Adding Chords When Soloing

**JPMike** · 03-13-2016, 09:46 PM

Hey guys,

I want to start adding chords when improvising to imply the harmony. Not random free impro, but when I am playing on time, with or without an ensemble.

How would you start? Any tips?

Thanks,
Mike

**jordanklemons** · 03-13-2016, 10:34 PM

I always recommend to start by working on tunes. Practicing playing a tune by yourself with no backing track. Practice being able to play the melody in time and with strong phrasing as a single note line. Then practice filling in the empty spaces between the phrases with whatever small chord stabs line up with form during the silent moments.

There are other ways to approach this type of playing, but I think this is the simplest and most direct approach.

**matt.guitarteacher** · 03-13-2016, 11:13 PM

The integration of the two skills is really its own discipline and can be as simple as working whatever vocabulary you're developing in the following way:

1) play the vocabulary beginning with a chord as the "first note" in the line.
2) play the vocabulary with the chord as the melodic target at the end of the line. Everything about the technique is a variation if these 2 articulations basically.

Also, practice whatever vocabulary ideas you're working on all parts of the beat: on, before, and after. Once you learn to do it, you start to articulate chords more just wherever you hear them, without thinking so much, and not only on the lines you worked on in that way specifically.

I kind of discovered this by accident, when working on something a year or so ago. I'm not a great player by any means, but I can now integrate whatever chords and soloing ideas which I can otherwise play independently. Now, I just need to get the independent aspects together more. :-)

Good luck.

**christianm77** · 03-14-2016, 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by jordanklemons

I always recommend to start by working on tunes. Practicing playing a tune by yourself with no backing track. Practice being able to play the melody in time and with strong phrasing as a single note line. Then practice filling in the empty spaces between the phrases with whatever small chord stabs line up with form during the silent moments.

There are other ways to approach this type of playing, but I think this is the simplest and most direct approach.

Obv. you have to make sure there is some empty space between your phrases to begin with.

**jordanklemons** · 03-14-2016, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by christianm77

Obv. you have to make sure there is some empty space between your phrases to begin with.

Yeah, I should have clarified. When I said playing a tune, I literally meant playing a tune. Not improvising over it, or blowing over the changes. I mean actually play the melody, a lot. And fill in the gaps with the moving harmony.

This sort of takes care of the phrases so you don't have to worry about that. You can just focus on actually playing in that way. And then over time, as you do that type of playing enough over enough tunes, that phrasing and that back and forth between chords and single note melody lines starts to just get comfortable and allow for more improvisational freedom.

**lawson-stone** · 03-14-2016, 03:58 PM

In a personal letter to me shortly before his death, Joe Pass wrote:

"Playing the tune itself is a great idea. The melody will become part of your musical vocabulary. I would play and did play the melody and improvise between the phrases, always getting back to the melody. Later I would change the melody."

Sounds like what Jordan is suggesting. Play the melody, use the spaces as openings to fill and improvise.

**jordanklemons** · 03-14-2016, 08:27 PM

Wow, Lawson... is there a thread on the forum where you talk more about this letter? And whatever your relationship with JP was that caused him to write it? I'd love to know more about the backstory and what he said to you. Would you be willing to upload a copy of it? Blurring out any personal stuff of course.

And yes... that's what I meant regarding the tune.

**lawson-stone** · 03-14-2016, 10:43 PM

Originally Posted by jordanklemons

Wow, Lawson... is there a thread on the forum where you talk more about this letter? And whatever your relationship with JP was that caused him to write it? I'd love to know more about the backstory and what he said to you. Would you be willing to upload a copy of it? Blurring out any personal stuff of course.

And yes... that's what I meant regarding the tune.

I had an article in the Just Jazz Guitar issue that was the Joe Pass tribute. I've attached the PDF below. I also had a shorter remembrance of him published in Acoustic Guitar magazine shortly after Joe's death. I had the privilege of attending Joe's funeral and briefly became acquainted with Ellen.

**AlsoRan** · 03-14-2016, 11:01 PM

Is this what you are after, JP Mike?

**matt.guitarteacher** · 03-14-2016, 11:32 PM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

I had an article in the Just Jazz Guitar issue that was the Joe Pass tribute. I've attached the PDF below. I also had a shorter remembrance of him published in Acoustic Guitar magazine shortly after Joe's death. I had the privilege of attending Joe's funeral and briefly became acquainted with Ellen.

Very cool, Lawson. Thanks for posting.

**NSJ** · 03-15-2016, 12:09 AM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

I had an article in the Just Jazz Guitar issue that was the Joe Pass tribute. I've attached the PDF below. I also had a shorter remembrance of him published in Acoustic Guitar magazine shortly after Joe's death. I had the privilege of attending Joe's funeral and briefly became acquainted with Ellen.

I don't read JJG, but I think my teacher had an article about Joe in a 1996 JJG issue. I wonder if there was one big tribute issue in which multiple people wrote articles about him ? My teacher was very close to Joe, they regarded each other like brothers, and he was a pallbearer at his funeral .

If there was such a special tribute issue, is it possible to obtain it? Even as a PDF ? Thanks.

**cosmic gumbo** · 03-15-2016, 03:04 AM

As far as adding chords, you can look over a tune and target some chords in advance, planning which ones to use and when.

**christianm77** · 03-15-2016, 06:15 AM

Originally Posted by lawson-stone

I had an article in the Just Jazz Guitar issue that was the Joe Pass tribute. I've attached the PDF below. I also had a shorter remembrance of him published in Acoustic Guitar magazine shortly after Joe's death. I had the privilege of attending Joe's funeral and briefly became acquainted with Ellen.

Great article man,thanks for sharing.

**lawson-stone** · 03-15-2016, 07:21 AM

Originally Posted by NSJ

I don't read JJG, but I think my teacher had an article about Joe in a 1996 JJG issue. I wonder if there was one big tribute issue in which multiple people wrote articles about him ? My teacher was very close to Joe, they regarded each other like brothers, and he was a pallbearer at his funeral .

If there was such a special tribute issue, is it possible to obtain it? Even as a PDF ? Thanks.

Yes-as I noted, it was the "Joe Pass Tribute" issue. Many ver moving articles. Mine was mainly a thematic skeleton for presenting as many direct quotations of Joe's letters as possible.

**rcpj** · 03-15-2016, 04:42 PM

Thanks for sharing this article - great to read..I was lucky enough to get to see a solo gig once by Joe in Toronto about a year or so before he died..a memorable and very inspiring experience for me.. One of the best ever..

**JPMike** · 03-15-2016, 04:43 PM

I am trying to be able to add chords whenever I can when soloing

**matt.guitarteacher** · 03-16-2016, 12:27 AM

Originally Posted by jordanklemons

I always recommend to start by working on tunes.

Originally Posted by JPMike

I am trying to be able to add chords whenever I can when soloing

Mike, Jordan does a particularly excellent job with this technique, by the way. I think maybe he ought to post something. It's been a little while , hey Jordan? :-)

Things seem slow anyway.

**jordanklemons** · 03-16-2016, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by matt.guitarteacher

Mike, Jordan does a particularly excellent job with this technique, by the way. I think maybe he ought to post something. It's been a little while , hey Jordan? :-)

Things seem slow anyway.

Thanks Matt. I'm a little embarrassed to admit this (especially on a jazz guitar forum), but for a couple different personal reasons, I stopped playing guitar for about he last 2-2.5 months. Aside from using it to teach, I literally stopped picking it up. Not thrilled about it, but it needed to happen. Ironically enough, this last Monday I finally got to the point of needing to play again. Suffice to say, I'm a little too rusty to be able to demo ANYTHING right now! Hahahaha

It actually feels really weird. I feel more connected and personal about every note. But my muscle memory and technique are shot. But it feels like, because I can't rely on any muscle memory, that I am just able to play exactly what's in my heart and mind. It's sort of terrible and sort of great at the same time. I need a few weeks of work to get back to where I should be.

But I can share this video. It's not 100% the exact thing you're asking about Mike, but very similar and related. I wanted to work on my ability to play bebop tunes as a solo guitarist and came up with some strategies for accomplishing that effectively... one of which was to fill in the empty space of the melody with comping. For what it sounds like you're after Mike (and especially since I've never heard you and don't know where you are with your playing) I wouldn't recommend jumping straight into bop tunes for this practice. I would recommend slower tunes with simpler phrases for a while. But this is a related practice I'm after here.

**christianm77** · 03-16-2016, 06:57 PM

Good to grab a break, man. Nothing to be embarrassed about. I feel like I've come close to what are talking about myself, usually just a few days but I could imagine stopping for a month or two if It stopped being fun.

Felt that the other day tbh. Now I'm away, no guitar till Friday. Great.

If you aren't feeling it, no point forcing it... The desire to play has to come from the right place or it's far worse than not playing.

I know some amazing musicians who burned out. Didn't know when to stop driving themselves. 10 hour a day cats. I know one guy who is now a police detective. Finds it less stressful than playing jazz.

I'm inferring your reasons here obv. Might not be that at all.. But nonetheless it's something to bear in mind for the more driven players out there...

**cosmic gumbo** · 03-17-2016, 01:12 AM

Originally Posted by christianm77

The desire to play has to come from the right place or it's far worse than not playing.
..

.....really?....fact, observation, opinion, or bs?

destinytot · 03-17-2016, 02:25 AM

Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo

.....really?....fact, observation, opinion, or bs?

"I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself." Not even a cat.

**jordanklemons** · 03-17-2016, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by christianm77

Good to grab a break, man. Nothing to be embarrassed about. I feel like I've come close to what are talking about myself, usually just a few days but I could imagine stopping for a month or two if It stopped being fun.

Felt that the other day tbh. Now I'm away, no guitar till Friday. Great.

If you aren't feeling it, no point forcing it... The desire to play has to come from the right place or it's far worse than not playing.

I know some amazing musicians who burned out. Didn't know when to stop driving themselves. 10 hour a day cats. I know one guy who is now a police detective. Finds it less stressful than playing jazz.

I'm inferring your reasons here obv. Might not be that at all.. But nonetheless it's something to bear in mind for the more driven players out there...

Yeah, there's a couple different things going on right now... that's about the most I want to say in such a public 'forum' about it. If we were hanging over a beer, I might be willing to get more personal... though honestly, I'm not hanging with people over beers either.

But either way, your inference isn't completely off for part of what's happening. I spent 2.5 years in my masters program studying with some many of the heaviest cats there are and REALLY pushing myself like I never have before. Was so worth it. But I definitely came out of it just wanting to be a normal human being again for a little while. So that is part of what's happening... and then other things.

Anyways, thanks so much for the support and encouragement. Very much appreciated. I'm still driven to work on my music in different ways. Just not practicing or sitting with the guitar. But I mixed my album and have been working a couple projects unrelated to actually holding my girl in my hands.

I generally take a good week off every 1-2 years and find it so helpful. But 2.5 months is a bit more than I've ever found necessary. Until now.

**mr. beaumont** · 03-17-2016, 11:11 AM

I'm not good enough to take that long off, but getting away for a few days here and there is never bad...or even just tackling something different.

I was hitting a wall with my jazz playing this fall, and got a call for a gig--60's soul music, 20 songs to learn, I only knew about two. Had about 2 weeks to get it together...it was VERY good for my playing.

**jordanklemons** · 03-17-2016, 11:37 AM

Yes Jeff!!! So yes!

I toured with an Americana, southern rock group. All basic, diatonic chord progressions. Mostly pentatonic stuff. But it actually was extremely helpful to my jazz playing. Learning to hear those simpler melodies and to have a little more taste with how I interact with the music was really helpful to my ability to play jazz.

But yeah, I'm not going to pretend to be thrilled about 2.5 months. I was expecting it to be a week or two. It's just had to turn into more. I'm hoping to get back to it soon. I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to be able to afford to live in NYC and I would LOVE to be out there gigging and playing sessions and meeting guys while I'm here.

But you know... you can only do what you can do.

destinytot · 03-17-2016, 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by jordanklemons

Yes Jeff!!! So yes!

I toured with an Americana, southern rock group. All basic, diatonic chord progressions. Mostly pentatonic stuff. But it actually was extremely helpful to my jazz playing. Learning to hear those simpler melodies and to have a little more taste with how I interact with the music was really helpful to my ability to play jazz.

But yeah, I'm not going to pretend to be thrilled about 2.5 months. I was expecting it to be a week or two. It's just had to turn into more. I'm hoping to get back to it soon. I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to be able to afford to live in NYC and I would LOVE to be out there gigging and playing sessions and meeting guys while I'm here.

But you know... you can only do what you can do.

Just a thought, but have you considered starting your own school... in Spain? (Yes, I am serious.)