbit hole myself, having recently played my first ever solo gigs. I'm still very much in the trial, error, endless playing stage.

I've purchased several courses from Truefire over the last few years that have tons of info that can be applied:

Sean Mcgowan: Creative Jazz Comping and Solo Fingerstyle Jazz Survival Guide
Tim Lerch: Solo Jazz Pathways
Martin Taylor: Dimensions of Solo Jazz Guitar
Diego Figuerido: Brazilian Jazz Guitarra
Fareed Haque: Solo Guitar Handbook
Tommy Emmanuel: Fingerstyle Milestones and Fingerstyle Breakthroughs
Frank Vignola: 123 Chord Melody
Pat Martino: The Nature of Guitar
Jake Reichbart: How to Arrange Any Song for Solo Guitar (Direct from JR, not Truefire)

There is years of material here to digest, from basics to the mastery of individual styles and approaches. Learning and internalizing tunes and studying and applying the concepts in these lessons, I'm slowly getting a handle on solo playing. I'm retired so have the time to spend, but unfortunately won't live long enough to master all the possibilities shown in these lessons!

Enjoy the ride!

[John A.]

When playing solo and trying to keep some sort of harmony going many of us have a tendency to prioritize hitting the chord over hitting the melody note in time. E.g., in order to hit the bass note and that hip voicing on the beat, you can't quite get to the melody note in time, so you play it late. It's ok (and inevitable) for that to happen some of the time, and if it's not too far off it can sound like an intentional effect. But if you do it consistently it can make the melody sound choppy and disjointed. So I try to focus on keeping the melody together, and if that means the chords and bass notes are more more sporadic, so be it.

[alltunes]

Yeah beautiful performance. This is also what I'm focusing on. What he said. It's melody, chord, and bass. Isolate them and work on them 1 at a time. Then work on combining them in performance. Do you know how to create adequate to interesting parts out of each? I can break each down for you if you're interested in my post. Not going to type a novel otherwise. Also you have to get it worked into your facility so you can execute everything in time or it won't be effective. Looping simple chord progressions/exercises helps with this like 2 / 5 / 1 / 3 6. Or even a single chord.

Yes I can sort of do it but it is slow going. But I gotta say that sitting with a lead sheet and trying to put together something is my of my favorite things to do with a guitar. I’ve been penciling guide tone notes here and there just to remember some ideas. I’m not sure any of this can be found in a book or online course. You just gotta do it for yourself I suppose.

We can always use a reminder that melody is the most important thing.

For me Frisell is the master at creating the illusion of something very big with a few notes.

Thanks everyone for replying.

[alltunes]

Speaking of Frisell I found the thread below. Post #15 has a PDF of Bill’s handwritten lead sheet for the Beach Boys tune Surfer Girl as well as a transcription of him playing the tune. It has been interesting comparing the two to see how Bill fleshes out the melody.

Bill Frisell approach - the melody not chords