Jazz solo chord finger-style

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So this is lovely and when I watch it I can see the same chords used again and again and sounding different so the picking hand is clearly selecting stuff.

My picking technique aint all that, but I want this kinda skill - so what books should I be looking to for training ? The usual stuff for learning PIMA isn't all that useful as it's sequences (melody) whereas this is together (harmony) any ideas people? 


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  • RolandRoland Frets: 8590
    Rather than getting a book could you sit down with a guitar and work something out?
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
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  • Thanks, however, I've been sat down creating my own chordal renditions of

    Fly me to the moon
    Sleepwalk
    Autumn Leaves
    Love is a Losing Game 
    and Samba De Orly 

    for some time..

    but what I'm seeing in that video is a step beyond my (left hand - picking) ability and I want to incorporate it, I want to know what fingers are picking what so I can practise balancing the picking force from each finger - which fingers work together.

    I've paid Tim for his proivate lesson and it's based around his left hand (fretting) and that stuff I can do all day - I've spent too long doing that.

    So if there are any exercises I can do, to get my chops up around finger picking chords - partial stabs and arpeggios and leading chord soloing finger-style that'd be what I'm looking for :) 
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  • BradBrad Frets: 658
    edited October 2021
    I doubt Tim is thinking that hard about what his right hand is doing. Even when he was getting his style together, it probably happened quite naturally through learning arrangements from other guitarists - Ted Greene et al, coupled with a certain amount of conventional right hand exercises.

    That said, there are some loose, general 'rules' that may help I suppose. Thumb sticks to bass notes of chords - usually E, A and D strings, while fingers (I,M and A) will tend to work together on D, G and B or G, B and E strings. 

    But a lot depends on the direction of the melodic line, which may split string sets etc and the voicing of the chord being played. 

    I think your best bet will be to learn actual arrangements, techniques and rhythms - A book of solo guitar arrangements will probably be a good place to start. Learn walking bass style, general jazz comping (Charleston and variations) . Bossa Nova is great too.

    Jens Larsen has a couple of good vids that may at least set you on your way...






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  • liftmanliftman Frets: 60
    Definitely good for chord soloing and voicings, swinging with the bass line + chords, but there's not really any fingerpicking exercises per se. 

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  • BradBrad Frets: 658
    liftman said:
    Definitely good for chord soloing and voicings, swinging with the bass line + chords, but there's not really any fingerpicking exercises per se. 

    True, but for me the two go hand in hand. The exercises are in the music. For example, learning a walking bass line with chordal stabs is an exercise and is something that’s feeds into the style of playing the OP is after. 

    Tim Lerch as some great stuff on Truefire with plenty of transcriptions available, I’ve found it really useful. 

    No doubt there are loads of books that break this stuff down in a very systematic way. But I’d be surprised if Tim Lerch took that approach… I’d wager he did it by learning music and arrangements he liked. 
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  • I’ve been going through a similar experience and decided to go full whack into it. 

    Workflow:

    1. Grab YouTube video
    2. Add to ABMT app on iPad (allows for looping video sections and slowing it down)
    3. Practice section by section (2 or 3 chord changes at a time) until I am comfortable with the changes at slow speed, left hand only focus. 
    4. Go back and revisit the right hand phrasing. 

    In 6 weeks I’ve managed to get to about 50 seconds in, just the chord voicings. I’ve no idea what I’m playing though a formal transcription is next in my plan and will be easy now that I know the changes. 

    I can confidently say Ive learned morr with this approach in 6 weeks than through all of 2018-19 noodling combined. 


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  • BradBrad Frets: 658
    @tanihhiavlt I actually transcribed some of Tim’s playing (Well, Tim doing a Ted thing). It’s solely focussed on the left hand as far as the video is concerned and the rhythms aren’t 100% accurate granted… 

    https://www.soundslice.com/slices/zmFfc/?from=channel

    But using the TAB as a guide, perhaps that can give you an insight into his right hand approach still? It might become clearer how certain things need to be played with particular right hand fingers, how he splits a chord with the right hand to create melodic movement etc? I dunno, hope you find it helpful in some way. 

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  • That's a lovely piece to capture, I'll give that a try thanks :)
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  • This is the kind of stuff Martin Taylor does, though it can get a bit mind boggling watching and hearing him play a Bass Line, a Middle Line, and a Melody Line all at the same time.
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  • This is the kind of stuff Martin Taylor does, though it can get a bit mind boggling watching and hearing him play a Bass Line, a Middle Line, and a Melody Line all at the same time.
    I saw him live with Ulf Wakenius a couple of years back. When Ulf turned his guitar down and let Martin play for a couple of tunes solo it was pretty mind boggling. 
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