Appendix VI - Lesson 11
Chords and Melody Playing
Notes to Appendix VI - Lesson 11
Appendix VI - Lesson 11 tells us that it is time to put our newly acquired knowledge into use. Mickey has stimulated us with four standards from the early 1940's:
Exercise 24 - This Love of Mine - 8 measures of the "A" part to the tune, the standard version from the sheet music, and 2 eight-bar variations of that standard.
Exercise 25 - I Dream of You - 8 measures of the "A" part to the tune plus its opening pickup measure, the standard version from the sheet music, and 2 eight-bar variations of that standard.
Exercise 26 - There Are Such Things - 9 measures of the "A" part to the tune, the standard version from the sheet music, and 2 eight-bar variations of that standard. Additionally, there are 8 measures of the "B" part or bridge to the tune, the standard version from the sheet music, and 2 eight-bar variations of that standard.
Exercise 27 - Everything Happens to Me - 8 measures of the "A" part to the tune plus its opening pickup measure, the standard version from the sheet music, and 2 eight-bar variations of that standard.
The first two were introduced to us in Appendix VI - Lesson 7. Mickey's written two 8-bar variations for each tune, except for Exercise 26 where we are give four 8-bar variations. As each is a chorus of 32 bars, we have about a half a chorus for each. For the economy of paper, Mickey stacks the variations in the lesson along with the standard, but I've put them side by side in the TEF as a solo guitarist would presumably would play them.
An interesting point that Mickey makes in his notes is that when we create a chord melody solo, we are "writing" the arrangement, whether we put in on paper or create a "high head arrangement" (refer to Appendix I.) I believe that we all have an orchestra that resides in our heads. Our very best arrangements are the ones that orchestra plays and we use those ideas rather than "fill in the blanks" formula arranging. If a tune is totally new to us, hum or whistle it for a while and give our orchestra a chance to become familiar with it. As graduates of Mickey's volume 1, we have all sorts of fill-in's, bridges, turn-around's, and chord substitutions that we can use on any tune. In Lesson 17 of Volume 1, we started a portfolio of rhythm arrangements of standards and favorite tunes. We began writing new harmonies based on the chord substitutions. What you may not have realized in that lesson, is that it was the beginning of a life's work, hopefully a labor of love.
That, along with the new ideas from the first 10 lessons of Volume 2, and ideas you have picked up along the way are what Mickey's getting at: we use these ideas to write the guitar lead for the 1st and maybe last choruses, and in between we can add choruses of guitar solos, and rhythm for other soloists. We want the first and at least some of the last chorus to be reasonably recognizable to our audience. We can also use many of the ideas that we picked up in Lesson's 50, 51, and 52 of Volume 1.
A great source of ideas in this structure is to listen to one's favorite guitarists that lead a group. Listen objectively as was described in Appendix I. After a while, the mind becomes trained and you'll do it without tasking yourself to do it.
As in previous lessons of this volume, I've included an errata paragraph. This time I'm being critical of the lesson. In each exercise, Mickey has incorporated ideas from future lessons. I don't believe that is a very good idea as it tends to confuse rather than help. I'm giving Mickey the benefit of doubt, as it is entirely possible this material was "juggled" by an editor prior to publishing:
Exercise 24 - Measure 3 of Variation A, we are referred to Lesson 12 - Dim. and Aug. Resolutions. That lesson doesn't exist per se, and probably should be Lesson 21. The D min7 chord diagram is not of the notes shown. Refer to the TEF for the correct diagram. In Measure 8, of Variation A, the C Maj6 cannot be made conventionally. Therefore, I've modified the C Maj7 chord before it, and modified the C Maj7 per one of our variations of Mickey's Volume 1 chords. Since all I've done is remove the lower E note from both forms, we're not losing anything, and we have a chord progression is possible to make by us mere mortals. This C Maj6 chord form is a particular favorite of Jazz great Johnny Smith.
Exercise 25 - Measure 3 of Variation A, we are referred to Lesson 15 - Symetric [sic] Introductions and Endings, Part 1. "Symmetric" is misspelled throughout this volume. The chords in Variation A, 3rd measure should be C Maj9 & C Maj6. The ending chord in Variation B can't be played, at least by most of the world. It should be a C Maj9 with the G note (5th) omitted.
Exercise 26 - Measure 3 of both Variations, we are referred to Lesson 17 - Augmented Cycles, and Measure 15, to Lesson 23 - The Pedal Point. That is also an obvious mistake as there aren't any examples of pedals in this exercise. My guess is that he meant Lesson 18.
Exercise 27 - Measure 4 refers us to Lesson 17 (mentioned above).
I believe that with this many references to future lessons, these exercises are premature and should be held off until perhaps the end of Lesson 21. Do your best with them, but don't become frustrated as in a few lessons, the confusing ideas will be explained and you can return to this lesson as if it were presented for the first time.
By now your left hand should be stretched out and those early progressions have become a part of your bag of tricks. Since we are dealing with standards in this lesson, it might be a good idea to find the sheet music for these tunes and arrange them as you've been doing in your standards portfolio.
Additional Exercises: If you haven't already begun so, open your standards portfolio using what you have already done, write an arrangement with a guitar solo as the opening chorus. As always, remember that the toughest one you'll ever do will be the 1st!
Remember to have, above all else, FUN!!