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LESSONSeries : Solo Ukulele - Creating Melody and Chord Arrangements
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Melody and Chord Tips
Creating Melody and Chord Arrangements, in theory are as simple as harmonizing the melody with a chord. Which is playing a chord that has the melody note as the top note of the chord voicing. In practice it is a little more involved, but not much more.
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The Art of Playing Melody and Chords at the Same Time
Chord Melody or Melody and Chord is the art of playing the melody and chords at the same time. This is what solo piano players do all the time. They have two hands to do it. On ukulele we have to do it all with one hand and only four strings. In the common high "G", C tuning, the available range of notes for creating melody and chord arrangements on ukulele is around two octaves, give or take a few notes. A little more on the lower end for a low "G", C tuning.
A few things you should know before starting:
1) The notes of the Ukulele Fingerboard and what they look like in Standard Music Notation . TAB, although an initial help when learning the ukulele has a very, very limited functionality with crafting a melody and chord arrangement.
2) The ability to identify the notes and chord intervals of a chord. Chord Spelling - A C major chord is C E G, the root, third and fifth of a C major scale. A G7 chord is G B D F, the root, third, fifth and flat seven of a G major scale.
And, it does really help if you can read Standard Music Notation .
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Melody and Chord Tips…
Melody and Chord Guidelines
- A few tip, tricks and guidelines for creating melody and chord arrangements.
- You do not have to play a chord for every melody note. Chords can also played before or after the melody.
- Play a chord for dotted quarter notes and longer.
- Play a chord when there is a chord change.
- Add melody notes if needed and wanted.
- If melody is an arpeggio, play as single notes and sustain the notes to get create the chord.
- If only one melody note is changing in a chord play the changed note while sustaining the previous unchanged notes of the chord.
Example from measure 2 of the Beatles classic Yesterday.
Example from first measure of Yesterday.
- Change all diminished triads to dim 7th 4-part chords.
- Augmented triads to can be played as a 7#5.
- Do not avoid the effectiveness of triads
- Use chord substitutions to fit the style.
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 to the IV chord.
Example from Autumn Leaves. A full Melody and Chord Solo Arrangement for Autumn Leaves .
- Look for places for Contrapuntal Motion: 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 Melody and Chord Solo Arrangement for Walk Don't Run
- Use the principles of Voice Leading
- Chromatic passing chords and fills.
- Close chord voicings. The re-entrant tuning of the ukulele gives you this automatically.
- Incorporate an open strings chord voicing in to the arrangement.
- Use a Free form chord voicing. A Free Form Chord is a chord that does not fall into the open position, movable form or 4-part chord categories.
- Alterations, upper partials (chord extensions) and substitutions. Root to 9, b9, #9, third to 11, #11, fifth to 13, b5, #5 to fit the style. Alterations should not change the chords harmonic function.
- Embellishments - slurs, hammer-ons, pull-offs, tremolo, etc...
- Idiomatic Cliches - These are things such a bend or glissando (slides) in blues.
- Alternate Chord Voicings - 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.
- 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. This is very useful on an instrument such as the a ukulele.
- Create an arrangement using Introductions and Turnarounds and Endings
- Theme, variations and re-harmonization.
Download the PDF file for the latest, complete, and most up-to-date version. As well as additional information not presented on-line.
End of Lesson - Thanks, Hope You Enjoyed It!
Related Lessons, Videos, Lesson Series, Songs, Books & Reference Charts, Resources & Assets, Workshops are below.
Related Songs
Related Songs for Melody and Chord Tips
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While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Updated: 08 Aug 2020
While My Guitar Gently Weeps is a song written by George Harrison of The Beatles for their double album The Beatles (also known as The White Album). The song was ranked #135 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time and #7 on their list of the 100 greatest guitar songs of all time.
Yesterday
Updated: 28 Jan 2020
Yesterday is a song originally recorded by The Beatles for their 1965 album Help!. The song first hit the United Kingdom top 10 three months after the release of Help!. The song remains popular today with more than 1,600 cover versions, one of the most covered songs in the history of recorded music. The song was not released as a single in the UK at the time of its release in the United States, and thus never gained number 1 single status in that country. However, “Yesterday” was voted the best song of the 20th century in a 1999 BBC Radio 2 poll of music experts and listeners.
Blue Bossa
Updated: 28 Nov 2022
Blue Bossa is an instrumental jazz composition by Kenny Dorham (August 30, 1924 - December 5, 1972). It was introduced on Joe Henderson's 1963 album Page One. A blend of hard bop and bossa nova, the tune was possibly influenced by Dorham's visit to the Rio de Janeiro Jazz Festival in 1961. The tune has since been recorded numerous times by different artists, making it a jazz standard.
Blue Skies
Updated: 05 May 2022
Blue Skies is a popular song, written by Irving Berlin in 1926. The song was composed in 1926 as a last minute addition to the Rodgers and Hart musical, Betsy. Although the show only ran for 39 performances, "Blue Skies" was an instant success, with audiences on opening night demanding 24 encores of the piece from star, Belle Baker. During the final repetition, Ms. Baker forgot her lyrics, prompting Berlin to sing them from his seat in the front row.
Eleanor Rigby
Updated: 28 Aug 2023
Eleanor Rigby is a song by The Beatles, originally released on the 1966 album Revolver. The song was primarily written by Paul McCartney, although in an interview conducted by Playboy magazine in 1980, John Lennon claimed that "the first verse was his and the rest are basically mine." Pete Shotton, a close friend of Lennon who was present at the time, said "Though John (whose memory could be extremely erratic) was to take credit, in one of his last interviews, for most of the lyrics, my own recollection is that 'Eleanor Rigby' was one 'Lennon-McCartney' classic in which John's contribution was virtually nil."
Feliz Navidad
Updated: 29 Aug 2023
Feliz Navidad is a Christmas song written in 1970 by the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter José Feliciano. With its simple Spanish chorus (the traditional Christmas/New Year greeting, "Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicidad" meaning "Merry Christmas, a prosperous year and happiness") and equally simple English verse "I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart", it has become a classic Christmas pop song in the United States, throughout the Spanish-speaking world and internationally.
Related Books & Charts
Related Books for Melody and Chord Tips
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A Guide to Advanced Ukulele Chords - Volume I
Updated: 13 Feb 2020
Beyond learning basic Ukulele chords, most players struggle with advanced chords. Commonly called "jazz" chords, these more sophisticated voicings find a wide use in all forms of music. A Guide to Advanced Chords for Ukulele - presents a highly organized and efficient approach to the mysterious subject of advanced chords. Chord dictionaries are not the answer.
Exploring Jazz Chords on Ukulele
Updated: 10 Jan 2020
Exploring jazz chords using a variety of common chord progressions based on songs from the standard jazz repertoire. Core Chords are the basic set of chords needed to play a wide range of music, in a variety of styles. This set of chords includes basic open position chords, basic movable form chords and the core 4-part "jazz" chords.
A Guide to Blues Chord Progressions for Ukulele A to Z
Updated: 22 May 2024
The Blues are at the heart of all American music. It has influenced Country, Rock, Folk, Jazz, Bluegrass and just about every form of American music we listen to today. 26 blues progression in C and G tuning, progressing from basic to advanced jazz progression, with chord grids and substitutions explained.
QuickStart Arpeggio Fingerings for Ukulele, Triads C Tuning
Updated: 10 Jan 2020
QuickStart Scale Arpeggio Fingerings for Ukulele - Triads is a concise, well organized book ideal for any ukulele player beginning to explore the ukulele's full potential as a musical instrument. Arpeggio Fingerings for Ukulele - Triads keeps a sharp focus on essential arpeggios and their fingerings. All material is covered in every key.
Learning the Ukulele Fingerboard - C Tuning
Updated: 18 Jan 2023
Finally, learn the names of the notes of the fingerboard. Learning the notes of your instrument allows you the flexibility of not having to remember so many shapes. There are simply way too many chords, scale and notes patterns, and shapes to remember. It all comes down the notes.
QuickStart Scale Fingerings for Ukulele, Volume I, C Tuning
Updated: 01 Apr 2024
Learn to create exciting solos in a variety of contemporary styles! Scales are used to improvise, create melodies and riffs. With broad knowledge of the essential scales that are used in contemporary music and a mastery of the ukulele's fingerboard and fingering principles, you're well on your way.
The Advanced Guide to Chord Progressions for Ukulele - Volume I
Updated: 15 Apr 2024
Before individual chords become the background of songs, they must be put into orders called chord progressions. The Advanced Guide to Chord Progressions for Ukulele organizes progressions according to string family, position, voice leading and chord magnetism.
A Selection of Books & Reference Charts that are recommended for creating a solid foundation with your chosen instrument and music in general.
Books
Checkout the Books for additional Handy, Dandy Reference Charts.
Reference Charts
Key Signatures — Circle of Fourths and Fifths – ANSI A & A4 sizes
A handy reference chart of all 15 major and relative minor key signatures. US Letter 8.5 x 11 sized (ANSI-A) , A4
Checkout the Books for additional Handy, Dandy Reference Charts.
Related Lesson Files, Resources and Assets
Related Assets for Melody and Chord Tips
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