Easy Guide to Chord Melody and Chord Soloing

[m78w]

Hey, if you're going to use hybrid then your pinky is best on those upper notes. I would use pick-middle for two note chords, pick-middle-ring for 3 note, and pick-middle-ring-pinky for 4 note chords.

hope that helps.

[NSJ]

Warning: esoteric fingerpicking right hand Discussion

I use use strictly fingers, PIMA---hybrid picking is really hard for me and just feels so off . I really admire people who can do it . I think it's because I never use the C finger (pinky). I thought about why I fail miserably at hybrid picking, and part of it is because I never learn to use the C, and part of it is because it creates a heightened tension in the hand , grasping the pick with the PI seems to increase the tension in the M-A-C. For me, fingers only (PIMA) feels so much more relaxed and without tension. Which is 80% of the battle

I was speaking strictly in terms of alternating I-M for lines . Which seems to be the default setting. Find that people use either the I-M or P-I as their go to fingering for lines . Clearly you can use M-A or even I-A, but it seems this usage is not as prevalent. The problem arises when you play three notes on one string and then cross to the next string.

String 1 ---I-M-I

string 2 -- ideally should strictly alternate, so M-I-M-I etc. The problem arises is when you repeat the I-M-I pattern with string one . You are repeating the I , which should not be done . Obviously the work around is to slur the last note of the first string . I-M-slur. Which frees up the next string to use the I-M again. Or you can just use IMA for triplets which would free you to use IM for 8th notes on the next string over

The thumb (P) can be repeated ad nausea, but it seems that unless slurs are used, The rest of the fingers should alternate , if they are paired .

So ultimately it's just down to sloppiness. Which happens and we should be always cognizant of. . At least to me in my case.

[mrdouaire]

Hey, if you're going to use hybrid then your pinky is best on those upper notes. I would use pick-middle for two note chords, pick-middle-ring for 3 note, and pick-middle-ring-pinky for 4 note chords.

hope that helps.

Thanks!IThinkI'llBeStuckOnThisPortionForSomeTime.A lsoNotSureWhyMySpacebarDoesntWork-ThisFeelsLikeASillyHashtag.

[mr. beaumont]

Warning: esoteric fingerpicking right hand Discussion

I use use strictly fingers, PIMA---hybrid picking is really hard for me and just feels so off . I really admire people who can do it . I think it's because I never use the C finger (pinky). I thought about why I fail miserably at hybrid picking, and part of it is because I never learn to use the C, and part of it is because it creates a heightened tension in the hand , grasping the pick with the PI seems to increase the tension in the M-A-C. For me, fingers only (PIMA) feels so much more relaxed and without tension. Which is 80% of the battle

I was speaking strictly in terms of alternating I-M for lines . Which seems to be the default setting. Find that people use either the I-M or P-I as their go to fingering for lines . Clearly you can use M-A or even I-A, but it seems this usage is not as prevalent. The problem arises when you play three notes on one string and then cross to the next string.

String 1 ---I-M-I

string 2 -- ideally should strictly alternate, so M-I-M-I etc. The problem arises is when you repeat the I-M-I pattern with string one . You are repeating the I , which should not be done . Obviously the work around is to slur the last note of the first string . I-M-slur. Which frees up the next string to use the I-M again. Or you can just use IMA for triplets which would free you to use IM for 8th notes on the next string over

The thumb (P) can be repeated ad nausea, but it seems that unless slurs are used, The rest of the fingers should alternate , if they are paired .

So ultimately it's just down to sloppiness. Which happens and we should be always cognizant of. . At least to me in my case.

I like Nelsons take on it. Not classical technique, but I think he's got the fingerstyle for jazz thing figured out as good as anyone.

[NSJ]

Ya, the M-I-P combination for three notes per string one that I haven't really tried . He's right in that PI and IM are the general combinations for lines -- Sylvain Courtney generally uses IM most of the time and he's about as fast as I've heard as a finger style jazz guitarist .

The one finger per string for arpeggios is pretty standard classical technique .

It's a big trade off: contrapuntal possibilities versus lines and feel . John Williams posited that the fingers can never have the true pendulum like quality of the pick for a percussive music like Jazz, therefore sacrificing the feel. Conversely, when Jimmy Weible was first contemplating his two line contrapuntal concepts-- after playing a lot of western swing starting out --- he had a long series of discussions with my teacher, who convinced him that Jimmy really needed to study classical right hand technique and classical guitar . Which he wound up agreeing and doing eventually , Studying with that Brazilian guy in LA who played with the modern Jazz Quartet whose name I always forget . I don't know if Jimmy ever returned to the pick again. The videos you see him playing as an older man are all finger style .

I know I eventually have to study hybrid picking, that seems to be the best happy medium for Jazz, maintaining the feel and pendulum like rhythmic quality that one only gets with the pick, while allowing for genuine contrapuntal opportunities, assuming that the pinky can be mastered And brought into play .

That's why Pascuale Grasso is the man for me -- his chuck Wayne-like hybrid picking is mind blowing.

[goldenwave77]

...when Jimmy Weible was first contemplating his two line contrapuntal concepts-- after playing a lot of western swing starting out --- he had a long series of discussions with my teacher, who convinced him that Jimmy really needed to study classical right hand technique and classical guitar . Which he wound up agreeing and doing eventually , Studying with that Brazilian guy in LA who played with the modern Jazz Quartet whose name I always forget .

Baden-Powell (?!)

Anyway, interesting discussion. I think a lot of bop lines might be easier with fingerstyle, because of the large leaps in the lines... octave inversions, etc.

[christianm77]

Laurindo Almeida presumably?

[va3ux]

Just downloaded my copy. Well done. Definitely worth the price.

[NSJ]

Laurindo Almeida presumably?

OK I Googled that's the one. I get him confused, name wise, with the guy who's living now who has done the endorsements for Sadowsky guitars, among other instruments

[christianm77]

[mr. beaumont]

His record with Getz is great.

[rcpj]

Baden-Powell (?!)

Anyway, interesting discussion. I think a lot of bop lines might be easier with fingerstyle, because of the large leaps in the lines... octave inversions, etc.

Yes, if you have a solid right hand foundation and system, bop lines can be executed with same ease as with a pick..more scope for better quality tone, articulation and individual sound with fingers IMO too..large and quickly executed intervallic leaps definitely easier..

[NSJ]

Incidentally, Baden Powell is one of my favorite musicians of any genre. He was the reason I said, fuck it, and dropped the pick altogether.

One of these days, when I have time, I'm going to sit down and listen to all of the CDs I have of his in that import box I bought many years ago.

[goldenwave77]

xx

[goldenwave77]

I always wondered what Simon Cowell's father, i.e. the commentator, looked like. Now I know.

[Tomcat]

interesting book, shall try it some day next year

[rob taft]

NSJ: Probably the great Laurindo Almeida. My biggest problem with hybrid picking is involving the pinky and getting a tonal balance between the pick and the finger.

[PaulHintz]

Matt,
Just purchased my copy. Splendid book. Something(s) for everyone! For instance: I've been playing fingerstyle/chord-melody for a long time but there's always something to work on...I haven't performed with a flatpick for 25 years, but I've always used some version of a thumbpick. Never been happy with the imbalance between that and the bare fingers. Finally took off the thumbpick for good a year ago but am still adapting to the bare thumb, especially on single-line playing. Classical methods address this, of course, but so much of that standard technique is about the use of nails and the approach to scales/chords is quite different (IME)..Anyway. Your book has this very clear section of drills and such. Much appreciated. And I'm sure the later chapters will challenge, inspire, and inform. Well done!

[m78w]

Thanks Paul, glad you dig the book! It was fun working with Greg on this project. Keep at it, the later chapters are challenging but fun for sure.

[TedBPhx]

Just downloaded this as a Christmas present for me. Thank you! Not ashamed to admit this is exactly what I need. A quick perusal reveals an extremely well produced learning tool that will give hours of enjoyment. Downloaded to my iPad with no issues, PDF to iBook and audio to GoodReader. The links from the PDF to the web hosted audio work fine. Again, Thank You and Happy Holidays!

[m78w]

Thanks, glad you dig the book. Have fun with it and have a great Christmas.

[Petimar]

Wonderful job on this book!!!

[m78w]

For those on reddit, there's a study group starting up for this book if you want to check it out.

Easy Guide to Chord Melody - Can we make a study thread on this? : jazzguitar

[Greg O'Rourke]

Well I blew through the first 60 pages in no time. I was wondering why it started out so basic, but then I realized that there's about 5 billion plectrum picking threads on this site, and you can count all the entire P-I-M-A threads on your P-I-M-A.

It makes perfect sense why it starts out so basic, people have no clue how to properly use the fingers and that that has to be conditioned and built-up, step-by-step . What may be perceived as easy and basic is actually a very thorough way of learning to do it right, from the ground up.

Hi Navdeep,


Yes Matt and I discussed at length how detailed to get into fingerstyle technique in the book, in the end we decided to give a complete overview of fingerstyle as it gives you so many possibilities for chord melody. We did try to keep the exercises to the essential ones to get the reader quickly up and running with these techniques for later parts of the book.


Cheers,


Greg

[Greg O'Rourke]

Thanks guys, glad you're digging the book, it was great working with Greg on this project, hope to do more like this in the future!

Likewise Matt, really enjoyed working with you on this one and looking forward to further collaborations.