Bill Swick’s
Guitar Class Supplementary Materials
CHORD MELODY METHOD Volume One For Intermediate Students
First Steps Towards Chord Melody Playing
Bill Swick's Harmonizing Method for Chord Solos
2
Harmonizing Simple Melodies In the Key of G $$ $$ # ! "
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Bill Swick’s
Guitar Class Supplementary Materials
CHORD MELODY METHOD Volume TWO For Advanced Students
More Steps Towards Chord Melody Playing Melodies on the Second String
Revised August, 2006
Bill Swick's Harmonizing Method for Chord Solos
1
Chord Inversions with Melody on Second String Drop 2 Chord Voicings on Strings 2,3,4,&5 C6
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The Basics of Playing Chord Melody by Steve Caddick
Chord Melody is when you play the melody notes of a song with as much of the chords as you can play at the same time. The chord harmony is always lower in pitch than the melody note. This is because the higher pitched notes are always the dominate sound in multiple note playing. When we as Banjo players think about playing Chord Melody, most of us invariably think of it as something that only the best players can do. In fact, that thought is not correct. My point of view is that it is something that is relatively simple to do, and anyone can do it with some of the ideas that I’ll discuss here in this article. First things first, There are a couple of pre-requisites to playing Chord Melody. 1. You need to be able to read single notes with some facility. You don’t have much time to think about the note you are playing. You need to be able to recognize and execute the musical note you see on your sheet music very quickly, and most importantly, accurately. Your time will be spent thinking about the chord first and how to add in the melody note second. Staying in time! When you are playing a song from the sheet music, several things are happening at the same time. You have tempo to contend with. The correct way to practice playing single notes from music is to start slowly. You should use a metronome or some other mechanical devise (drum machine) to set an audible tempo for you to work from. If you have trouble keeping up with the beat, then slow your tempo down to a point that you can keep up with. Slowly increase the tempo each time you work on the song until you get the tempo up to the speed that the band plays the song at. Once you can consistently play the song at band speed, and play it accurately, then you are ready for the next step in playing Chord Melody. 2. The second pre-requisite is to know how to play the chords from the sheet music for the songs you are working on. (HINT) Record the melody and use this to practice your chords with. Play the tape and follow along by playing the chords in the first position. The first position chords are the most important ones for playing Chord Melody. Then play the song again and practice using the chords from the next position. These chords are also important for use in Chord Melody.
Now, once you have accomplished these two things, 1. Single string note reading and 2. Chord playing, You are ready to start putting the two together to play Chord Melody. Start out by going slowly. Remember to keep the melody note on top, in other words keep the melody note as the highest pitched tone at all times. All of the other notes you play in Chord Melody have to be from the chord being used at that point in the melody. and they have to be lower in pitch than the melody note is. Keep this one single rule in mind at all times and you can’t go wrong. The first note of a song on beat number one can be a full chord (all four strings) Example: “Four Leaf Clover” The first note is a “C” Look at the chord and you will see that the chord is also a “C”. Play a first position “C” chord instead of the single note “C” and there you have the start of playing Chord Melody. (see Example) At first, play only notes of long duration with as much of the chord under it. This will allow you to develop the thinking processes needed to play Chord Melody. By using the longer notes, for now, you give yourself time to think about what part of the chord you need to use at any particular note in the song. If the chord is a D7 and the melody is “E” which is also a four beat note, You can play the “E” on the “A” string at the 7th fret and you can use as much of the D7 chord as you can get on the d, g and c strings. The notes will be F# on the “D” string, the “C” note on the “G” string and either the “F#” or the open “C” on the “C” string. Try this now so you can see what I mean. EXAMPLES : C chord with C Melody
F chord with C melody
D7 chord with E melody
C note
C note E note (HINT) Think of the chord first and then add in the melody note! Try this , the chord is “F” the melody note is “C”. Try to work it out now and here is the explanation. BUT try it first!
Play a first position “F” chord and now play the “C” note on the third fret on the “A” string. BINGO you got it! This is starting to look a lot easier than you thought isn’t it. The second note in “Four Leaf Clover” is a “G” you are still on the “C” chord. How would you execute it in Chord Melody? Ah-HA you quickly found out that a first position “C” chord doesn’t work very well! Try the second position “C” chord instead. (E on C, C on G, G on the D and E on the A string). You only play up to the G note on the D string. You are only using 3 notes! You will find that it is necessary to eliminate some notes as your melody drops onto the lower strings. You will never drop the melody note! It must always be played! You will find that if you only play Chord Melody on the longer notes (half notes and longer) and use single string notes for the shorter ones, this will give you an excellent star t on Chord Melody. As your skill at recognition and execution increases, so will your ability to execute shorter length notes in Chord Melody. Remember that it is more important to work at it a little every day than a lot on only one day a week. The more you do it the more you will recognize that there are similarities from chord to chord. and the easier it will get for you to do. (HINT) Start off by trying it only on the “C” chord and get used to playing the melody note only after you have fingered the chord first. Then add a new chord. After you are comfortable with the “C” chord, try an “F” chord and then a “D7” and then an “A7” and so on. Keep adding in a new chord as you accomplish Chord Melody with the previous ones. When you can’t find the right position for the chord and get the melody right, try spelling out the chord first and then get the melody note. Look for the alternative way to get as much of the chord as possible with the melody, even if you have to drop the melody note off the string you are used to playing it on. Try the note on the next string down but don’t drop it an octave use the same note but in the higher position on the lower string. Then use the chord from the next position up the neck. This will sometimes solve a problem for you. Always play the chord first and then add in the melody note. If you do it this way, the harmony will be easier to get. The best way to lear n to do this is to constantly work on it. Use songs you already know or the music from the bands book It really is not that difficult to do and it is a lot of fun. After you have worked out your first song in Chord Melody, I guarantee that you will have a feeling of accomplishment the likes of which you have never felt before! Good Luck and keep at it! Steve Caddick
If you have questions, Contact me. Steve Caddick
[email protected]
Here are a few examples to help get you started. Don’t play X string
X
C
G note 5th fret
Example: “G” melody with a “C” chord. This is how it looks in music and how it is played on the tenor banjo.
F
D note on 5th fret Example: “D” melody with an “F” chord. This is how it looks in music and how it is played on the tenor banjo.
A note on open string
D7
Example: “A” melody with a “D7” chord. This is how it looks in music and how it is played on the tenor banjo.
iBreatheMusic.com - An Introduction to Guitar Chord Melodies by Peter Simms
20/03/09 14:04
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An Introduction to Guitar Chord Melodies by Peter Simms (02 Sep 03)
Hello Guitar Students! Since I'm the new guy on the block (here on ibreathemusic.com), I thought I would introduce you to what I teach: Guitar Chord Melodies. A "Guitar Chord Melody" is a solo guitar arrangement similar to many classical guitar pieces. The term mainly applies to those who assemble songs with "idea" of using the melody and the chords together. If you are able to play melodies on your guitar, have a good knowledge of chords, and can think "out of the box"... you can assemble your own chord melodies! My first chord melody was "Yesterday" by the Beatles. I knew the chords and could play the melody. Out of pure frustration of not having someone to play one of the parts with me, I tried to put them together myself. It worked! After that, well... I went crazy trying to put songs together. I ran into many obstacles, but I also had many breakthroughs. The end result has been a lot of songs I can play by myself... and a lot of fun! When having a few chord melodies given to you (TAB and Notation), I found out (through my students) that it becomes easier to understand how these arrangements are put together. Then, "the mystery" no longer is a mystery... and becomes a challenge. The actual basic approach to making chord melodies is melody+chord... keep it simple! Adding the extra stuff comes in later. Patience is the key to this art. It can take a while before your chord melody will sound good. This is where many guitar players give up. The price is high... and the pay off is high. I prefer to play chord melodies fingerstyle. Thus the TAB and Notation will be presented in that format. You can use a pick... you will just have to re-arrange some of the music. This lesson is going to take you through an easy version of: "Afro Blue" Miles Davis made this one popular.. Take a listen to a midi file playing it as written: "Click Here" Now take a listen to me playing it with added improvisation: "Click Here" Below are: A Melody (lead sheet) Chord Diagrams (for every measure to help you understand how it is put together) A Complete Guitar Arrangement (Chord Melody)
http://www.ibreathemusic.com/article/127
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iBreatheMusic.com - An Introduction to Guitar Chord Melodies by Peter Simms
20/03/09 14:04
Try to get the "as written" part down first. Then try adding your own embellishments to it. Enjoy! Peter Simms.
http://www.ibreathemusic.com/article/127
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iBreatheMusic.com - An Introduction to Guitar Chord Melodies by Peter Simms
http://www.ibreathemusic.com/article/127
20/03/09 14:04
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iBreatheMusic.com - An Introduction to Guitar Chord Melodies by Peter Simms
20/03/09 14:04
• Discuss • Rate Article • Print Version • Tell a Friend About the Author Peter has been a professional musician in the San Francisco Bay Area and Monterey Bay Area for the last 20 years. He played for Recording Studios, Big Bands, Top Forty Bands, Blues Bands, R&B Bands, Jazz Bands, Rock Bands, and Solo Guitar Instrumental Jazz. Now that he lives in Florida, he has concentrated on Solo Instrumental Guitar, and Guitar Education. For more about Peter check out his website at www.petersimms.com
Rate "An Introduction to Guitar Chord Melodies" Average: 8.4 Votes: 203 1 Poor
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