I've used many of the approaches you've used here, some great stuff. Here's my approach, similarities and all:

1) I'll start with getting a few versions of the tune I'm working on. For instance, recently I was working on “If I Should Lose You”, and I had Bird's version, and Joe Diorio's version off of “Bonita” (I think…).

2) I'll listen to the tunes many times, until I can hear the head IN my head, and sing it unaccompanied. To be honest, I don't have the discipline to do that ALL the time, but I do it most of the time. Then, I'll start to play the tune (melody) from memory.
– Now, as long as the tune isn't too fast, I'll use this stage to train my ear a bit. I'll play the head from any note, with any finger, and wander up and down
the fingerboard playing the melody – in as many ways as possible. That's fun to do.
3) As for the chords, I'll figure them out as I work with the recording. Come to think of it, I should try to sing the entire bass line, and figure out the changes totally by ear. Will I screw up? Sure, but what's the worst that can happen? Not sure, but the best case is that I get monster ears !

4) What I do at this stage is different than what I've done in the past. I'll convert the chords to functional harmony – I, V/ii, ii etc. Then every day, I'll play it in a different key.

5) In addition to some of the things that you mention, I'll sing everything without the guitar to get it in my head. I'll sing the roots, arpeggios, and melody, etc.

6) Another thing to try is to alternate playing chords/singing melody, and playing melody/singing roots.

This is the basic idea to get the tune off the ground, so to speak.
Then, I'll practice the head 4 ways:

1) I'll play it as a single note line – which I've already done at this point.

2) I'll play it in octaves – if it's not too fast

3) I'll play it as if I were playing in a trio. In other words, a combination of #1 and #2, but with an occasional syncopated 3-4 note chord supporting the melody.

4) Chord melody. If it's a bop tune, I may skip this part .

The rest of what I do, isn't exactly “learning the tune” per se, but more of how I work on improvisation.
I'll take out an index card, and write out various qualities that I think great players have in their playing – or some other beneficial exercise. For every couple of choruses, I'll focus exclusively on one item, and then I'll switch and focus on that one. Some of the things that I write down are:

Dynamics
Accents
Swing
Space
Syncopations
Articulations
start line on 3, or 5, 7, etc…
pickup notes – in other words, start line on the and of 4, and play a 2 bar phrase..
2 bar phrase
4 bar phrase
Range – I'll alternate high and low phrases to simulate 2 players answering each other.
alternate chords/single notes/octaves/double stops
Intensity
Sequencing
Play a phrase – take out notes (Diminution)
Play a phrase – put more notes in (Augmentation)
etc.

My experience with this approach is that it leads to a more organic integration of all these musical elements. That's instead of going, “Oh, look out – now I'm going to play something with a really wide dynamic range!” .

From a strictly guitar point of view, there are many limitations that you can put on yourself to help you explore the guitar further.
Here are a few I've used:

1) Play the tune completely in one position, then do that for all areas of the neck.
2) Play the tune up and down 1 string
3) Play the tune using 2 strings, try non adjacent strings too! That's interesting…
4) Start high/low on the guitar, and steadily go in the opposite direction, until you get to the other end of the guitar.
5) If the harmony goes up, have your line go down the neck, and vice versa. For example, in “You Stepped Out of A Dream”, the first 2 chords are C and Db.
Instead of playing through the C chord in the 7th position (1st finger on the B, 6th string), and then moving to the 8th position for Db (1st finger on the C now), move down to the 6th position (1st finger on the Bb, 6th string) and play through the Db Maj chord. Sort of like counterpoint, no?

Actually, everything except the 5th idea I got from Mick Goodrick's great book, “The Advancing Guitarist”.
So, I think that's it – looking forward to your thoughts. Oh, and don't forget to practice all the tunes with an actual intro and ending, just like you would on the gig!

Sincerely,
Dave Lockwood
atlantaguitarteacher.wordpress.com
http://www.atlantajazzguitar.com

I've used many of the approaches you've used here, some great stuff. Here's my approach, similarities and all:

1) I'll start with getting a few versions of the tune I'm working on. For instance, recently I was working on “If I Should Lose You”, and I had Bird's version, and Joe Diorio's version off of “Bonita” (I think…).

2) I'll listen to the tunes many times, until I can hear the head IN my head, and sing it unaccompanied. To be honest, I don't have the discipline to do that ALL the time, but I do it most of the time. Then, I'll start to play the tune (melody) from memory.
– Now, as long as the tune isn't too fast, I'll use this stage to train my ear a bit. I'll play the head from any note, with any finger, and wander up and down
the fingerboard playing the melody – in as many ways as possible. That's fun to do.
3) As for the chords, I'll figure them out as I work with the recording. Come to think of it, I should try to sing the entire bass line, and figure out the changes totally by ear. Will I screw up? Sure, but what's the worst that can happen? Not sure, but the best case is that I get monster ears !

4) What I do at this stage is different than what I've done in the past. I'll convert the chords to functional harmony – I, V/ii, ii etc. Then every day, I'll play it in a different key.

5) In addition to some of the things that you mention, I'll sing everything without the guitar to get it in my head. I'll sing the roots, arpeggios, and melody, etc.

6) Another thing to try is to alternate playing chords/singing melody, and playing melody/singing roots.

This is the basic idea to get the tune off the ground, so to speak.
Then, I'll practice the head 4 ways:

1) I'll play it as a single note line – which I've already done at this point.

2) I'll play it in octaves – if it's not too fast

3) I'll play it as if I were playing in a trio. In other words, a combination of #1 and #2, but with an occasional syncopated 3-4 note chord supporting the melody.

4) Chord melody. If it's a bop tune, I may skip this part .

The rest of what I do, isn't exactly “learning the tune” per se, but more of how I work on improvisation.
I'll take out an index card, and write out various qualities that I think great players have in their playing – or some other beneficial exercise. For every couple of choruses, I'll focus exclusively on one item, and then I'll switch and focus on that one. Some of the things that I write down are:

Dynamics
Accents
Swing
Space
Syncopations
Articulations
start line on 3, or 5, 7, etc…
pickup notes – in other words, start line on the and of 4, and play a 2 bar phrase..
2 bar phrase
4 bar phrase
Range – I'll alternate high and low phrases to simulate 2 players answering each other.
alternate chords/single notes/octaves/double stops
Intensity
Sequencing
Play a phrase – take out notes (Diminution)
Play a phrase – put more notes in (Augmentation)
etc.

My experience with this approach is that it leads to a more organic integration of all these musical elements. That's instead of going, “Oh, look out – now I'm going to play something with a really wide dynamic range!” .

From a strictly guitar point of view, there are many limitations that you can put on yourself to help you explore the guitar further.
Here are a few I've used:

1) Play the tune completely in one position, then do that for all areas of the neck.
2) Play the tune up and down 1 string
3) Play the tune using 2 strings, try non adjacent strings too! That's interesting…
4) Start high/low on the guitar, and steadily go in the opposite direction, until you get to the other end of the guitar.
5) If the harmony goes up, have your line go down the neck, and vice versa. For example, in “You Stepped Out of A Dream”, the first 2 chords are C and Db.
Instead of playing through the C chord in the 7th position (1st finger on the B, 6th string), and then moving to the 8th position for Db (1st finger on the C now), move down to the 6th position (1st finger on the Bb, 6th string) and play through the Db Maj chord. Sort of like counterpoint, no?

Actually, everything except the 5th idea I got from Mick Goodrick's great book, “The Advancing Guitarist”.
So, I think that's it – looking forward to your thoughts. Oh, and don't forget to practice all the tunes with an actual intro and ending, just like you would on the gig!

Sincerely,
Dave Lockwood
atlantaguitarteacher.wordpress.com
http://www.atlantajazzguitar.com

I'm going to use this post as a guide for some of my improv students, and noticed that the link to the pdf worksheet is broken. Just lettin' you know.

John

I'm going to use this post as a guide for some of my improv students, and noticed that the link to the pdf worksheet is broken. Just lettin' you know.

John

Lyle

Lyle