Music Theory | Principles of Melody - Bebop Lines

In this episode of Everything Music is called “Principles of Melody - Bebop Lines.” I focuses on the basic principles of strong melody writing. I discuss how to use Chord Tones on strong beats (Beats 1-2-3-4) and Non-Chord Tones and Passing Tones on weak beats (the and of 1-2-3-4). I demonstrate examples of how and why this works. It will show you how to play lines like a real bebopper. Links To Follow:
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[@hunghoangmusic]

I can't thank you enough Rick. This video explains how to "play the right note at the right time" perfectly. As a self-taught jazz musician, this is priceless to me. Thank you thank you!!!!

[@mrbridgewater1]

It took me years, before I realized that chord tones fall on strong beats. I started understanding all this chord tone studies my teachers had me do. Great lesson.

[@AimeeNolte]

I love the BAD examples. Really proves your point. Great video!

[@goldsmithstrings6842]

Yeah bad examples are always a good way to explain a concept!

[@hunghoangmusic]

I love you Aimee. I also learned a lot from your videos

[@sebastianschweigert7117]

I'm impressed rick is able to so easily play the nonsensical melody with a misplaced beat.

[@KipIngram]

@@sebastianschweigert7117 Yes - fouling up reliably is a skill. :-)

[@CharlesAustin]

Aimee, you are the most musical !!

[@dobeeeeval]

This video changed my life.

[@pcas9]

I would second or third what you guys said fully and completely. Ricks content is unmatched on youtube and sits on a different level. This lesson and Mega Arpeggios combined helped me think intervallically. Now ... with his explanation on what beats to place where with what notes specifically... 1,3,5,7's etc. Just speechless.

[@alexanderhelt738]

I concur!

[@Trash-Beats]

😂

[@pinacoco2]

i really appreciate your vids. good to see someone lifting standard mainstream niveau to a higher level. i am totally sick of all of these "beginner lessons" telling the same story over and over again. thanx a lot!

[@davidharrison1837]

Rick, I think I have become addicted to your videos. You know music so thoroughly and are such a great teacher, I think you deserve a Nobel prize. Great that you mention Prokoviev and Jobim in the same video. I won't be surprised to hear you talk about Darius MiIhaud and Mingus in the future. I guess I better get your book.

[@02Tango]

Great Video, thanks! I came to this realization many years ago..."If I can play the notes of each chord over any chord progression then the notes are guaranteed to work (they are in the chord after all)." By starting from this point of view, you are learning the consonant sounds over each chord. I started just playing 3rds over a backing track, then 5ths, then 7ths. The notes between chord tones are the dissonances. The way that a player weaves these together can be very personal and unique. 2 players can use the same raw material (chords and scales) over the same progression and sound totally different. This is a universal concept, look at the 1st solo in Comfortably Numb by Gilmour. Every time he holds a note, it is in the chord of the moment. The solos and fills of Sultans of Swing are mostly chord tones. THIS IS THE GOOD STUFF FOLKS!!!!

[@bmatt2626]

Just have to say your levels are always great in these videos, which has been making it easier to watch in playlists at night without waking everyone up when the music hits. A number of "top" KZbin producer/educators haven't figured this out, even when the topic of their videos is mixing + mastering hehe.

[@RickBeato]

Haha, that's funny about levels! Thanks B Matt!! Rick

[@gentbar7296]

spot on ironis

[@beautardyartist]

Rick, I am 60 years old and this is the first time in my life any one has said 'play the chord tones on the downbeat'! I wish I had heard this decades ago, I might have avoided being a 'groper' my whole life... ;P

[@Trash-Beats]

😢

[@rodolfoamaralguitar]

Great lesson! This simple concept (chord tones on the downbeats) is the cherry on the top of the cake! Now everything makes more sense to me. I didnt realized until this video. Thank you very much!

[@davepuxley7387]

Dang, Rick, you are an effective teacher. The first three minutes helped me understand bebop lines with a succinctness I have sought for but has always eluded me - til now! I will remember this lesson and integrate it. Thank you!

[@dogukansezgin4417]

man I watched a dozen bebop lesson videos no one says you can use color tones on the down beat. I was wondering why it sounded so dull. Great lesson. Now I can sound a bit more like Charlie Parker 😂

[@thephunk1]

This is GREAT! Thank you for demystifying the melodic approach to bebop lines!

[@PabloCardonaMusic]

I can't believe I was able to follow this video until the end, I kind of feel my progress for the first time :D

[@sugarwick]

I have not seen all of your videos. However I can see you have given a great deal away. You are indeed a gentleman. Genius and generous. God bless.

[@patdurkin2095]

Took a lesson with a bebop player the other day and it really got me thinking about some new ideas. This really opened up a lot of the "why" of how bebop works for me. Great lesson!

[@ericgamliel8500]

I recently started composing (while also learning theory). I had an interesting melody line and found a nice chord progression. But there was one bar that sounded like crap. I kept altering the melody and the chord, trying to fix it . . . And that's when I recalled THIS VIDEO!!! The problem was entirely that I had a very weak non-chord tone on a strong beat. This lesson had a direct impact on my progress and I was able to fix the issue. Very happy!!!

[@videoschiche8367]

Thanks, Rick, for those vids about melodic lines. You make complex things simple and I wish I had seen this vid 2 years ago, when you posted it. You're a great teacher, you post all your knowledge for free, and it make me feel sad that some people are arguing... By the way, thanks for the "Beato Book"... great source of musical knowledge. God bless you!

[@matthiasklein6587]

Thanks for this great video (like all the others). At the moment I study a "Bebop line" from the 18th century: the prelude in D major BWV 850 by Johann Sebastian Bach. The principles you explain fit exactly. Once you realize the chord changes even a "complex" melody line becomes quite easy to understand (scales>modes>chords) and therefore very easy to memorize. Thank you for sharing all your great knowledge!

[@chrismorgan7494]

Mixing the Am, D7 of the 1st lick with Cma7 of the 2nd lick sounds stellar.

[@benbmusic88]

Man I can't get enough of this guy! Amazing instruction!

[@MeanMaoriMean555]

Thank You soo very - much. You have just made the biggest penny drop into my soul! I’ve soo struggled with this and sir you have just explained it so darn clearly. 🙏

[@powerpopaholic876]

Rick, I really appreciate you sharing this with me / us.

[@Wourghk]

Oddly, having heard the "correct" example enough, I mistook the "bad" off-beat example as a fairly decent, logical variation. I was even quite confused when you mentioned just how bad it was, that it totally didn't work and was ridiculous, etc. when I was hearing something that could have very well been a complement to the first phrase. The subtleties are lost on people like me, I suppose. Regardless, I appreciate the firm establishment of a rule I've been running into during improv: non-chord tones in melodies are okay on down-beats if used in a chromatic context, but probably not otherwise. Very helpful advice!

[@zachikhothingo1]

Best video on solo over chord changes. Thank you so much. Cleared my doubts after so many years.

[@helene4528]

So very clear explanations ! Thanks a lot Rick Beato !

[@thomaswilliams2723]

Just never forget, those alterations, and basically any alteration, can also sound great! A nice melody is a nice melody, and your ears will always guide you, though that’s a road often taken further down the jazz journey. Really great video!

[@JamesOKlippel]

Pretty deep video, takes people years to really engrain this into their playing. So much of it is just practing, slowly, a nonstop, consistent swung 8th note line outlining chords. The more you do it, the better you become. So much better to learn how to fish in this case... any vocabulary you learn in the process or via transcribing others work is just icing on the cake.

[@warrenguitar]

I loved this lesson Rick; thanks so much! You explained the basic rules of melody writing in a functional harmony environment (so helpful), prime dude!

[@moe45673]

Amazing lessons, Rick. You teach music theory in ways that fill in the gaps in my knowledge. I know the scales, i know the chords, i know the circle of fifths, i know the modes; i even know about reharmonization and stuff like that. But Chord tones on the strong beats.... So simple and i never knew that so explicitly spelled out! I may actually pay for the beato book!

[@kattrakee]

You’re awesome!! Thank you for everything you post 😁😁😁⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🎵🎶🎵🎶🎶🎶🎵🎶⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@cgiatis]

Excellent choice of examples and guitar tone. I understand. Love your devotion to the guitar.

[@conanbarbarian3797]

i love that guitar rick,,i think its cool how you stared as a punk rocker and really acumulated knowledge that you share..well done..

[@PIANOSTYLE100]

Got my my nylon guitar and played the chords with you. When I practice I often have guitar and piano handy.

[@JeannieSargent]

Thank you for putting these things into a nice simple to understand analysis!

[@andreblum]

this was way over my head 7 years ago. Now I understand it.

[@anwyllonmusic]

Thank you for your service Rick!

[@waynewhite6930]

This is excellent information I have been looking to learn for quite a while. Thank you, Rick!

[@edunegrao]

Thanks for mentioning Jobim

[@Ndo01]

So clear and simple, great explanations!

[@radjeshgopal2287]

Thank you very much Rick Beato. The way you teach is just like i do but i didn't make a instruction video. But now i can use yours.

[@WebsterBand9591]

love this stuff, just play it in differnt positions in differt keys and octaves until you own it

[@stompcity4085]

As always, excellent!

[@Paulwilliamsukmusic]

One of the most important lesson I've seen

[@jteichma]

You're great Rick. Thanks!

[@Manuaze486]

Usefull examples for basic bebop play... nice work ;-)

[@Hugh9]

Thanks Rick. Very clear indeed.

[@WillKriski]

Great stuff. I was taught in college that 1 and 3 beats are the strongest that's why 2 and 4 can often not be chord tones eg 9ths, 6ths, etc. Check out Forward Motion by Hal Garper as well.

[@JJArts-sr5jw]

True so how to handle this contradiction?

[@thomaswilliams2723]

@@JJArts-sr5jw music isn’t concrete, these are very good guiding principles, but when your improvising especially, no one can think in these terms 100% of the time, if it’s a good melody, it’s a good melody. That’s about it

[@ultimatevibesystems7304]

@@thomaswilliams2723 James Brown "if it sounds good, and your hear it good, then it's musical."

[@kakohernandez]

Muchas gracias Sr. Beato

[@tarotguitar]

Every time I hear you play that guitar it always blows my mind how good it sounds...it has such a nice "piano like" ringing tone! 👌

[@yusuftor]

This was a really insightful video, thank you

[@DJGreenArrow]

At 11:00 it answered my question (on today’s video) about displacement ! Excellent

[@wormtownpaul]

This is really good. Thanks Rick.

[@dominiquemiletti6685]

This kind of vidéo makes me feel good , thank you, great job!

[@romainbertrand253]

Great video. Simple and crystal clear. A lot of us hope that you will do some new videos about JAZZ (like this one or the "in the style of " ones.) Thanks Rick !

[@PragmaticDany]

Trying this was hard, but it inmediately improved my melodies, definetely sound more jazzy

[@danvarg18]

man what a great video! awesome piece of knowledge!

[@SteveSam66]

Great lesson. Thanks for sharing..

[@skyshaver6622]

I've been trying to get my head and fingers around these lines for an hour. It's my first attempt at playing this style of melody but wow, gives you an even deeper respect for bebop players. My fingers do not want to follow these patterns. I can't imagine improving something like this. Maybe someday.

[@jodi183]

Play them really slowly w/ a metronome and gradually click up the tempo. Make sure you swing, otherwise it won't sound good at all (ghost the weak beats). Listen to Wes Montgomery, Grant Green, Mimi Fox--great swinging bebop guitarists. Fyi, all this guy is doing is playing stock ii-V-I bebop licks. Just pick up David Baker's bebop lines method book 2. They're all there. All you need to play lines over major ii-V-I and minor ii-V-i progressions are in his books. Also, check out Charlie Parker's omni book and look at what he does over ii-Vs. Pick one lick, practice it til your fingers hurt, til it's memorized and you can play it 12 keys. Then plop those licks into a jazz standard every time that progression pops up (they're in EVERY standard). Theory definitely helps understand this stuff, but it's not going to teach you how to play these lines, or come up with your own. You have to immerse yourself in this language (it is like learning a speaking language)--listen, copy and practice.

[@lorebortolon1798]

Very good...little grittier guitar sound, good teaching!!

[@JeremyJoyce]

Another great example of diminished sub for the tonic is “Pure Imagination” first A section.

[@danielacuna429]

thank you so much for sharing this information.

[@Stratoblastification]

Rick, you are great.

[@MrMjp58]

A great teacher [also a great player].

[@vincenzo6162]

this is gold!

[@ShadyRealRap96]

cela m'a tellement aidé! merci

[@kylescott364]

I love these video Rick! Bravo man! I have to say, I do sometimes very rarely, use all the wrong notes just to freak the listeners ears for a cool "outside' pattern. It's weird, but lots of times that is what players ask me about...what was that outside thing you did on that line? lol. Thanks again for the great videos! All the best!

[@JA51711]

Great explanation

[@anderson.ziemmer]

I love these musical thoughts and the way you conceive them. By the way I noticed the same principles within melodies from brazilian style called Choro or Chorinho. ;)

[@giominor88]

Seriously, this is the best explanation on how to make bebop lines, actually I think this video will help me also in the way I improvise in such style of music. I wonder if having clean tone instead of distorted would be more helpful though :) Nice videos from orchestration, to film scoring to jazz improvisation. Wow. I wonder if you have anything about jazz reharmonisation (have not looked thoroughly yet) but wow, congratulations!

[@RickBeato]

I have a video about reharms from last week.

[@JazzGuitarForum]

I like your insights

[@larrybethune3909]

Thanks Professor.

[@74hz15]

sick, gonna try this

[@edwardzeigler6437]

Love bepop. Saw your breakdown on faith no more. Subbed.

[@zoltan567]

I can put this to practical use for transcribing music. I've read into the posts, but all I care is that how I can harmonise a melody or understand a chord progression for a certain melody. I checked with a couple of pop songs (yes, not from something from the real book) and "strong beats" - passing notes is an idea that I can use and that what matters to me. Thanks.

[@zoltan567]

I just to put this knowledge to practice to MY LEVEL, I recorded some ONE CHORD loops on a guitar: C, CM7, Bm, G, Am. First I just use the strong notes ( 1,3,5 (7) ) and then only 2,4,6. Well, only using 2,4,6 sounds very off, but if I throw in some strong notes sometimes, interesting melodies come together. So I just wanted to share this, compared to the regular ("you must land here when you...create a phrase.. etc.) improvising exercises is easy and I really hear what I haven't heard before.

[@Rebeccachazzy]

What did I do to find such a wonderful page?!

[@clementsekeani1285]

Hi Rick, very good lessons...theory alone may not be very helpful it must be combined with practice....how it is done. I like your lessons. Please keep it up. In fact I will learn the techniques of Jazz Playing. Kind regards, Clement

[@DarknessB4TheDawn]

I gain more understanding by listening without critiquing our over thinking some these concepts. I'm growing my ears up to rest of me Vice Versa.Ha Ha kidding To communicate or capture all the feelings of what I'm playing is difficult so keeping it straight forward is good. How ever you want to look at it, elaborate more please, I can hear what you might be trying to tell me. Practicing this way is fun for me too. Thanks.

[@9Hansi3]

Thanks! !

[@dinorahdinorah85]

Hi Rick! Very good lessons! Could you make a video lesson about how to approach the beats 2&4 with the metronome on guitar playing?

[@munivemusiccreation9371]

Great as an introduction of scales

[@geoffstockton]

I find it more useful to think of beats one and three as the chord tone beats, beats two and four as the diatonic passing-tone beats and all of the "ands" as chromatic neighboring tone opportunities. Similar to the Barry Harris approach but with just a couple differences in directional terms.

[@godmusicarmy560]

Thanks I learn color tone here

[@ericgamliel8500]

I'd add to this and say that when I have a chord change on an up beat (the "and" between quarter notes), I typically follow the same rule--use a chord tone in the melody there. It sounds better to me like that.

[@pixelatedparcel]

There is a great thread related to this comment but those interested in the question "why think modally, while improvising?" may want to read chapter three of Marc Levine's The Jazz Theory Book, as a great answer is provided through the example of the eventual introduction/acceptance of the 4th degree of the C major scale during improvisation over a Cmaj7 chord by raising it, rather than always simply using it as a passing tone as was traditionally done before be-boppers shattered that ceiling. In other words, in this particular example, those guys chose to improvise based on C Lydian rather than C Ionian because, like Ionian it provided those major 3 and 7 degrees, but unlike Ionian, the 4 was raised (so, the #4 could be played diatonically to that scale)....

[@UngKristen]

The guitar sound in this video is cool

[@TONIKOBLER]

dona lee is the most knew ,thanks

[@JunIbasco]

I'm enjoying your videos a lot. I'm on your channel for over a week now. Would you advice practicing (let's say a ii-V-I) using quarter notes and focusing on outlining the chord tones of each chord in the progression on the strong beats, then moving on to adding the non-chord tones on the "&'s"? Or should I go straight to either writing lines with this concept in mind or transcribe my favorite musician's lines? Thanks!

[@RickBeato]

Transcribe Charlie Parker to start!

[@williamorlandomaestrevilla4291]

Great

[@ohadcohen2]

Hey Rick, This is a really important video. Is there a book or books that particularly and systematically expand on this concept? please let me know. Thank you.

[@andyracksthecams]

I can't read music or have never tried but that made so much sense. I feel like I have wasted half my musical life. Noooooo

[@EclecticSceptic]

Nice vid

[@serseriherif9530]

Hey Rick, love your vids they are really great for musicians who aren't in music school but still want to educate themselves in a serious way. Anyway my question is: how can I practice this stuff so that I can get it into my playing? should I buy a 2-5-1 lick-book and go from there or try and make my own lines?

[@jroskott]

The first three or four minutes are a complete alien language for me. And I play guitar for 40 years....

[@filcondrat]

hey, Rick, it would be great if you somehow will reintroduce all these concepts in "nowadays" videos. miss this kind of content

[@ZabalaGuitarrak]

I was looking for copper and I found gold .

[@PIANOSTYLE100]

I always look for patterns and the way I would play it. I played the Amin 7 in root position. A C E G, D7b9.. from Amin7 ..keep the A C and just drop top fingers to to Eb and Gb. This contains the b9 and Maj 3rd of D. Now from this chord I keep the major 7 of G and drop drop down to G B D . Gives us the Major1 chord G Maj 7. I'm texting this hope no mistakes or spell check helping me out. Not.

[@alexandrarock4]

love

[@weiwang7896]

I like you lessons and ty for teaching us so much,but there are some difference on this lesson. You said pt must in weak beats.For example, the chord E-G-B-D you can press the f key on strong beats(even the frist strong beats), it take you some curious colour