Playing Melodically

campfire

Just being able to play a melody such as "Rose Room", or "Dinah", convincingly is not an easy thing to do, and something I've found lacking in many guitarists playing. I try to emphasize the importance of this with all my students, also. As a matter of fact, I think it is one of the MOST important things you can do as a player. Your playing will improve dramatically, and the clarity of your ideas will improve when you are improvising, too. (Just my .02)

Larry Camp

Ando

Andy, I was speaking pretty loosely about sixths and ninths. What I mean generally is that every chord has "color" notes that, when you dig into them, really heighten the character of that chord. These would be the major/minor thirds, sixths, sevenths, and ninths. Strum the chords of a tune slowly, find those bad boys, and when soloing, find various ways of reaching and emphasizing them.

Larry, you sound like a good teacher. Playing the melody well could be half the battle to a good solo, because if the melody itself breaks down into phrases with "space" between them, you can fill in those spaces with interesting material (subs, lead-ins, side-slips, ornaments, etc.). You can sing those little fills, and then figure them out on the guitar. Voila', you have an improvised chorus -- especially if you alter the rhythm of the melody a bit.

A good example of a melody with lots of space for fills is "Manoir de Mes Reves."

Cheers,
Ando

Breeze

Listen to George Barnes play melodies. He could decorate a melody better than just about anybody on guitar. Oh and Bobby Hackett, if you can find that recording of Pennies From Heaven that has Carl Kress on guitar. He states the melody in a way, I can't find the right words, but it's probably the prettiest thing you'll ever hear.These things will help develop your sense of lyricism in profound ways. It applies to gypsy jazz playing, Django heard the same things they did!