Voice-leading integration — make the top note sing, like a pro

The week's finish line. Comp the C-Am-F-G progression holding the top-note melody (G-A-A-G) with three-note voicings, like a pro — adding the feel of Week 5 (top note) + Week 6 (tensions).

• The top is the song. Across the progression, the topmost note flows G-A-A-G.
• Below is support. Keep common tones planted, move minimally.
• Color if you want (the 9th). For example, add a 9th (D) to C for a shimmer. Skeleton (melody + chord) stays; only color is added — exactly Week 6.

Month recap: you moved the root up to the 4th string to open the high register (Week 5), added color with the 9th (Week 6), and now connected the top note into a melody (Week 7). Next week (8), you mix it all to record your own comping. Getting here means you now use chords not as "memorized shapes" but as "tools that support a melody." Compared to two months ago — when your hand ran up and down the neck just to change one chord — you've become an entirely different player.

F — top = 3 (A). Its top (A) matches Am, so they connect easily. Green is the top.

G — top = R (G). The top steps down one note from A to G, closing the progression.

Example 1 — top-note melody (G-A-A-G). Just the progression's song line. This is the tune to hold today.

▶ BPM 72. 1st string 3-5-5-3. Get this melody into hand and ear first. Repeat 4×.

Example 2 — C-Am-F-G triad comp (holding the top). Roll each chord low → middle → top, so the top G-A-A-G sings.

▶ BPM 80, repeat 4×. Roll the three notes from the bottom, but let the top (G-A-A-G) sing all the way. Hand in one region (frets 3–6). Once comfortable, add a 9th (D) to C for a splash of color.

0–10 min · Warm-up Play Example 1's top melody (G-A-A-G) on the 1st string. Then the four spots C-Am-F-G in order, confirming the top connects into that melody.

10–20 min · Brain training (today's target = holding the melody) Confirm the top is G·A·A·G per chord, and map where the common tones stay. Cycle the progression eyes-closed, making the top sing.

20–40 min · Real comping (Example 2 / 76–86 BPM) Repeat Example 2 at BPM 80 4×. Lay it over a backing like a real song. Focus on the top-note melody singing clearly. If you have room, add a 9th to a chord for color.

40–50 min · Record & reflect + week recap (recommended) Record two laps. Check: did the top melody connect smoothly / did the top not cut off at changes / did the hand stay in one region.

Done when: you can comp C-Am-F-G like a pro with three-note voicings, holding the top-note melody (G-A-A-G). (Week 7 complete!)

• The top cutting off mid-progression. If you lose the top note at a change, the melody vanishes. Keep the top as connected as possible.
• Changing in blocks. Still the amateur trap. Keep the sense of "choosing" and connecting the top.
• Chasing color and losing the melody. The 9th is optional. Today's star is the top-note melody.
• Skipping the recap. Spend ten minutes on how Weeks 5·6·7 merged into one. It's the material for next week's recording challenge.