Them thar fancy $20 jazzbo chords

[charlie chitlin]

OK...I'm a blues player, so my chord vocabulary is...well...you know...
I've recently agreed to help a buddy who is the music director at a high school, and he wants me to do the guitar stuff for their musical...Cole Porter's "Anything Goes".
I figure this will help me stretch out a bit, but if I don't have a clue how to play a C#dimflat13add6#, I won't be any help at all.
Any hints for a method book...even just a chord book...that'll put me closer to figuring this stuff out?

[Leon Grizzard]

Part Two of the the Ronnie Lee Jazz Guitar Method, published by Mel Bay, is a complete method of the right kind of chords. I haven't looked at it, but I bet the Mel Bay Orchestral Chord Method book, or whatever it is called, would have what you want also.

[Robin Nahum]

Originally Posted by charlie frey

OK...I'm a blues player, so my chord vocabulary is...well...you know...
I've recently agreed to help a buddy who is the music director at a high school, and he wants me to do the guitar stuff for their musical...Cole Porter's "Anything Goes".
I figure this will help me stretch out a bit, but if I don't have a clue how to play a C#dimflat13add6#, I won't be any help at all.
Any hints for a method book...even just a chord book...that'll put me closer to figuring this stuff out?

Hi Charlie,

Before I suggest anything, can you tell us what kind of lineup you are playing with?

If it is a big band, you will not generally need to play the flat13add6# bit of C#dimflat13add6# as the front line will be playing this. Rather, you will need to put on your Freddie Green hat and just play C#dim (probably without the C# as the bass will pick that up). The principle here is the bigger the band, the smaller the chords, and the more attention the piano, bass and guitar need to pay to staying out of each other's way.

But let us know.

Oh yeah...C#dimflat13add6#...

The C#dim is made up of C# E G A#.

The b13 of C# is A

The add 6# of C# is just the b7 or B (but you knew this right? )

I don't have my guitar handy but I might try something like....

Bb x G B E A

going from 6th string to 1st.

[jazztele]

ted greenes "chord chemistry" will tell you everything you need to know about chords, and a lot you might not....

blues player? man you gotta check out those 9ths, 11ths and 13ths-- theres some great sounds in there! you'll love it.

[charlie chitlin]

Originally Posted by Robin Nahum

Hi Charlie,

Before I suggest anything, can you tell us what kind of lineup you are playing with?

***I'm not sure of the exact lineup yet, but it's a small orchestra.
I see what you mean about playing bits and pieces and looking for
the spaces. Also, part of the reason I'm there is to help carry things a bit because the players are mostly young...6th 7th and 8th grades.

If it is a big band, you will not generally need to play the flat13add6# bit of C#dimflat13add6# as the front line will be playing this. Rather, you will need to put on your Freddie Green hat and just play C#dim (probably without the C# as the bass will pick that up). The principle here is the bigger the band, the smaller the chords, and the more attention the piano, bass and guitar need to pay to staying out of each other's way.

But let us know.

Oh yeah...C#dimflat13add6#...

The C#dim is made up of C# E G A#.

The b13 of C# is A

The add 6# of C# is just the b7 or B (but you knew this right? )

I don't have my guitar handy but I might try something like....

Bb x G B E A

going from 6th string to 1st.

Wise guy.

[charlie chitlin]

Originally Posted by jazztele

ted greenes "chord chemistry" will tell you everything you need to know about chords, and a lot you might not....

blues player? man you gotta check out those 9ths, 11ths and 13ths-- theres some great sounds in there! you'll love it.

Oh, yeah!
I've studied my T-Bone!

[Robin Nahum]

Originally Posted by charlie frey

***I'm not sure of the exact lineup yet, but it's a small orchestra.
I see what you mean about playing bits and pieces and looking for
the spaces. Also, part of the reason I'm there is to help carry things a bit because the players are mostly young...6th 7th and 8th grades.

Okay, I think it won't be so much playing bits and pieces as driving the rhythm and signalling the changes to the rest of the band, particularly the melody players.

I would recommend Charlton Johnson's book on playing four in the bar rhythm:

http://www.elderly.com/books/items/49-695147.htm

Try and listen to a bit of Count Basie as well. It'll be a very different gig to fronting a blues band.

You might also look for a jazz chord primer so you can see and hear the chords played normally with four notes.

If there is a pianist, you will need to work out what each of you will do because you are potentially covering the same territory. In the big bands like Basie and Ellington, the piano was just used for little solos and fills. Less experienced pianists will try to play everything on the chart, a little bit behind the rest of the band while they try and get the notes right, and usually an octave lower than they should.

Happy I could assist with C#dimflat13add6#.

Keep us posted. I look forward to an entry at Twanger Central.

[jazztele]

Originally Posted by charlie frey

Oh, yeah!
I've studied my T-Bone!

one of my faves...world needs more kids who wanna be HIM.

[charlie chitlin]

Originally Posted by jazztele

one of my faves...world needs more kids who wanna be HIM.

I do!
I'm 45...do I count?

[Leon Grizzard]

Remember that the chords you see in legit sheetmusic are often piano chords, or based on the piano arrangement, and may not be practical, or necessary, on the guitar. In almost all instances, chords are either major, minor, or dominant, played in jazz as major seventh, minor seventh, and dominant 7th. Other notes are added to add different colors, but don't change the basic major, minor, dominant function. You could probably do the gig with just triads and those seventh chords. Well, maybe a little more. But look through a piece and play major, minor or dominant seventh chords, and it may look a lot easier. The Freddie Green type forms are great to use, and you wouldn't have too many of them to learn if you keep it simple.

[Robin Nahum]

Originally Posted by Leon Grizzard

Remember that the chords you see in legit sheetmusic are often piano chords, or based on the piano arrangement, and may not be practical, or necessary, on the guitar. In almost all instances, chords are either major, minor, or dominant, played in jazz as major seventh, minor seventh, and dominant 7th. Other notes are added to add different colors, but don't change the basic major, minor, dominant function. You could probably do the gig with just triads and those seventh chords. Well, maybe a little more. But look through a piece and play major, minor or dominant seventh chords, and it may look a lot easier. The Freddie Green type forms are great to use, and you wouldn't have too many of them to learn if you keep it simple.

Exactly my thinking. I would just add 6th, diminished and m7b5 (or half-diminished).

[Leon Grizzard]

Originally Posted by Robin Nahum

Exactly my thinking. I would just add 6th, diminished and m7b5 (or half-diminished).

That's it.

[jericho60]

See, now, y'all helped me out a lot with this little discussion, too. I gots to get me some a them thar books with th chords an the pitchers of em.

[blacklinefish]

Originally Posted by Robin Nahum

The principle here is the bigger the band, the smaller the chords, and the more attention the piano, bass and guitar need to pay to staying out of each other's way.

I wish more keyboard players were aware of this. Out of the dozens that I have ever played "with," (or near) - I can only think of two that knew how to give some space. I could rant about this for a while, and generally become rather uncivil about it.

***

Since this is a high school band, you may have to adjust your playing when you get there - so you may want to practice a couple of different types of chords. Also, you need to get a sense of whether the director wants you to support the band, or maybe he wants to "feature" your guitar playing a little bit (perhaps it would encourage a guitarist to join up).

You may need to just play triads, as mentioned above - but drop out one of the notes (root, third, fifth - it depends) to add one colorful note in (like the colorful 7, 11, b5, whatever). You will sound incredible just playing three-four strings!

If you really want to do your friend a favor, offer that you would help a reasonably capable high school student to play 1-2 songs for the next concert. Probably 2-3 half-hour sessions is all it would take, and you would be supporting the musical community. Don't ask for money, unless the student really wants permanent formal lessons. Then, you just need to stay a week ahead of the student!

--gh

[SixStringSlinger]

There's a book called the Picture Chord Encyclopedia from Hal Leonard. It's really useful, and easy to use. Just pick a root note, flip a few pages, pick a chord quality and then a voicing. It gives you 5 voicings for each chord in all 12 keys. My friend used it in out high school's jazz band, and it was great as a quick reference. Coincidentaly, they also played the music for a performance of "Anything Goes."

[charlie chitlin]

Originally Posted by blacklinefish

If you really want to do your friend a favor, offer that you would help a reasonably capable high school student to play 1-2 songs for the next concert. Probably 2-3 half-hour sessions is all it would take, and you would be supporting the musical community. Don't ask for money, unless the student really wants permanent formal lessons. Then, you just need to stay a week ahead of the student!

--gh

Actually...one of my guitar students goes to that school, and the musical director has agreed to let him bring his guitar and sit with me.
And we'll have good material for our lessons.

[jericho60]

Originally Posted by SixStringSlinger

There's a book called the Picture Chord Encyclopedia from Hal Leonard. It's really useful, and easy to use. Just pick a root note, flip a few pages, pick a chord quality and then a voicing. It gives you 5 voicings for each chord in all 12 keys. My friend used it in out high school's jazz band, and it was great as a quick reference. Coincidentaly, they also played the music for a performance of "Anything Goes."

Chord quality? Could you expand on that a little?

That sounds like something I need to hunt down. does it show all the chord shapes as diagrams?

[Leon Grizzard]

Originally Posted by ye olde fretmonkey

Chord quality? Could you expand on that a little?

That sounds like something I need to hunt down. does it show all the chord shapes as diagrams?

Major, minor, dominant, diminished, half-diminished. I think a method is more useful than an encyclopedia, because a method shows you how to use them systematically.

[Leon Grizzard]

Here's an example of Freddie Green style chords, the ones with a bass note on the low E, skip the A string, and some middle string notes. It is a version of Pink Floyd Tillman's Slippin' Around, although the first ending is wrong, and ought to be G7/G7/C/C/. Just a four chord Country song played with a little motion. The C chord form in the first measure could be played with a real Freddie Green voicing, or a regular bar chord; I just like this one.

 C     C/B   C/A   C/G     F     Gm7   F     F#dim
-------------------------+-------------------------+-
-8--8--5--5--5--5--------+-1--1--3--3--1--1--1--1--+-
-9--9--5--5--5--5--5--5--+-2--2--3--3--2--2--2--2--+-
-------5--5--5--5--2--2--+-------3--3--------1--1--+-
-10-10-------------------+-3--3--------3--3--------+-
-8--8--7--7--5--5--3--3--+-1--1--3--3--1--1--2--2--+-


                           First Ending               
 G7    F     A#dim G       C     Ebm7  Dm7   G7 G7/b5 
-------------------------+-------------------------+-
-------------------------+-8--8--11-11-10-10-8--8--+-
-4--4--5--5--6--6--7--7--+-9--9--11-11-10-10-10-10-+-
-3--3--3--3--5--5--5--5--+-------11-11-10-10-9--9--+-
-------------------------+-10-10-------------------+-
-3--3--5--5--6--6--7--7--+-8--8--11-11-10-10-10-9--+-


Second Ending
 G7    G7      C / / / / /   C#dim
-------------+----------------------+-
-6--6--8--8--+-8-------------8--8---+-
-7--7--10-10-+-9-------------9--9---+-
-5--5--9--9--+---------------8--8---+-
-------------+-10-------------------+-
-7--7--10-10-+-8-------------9--9---+-



Bridge:

 G7    G7/F  G/E   G7/D    C     Cdim  C
-------------------------+-------------------------+
-8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--+-8--8--7--7--8--8--8--8--+-
-10-10-7--7--7--7--10-10-+-9--9--8--8--9--9--9--9--+-
-9--9--9--9--9--9--9--9--+-------7--7--------------+-
-10-10-8--8--7--7--------+-10-10-------10-10-10-10-+-
-------------------10-10-+-8--8--8--8--8--8--8--8--+-



 D7    D7/C Bm7Bbm7Am7D7    G7    F A#d G7    G7+
-------------------------+-------------------------+-
-------7--7--7--6--5--3--+-----------5--6--6--4----+-
-11-11-7--7--7--6--5--5--+--4--4--5--6--7--7--4----+-
-10-10-7--7--7--6--5--4--+--3--3--3--5--5--5--3----+-
-------------------------+-------------------------+-
-10-10-8--8--7--6--5--5--+--3--3--5--6--7--7--3----+-