Module3 Practice Plan
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Srijan NepalModule3 Practice Plan
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Srijan NepalPractice Plan: Module 3
30-Day Chord Melody Challenge presented by [Link]
Duration: At least 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week
What I want you to do first:
Watch through all the videos in this module, downloading (and printing out if possible) the
various PDFs/Guitar Pro Files for each lesson. This will give you the general idea of what the
overall approach is at this point to making your first steps in solo jazz guitar arranging. Make
notes on what you're learning on the scores and/or in a notebook/Word document as you
watch the videos.
Once you have watched all the videos:
Have a look at the chord voicings I showed you in the Useful Chord Voicings Lesson and
generally get acquainted with them (you don’t need to memorize them though or even play
them fluently at this point, I just want you to get generally aware of what shapes you have
available).
Begin arranging your chosen tune for solo jazz guitar this time:
o Start with the 'trio' arrangement that you created in Module 2. Check that it is in a
suitable key for a solo jazz guitar arrangement (i.e, is there a key you could use that
would take advantage of open strings in the bass?). If you're not sure if you should
transpose or not, just leave the key as is
o Add some bass notes to chords and filler chords from the the Useful Chord Voicings
Lesson to fill out the bass in the arrangement as I demonstrate in the Adapting Your “Trio”
Arrangement Lesson
o Experiment with arpeggiating chords and using walking bass techniques (if you can), as
demonstrated in the Arpeggiation and Bass Techniques Lesson
o Apply octaves to bring more texture and drama to single lines (if needed), as
demonstrated in the Octaves Lesson
o Important: Experiment adding tensions to dominant chords to add more interest and a
jazz flavor, as the Adding Tension To Dominant Chords Lesson demonstrates
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Note that you don't have to apply all the techniques I outlined in this module, they are more a
playbook' of arranging ideas. At the very least adding more bass notes to your trio chord melody
and some filler chords would be a good start in the right direction.
Remember to 'massage' the arrangement to make it playable by tweaking fingerings of chords,
rhythms, and omitting notes as I demonstrated in Module 2.
Module 3 Goal: You have developed your 'trio' arrangement from the previous module into a solo
guitar version that sounds like it can 'stand on it's own' i.e. it sounds like a complete piece of music on
a single guitar. Don't worry though if your arrangement sounds a bit empty here and there - I'm going
to show you some techniques to fill in the gaps and increase the jazz factor in your arrangement in
Module 4.
Task: Commit to working on your arrangement at least 30 minutes daily for 5 sessions
to get your arrangement done.