Licks or Melody?

[@DavePollack]

Get the PDF here: ►www.davepollack.com/melody-licks

[@aguzman11189]

“If you’re hearing the song, you can’t go wrong”- Ari Hoenig

[@DavePollack]

💯

[@Ffiltar46]

Keeping it simple, just what I needed. 30+ years of playing and still working through the struggles, you are very helpful.

[@DavePollack]

Thank you for that!

[@elj3ster]

This helped me big time. Currently working on a project where I must solo with guitar over jazz changes. And this advice might help me to be a better musician too. Thanks and new sub even if I just watched this vid.

[@DavePollack]

I appreciate that! This will definitely help you out

[@AlphTime]

These are also just solid tips for melody writing in ordinary composition, thanks king 🙌

[@DavePollack]

You’re welcome! 🙏

[@Thoughtsinmykitchen]

Great advice! I will need to try it.

[@melodypiercedunn5232]

Melody all the way! 🙂 Killin it as always.

[@DavePollack]

Hahah always gotta go with Melody!!

[@robstevens9590]

really nice 3 step process

[@DavePollack]

Thanks! I love breaking down these concepts into easier ideas.

[@tonyjones2436]

Wow, thanks Dave. What a great way of looking at improvising.

[@DavePollack]

You’re very welcome!

[@bosmatgal1]

Thank you Dave!

[@DavePollack]

You’re very welcome!

[@bosmatgal1]

@@DavePollack For a while I’m writing my solos…after watching your video I’ll do my best to follow your suggestions. I’m a student and started playing at one of the music school ensembles.

[@Bastionaute]

Very smart process as alaways Dave! Thank you!

[@DavePollack]

You're very welcome!

[@kooldupont6069]

Excelent teacher!!

[@DavePollack]

Thank you! 🙏

[@peterankin985]

Brill dave ideal for me i am working on blue bossa at the moment usig ypur chord tone only lesson so this is a bonus for me....Pete....spain

[@DavePollack]

Awesome!

[@lukeserrano62]

Yes, I think many recording artists have taken this approach. Comparing two versions of Man from Mars by Artie Shaw it was clear to me that he had a semi composed framework for his soloing around which he elaborated differently on each occasion.

[@DavePollack]

You can do it when recording as well, but this is a good starting point for practicing inprovisation. You can definitely get away from this and do other things, so don’t feel like once you write out a melody you’re stuck with it everytime you play this tune.

[@parkerpolen]

This was a great video, Dave! Thank you for the advice, I will definitely be trying this. You wrote a smooth melody over blue bossa; well done. In the future, I think it would be interesting to see a video on upper structure soloing. (For example, you may cover more dominant altered structures, or perhaps you could talk about implying a IV vii over a ii V. Also, quartals are extremely important, and I could see this being a domain of interest.) I appreciate your consideration!

[@DavePollack]

Thanks so much, and you got it! I’ll add it to my “to-record” list

[@MartinJefferies-j1d]

I think it was Gary Burton who said you should hear the melody in someone's solo.

[@marcusahlback1096]

Thanks. This seems like a very good approach and clearly explained. I would guess some of us wannabee impovisers might find the step of actually write down on paper "my melody" a bit difficult/boring/waste of time and would prefer to take a shortcut by teliing ourselves "Naah, I'll do that in my head instead" But if I get you right the writing down step is (at least) equally important?

[@DavePollack]

The writing down part is critical! So many people “wander” in their solos because they don’t think (or ever practice) like composers.

[@marcusahlback1096]

@@DavePollack Thanks!

[@marcusahlback1096]

@@DavePollack Thanks!

[@marcusahlback1096]

@@DavePollack Thanks!

[@clintshackson3910]

Hey Dave! I love your Christmas tunes and have continued to listen to them through KZbin for the past few years. Do you have any future plans of releasing the full track lists on Spotify as well?

[@clintshackson3910]

Also, I liked that you focus on making new melodies in this video. I’ve found that a lot of new players will memorize a few licks to use in all of their solos, which don’t always translate well to the feel of every song. Your video is really a great point of advice to all players, and especially beginners to improvisation. Thanks for doing what you do!

[@DavePollack]

Thank you so much! I have an album out called "Home For The Holidays" which has 8 of my tunes from my Christmas Tune of the Day 2020 series. Check it out on streaming platforms!

[@ChampionShogo]

Gotta sing

[@DavePollack]

No one does it better than you!!

[@etowahjazz]

BINGO!!!

[@DavePollack]

🙏

[@richardcalderale1831]

I need help following chord progressions. I can’t find how to connect them to make a moving line

[@DavePollack]

Have you watched my masterclass with my 6-step voice leading process?

[@Alebouef1673]

🥶🥶🥶💯💯💯

[@onyxroden3797]

Rock on (day 432 of asking for shoutout) 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🗿

[@dariolanga]

What you called a melody seems to me like a solo and not exactly an improvisation, a solo or even an exercise. To say that what you are calling the original melody is above all the theme and, not It is close to or compared to a theme because the latter has a very different purpose than a solo or an improvisation and this can be seen in its sound. Solo/Melody/Improvisation and exercise are things different. Good work for you.