Originally Posted by
Don Stiernberg
Dear drbhrb,
Please be more specific about which chord sounds you don't like. I don't mean to defend my bad sounding chords, and I would like to help. A quick review of the samples above shows that on rhythm playing I am using mostly 3 note voicings, and generally those are similar to what Pete shows, as far as basic functional shapes-he usually has a fourth note, but our voicings seem to be going after the same things. One thing that you might hear on the rhythm side of things is I will frequently on m7 chords play just a minor chord, no 7. So that bit of functionality is lost,that one might sound too plain. Not sure why I fell into that, maybe seemed easier to move to corresponding dominants. Here lately I'll play m9's more often, and move to a 13 or b13 on the dominant...
It may be the chord melody voicings as on Night and Day that are more objectionable. Those are often 4 note shapes, melody the highest note whether 3 or 4 notes in the voicing. That very first one, Dm7b5 with G on top, doesn't strike me all that well either now that you mention it. I do know that first change is debatable anyway--some cats use Abmaj7.
So if you can tell me more about which things don't sound good--rhythm? lead? All of it?...hopefully we can scratch around and find better voicings for all of us. I'm grateful to you for opening the dialogue, always looking for and open to new grips and routes..
I got on a gig recently behind a singer and often I'm the only chord instrument. It's been scary, i've always been self-conscious about playing chords behind instruments(voice, horns, guitar, piano) that make richer, lower, fuller sounds...it's always struck me as hearing the right hand range of a piano comping for the left hand range, kinda backwards. Well oddly enough I've wound up playing LESS behind this singer. I thought I would need to play more, add interest or fullness, but it turns out less is what's working. So rarely all four notes, and sometimes only two, keeping the movements close, not hopping around too much. Sometimes only the most pertinent notes, the ones that illustrate the functions.
As far as other players to dig: Paul Glasse. John Reischman. Mike Marshall. Jason Anick. Chris Biesterfield.Aaron Weinstein. Tim Connell.Johnny Gimble. Jethro Burns.Jacob do Bandolim. DuDu Maia. Hamilton de Holanda.Danilo Brito. David Grisman. Tiny Moore.Matt Flinner.Andy Statman.Tim O'Brien. Even when these cats are not playing rhythm or chord melody or jazz, each has his own unique concept about chord voicings and harmony. There are others too which I will add in further posts.
Oh hey drbhrb tell me too what instrument you played before mandolin. That might help in terms of what you were hearing on other instruments that you aren't hearing on the mandolin..
Thanks again I look forward to batting around the ideas.
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