'Round Midnight - How to approach the solo?

**Gabriel** · 05-16-2007, 12:56 AM

I was looking over the chord progression for the Thelonious Monk standard, 'Round Midnight (which I'll be playing at a gig next Wednesday) and I just cant figure out how to approach a solo on this tune. Its beautiful, but the harmony is a bit intense considering I have never formally studied jazz harmony. Can anyone help me with how to approach improvising over these changes?

Thanks,

G

**FernandoCM** · 05-16-2007, 01:28 AM

could you post the progression?

**Gabriel** · 05-16-2007, 02:01 AM

**mr. beaumont** · 05-16-2007, 07:35 AM

well, there's no good shortcut, in my opinion, that doesn't sound like a shortcut. it's a slow tune. when i play it, i think arpeggios (well, i always do really) With the slash chords at the beginning you can pretty much base all your lines off Eb-7...

elsewhere, there are some minor ii V's in the B section (in that Cm7b5 to B7b5 the B7b5 is just a sub for an F7) but of course, they're not resolving. you can tritone sub a lot of the 7b5 chords, which might help you out if you're shaky on 7b5 arpeggios.

to be perfectly honest, with a week to go, i'd spend it learning that melody inside out, and base your improv off the melody line. this is a slow burner with a strong melody, so guitar pyrotechnics aren't really necessary or wlcome...good luck!

**wizard3739** · 05-16-2007, 01:24 PM

Well, first of all, it is a slow tune and you will not be playing a lot of choruses. So, memorize the melody and using the melody notes as targets, use arpeggios and intervals to spice up the melody (a la Jim Hall) but keep in mind you don't need a lot of notes (again like Jim Hall) to improvise on a slow tune. As always , let your ear be the judge!

**gguge** · 05-16-2007, 08:57 PM

With the zip file for (real book) for Round Midnight and if you had Band-in-a-Box, you could generate a solo based on your fav style, and then you would have the tab and notation to boot.

Just a thought

**boi** · 05-17-2007, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by Gabriel

wow!the chords are too many,in my opinion music should be approach simply thinking it's can make your approach to any kind of music very complex,perhaps not helpful in making good sound.i don't know man.but wait i'll try out and inform you later.

**mr. beaumont** · 05-17-2007, 01:01 PM

'round midnight is an absolute classic. it's one of the staples of jazz, and just about anyone who's familiar with the music can pick out it's haunting melody. yeah, it's got a lot of chords-- but overly-complicated? a lot of classic jazz is all about navigating an inspiring chord progression...i think you're missing the point boi-- have you heard the tune? you might change your mind and see why gabe's so interested in it...check it out.

**wizard3739** · 05-17-2007, 02:34 PM

Mr. Beaumont is absolutely right! This tune is a "must learn" jazz standard and every serious jazz student should learn to play it. It is not difficult in terms of rhythm or harmony and may be heard from many different sources. Go get it, listen to it and learn to play it! You will not regret learning this great tune.
best wishes

**seanlowe** · 05-20-2007, 01:02 PM

If you're really being grizzled by this tune man, then if the worst comes to the worst then play the chords you would play whilst comping, and just run up and down those with hammer-ons and pull offs, that why youre pretty bound to stay inside the harmony. Take the melody up a 5ths too, and plya it with different rhythms, or in different places, there is always plenty of backups!

**Gabriel** · 05-20-2007, 02:38 PM

Thanks for the help, eveyone, the song almowt grooves.

One thing I was wondering about this solo is also this: what scales are implied by the chords, and over which parts? can anyone help me map this out over the tune, allong with some theory notes?

I'm probably going about this the hard way or the wrong way, but then again, I've only been playing simple jazz untill now (stuff like autumn leaves, so what, take 5, black orpheus, billy's bounce, etc etc etc) And this will be the first time that I'm working on any sort of fairly complex ballad. (hopefully, once I understand how this works, I'm going to try out what I know with tunes I'm also familiar with, like "Joy Spring" and "Godby Porkpie Hat")

**mr. beaumont** · 05-20-2007, 05:25 PM

i think the problem you're running into is that you want to think scales, personally...

you could analyze the tune to death and find scale options, but you'd still be changing on nearly every chord...when you think arpeggios, the notes are right there under your fingers...sure, you'll still be changing a lot, but to me connecting arpeggios is so much easier. again, it's a slow, stong melody...you'll find a lot of what you need in there...

are there any spots in specific really tripping you up?-- i'd be glad to throw out a few ideas for you...

**Butch** · 05-26-2007, 04:20 PM

I think of the chords as well, but I think it could only benefit someone to analyze the tune with scales as well. I think in chords, but I see the underlying scale that the chord is built from as well. Do I think of the scale when I am playing? Eh...not so much, but non-chord tones are implied by the underlying harmony of a tune.

It also helps to learn the tune in its originally form. I like the "Real Book" for this reason, as my understanding is that the changes in the "Real Book" (as opposed to the "Fake Books" that were floating around in the 70s and are still around today) are from the original composer.

I would definately look at the scale choices on round midnight.

I remember John McLaughlin stating in a Guitar Player Magazine interview in the 70's - "If you don't know your scales, your'e dead. You have to know where the scale chord relationships are in a tune."

Butch

**Ziggs65** · 07-31-2007, 10:14 AM

This was the first standard I played. Had 1 week to learn it, then play it at an open-mic night. When faced with short time, it's best to simplify. Round Midnight, when you remove the fancy chords, is a blues tune. The Eb blues scale, with some passing tones will fit with most of the song. Ultimately, you dont want ot go into this gig (onyl a week away?) with your head full of stuff to remember. You want to be comfortable, so play what you are comfortable with.

**John Curran** · 07-31-2007, 04:41 PM

While I would agree with what Mr Beaumont said about overly complicated, this tune is notorious for being challenging to play over. I love Monk.

Gabriel! how did the gig go?

best regards

John

**derek** · 08-01-2007, 12:17 PM

I like Sean's idea of chording over the bars where you don't feel as comfortable with single lines. Mixing chords or partials with arpeggios or ii V I licks would be fine.

If chord partials, you could use 3rds & 7ths to reference the chords without all the other notes, to give it a more sparse feel.

Sean talked about using chords, I would challenge you to use voicings that you don't use when comping. So if you play a garden variety dom 7th chord, when you go to solo, use an altered dom 7th for variety. Subs would give it some depth also.

Along with playing the melody on some bars, mixing in an occassional arp, lick, using chord partials, and varying up the chord voices, you should be able to have a very nice collection of devices to choose from. Good luck, and tell us how it goes.