Improvising in the chord melody style can be taken to new heights when inner lines are employed that are musical and played with finesse. This class will deal specifically with inner lines, or lines that are played between a melody note and a bass note. The melody and bass notes are important providing the necessary framework for solo chord melody playing. As an alternative to the common chord form approach to chord soloing we’ll examine how to make something unique and musical happen between the bass and melody. The inner line concept can be a satisfying way of personalizing one’s chord soloing. Often the success of a good inner line depends upon choosing a good melodic line that resolves well and having a good flexible technique to make the line seamless, maintaining the independence of the two parts. A flexible technique can be achieved by practicing the studies set forth in this class so that true improvisation in this style can happen naturally. Using principles that were inspired by the materials George Van Eps outlines in his harmonic mechanisms books, some of the lines will be given a bebop/hardbop update and I’ll demonstrate the types of fingerings employed to make these lines happen between 2 outside sustained notes. The class should make it possible for the player to improvise more interesting arrangements in the chord melody style. Be prepared for a true left hand finger workout leading to much greater finger independence!
View a clip from Steve’s Class.
|The Inner Line|
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