r/guitarlessons • u/BLazMusic • 1d ago

Lesson Voice Leading/Chord Tones Exercise

Chord tones really cut through the clutter if you're trying to understand how to solo. This is the antidote to aimlessly going up and down your scales. You're basically using an easy system to create a very simple melody.

Once you're good at this, use your knowledge (if you have it) of your scale (in this case C) to add notes in between, and treat the chord tones as target notes. If you don't know your scales/keys, go here:

Major scales:

https://www.reddit.com/r/guitarlessons/comments/1muvwxk/basic_theory_lesson_how_to_create_any_major_scale/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

This progression/backing track are cheesy, but this works in any style, any progression.

We don't have any blue notes yet, or tensions, but you gotta be able to rock the basic chord tones first imo.

If you don't know how to create triads, you can go here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/guitarlessons/comments/1hstify/basic_theory_timetriads_if_you_want_to_play/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

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4

u/figurativelybland 1d ago

Very helpful, thanks a lot

3

u/BLazMusic 1d ago

No problem, glad you got something out of it

1

u/cognitiveDiscontents 1d ago

I thought voice loading involved building the melody in the chord simultaneously?

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u/BLazMusic 21h ago

You're right, that's often the context, but I would start with just the chord tones if it's a new thing.

You can use voice leading for building a solo, or for arranging chords, or building a melody...all the same stuff.

2

u/cognitiveDiscontents 21h ago

Cool, thanks. Great video. I’d be interested in a video of voice leading in the context of building the melody into the chords if you ever get the chance! Will have plenty to practice with this though.

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u/BLazMusic 20h ago

There a couple ways--one is being able to do the exact exercise i just showed you, but with the chords underneath, another is to play an actual melody, where not all the notes in the melody are chord tones. I would start with the former. I might be able to squeeze out a video.

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u/cognitiveDiscontents 18h ago

Thanks! I might be misunderstanding but are both those suggestions still playing single notes? What is the name for highlighting melody notes in the chord so you’re playing both at the same time a la bill evans? I know that’s beyond my scope for now but just wondering.

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u/BLazMusic 18h ago

No I mean with the chord underneath.

So if the melody note is a G, you would play G in 1st inversion, which puts G on top--B D G.

This is a simplified version of someone like Bill Evans of course, he's playing complex chords, but the principle is the same: play chords and make all the top notes into a melody. Usually a mix of chords and single notes.

You could also call it a chord solo, lots of videos about how to chord solo on guitar, but mostly in a jazz context. I would recommend mastering it on the triad level first, or at least being comfortable with it.

1

u/cognitiveDiscontents 16h ago

Thank you. Kind of you to help out.

1

u/c_m_d 19h ago

There’s a good one from a guy called fret jam on YouTube. It goes through 2 different ways to achieve voice leading. I found myself watching it a couple times. It’s very good.