CHAPTER 16 SEGMENT 62

Chord Melody Techniques

Level: Intermediate

Gtr I: Untitled (E A D G B E)

Start by playing the melody as indicated in the notation that follows.

C E7

V V V V V
V V W gV V W
1
I 3

Gtr I
8 8 10 8 7
T 8 5 5 9 5 5
A
B

A7 Dm7
V V V W j V gV fV W W
5 gV
I
5 6 5
T 8 5 5 4 5 8 6
A
B

Next, on the last note of each phrase play the applicable chord that has the hold note on top. Strum the chord in place of the last note.
Find as many variations as you can for the first phrase.
C Cmaj7 Cmaj6 Cmaj7 Cmaj6

V V V V V V V V V V
9
VV WW VV WW V W VV WW V W
I V W V W V W V W V W
V W V W V W V W
8 8 8 8 8
T 8 5 5 8 5 5 8 5 5 8 8
A 5 5 4 4 2 2 9 9 9 9
5 5 5 5 5 5 9 9 7 7
B 3 3 3 3 10 10 10 10
8 8 8 8
 CHAPTER 16 SEGMENT 62 -

adding the next phrase another inversion

Cmaj7 E E7 E7

V V V V V V gV V V V V gV V V V V gV
14
VV WW VV WW VV WW V W
I V W 3 V W 3 VV WW 3 V W
V W V W
8 8 10 8 7 8 10 8 7 8 10 8 7
T 8 5 5 9 5 5 9 5 5 9 5 5
A 4 4 4 4 4 4 7 7
5 5 6 6 6 6 6 6
B 3 3 5 5
7 7

adding the next phrase

A7 A A7 A7 A9

V V V W V V V V V V V V
21
I V W gVVV WW
W gVVV WW
WW gVVV WW
W
VV
V
WW
W
gV W V gV W
V W V W
5 5 5 5 5
T 8 5 5 8 5 5 8 5 5 8 5 5 8 5 5
A 2 2 6 6 6 6 6 6 4 4
5 5 7 7 5 5 5 5 5 5
B 4 4 7 7 4 4
5 5 5 5

Adding the next phrase

Dm Dm7 Dm6

26 j gV V gV f V W WW
W j gV V gV f V W WW
W j gV V gV f V W W
W
I W W W
6 5 6 5 6 5
T 4 5 8 6 4 5 8 6 4 5 8 6
A 5 5 4
7 7 7
B 5 5 5
Continue to come up with as many variations as you can. Use the horizontal approach and expression to explore further.

Next, play the underlying chord that has the melody tone on top on the first and last note of each phrase.
C C C

VV V VV V VV V
35
V VV WW V VV WW V VV WW
I V W V W V W
V W V W
8 8 8
T 8 8 5 5 8 8 8 8 5 5
A 9 4 4 9 9 9 9 5 5
5 5 9 9 5 5
B 3 3 10 10
8 8
 CHAPTER 16 SEGMENT 62 -

Below is an example. Explore more options using the same approach.

Cmaj7 E7 A7 Dm7

VV V VV V VV V gV VV V V W
38
V VV WW V V VV WW VV V W j gV V gV f V W
WW WW
W
I V W V W W W
V W 3 gV W
8 8 10 8 7 5 6 5
T 8 8 5 5 8 8 9 5 5 5 8 5 5 4 5 8 6
A 9 4 4 9 9 4 4 4 2 2 5 5
5 5 6 6 5 5 5 7 7
B 3 3 4 4 5 5

Finally, play the chord inversion that has the melody note on top in place of every note in the melody.
Take each phrase and come up with as many variations as you can.
Cmaj7 E9 A7 Dm7

slide into the chord from below

VV V VV VV VV
V VV VV WW V V V ggVVV gVV VV WW VV V
ggVV V W j gV VV gVVV f VV
VV
W
WW WW
46
I V W V V VV WW VV fV W gV f V W
V W 3
V V V W V gV W W

8 3 8 10 8 7 5 6 5
T 8 5 5 5 8 10 8 7 9 5 5 5 8 5 5 4 5 5 5 8 6
A 9 5 4 4 9 10 9 6 7 4 4 4 6 2 2 1 2 6 6 5 5
5 5 7 9 6 6 5 8 5 5 4 5 5 5 7 7
B 3 3 7 5 5 7 4 4 3 4 5 5