Arranging Melody and Chord Solos for Ukulele
Last Updated: 6/13/2005
- There does not have to be a chord for every melody note.
- Chords can also played before or after the melody.
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Example from measure 2 of the Beatles classic
Yesterday.
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- Play chords for dotted quarter notes and long duration notes and
when there is a chord change.
- Add melody notes if needed and wanted.
- If melody is an arpeggio sustain notes to get chord.
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Reference: QuickStart Arpeggio Fingerings for Ukulele 3 volumes.
"C", "G" and "D" tunings.
(link)
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- If only one note is changing from one chord to
the next only play changed note while sustaining the pervious chord.
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Example from first measure of Yesterday.
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- Change all diminished triads to dim 7 4-part chords.
- Augmented triads to can be 7#5.
- Do not avoid the effectiveness of triads
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A Guide to Ukulele Chords (link)
This book provides a guide to the common basic chords all
ukulele players should know, an introduction to movable chord
forms and more advanced 4-part jazz chords. All presented in
all three common ukulele keys. And building on what chords you
might already know.
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- Use chord substitutions to fit the style.
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Example from Autumn Leaves.
The original chord for this measure is the I chord of the key
(Bbmaj7). A III chord, a diatonic sub is substituted and its V chord added. Also
creates a nice chromatic movement the the IV chord.
The full melody and chord solo
arrangement available on
the Online Lessons - Repertoire page.
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Reference:
Harmonic Analysis for Scale Selection and
Chord Substitution (link)
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- Look for places for parallel, oblique, similar and contrary motion
in your chord voicings.
- Double stops, octaves, intervals, arpeggios, sequences
and chord scales.
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Example from Walk Don't Run. A song written by
jazz great Johnny Smith and made famous by the Ventures.
The full melody and chord solo
arrangement available on
the Online Lessons - Repertoire page.
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- Chromatic passing chords and fills.
- Closed chord voicings. The re-entrant tuning of the ukulele
gives you this automatically.
- Incorporate open strings in to chord voicings
- Non-traditional chords families.
- Alterations, upper partials (chord extensions) and
substitutions. Root to 9, b9, #9, third to 11, #11, fifth to
13, b5, #5.
- Alterations should not change the chords existing
harmonic function.
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Reference:
Harmonic Analysis for Scale Selection and
Chord Substitution (link)
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- Embellishments
- Idiomatic cliches
- A melody of a ninth can be harmonized by raising the root of a
chord 2 frets or lowering the third of a minor chord one fret and
the third of a major seventh or seventh chord two frets.
- A melody of an eleventh can be harmonized by raising the
third of a minor chord two frets and the third of a major seventh
or seventh chord one fret. Or, lowering the fifth
of a seventh, minor seventh or major seventh chord two frets.
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The Advanced Guide to Ukulele Chords - Volume I (link)
Commonly referred to as "jazz" chords. The Advanced Guide to
Ukulele Chords Volume I provides detailed information on voicing
4-part chords.
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- Learn the critical notes of a chord such as
the thirds and sevenths of major minor and sevenths chords. Without
these notes in the chord you loose the essence of the chord.
The two most critical notes are the melody and the seventh
of a chord.
Leaving out the root and fifth of a chord implies 5, 6 and 7 part
harmony.
- Intros, Endings and Interludes equal an arrangement.
- Theme variations
for more information on building ukulele chords see my books
from my Advanced Guide to Chords and Progressions series.
- A Guide to Blues Chord Progressions for Ukulele A to Z -
AGCPB1UKE
- A Guide to Ukulele Chords -
BC1UKE
- Learning the Ukulele Fingerboard -
ULUNN
- Advanced Guide to Ukulele Chords - Vol 1 -
AGCUKE1
- Advanced Guide to Chord Progressions for Ukulele - Vol 1 -
AGCPUKE1
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A Few of the Fake Books That I Have
| The Real Book - Volume 1 Sixth Edition For All C Instruments. Performed by Various. By Various Composers. Fake Book (Includes melody line and chords). Size 8.5x11 inches. 512 pages. Published by Hal Leonard. (240221)
See more info...
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| The Real Little Ultimate Jazz Fake Book (C Edition) For voice and C instrument. Spiral bound. Format: fakebook. With vocal melody, lyrics (on most songs) and chord names. Jazz. Series: Hal Leonard Fake Books. 447 pages. 6x9 inches. Published by Hal Leonard. (HL.240018)
See more info...
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You'll need a copy of Adobe®: Acrobat® reader (version 3.0 or higher) to view or print the PDF file. If you don't already have a copy, or if you have an older version, you can get the latest reader for free from Adobe.
Lessons, TABS and Songs are intended FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY
Portions of copy regarding particular songs is from WidipediA, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.
Hard Copy Book: $9.95
PDF Download: $4.95
A Guide to Ukulele Chords - 2nd Edition
A Guide to Ukulele Chords is designed as a guide to ukulele (pronounced “oo-koo-lele”) chords. Covering the basic ukulele chords that ALL ukulele players SHOULD know. A Guide to Ukulele Chords covers movable chord forms, rock chords, how to transpose chords, learning the ukulele fingerboard and includes an introduction to 4-part, a.k.a “jazz” chords and more...
From a few “core, basic chord shapes and a understanding of how chords are constructed. Your chord vocabulary can be dramatically increased without memorizing countless chord shapes. There are too many chord shapes to memorize.
More info and complete samples of entire book.
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MELODY_AND_CHORD_TIPS.PHP | Updated: Tuesday, 11th October, 2011 @ 10:51am
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