Quote:
Originally Posted by Mandobart
Yes, that's what the Django Fakebook is. Melodies are the easy part. As I stated in my original post "I feel totally lost with the jazz chords - its like learning to play guitar all over from scratch." The chord melody type of accompaniment is the tough part that I'm slowly learning.
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I hear ya. I spent years listening to Montreal and Toronto jazz legends, Herbie Spanier and I were friends, he was my older mentor. Although a trumpet player, he jazz comped with chords on the piano in a way that made it hurt.
The basis of it is still melody, its having a melody in your head which you express with chords instead of notes, so leading notes and changes do the work. The only way I have seen anyone learn that is learning all inversions of chords up the neck then, instead of using a note (think about the opening phrase of "somewhere over the rainbow"), use the chord pattern to state the melody. There are a couple notes in every chord that will propel the melody forward, its simplifying the chords to their basic triads then adding tonal color with 9ths, 11ths, 13ths.
I wish you luck on this journey. I use chordal melody combined with lead work solo, one-man band stuff and I can only work well in certain keys. Mastering that fretboard is something that takes, I would say, personal instruction. I do not think it can be learned on your own. You need to copy experts. Copy....copy...copy..
Good luck! I only entered this discussion because I spent a lot of money on jazz classes over the years and without putting even MORE time into it, I had to stop. Country seems to work me well. I admire your drive. Yer gonna make it.