Jazzing-Up Traditional Country Songs

Wayne Baker · Post by **Wayne Baker** » 14 Jan 2006 8:56 am

When I first heard of Paul Franklin, I read a story about how he learned to play jazz type music. And lately I have been experimenting with sort of "jazzing-up" traditional country or other types of songs on E9th. I like to take a song like Tennesee Waltz and speed it up a bit and put a jazz feel to it. What techniques are you guys using and what sort of pedal combos?

Thanks in advance,

Wayne Baker

Papa Joe Pollick · Post by **Papa Joe Pollick** » 14 Jan 2006 9:48 am

Hi Wayne,I've ben doing that for years.. More of a Blues sound ,kinda jazzy..But some songs I won't mess with..One that I try to play close to original is Tenn. Waltz.Also most of the Ray price songs..I'm a big fan of Willy Nelson and I do a lot of that out of sync stuff like he does.Drives band mates crazy.Maybe thats why I'm not giggin much..But please keep Tenn. Waltz original..It's like sacred..LOL...PJ

Andy Greatrix · Post by **Andy Greatrix** » 14 Jan 2006 12:51 pm

You can jazz up country songs, but be reverent to the meaning of the words. I heard a band do Kitty wells "It Wasn't God Who Made Honkytonk Angels" the other night and they shuffled it like it was the happiest song in the world. The music and the words were not on the same page, so to speak. Jazz can be pretty as well as dissonant. Vince Gauraldi (sp?)is a good example.[This message was edited by Andy Greatrix on 14 January 2006 at 12:54 PM.]

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 14 Jan 2006 2:49 pm

Jazz em' up, thats alwasy good..

but remember on the gig, Tenn Waltz is a Waltz..Don't play it to fast....the Seniors will line up to beat on you....

Michael Garnett · Post by **Michael Garnett** » 15 Jan 2006 1:48 am

Wayne-

You can start by making major / minor chords into major / minor seventh chords by using chord substitutions.

Lower your 5th and 10th string, or go up 2 frets with A&B for a 3 minor chord. There's two possibilities for a 1maj7 chord.

Minor seventh chord substitutions are made with major triads. So for a 2min7 chord you can play a 4maj chord.

Dominant chords (regular "7th chords") are substituted with diminished triads, so find some places to make those. Go down a fret and raise your Es to make that triad a diminished one. Remember diminished triads repeat themselves every third fret, so there's some neat picking and sliding techniques to be had there.

These are all some things you can do while the bass player plays the root to make the tonal quality of the music a little more complex. Of course, the beat has a lot to do with it, if you want a jazzier feel, swing the eighth notes harder.

-MG

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 15 Jan 2006 5:17 am

Another thing to try is to insert a 2m chord before the 5 chord. Adds interest.

Drew Howard · Post by **Drew Howard** » 15 Jan 2006 7:49 am

Ever hear flatpicking guitarists insert
"Little Rock Getaway" into Wildwood Flower?

<pre>

C C G C

/ / / / |/ / / / |/ / / / |/ / / / |

C C G C

/ / / / |/ / / / |/ / / / |/ / / / |

C E7 Am C7 F A7 Dm Gbdim

/ / / / |/ / / / |/ / / / |/ / / / |

C C G C

/ / / / |/ / / / |/ / / / |/ / / / |

</pre>

Drew

------------------

Drew Howard - website - Fessenden guitars, 70's Fender Twin, etc.

Michael Garnett · Post by **Michael Garnett** » 15 Jan 2006 10:23 am

And if possible, play a 6- chord before the 2- chord. Jazz is chock full of 6251 progressions. Which is cool, because a 6- can be played over a 1 chord as well. Kindof like what I was saying earlier, the top of an Amin7 chord is a C major. It all depends on what the bass player is playing at the time. If you play an A- over a C bass note, it becomes a C6 chord.

You can get that 6- chord by mashing your A pedal, which, interestingly enough, becomes the 4maj7 chord as well. So, A- is the same as Fmaj7 is the same as C6 when you're at the 8th fret with the A pedal down. Which is exactly what you get when you strum open on the C6th neck. C F A C E G A C E G. That's a C6 chord, an Fmaj7 chord, and an Amin7 chord all at the same time.

-MG

Justin Griffith · Post by **Justin Griffith** » 15 Jan 2006 11:22 pm

Geez Michael you are starting to scare me man

. Wonder if your school will accept a hack like me.

Justin[This message was edited by Justin Griffith on 15 January 2006 at 11:23 PM.]

Michael Garnett · Post by **Michael Garnett** » 16 Jan 2006 12:49 am

Well, they accepted me. Then they taught me all that junk.