CHORDMELODY.ORG

For guitarists and guitar music lovers all over the world, it is the almost magical assembly of musical parts in one voice on this instrument that is loved so well. For pianists it's almost an automatic because of the linear nature of the keyboard -- melody, harmony, and bass meld together independently to produce "the song." 

But the guitarist is many times faced with certain problems inherant in the nature of the guitar. Because the fretboard, strings, frets, and positions are assembled across 12 frets and 6 strings there are certain limitations and allowances that must be taken into consideration when composing and arranging on/for the guitar. It is within these "certain limitations" where I consider the art of "Chord Melody" to reside. Sometimes, writing or arranging a chord melody, either from scratch or from a song, can present challenges in construction, movement, harmonic and melodic transition, and a number of other design, counterpoint, and practical playing problems. 

The task I consider a well-seasoned art is "How" to write and produce a pleasing to the ear, heart, body, and soul chord melody on the guitar. 

This page is a dedicated progress and labor of love with personal musical experience of 42 years in trying to write the "Perfect" chord melody. There is a "PDF Section" below where my arrangements are available for "free" downloading to your computer; all I ask is that you give me credit when playing these arrangements publically. There will be examples of my own arrangements of standards and originals. And there is also a section on "How To Write A Chord Melody." (please feel free to e-mail me with your feedback ... it would also be my pleasure to have you sign my "Guestbook" below ...  my e-mail .)

View My Guestbook

Sign My Guestbook

 

PDF Downloads

• "G Basic Blues" Comp

• Careless Love

• You Don't Know Me

• Glad To be Unhappy

• Bb Jazz/Blues

• Walk'N'Blues

• Blessed Assurance

• In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning

• Just A Closer Walk With Thee

• Moon River

• Prelude To A Kiss

• Amazing Grace 

• Giant Steps

• Naima 

• Something Wonderful (from "The King and I")

• Boulevard of Broken Dreams

• Lonely Woman

• My Foolish Heart

• Some Other Time

• The Nearness of You

• Stolen Moments

• Goodbye Porkpie Hat

Study, Method, and Instructional Section

• Beginning Jazz Study #1

• Beginning Jazz Study #2

• Beginning Jazz Study #3

• The Jazz Minor (Melodic Minor Study)

• Major & Minor Blues Scale Study

• ii - V - I String Group Study

• Displaced Octaves Study

• "Tenderly" Chart Solo (or "What To Play After the Chord Melody Solo"

• Mastering The Comp #1: "Move On" 3 Voice/String Comp

• Mastering The Comp #2: "Move On" 4 Voice/String Comp

• Mastering The Comp #3: "Walkin' Bassline" (by Dave Woods)

• The Solo Gig: (How/What To Solo After Your Chord Melody)
   "What To Do When The Chord Melody Is Over."

• Part 1: Chord Melody Construction Primer (Introduction)

• Part 2: Re-Harmonization for Jazz Chord Melody Construction

• Basic Scale Chart for Soloing

• Ear Training That Works!

• How Soon Can I Be A Jazz Guitarist?

• Diminished Scale Chord Melody Harmonization

• Slightly Modifying What You Already Know

• "Pat's Story" (What Studying with Pat Martino was Like)

• Diatonic Major & Minor Scales (Segovia Scales)

• Scale Studies #1 (A Look at Chuck Wayne's Fingerings)

• Scale Studies #2 (Includes "Traverse Picking" technique

• Major/ & Minor/Dom Arpeggio Studies

• Preparation for Your Gig

• Fluidity Through 13th. Arpeggios

• "Harmony General" (My Harmony Manual w/examples)

• Counterpoint (An Effective Tool for Chord Melodies)

• Pat Martino's Chord Families - Part 1&2 Diminished/Dominants/Alt. Dom /Augmented Chords Explained

FAVORITE LINKS ... (Noted for Instructional Materials for Aspiring Jazz Guitarists)

• Bob Keller's Jazz Page

• Guide Tone Lines

• Yahoo Jazz Guitar Group Forum

• Tony DeCaprio - Jazz Guitar Maestro

• Chord Construction

• Ralph Patt's "Vanilla Book" Index ... Standard Song Changes

• Guitar Player TV

• Music To Light - Dave Woods

• Play Jazz Guitar Forum

• Just Jazz Guitar On-Line Magazine

• Guide To jazz Guitar

• Classic Jazz Guitar

• Jazz Guitar Life

• Chord Melody Books

• Chord Melody Construction

• Chord Melody - "Money Chords"

 

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