All of Me - Melody Only, Just Once Through

[delb0y]

I have a new plan... I keep trying and failing to learn how to improvise, so I am developing a new plan. Step # 1 is to really learn the melody and changes of a tune, before worrying about 'owt else. We'll see how it goes.

This Step # 1 on All of Me. I was actually quite pleased with my tone here, for a change.

https://youtu.be/4cRfj8DwkwU

Cheers
Derek

[delb0y]

This is part two (well Parts 1b and 1c) of this multi-stage project. I'm still at the stage of learning the tune - so the first run through is just the root notes. Nothing exciting, just me making sure I know the very basic structure. As I'm playing this I'm trying to hear the melody in my head, with the intent of knowing, at any give time, what the melody and the chord is. This is a bit boring on this tune as most of the chords last two bars, but it's the principle I'm testing here. The second half is the melody again, but this time I'm dropping in some random notes from the chord at any given time to ensure I'm following the changes / melody. What's nice is that already I'm feeling like I could play some variations on the melody that would be passable. Next stage will be to start playing some arpeggios over the changes. Watch this thread...

https://youtu.be/_brQ-cwSLPE

[windydankoff]

I admire your methodical process. It looks like a good foundation for what you'll be able to do intuitively with any song. Keep it up!

[delb0y]

Thanks Windy!

I didn't record the next couple of steps as they were boring - essentially just playing the triads over the backing track, and then, once happy with that, adding in the sevenths.

That got me to this stage - improvising using the melody, the occasional root note (again, to prove to myself that I know where I am), and now some of those arpeggios.

Still a  long way to go, but the path appears to be a good one, thus far...

https://youtu.be/R6wcpTxMIkI

Cheers
Derek

[delb0y]

You’ll be delighted to hear this is the final instalment in this mini-series. I’ve stuck to the idea of improvising around the melody, adding in some root notes here and there to help me keep my place. I’ve used arpeggios, and a few chromatics, and this time added in a couple of blues runs from all the work I’ve done there. It's taken a week of focussed work, but I think it’s a passable attempt at a few improvised choruses and now it’s time to apply the methodology to another song to see if I can replicate the idea and keep on progressing.

https://youtu.be/IHUChBA2xts

Cheers
Derek

[Airflyte]

Hi Derek. I think it sounds good. Sometimes less is more 

Oh, and the rhythm section is really solid!

[LarryS]

Superb!