Autumn Leaves (Solo Chord Melody Guitar) #1

[Liarspoker]

I'll just start this Study Group. Feel free to jump aboard whenever you like.

If you're unfamiliar with this tune then listen to it first for a few days but no doubt many of you are familiar with this one.

AL is in my set list but I need more variations and I'd like to be able to improvise over it in solo guitar style.

So each person's goal can be different whether getting a new arrangement under the fingers or trying to improvise etc.

To start play the melody in as many positions as possible both vertically and horizontally.

In addition, to keep things from getting too boring, let's also play the bass root notes in as many positions as possible.

See you in a few days.

[alltunes]

AL is in my set list but I need more variations and I'd like to be able to improvise over it in solo guitar style.

So each person's goal can be different whether getting a new arrangement under the fingers or trying to improvise etc.

My approach has been to gather various licks and chord phrases and then mix and match them. Each time it comes out a little different. You can here me hesitating this morning as I "think" of which puzzle piece to use next. Comments and criticism welcome.

[lawson-stone]

I suggest you put the actual name of the study group in the thread title. Is it just a thread on "Autumn Leaves" however one wishes to play it? I thought your interest was solo guitar. If so, I'd recommend making that explicit in the thread title.

[gggomez]

Really dug that all tunes. Yeah I would love to get some of those tasty runs into my playing. What were your references?

[wzpgsr]

Here's a mix of improv and pieces of arrangements I've been working on with material from my lessons.

[Liarspoker]

Well I'm back in the land of internet so just listened to the videos. Very nice

Very good Alltunes. Sounds great. Lots of rubato and playing with time which seems to be a feature of many solo guitarists.

Wzpgsr (hoe did you come up with that username ) also very nice. Some nice voicings. Lovely guitar too. Which model is it?

I like seeing everyone's approaches. Everyone is so different in a good way.

Here's a little ten step program that I made up.

1) Melody play it all over the fretboard and sing it
2) melody with 3rds and 6ths
3) melody and root bass then moving bass
4) melody as top voicing in triads
5) melody as top voicing in chords
6) 5 + moving bass
7) 6 + moving middle lines
8) play the chords and matching scales and modes
9) simple improv
10) advanced improv

I have been playing the melody with moving bass. I want to keep going with this a little longer as bass movement can be approached from above or below, chromatic etc.

I'll also start on some middle lines with melody and moving bass.

This is somewhat more difficult as I'm aiming for the 3rd or 7th of the new chord but obviously the melody is mostly 3rds.

Anyway spending more time with the tune can only be good.....

[alltunes]

Really dug that all tunes. Yeah I would love to get some of those tasty runs into my playing. What were your references?

Thanks....I've been hacking away at this tune for years. As far as references...gee like everything I guess. Recently I stole a couple of ideas from Robin Nolan...check out these two arrangements he recently posted:

[Victor Saumarez]

Here's a quick rendition taken from my arrangement available here. The first chorus hugs the melody, then recreates it using the same notes. The 2nd chorus embellishes and plays off the harmony.