Theory
Week 4. This week you take the first step of chord melody — laying a melody on top of the chords. Its foundation is voice leading. When you change chords, don't move the whole hand; leave the overlapping notes (common tones) in place and move only the notes you truly need. Drill it into the body with the signature vamp Dm9 → G13.
Overlay the two chords and it's surprising. Dm9's F (4th string fret 3) and E (2nd string fret 5) live on unchanged in G13. The two common tones never leave your fingers; move just one inner note a half-step and the chord changes. Link them with this minimal movement and the sound flows like water instead of jerking apart.
Today it's about the smooth transition, not speed. Slowly at BPM 70, watch with your eyes how little the hand moves when the chord changes. Once the feel of keeping the common tones settles into the hand, the stage for the top-note melody is set. First, lay the home chord Dm9 on the hand.
▶ The home chord Dm9. 5th string fret 5 root; the 9th on the 2nd string makes the soft color.
See it
Now the target chord G13. Overlay it with Dm9 and the common tones F and E hold their spots while only an inner note drops a half-step. Capture with your eyes how one finger's move flips the chord.
▶ G13. 6th string fret 3 root; only the inner b7 dropped a half-step to the 3rd.
Now let's join the two bars. Bar 1 Dm9, bar 2 G13. Link them while keeping the common tones and the two chords flow as one.
▶ BPM 70. Going from bar 1 Dm9 to bar 2 G13, leave the 4th and 2nd strings put and drop only one inner note a half-step.
Today's practice
0–10 min · Warm-up BPM 65. Warm the hand by grabbing Dm9 and G13 in turn. Rehearse just the feel of leaving the common tones F·E in place.
10–20 min · Brain training (checking the common tones) With the left hand only, move between the two chords silently and check with your eyes where the common tones hold.
20–40 min · Real voice-leading vamp (BPM 70) Repeat the four bars below without a break. Watch just one thing: whether the hand moves only the minimum when the chord changes.
▶ BPM 70. Loop the voice-leading vamp twice. Feel how the chord changes even though the hand barely moves.
40–50 min · Recording / self-feedback (recommended) Record 30 seconds and listen back. Check whether the transition links smoothly instead of jerking apart.
Done when: You can link Dm9 → G13 at BPM 70, keeping the common tones F·E in place, and make the transition sound smooth.
Here are just the mistakes that show up most as you drill voice leading.
▶ 4th string fret 3 (F) and 2nd string fret 5 (E) are the two chords' common tones; the 3rd string fret 5→4 is the only note that moves.
- You move the whole hand. Lift the common tones too and the sound breaks. Keep F·E planted and move only the inner note.
- The inner note is late. Prepare the 3rd string fret 5→4 move ahead and the beat won't drag.
- You raise the speed first. Today the smooth transition comes first. Drop to BPM 65 and shrink the movement first.
- The chord smears. Stand the fingertips up so every string rings clearly.