The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    Our Poll Winner for March 2016 is Skylark. Below you will find 2 backing tracks and a Lead Sheet. Both are 3 choruses with a 4 bar intro, 3 choruses and a standard ending using BIAB realtracks. One is a Bossanova and the other is a Ballad. Have fun with them!

    Wiz (Howie)

    Bossa---->Box

    Ballad---->Box


    Lead Sheet---->Box
    Last edited by wizard3739; 03-01-2016 at 12:33 AM.

  2.  

    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    I'm posting a link from our own Alainjazz to an analysis he did on Skylark.

    This link is posted with his approval, and was done by Alain as an assignment for the Jimmy Bruno Guitar Workshop.

    In terms of language used by Jimmy for his lessons, "pitch collection" means major scale and "shape 6" for example means the major scale starting on the 6th (ie Aeolian mode for those that think that way).

    I hope this is of help with this fine tune!

    Last edited by boatheelmusic; 03-01-2016 at 07:09 AM.

  4. #3

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    Pff not easy, but great song
    I don't understand the two last notes in bar 19 in the .pdf
    ,the two raised a's.
    What should I play there?

    Hans

  5. #4

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    Ok, here's my entry - a solo guitar attempt in the key of C, warts and all. Maybe I'll try one of the backing tracks later.



    Paul

  6. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by PaulD
    Ok, here's my entry - a solo guitar attempt in the key of C, warts and all. Maybe I'll try one of the backing tracks later.



    Paul
    Nice chord melody, Paul. Well done!

    wiz (Howie)

  7. #6
    destinytot Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by christianm77
    I was hoping you would do a vocal version...
    Love this song, and I think it can work well as a bossa.

  8. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by destinytot
    Love this song, and I think it can work well as a bossa.

    Definitely. Sounds great Mike!

    Have you heard Gretchen Parlato's...I think Latin is where this tune lives....


  9. #8

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    Ok you err... lucky people....

    This is a 'process' video - it's me working on the melody to Skylark so I can sing it. I want to do a finished polished version of it later, but if anyone is interested it's up here...



    A bit of a weird thing to do I know.. .

  10. #9
    destinytot Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
    Definitely. Sounds great Mike!

    Have you heard Gretchen Parlato's...I think Latin is where this tune lives....

    Thanks, Mr B. I haven't heard that, but I'll look for it (the link you posted is extinct) and perhaps buy the album. I enjoy her music a lot.

  11. #10
    destinytot Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by christianm77
    Ok you err... lucky people....

    This is a 'process' video - it's me working on the melody to Skylark so I can sing it. I want to do a finished polished version of it later, but if anyone is interested it's up here...



    A bit of a weird thing to do I know.. .
    Here's another way of going about that process. The video below is not about singing (or interpretation) but demonstrates practical chromatic solfège applied to last month's standard.

    For anyone who's interested but unfamiliar:
    diatonic note names going up or down: Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti (Do)
    chromatic note names going up: Di Ri Fi Si Li (sounds like 'dee, ree, fee, see. lee')
    chromatic note names going down: Te Le Se Me Ra (sounds like 'tay, lay, say, may, rah')

  12. #11
    destinytot Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by PaulD
    Ok, here's my entry - a solo guitar attempt in the key of C, warts and all. Maybe I'll try one of the backing tracks later.



    Paul
    Wonderfully joyful playing, such a pleasure to listen to - thank you!

  13. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by destinytot
    Thanks, Mr B. I haven't heard that, but I'll look for it (the link you posted is extinct) and perhaps buy the album. I enjoy her music a lot.
    Interesting, link works here...maybe it's one of those "which side of the pond" situations...

    At any rate, all her stuff is worth owning, for sure.

  14. #13
    destinytot Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by christianm77
    Only I use numbers, which are a bit more cumbersome....
    I've used numbers for years, but this is literally an 'ear-opener'.

    When I posted, I was asked what the benefits are. I couldn't offer a good answer then, and I still can't now. 'Better' lines, for starters - a minefield. Easier to answer the question "What makes you feel like doing stuff like that?"

  15. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by fuzzthebee
    Really nice, Paul. I chose the key of C for this one, as well.
    Mike
    Thanks Mike. I’ve played this in other keys, usually in Eb or F, but I like it in C for some reason when I play it solo.

    Quote Originally Posted by wizard3739
    Nice chord melody, Paul. Well done!
    wiz (Howie)
    Thank you Howie, and thanks for doing these threads!

    Quote Originally Posted by destinytot
    Wonderfully joyful playing, such a pleasure to listen to - thank you!
    Thanks Mike! I really enjoyed your version as well. I may have to borrow some of your chordal ideas. Man, I wish I could sing like you. I’m always a sucker for Johnny Mercer lyrics.

    Quote Originally Posted by christianm77
    ....This is a 'process' video - it's me working on the melody to Skylark so I can sing it. I want to do a finished polished version of it later, but if anyone is interested it's up here...
    Christian, thanks for sharing your process

    Paul
    Last edited by PaulD; 03-03-2016 at 09:35 AM.

  16. #15

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    "I think there are some moments of sheer beauty in your solo."

    Compliment well taken.
    Thank you.
    Hans

  17. #16

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    Cool playing all...

    Just wanted to clean up the analysis....

    keep it simple... the tune is A A B A, right. very standard. And each section has a micro version of the same harmonic pattern for organization.

    The "A" sections are in Eb, the I or Tonic chord and the bridge or "B" section goes to the IV chord or Ab

    The rest is just filler chord patterns...

    The basic harmonic organization of the tune... is Tonic to Sub Dominant or Eb to Ab

    Eb6 F-7 G-7 Abma7 It's as diatonic as it looks Ima6 II-7 III-7 IVma7... so T SD T SD next two bars,
    Ebma7 A7 Abma7 G-7 Ima7 subV7/IVma7 IVma7 III-7 ...

    C-7 F7 F-7 Bb7 is just V7/V7 V7 with related II-7's... The C-7 can have dual function as VI-7 and related II-7 of F7,
    which if you add G7altered on beat 4 of bar 4... you create V7 of VI-7 or the relative Minor...anyway then
    Eb6 C-7 F-7 Bb7 or standard I VI II V turnaround.

    The second ending is a filler and Bb-7 Eb7 or V/IV with related II-7 and the "B" section modulated to Ab...

    I VI II V then G-7b5 C7b9 or II V of relative VI-7.... F-7 bVI7 and II-7 V7 of again IV... Abmaj7.

    Then a vanilla use of blue notes in Gmaj or IIImaj7, like a brief modulation, and then V7/I or Bb7 to last "A" section.

    Don't see more than what's there... very diatonic and vanilla with last two bars of the "B" section ... modulating to Gmaj... to use blue notes... G-7 or III-7 was diatonic or Tonic function to begin with.

  18. #17
    This piece isn't terribly difficult getting under the fingers. I'm having a lot of trouble "hearing" it though. I know I just need a few more reps to really "get it"...but that's all I'm doing for tonight.

    Haven't decided if I prefer the bossa or the ballad version better...it's about 50/50 at the moment.

    As a side note, the reason people can't download the files is because you're bandwidth-limited on that site...I'm guessing they shut down the links after so many outside-source downloads. Might be helpful to upload it somewhere else as well if you can (soundcloud, soundclick, dropbox, etc). I would really like to be able to throw it into my DAW so I can change tempo, keys, etc as needed (not that it's really needed at the moment).

    Hopefully by the end of this week I'll have a passable take on the intro, melody, and B section at least.

  19. #18

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    I couldn't resist an other take. Now with video. Bad camera though and synchronization isn't optimal.



    Hans

    Edit: I used a better video editor. Now the sound is much better.
    Last edited by Hatim; 03-14-2016 at 07:22 AM.

  20. #19

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    @Hatim, What brand of guitar is that?

    BTW, your tone is great and excellent playing.

  21. #20

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    "@Hatim, What brand of guitar is that? "

    Hi edh, Thanks.
    I played a Martin OOO28 EC. More a country guitar than a jazz guitar. I am suprised myself with the result.

    Hans

  22. #21

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    Here are my two entries for the month.

    Both trios, but different players. The first is with a couple of young (<30) guys, we played through the tunes/arrangements from the Jim Hall Live recording
    this morning before we recorded this, so I was going for a Jim Hall vibe. You experts can tell me if I got anywhere close to his sound. This is on the Painter 175 copy.

    SoundClick artist: Paul Kirk - page with MP3 music downloads


    The other is from a wallpaper trio gig last night with a couple of old (>60) guys, a bit more swinging, but perhaps not as "artsy". The Painter P15 on this gig.

    SoundClick artist: Paul Kirk - page with MP3 music downloads

    In case you are wondering, I'm 55....I guess that makes me an old guy.

    PS Comments, criticisms, comparisons always welcome.
    Last edited by pkirk; 03-11-2016 at 07:23 PM.

  23. #22
    dortmundjazzguitar Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by pkirk
    Here are my two entries for the month.

    Both trios, but different players. The first is with a couple of young (<30) guys, we played through the tunes/arrangements from the Jim Hall Live recording
    this morning before we recorded this, so I was going for a Jim Hall vibe. You experts can tell me if I got anywhere close to his sound. This is on the Painter 175 copy.

    SoundClick artist: Paul Kirk - page with MP3 music downloads


    The other is from a wallpaper trio gig last night with a couple of old (>60) guys, a bit more swinging, but perhaps not as "artsy". The Painter P15 on this gig.

    SoundClick artist: Paul Kirk - page with MP3 music downloads

    In case you are wondering, I'm 55....I guess that makes me an old guy.

    PS Comments, criticisms, comparisons always welcome.
    i loved no.2. you really worked the melody in a confident style that i find very enjoyable.

  24. #23

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    Both versions are very nice, Paul. I think I liked the second one best because it was a bit more melodic than the first one. The performance was excellent and the originality was there for both versions. Wonderful to listen to!

    wiz (Howie)

  25. #24

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    A lovely song, but I have nothing to offer, so please accept this


  26. #25
    I know others have posted their analyses, but I'm going to post mine for review / critiquing of this particular arrangement.

    This is the harmonic / chordal analysis only. I haven't really looked at the melody yet.

    Intro: Ima7 | V7(b9)/ii | ii9 | bII9(#11)

    Analysis: In a nutshell, a variation on a I-vi-ii-V. The V7(b9) / ii is a secondary dominant that resolves nicely to the ii9 in the third measure. You could also call it a VI7(b9), but I think it makes more theoretical sense as a secondary dominant. The 4th measure is a tritone substitution. It's written as a raised I chord instead of a flattened 2 simply for simplicity's sake...Fb is a much more uncomfortable-looking chord than E. I rendered it as a bII, however, since that is how you would normally render a tritone sub.



    A section: Ima7 iim7 | iiim7 IVma7 | Ima7 iiim7 | IVma7 iiim7 vim7 | iim7 | V7/V V7 |

    Analysis: Breaking it down, it's a couple of more familiar progressions linked together. You have a diatonic walk from the I to the IV in the first 2 bars, and it *almost* repeats again, but skips the ii chord this time, and again resolves to the IV. The second familiar progression is the typical iii-vi-ii-V, with a V7/V thrown in to extend the progression a half-measure.



    First ending: Ima7 vim7 | biii° iim7 V7 |

    Analysis: Another familiar progression with a twist. I-vi-ii-V. The biii° acts in this case as a sort of tritone sub resolving to the iim7.



    Second ending: Ima7 bII6 | I6 iim7/IV V7/IV |

    Analysis: Basically a I-V-I, leading to a ii-V-I in the new key (the IV of the original key, Ab in this case) to smooth out the modulation.



    B section: Ima7 bii° | iim7 V7 | Ima7 iim7(b5)/V | iim7(b5)/vi V7/vi | vim7 |

    iim7 V7(#5) Ima7 | I6/VII vim7/VII | (V7/V)/VII V7/VIII Ima7/VII V7 |

    Analysis: Now it's really starting to get interesting. To begin with, the B section modulates up a fourth to Ab. We start with a I-tritone sub-ii-V-I, pretty straightforward. Then we encounter an oddity: a pair of half-diminished passing chords, the iim7(b5) of V followed by the same of vi, leading to a V7/vi. The cool thing here is, tonically speaking, they themselves move in a ii-V-I (D-G-C), with the "I" itself being the V7 of the next chord, Fm7. Next, we have another ii-V-I movement, the only thing special here is the V7(#5) chord, which gives a smooth chromatic movement (Bb-B-Ab).

    This is where things dramatically shift. To me, it's easier to render it / think about it this way: we suddenly perform a temporary modulation to the key of G, which would normally be the vii of Ab Major. However, in this case it's actually the key of G major, which is why I rendered it as VII (normally a very odd. That places the movement nicely within our typical realm of understanding: I-vi-(ii)-V-I. The ii is replaced with yet another secondary dominant, the V7/V. It finishes with a nice, normal V7 of the original key, which leads back into the A section again.



    The rest of the piece is pretty much a repeat of the first passes through A, except for the last 4 measures:

    Ima7 bII6 V7(b9) | I6...

    We've seen this before (or something very similar) in the transition from the intro to the beginning of the A section. I-tritone sub-V7-I. The whole things ends pretty uneventfully on a I6 chord.

    I have to admit, this one threw me some curves, but I think I'm finally starting to understand it. I want to look at the melody next, and them map out the movements of the all-important 3rds and 7ths.

    I'll post up a pic of the hand-written analysis sheet in a bit.