Advice of playing melodies

johntone · #1 02-09-2011, 07:55 AM

i don't do a lot of teaching - but every so often some one wants to take a lesson with me .

one student wanted advice on playing melodies more fluent , smooth & lyrical ... seemed like with even the simplest of melodies - he would end up a half or whole step away from various notes.

he seems to have a good ear - but - the issues seem to lie in shifting - when to shift - what finger to fret with -getting stuck in a certain hand position .

any advice for exercises to to help with above issues - or a good starting point for approaching a melody ?

MalcolmAmos · #2 02-09-2011, 08:43 AM

One melody note per lyric word - have him sing the tune, under his breath is OK. That keeps me on track.

JTE · #3 02-09-2011, 08:46 AM

Yep, sing it. Not just melodies, but sing everything that you're working on. It's critical to get the ear, the brain, and the hands all working together. Scales, arpeggios, licks are all just wiggling your fingers if the ear isn't working. The objective is to hear what you're playing before your fingers get there.

John

**DougD** · #4 02-09-2011, 08:55 AM

My advice would be "Don't play it if you don't feel it" and plus 1 on singing it or humming it. If it doesn't sound right when you sing or hum it, it probably wont sound good playing it. IMHO that's why bass players that play a flurry of notes often are very good technically, but have absolutely no soul or feel to them. Just sound like a bunch of random notes, and bores the audience to the point where they lose interest. IMHO

johntone · #5 02-10-2011, 02:24 PM

yes - i like the advice about singing " one note per lyric".....
i wish all these modern young singers in the so called "R&B" and pop world would heed that advice....
christina aguilera wiggling the **** out of the the melody to the star bangled banner is a prime example ... drives me nuts - SHE happens to have talent and a great instrument - but it's just way too much embellishment -

honeyiscool · #6 02-10-2011, 02:33 PM

I slide my hand all the time because my fingers get stuck. I'm sure this is wrong technique, but I do it.

suraci · #7 02-12-2011, 03:19 AM

Assuming your student or friend is talented,
I would attack the ear aspect ( thus singing... and loads of listening too )
SOme songs have an interval or two, that is tricky to hear.
I would record him as he plays melodies at length... till he forgets recorder is ON, so to speak. Make careful observation of
WHICH intervals more frequently get missed

There are two entirely different ways to look at intervals
from one note to the next
and in relation to a root tone or even a key center.

These are hints.. My suspicion is that certain intervals, not ALL intervals throw this person off.
make note of those situations. And go from there.